Powering Down: Green IT in Higher Education. Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehan, Mark C.

2010-01-01

This document presents the key findings from "Powering Down: Green IT in Higher Education," the 2010 ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) study of green IT. The study examines the stance institutions and their central IT organizations are taking on environmental sustainability (ES), the progress they are making on a variety of key…

Australia's contribution to global immunisation.

PubMed

Ruff, Tilman A; Taylor, Kate; Nolan, Terry

2012-12-01

To review Australian contributions to global immunisation. We summarise Australian scientific and program contributions to vaccines and global immunisation, describe key developments and strengths in Australia's national immunisation program, and outline how both of these can link with Australia's increasing international development budget to build Australia's future contribution to global immunisation. Australian contributions to vaccines and immunisation have been substantial, and Australia offers a range of good practices in its domestic and development approaches. There are major opportunities to build on this strong track record. These include committing to help roll out important new life-saving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and human papilloma virus (HPV) to the children who need them most, but whose communities can least afford them. Australia is one of a few countries expanding their aid budgets towards 0.7% development assistance and other development commitments. Given the importance of immunisation to health gains, Australia is well placed to expand its investment in immunisation within its development portfolio. The GAVI Alliance is the best-established global mechanism to do this. Additionally, however, Australia could harness other national and regional mechanisms to support low and middle-income countries, thereby complementing GAVI's focus and global needs. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

Community Music in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Gillian

2010-01-01

This paper presents a historical perspective to the development of community music in Australia. Finding political support in Australia's progressive arts policies of the late 1970s, community music is discussed as embracing the principles of access and equity and supporting the development of musical skills in the context of social change and…

Making a Difference: Findings from "Better Beginnings" a Family Literacy Intervention Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt-Pugh, Caroline; Allen, Nola

2011-01-01

Since 2005, "Better Beginnings", an early intervention, statewide family literacy programme developed by The State Library of Western Australia, has provided thousands of families with strategies and resources to promote and support book-sharing from birth. This paper reports on the key findings of an independent longitudinal evaluation…

Key Findings and Recommendations for Technology Transfer at the ITS JPO

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-18

This report provides key findings and recommendations for technology transfer at the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) based upon an assessment of best practices in technology transfer in other industries, such as nati...

The AFS Volunteer Resources Study: Summary of Findings from Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Desmond; And Others

The American Field Service (AFS) has 3,500 volunteers throughout Australia. Local chapters recruit potential host families and participants. Host families are recruited actively and selectively while volunteers are recruited largely through AFS presentations at schools, through friends, and by returning volunteers. Due to a high level of demand…

Is the organisation and structure of hospital postnatal care a barrier to quality care? Findings from a state-wide review in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

McLachlan, Helen L; Forster, Della A; Yelland, Jane; Rayner, Joanne; Lumley, Judith

2008-09-01

to describe the structure and organisation of hospital postnatal care in Victoria, Australia. postal survey sent to all public hospitals in Victoria (n=71) and key-informant interviews with midwives and medical practitioners (n=38). Victoria, Australia. providers of postnatal care in Victorian public hospitals. there is significant diversity across Victoria in the way postnatal units are structured and organised and in the way care is provided. There are differences in numerous practices, including maternal and neonatal observations and the length of time women spend in hospital after giving birth. Although the benefits of continuity of care are recognised by health care providers, continuity is difficult to provide in the postnatal period. Postnatal care is provided in busy, sometimes chaotic environments, with many barriers to providing effective care and few opportunities for women to rest and recover after childbirth. The findings in this study can, in part, be explained by the lack of evidence that has been available to guide early postnatal care. current structures such as standard postnatal documentation (clinical pathways) and fixed length of stay, may inhibit rather than support individualised care for women after childbirth. There is a need to move towards greater flexibility in providing of early postnatal care, including alternative models of service delivery; choice and flexibility in the length of stay after birth; a focus on the individual with far less emphasis on care being structured around organisational requirements; and building an evidence base to guide care.

PictureAustralia--Participating in a Collaborative Digital Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Deborah

The PictureAustralia service is a collaboration between cultural agencies to bring their digital pictorial collections together at the one web site, hosted by the National Library of Australia. It was developed through the identification of a need for a national image discovery service. The key to the service is its cross-sectoral nature,…

Integrated vehicle-based safety systems : heavy-truck field operational test key findings report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

This document presents key findings from the heavy-truck field operational test conducted as : part of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems program. These findings are the result of : analyses performed by the University of Michigan Transporta...

Integrated vehicle-based safety systems light-vehicle field operational test key findings report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

This document presents key findings from the light-vehicle field operational test conducted as part of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems program. These findings are the result of analyses performed by the University of Michigan Transportati...

Integrated vehicle-based safety systems light-vehicle field operational test key findings report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

"This document presents key findings from the light-vehicle field operational test conducted as part of the Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems program. These findings are the result of analyses performed by the University of Michigan Transportat...

The BeUpstanding Program™: Scaling up the Stand Up Australia Workplace Intervention for Translation into Practice

PubMed Central

Healy, Genevieve N; Goode, Ana; Schultz, Diane; Lee, Donna; Leahy, Bell; Dunstan, David W; Gilson, Nicholas D; Eakin, Elizabeth G

2016-01-01

Context and purpose Too much sitting is now recognised as a common risk factor for several health outcomes, with the workplace identified as a key setting in which to address prolonged sitting time. The Stand Up Australia intervention was designed to reduce prolonged sitting in the workplace by addressing influences at multiple-levels, including the organisation, the environment, and the individual. Intervention success has been achieved within the context of randomised controlled trials, where research staff deliver several of the key intervention components. This study describes the initial step in the multi-phase process of scaling up the Stand Up Australia intervention for workplace translation. Methods A research-government partnership was critical in funding and informing the prototype for the scaled up BeUpstanding program™. Evidence, protocols and materials from Stand Up Australia were adapted in collaboration with funding partner Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to ensure consistency and compatibility with existing government frameworks and resources. In recognition of the key role of workplace champions in facilitating workplace health promotion programs, the BeUpstanding program™ is designed to be delivered through a stand-alone, free, website-based toolkit using a ‘train the champion’ approach. Key findings and significance The BeUpstanding program™ was influenced by the increasing recognition of prolonged sitting as an emerging health issue as well as industry demand. The research-government partnership was critical in informing and resourcing the development of the scaled-up program. PMID:29546167

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A.; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2015-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. Objectives: We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Methods: Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Discussion: Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. Conclusions: The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Citation: Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703–712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730 PMID:26529796

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues.

PubMed

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2016-06-01

In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703-712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730.

Family structure and childhood mental disorders: new findings from Australia.

PubMed

Perales, Francisco; Johnson, Sarah E; Baxter, Janeen; Lawrence, David; Zubrick, Stephen R

2017-04-01

Many children now live in non-traditional families-including one-parent, blended, and step families. While a substantial body of international evidence indicates that these children display poorer cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes than children living in traditional families, research on childhood mental disorders is scarce. This report provides new evidence of the relationships between family structure and childhood mental disorders in an under-researched context, Australia. We use recent, nationally representative data on children aged 4-17 from Young Minds Matter, the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Well-being (N = 6310). Mental disorders were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-Version IV and included social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and conduct disorder. Compared to children living in original families, children in one-parent, blended, and step families experienced a higher prevalence of mental disorders. Amongst children whose parents separated, the time since separation was not statistically significantly related to the prevalence of mental disorders. Although we are unable to assess causality, our findings highlight the strength of the association between family structure and child and adolescent mental health. They also stress the need for programs to support children, parents, and families in non-traditional family types to reduce mental health inequalities in childhood and later life.

Trust, Respect and Friendship: The Key Attributes of Significant Others in the Lives of Young Working Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

du Plessis, Karin; Corney, Tim

2011-01-01

A sample of 146 male construction industry apprentices (predominantly young men) in Australia self-reported on their significant relationships, as well as the key attributes of these relationships. The findings indicated that the young men shared events, disclosed confidences and looked for help and support from family, romantic partners and close…

Protective and risk factors associated with adolescent sleep: findings from Australia, Canada, and The Netherlands.

PubMed

Bartel, Kate; Williamson, Paul; van Maanen, Annette; Cassoff, Jamie; Meijer, Anne Marie; Oort, Frans; Knäuper, Bärbel; Gruber, Reut; Gradisar, Michael

2016-10-01

Sleep is vital for adolescent functioning. Those with optimal sleep duration have shown improved capacity to learn and decreased rate of motor vehicle accidents. This study explored the influence of numerous protective and risk factors on adolescents' school night sleep (bedtime, sleep latency, total sleep time) simultaneously to assess the importance of each one and compare within three countries. Online survey data were collected from Australia, Canada, and The Netherlands. Overall, 325 (137 male), 193 (28 male), and 150 (55 male) contributed to data from Australia, Canada, and The Netherlands, respectively (age range 12-19 years). Regression analyses showed mixed results, when comparing protective and risk factors for sleep parameters within different countries, with combined behavioural factors contributing to small to large shared portions of variance in each regression (9-50%). One consistent finding between countries was found, with increased pre-sleep cognitive emotional sleep hygiene related to decreased sleep latency (beta = -0.25 to -0.33, p < 0.05). Technology use (mobile phone/Internet stop time) was associated with later bedtime, or less total sleep, with the strength of association varying between device and country. Results indicate that when designing interventions for adolescent sleep, multiple lifestyle factors need to be considered, whereas country of residence may play a lesser role. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"State of the Nation": A Discussion of Some of the Project's Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earley, Peter

2010-01-01

This paper considers several of the key findings of the State of the Nation research. Specific reference is made to three areas--impact evaluation, strategic leadership of professional development, and barriers and constraints to effective CPD practice--which are considered with reference to findings from the other TDA-funded projects conducted at…

40 CFR 63.2831 - Where can I find definitions of key words used in this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... words used in this subpart? 63.2831 Section 63.2831 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Vegetable Oil Production What This Subpart Covers § 63.2831 Where can I find definitions of key words used in this subpart? You can find definitions of key words used in this subpart in § 63.2872. ...

Language Learning at Key Stage 2: Findings from a Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cable, Carrie; Driscoll, Patricia; Mitchell, Rosamond; Sing, Sue; Cremin, Teresa; Earl, Justine; Eyres, Ian; Holmes, Bernardette; Martin, Cynthia; Heins, Barbara

2012-01-01

This paper discusses some of the findings from a 3-year longitudinal study of language learning in the upper stage of English primary schools, i.e. at Key Stage 2. This largely qualitative study (commissioned by the then Department for Children, Schools and Families) was designed to explore and document developing provision and practice in a…

Barriers to the implementation of the SAFE strategy to combat hyperendemic trachoma in Australia.

PubMed

Wright, Heathcote R; Keeffe, Jill E; Taylor, Hugh R

2010-12-01

Australia is the only developed country in the world that still has endemic levels of blinding trachoma. The SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, Environmental improvement) strategy is an effective public health intervention that has been successfully used to eliminate blinding trachoma in some of the poorest countries of the world. Yet the SAFE strategy has not been systematically implemented in Australia. We undertook semi-structured interviews to identify some of barriers to the implementation of the SAFE strategy within remote indigenous communities of Australia. Health care professionals who were responsible for delivering trachoma control programs throughout the Northern Territory were asked to participate in a semi-structured interview. Quantitative analysis was performed using an existing strategic management framework. Fourteen individuals were interviewed. Responses were grouped into 19 categories; 12 from the existing strategic management framework and 7 additional categories that were created for ideas unique to the trachoma control program in Australia. A number of key themes emerged from the interview and are presented in a literary style. From these key themes critical success factors for the implementation of a sustainable trachoma control program were identified. With the election of the Rudd government there has been a renewed interest in "closing the gap" between the health of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. A federal government funding package of $58 million over four years has just been announced to tackle trachoma. It is hoped that the findings of this research can assist in making sure that money achieves its goal.

Managing Livestock Species under Climate Change in Australia

PubMed Central

Seo, S. Niggol; McCarl, Bruce

2011-01-01

Simple Summary World communities are concerned about the impacts of a hotter and drier climate on future agriculture. By examining Australian regional livestock data on sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs, the authors find that livestock production will expand under such conditions. Livestock revenue per farm is expected to increase by more than 47% by 2060 under the UKMO, the GISS, and a high degree of warming CSIRO scenario. The existence of a threshold temperature for these species is not evident. Abstract This paper examines the vulnerabilities of major livestock species raised in Australia to climate change using the regional livestock profile of Australia of around 1,400 regions. The number of each species owned, the number of each species sold, and the aggregate livestock revenue across all species are examined. The four major species analyzed are sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs. The analysis also includes livestock products such as wool and milk. These livestock production statistics are regressed against climate, geophysical, market and household characteristics. In contrast to crop studies, the analysis finds that livestock species are resilient to a hotter and more arid climate. Under the CSIRO climate scenario in which temperature increases by 3.4 °C, livestock revenue per farm increases significantly while the number of each species owned increases by large percentages except for dairy cattle. The precipitation reduction by about 8% in 2060 also increases the numbers of livestock species per farm household. Under both UKMO and GISS scenarios, livestock revenue is expected to increase by around 47% while the livestock population increases by large percentage. Livestock management may play a key role in adapting to a hot and arid climate in Australia. However, critical values of the climatic variables for the species analyzed in this paper are not obvious from the regional data. PMID:26486620

Barriers to Managing Fertility: Findings From the Understanding Fertility Management in Contemporary Australia Facebook Discussion Group.

PubMed

Holton, Sara; Rowe, Heather; Kirkman, Maggie; Jordan, Lynne; McNamee, Kathleen; Bayly, Christine; McBain, John; Sinnott, Vikki; Fisher, Jane

2016-02-15

As part of research investigating the complexities of managing fertility in Australia, public opinions about how Australians manage their fertility were sought from women and men. To identify public opinion about sexual and reproductive health in Australia. To ensure access to a diverse group of people throughout Australia, an online group was advertised and convened on Facebook from October through December 2013. In a closed-group moderated discussion, participants responded to questions about how people in Australia attempt to manage three aspects of fertility: avoiding pregnancy, achieving pregnancy, and difficulties conceiving. Nonidentifiable demographic information was sought; no personal accounts of fertility management were requested. The discussion transcript was analyzed thematically. There were 61 female and 2 male Facebook users aged 18 to 50 years living in Australia participating in the study. Four main themes about fertility management were identified: access, geographical location, knowledge, and cost. Participants reported that young people and people from rural areas face barriers accessing contraception and fertility services. Limited knowledge about sex and reproduction and the cost of fertility services and contraception were also said to impede effective fertility management. Reasons for inequalities in effective fertility management that are amenable to change were identified. Facebook is an effective method for gaining insights into public opinion about sexual and reproductive health.

The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010. Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shannon D.; Caruso, Judith Borreson

2010-01-01

This document presents the key findings from "The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010". Since 2004, the annual ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) study of undergraduate students and information technology has sought to shed light on how information technology affects the college experience. We…

Fear of (re)injury and return to work following compensable injury: qualitative insights from key stakeholders in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Bunzli, Samantha; Singh, Nabita; Mazza, Danielle; Collie, Alex; Kosny, Agnieszka; Ruseckaite, Rasa; Brijnath, Bianca

2017-04-11

Return to work (RTW) is important for recovery post-injury. Fear of (re)injury is a strong predictor of delayed RTW, and therefore much attention has been given to addressing injured workers' fear beliefs. However, RTW is a socially-negotiated process and it may be important to consider the wider social context of the injured worker, including the beliefs of the key people involved in their RTW journey. This paper involves data collected as part of a wider study in which semi-structured interviews explored RTW from the perspectives of 93 key stakeholders: injured workers, GPs, employers and insurance case managers in Victoria, Australia. Inductive analysis of interview transcripts identified fear of (re)injury as a salient theme across all stakeholder groups. This presented an opportunity to analyse how the wider social context of the injured worker may influence fear and avoidance behaviour. Two co-authors performed inductive analysis of the theme 'fear of (re)injury'. Codes identified in the data were grouped into five categories. Between and within category analysis revealed three themes describing the contextual factors that may influence fear avoidance and RTW behaviour. Theme one described how injured workers engaged in a process of weighing up the risk of (re)injury in the workplace against the perceived benefits of RTW. Theme two described how workplace factors could influence an injured workers' perception of the risk of (re)injury in the workplace, including confidence that the source of the injury had been addressed, the availability and suitability of alternative duties. Theme three described other stakeholders' reluctance to accept injured workers back at work because of the fear that they might reinjure themselves. Our findings illustrate the need for a contextualised perspective of fear avoidance and RTW behaviour that includes the beliefs of other important people surrounding the injured worker (e.g. employers, family members, GPs). Existing models

U of M Civil Service Wellness Survey: Finding Out Employees' Health and Wellness Needs. A Report of Key Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matross, Ron; Roesler, Jon

Key findings from a wellness survey conducted with University of Minnesota civil service employees are discussed. The survey was designed to provide information to guide future campus health and wellness programming. Four topics were covered: physical fitness/exercise, nutrition, self-improvement/psychological health, and general health/preventive…

Barriers to Managing Fertility: Findings From the Understanding Fertility Management in Contemporary Australia Facebook Discussion Group

PubMed Central

Rowe, Heather

2016-01-01

Background As part of research investigating the complexities of managing fertility in Australia, public opinions about how Australians manage their fertility were sought from women and men. Objective To identify public opinion about sexual and reproductive health in Australia. Methods To ensure access to a diverse group of people throughout Australia, an online group was advertised and convened on Facebook from October through December 2013. In a closed-group moderated discussion, participants responded to questions about how people in Australia attempt to manage three aspects of fertility: avoiding pregnancy, achieving pregnancy, and difficulties conceiving. Nonidentifiable demographic information was sought; no personal accounts of fertility management were requested. The discussion transcript was analyzed thematically. Results There were 61 female and 2 male Facebook users aged 18 to 50 years living in Australia participating in the study. Four main themes about fertility management were identified: access, geographical location, knowledge, and cost. Participants reported that young people and people from rural areas face barriers accessing contraception and fertility services. Limited knowledge about sex and reproduction and the cost of fertility services and contraception were also said to impede effective fertility management. Conclusions Reasons for inequalities in effective fertility management that are amenable to change were identified. Facebook is an effective method for gaining insights into public opinion about sexual and reproductive health. PMID:26878865

Key Competencies. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haworth, David; Browne, Geoff

Key competencies (or generic skills) have been specified in four sources: Further Education Unit (FEU), United Kingdom (1987); Finn Report (1991) and Mayer Committee (1992), Australia; U.S. Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) (June 1991); and Butterworth and Lovell (1983), New South Wales. A comparison of the four…

Social Inclusion and Critical Consciousness in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diemer, Matthew A.; Ortega, Lilyana

2010-01-01

Australia's Indigenous population is excluded from a range of opportunities, experiences and amenities that facilitate wellbeing, self-determination and social inclusion. This social exclusion constrains the career development and occupational attainment of Indigenous youth, which represent key routes to societal inclusion. Critical…

Social capital dynamics and health in mid to later life: findings from Australia.

PubMed

Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Welsh, Jennifer; Kendig, Hal

2018-05-01

The influence of social capital has been shown to improve health and wellbeing. This study investigates the relationship between changes in social capital and health outcomes during a 6-year follow-up in mid to later life in Australia. Nationally representative data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey included participants aged 45 years and over who responded in 2006, 2010 and 2012 (N = 3606). Each of the three components of social capital (connectedness, trust and participation) was measured in Waves 2006 and 2010 and categorised as: 'never low', 'transitioned to low', 'transitioned out of low' and 'consistently low'. Health outcomes in 2012 included self-rated overall health, physical functioning, and mental health based on the Short Form 36-item health survey (SF-36). Multivariable logistic regression assessed changes in social capital (measured in 2006 and 2010) predicted poor health (measured in 2012), adjusting for covariates. Consistently low trust was significantly associated with higher odds of transitions into poor physical functioning (AOR 1.54; 95% Confidence Interval 1.06-1.22), poor mental health (AOR 1.59; 95% CI 1.08-2.36) and poor self-rated health (AOR 1.86; 95% CI 1.27-2.72). Transition into low trust was also a predictor of poor self-rated health after adjusting for covariates (AOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.11-2.73). Changes in social connectedness in both directions (transitioned out of and into low) were statistically associated with poor self-rated health (AORs 1.40; 95% CI 1.00-1.97 and 1.61; 95% CI 1.11-2.34, respectively) after adjusting for confounders as well as other social capital components. Our longitudinal findings reveal social capital dynamics and effects on health in mid to later life. Social trust and connectedness could be important enablers for older persons to be more active in the community and potentially benefit their health and wellbeing over time.

Building capacity in Australian interprofessional health education: perspectives from key health and higher education stakeholders.

PubMed

Matthews, Lynda R; Pockett, Rosalie B; Nisbet, Gillian; Thistlethwaite, Jill E; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; White, Jill F

2011-05-01

A substantial literature engaging with the directions and experiences of stakeholders involved in interprofessional health education exists at the international level, yet almost nothing has been published that documents and analyses the Australian experience. Accordingly, this study aimed to scope the experiences of key stakeholders in health and higher education in relation to the development of interprofessional practice capabilities in health graduates in Australia. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews and two focus groups of key stakeholders involved in the development and delivery of interprofessional health education in Australian higher education were undertaken. Interview data were coded to identify categories that were organised into key themes, according to principles of thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: the need for common ground between health and higher education, constraints and enablers in current practice, and the need for research to establish an evidence base. Five directions for national development were also identified. The study identified a range of interconnected changes that will be required to successfully mainstream interprofessional education within Australia, in particular, the importance of addressing issues of culture change and the need for a nationally coordinated and research informed approach. These findings reiterate those found in the international literature.

Potential for tree rings to reveal spatial patterns of past drought variability across western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donnell, Alison J.; Cook, Edward R.; Palmer, Jonathan G.; Turney, Chris S. M.; Grierson, Pauline F.

2018-02-01

Proxy records have provided major insights into the variability of past climates over long timescales. However, for much of the Southern Hemisphere, the ability to identify spatial patterns of past climatic variability is constrained by the sparse distribution of proxy records. This is particularly true for mainland Australia, where relatively few proxy records are located. Here, we (1) assess the potential to use existing proxy records in the Australasian region—starting with the only two multi-century tree-ring proxies from mainland Australia—to reveal spatial patterns of past hydroclimatic variability across the western third of the continent, and (2) identify strategic locations to target for the development of new proxy records. We show that the two existing tree-ring records allow robust reconstructions of past hydroclimatic variability over spatially broad areas (i.e. > 3° × 3°) in inland north- and south-western Australia. Our results reveal synchronous periods of drought and wet conditions between the inland northern and southern regions of western Australia as well as a generally anti-phase relationship with hydroclimate in eastern Australia over the last two centuries. The inclusion of 174 tree-ring proxy records from Tasmania, New Zealand and Indonesia and a coral record from Queensland did not improve the reconstruction potential over western Australia. However, our findings suggest that the addition of relatively few new proxy records from key locations in western Australia that currently have low reconstruction skill will enable the development of a comprehensive drought atlas for the region, and provide a critical link to the drought atlases of monsoonal Asia and eastern Australia and New Zealand.

Lessons from Albion: Can Australia learn from England's approach to primary healthcare funding?

PubMed

Norman, Richard; Robinson, Suzanne

2015-01-01

As Australia struggles to meet increased demand for healthcare and contain expenditure there has been a focus on primary care and its role in demand management and keeping people out of expensive secondary care. However, with domestic policy struggling to find a suitable approach consideration of English policy could well be fruitful in the quest to strengthen and develop primary care in Australia. The purpose of this paper is to consider policy developments in England and explores these in relation to the Australian healthcare system. The authors highlight the key changes to policy that have occurred in the English healthcare system in recent years, and discuss whether they have proven successful. The authors discuss the barriers to implementing similar approaches in Australia, particularly the difference in system structure that would necessitate policy adaptation. Whilst there are differences in the structure and organisation of funding and service provision between countries, there are developments in England that are worthy of consideration from an Australian perspective. These include a focus on funding and commissioning that rewards quality not just activity and volume. As Australia sees the development of new primary care organisations that are tasked with commissioning then developments and lessons around the technical and relational aspects will be important to consider. The work highlights that Australia might consider learning from the English experience in this area and the types of incentives that may increase efficiency and quality of health service provision. This is important as it potentially gives greater certainty about those approaches most likely to yield beneficial outcomes for patients and the broader system.

How the World's Best Schools Stay on Top: Study's Key Findings Pinpoint Practices That Align with Learning Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2016-01-01

Key findings from a new study highlight how Learning Forward's long-standing position on professional learning correlates with practices in high-performing systems in Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and British Columbia. The purpose of this article is to share key findings from the study so that educators might apply them to strengthening…

Australia: An Instructional Unit for Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duea, Joan; And Others

Designed to provide elementary teachers with materials for the study of Australia, this unit contains 19 lessons that include objectives, materials, procedures, suggested extension activities, and answer keys where needed. Following the 19 lessons are blackline masters for teacher transparencies, student worksheets, and extension activities. A…

SEROLOGICAL EVALUATION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OOCYSTS FINDINGS IN THE WATER SUPPLY OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

EPA Science Inventory

From July to September, 1998, high levels of Cryptospordium oocysts and Giardia cysts were detected in Sydney, Australia drinking water. To evaluate whether Sydney residents had an elevated risk of infection, serological responses to two Cryptospordium antigen groups (15/17 - an...

Physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis in Australia and New Zealand: A clinical practice guideline.

PubMed

Button, Brenda M; Wilson, Christine; Dentice, Ruth; Cox, Narelle S; Middleton, Anna; Tannenbaum, Esta; Bishop, Jennifer; Cobb, Robyn; Burton, Kate; Wood, Michelle; Moran, Fiona; Black, Ryan; Bowen, Summar; Day, Rosemary; Depiazzi, Julie; Doiron, Katherine; Doumit, Michael; Dwyer, Tiffany; Elliot, Alison; Fuller, Louise; Hall, Kathleen; Hutchins, Matthew; Kerr, Melinda; Lee, Annemarie L; Mans, Christina; O'Connor, Lauren; Steward, Ranjana; Potter, Angela; Rasekaba, Tshepo; Scoones, Rebecca; Tarrant, Ben; Ward, Nathan; West, Samantha; White, Dianne; Wilson, Lisa; Wood, Jamie; Holland, Anne E

2016-05-01

Physiotherapy management is a key element of care for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) throughout the lifespan. Although considerable evidence exists to support physiotherapy management of CF, there is documented variation in practice. The aim of this guideline is to optimize the physiotherapy management of people with CF in Australia and New Zealand. A systematic review of the literature in key areas of physiotherapy practice for CF was undertaken. Recommendations were formulated based on National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) guidelines and considered the quality, quantity and level of the evidence; the consistency of the body of evidence; the likely clinical impact; and applicability to physiotherapy practice in Australia and New Zealand. A total of 30 recommendations were made for airway clearance therapy, inhalation therapy, exercise assessment and training, musculoskeletal management, management of urinary incontinence, managing the newly diagnosed patient with CF, delivery of non-invasive ventilation, and physiotherapy management before and after lung transplantation. These recommendations can be used to underpin the provision of evidence-based physiotherapy care to people with CF in Australia and New Zealand. © 2016 The Authors Respirology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Alternative IT Sourcing Strategies: From the Campus to the Cloud. ECAR Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Philip J.

2009-01-01

This document presents the key findings from the 2009 ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) study, "Alternative IT Sourcing Strategies: From the Campus to the Cloud," by Philip J. Goldstein. The study explores a multitude of strategies used by colleges and university information technology organizations to deliver the breadth of technologies…

Responding to Recession: IT Funding and Cost Management in Higher Education. Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Philip J.

2010-01-01

This document presents the key findings from "Responding to Recession: IT Funding and Cost Management in Higher Education", the 2010 ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) study of how the economic recession is impacting information technology (IT) organizations and operations in higher education. The study was designed to address the…

Finding the Key to a Good Theatre Program: Some Comments on the ETA Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobgood, Burnet M.

1991-01-01

Offers some comments on the Educational Theatre Association's survey on the status of theater in U.S. high schools in the same issue of this journal. Discusses finding the key factors responsible for good school theater. (PRA)

Human Health Effects of Trichloroethylene: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Jinot, Jennifer; Scott, Cheryl Siegel; Makris, Susan L.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Dzubow, Rebecca C.; Bale, Ambuja S.; Evans, Marina V.; Guyton, Kathryn Z.; Keshava, Nagalakshmi; Lipscomb, John C.; Barone, Stanley; Fox, John F.; Gwinn, Maureen R.; Schaum, John; Caldwell, Jane C.

2012-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a toxicological review of trichloroethylene (TCE) in September 2011, which was the result of an effort spanning > 20 years. Objectives: We summarized the key findings and scientific issues regarding the human health effects of TCE in the U.S. EPA’s toxicological review. Methods: In this assessment we synthesized and characterized thousands of epidemiologic, experimental animal, and mechanistic studies, and addressed several key scientific issues through modeling of TCE toxicokinetics, meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies, and analyses of mechanistic data. Discussion: Toxicokinetic modeling aided in characterizing the toxicological role of the complex metabolism and multiple metabolites of TCE. Meta-analyses of the epidemiologic data strongly supported the conclusions that TCE causes kidney cancer in humans and that TCE may also cause liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Mechanistic analyses support a key role for mutagenicity in TCE-induced kidney carcinogenicity. Recent evidence from studies in both humans and experimental animals point to the involvement of TCE exposure in autoimmune disease and hypersensitivity. Recent avian and in vitro mechanistic studies provided biological plausibility that TCE plays a role in developmental cardiac toxicity, the subject of substantial debate due to mixed results from epidemiologic and rodent studies. Conclusions: TCE is carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure and poses a potential human health hazard for noncancer toxicity to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and the developing embryo/fetus. PMID:23249866

AN INTEGRATED SYNTHESIS OF KEY AND POLICY RELEVANT FINDINGS FROM EPA'S SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation provides an overview and initial insights into the findings based on results from EPA's PM Supersites Program and related studies. Many key atmospheric sciences findings have been identified through the research conducted during the last five years as part of t...

Establishing a distributed national research infrastructure providing bioinformatics support to life science researchers in Australia.

PubMed

Schneider, Maria Victoria; Griffin, Philippa C; Tyagi, Sonika; Flannery, Madison; Dayalan, Saravanan; Gladman, Simon; Watson-Haigh, Nathan; Bayer, Philipp E; Charleston, Michael; Cooke, Ira; Cook, Rob; Edwards, Richard J; Edwards, David; Gorse, Dominique; McConville, Malcolm; Powell, David; Wilkins, Marc R; Lonie, Andrew

2017-06-30

EMBL Australia Bioinformatics Resource (EMBL-ABR) is a developing national research infrastructure, providing bioinformatics resources and support to life science and biomedical researchers in Australia. EMBL-ABR comprises 10 geographically distributed national nodes with one coordinating hub, with current funding provided through Bioplatforms Australia and the University of Melbourne for its initial 2-year development phase. The EMBL-ABR mission is to: (1) increase Australia's capacity in bioinformatics and data sciences; (2) contribute to the development of training in bioinformatics skills; (3) showcase Australian data sets at an international level and (4) enable engagement in international programs. The activities of EMBL-ABR are focussed in six key areas, aligning with comparable international initiatives such as ELIXIR, CyVerse and NIH Commons. These key areas-Tools, Data, Standards, Platforms, Compute and Training-are described in this article. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis in Australia and New Zealand: A clinical practice guideline*

PubMed Central

Wilson, Christine; Dentice, Ruth; Cox, Narelle S.; Middleton, Anna; Tannenbaum, Esta; Bishop, Jennifer; Cobb, Robyn; Burton, Kate; Wood, Michelle; Moran, Fiona; Black, Ryan; Bowen, Summar; Day, Rosemary; Depiazzi, Julie; Doiron, Katherine; Doumit, Michael; Dwyer, Tiffany; Elliot, Alison; Fuller, Louise; Hall, Kathleen; Hutchins, Matthew; Kerr, Melinda; Lee, Annemarie L.; Mans, Christina; O'Connor, Lauren; Steward, Ranjana; Potter, Angela; Rasekaba, Tshepo; Scoones, Rebecca; Tarrant, Ben; Ward, Nathan; West, Samantha; White, Dianne; Wilson, Lisa; Wood, Jamie; Holland, Anne E.

2016-01-01

Abstract Physiotherapy management is a key element of care for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) throughout the lifespan. Although considerable evidence exists to support physiotherapy management of CF, there is documented variation in practice. The aim of this guideline is to optimize the physiotherapy management of people with CF in Australia and New Zealand. A systematic review of the literature in key areas of physiotherapy practice for CF was undertaken. Recommendations were formulated based on National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) guidelines and considered the quality, quantity and level of the evidence; the consistency of the body of evidence; the likely clinical impact; and applicability to physiotherapy practice in Australia and New Zealand. A total of 30 recommendations were made for airway clearance therapy, inhalation therapy, exercise assessment and training, musculoskeletal management, management of urinary incontinence, managing the newly diagnosed patient with CF, delivery of non‐invasive ventilation, and physiotherapy management before and after lung transplantation. These recommendations can be used to underpin the provision of evidence‐based physiotherapy care to people with CF in Australia and New Zealand. PMID:27086904

40 CFR 63.1176 - Where can I find definitions of key words used in this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... words used in this subpart? 63.1176 Section 63.1176 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Production § 63.1176 Where can I find definitions of key words used in this subpart? The definitions of key words used in this subpart are in the Clean Air Act (Act), in § 63.2 of the general provisions in...

Australia is 'free to choose' economic growth and falling environmental pressures.

PubMed

Hatfield-Dodds, Steve; Schandl, Heinz; Adams, Philip D; Baynes, Timothy M; Brinsmead, Thomas S; Bryan, Brett A; Chiew, Francis H S; Graham, Paul W; Grundy, Mike; Harwood, Tom; McCallum, Rebecca; McCrea, Rod; McKellar, Lisa E; Newth, David; Nolan, Martin; Prosser, Ian; Wonhas, Alex

2015-11-05

Over two centuries of economic growth have put undeniable pressure on the ecological systems that underpin human well-being. While it is agreed that these pressures are increasing, views divide on how they may be alleviated. Some suggest technological advances will automatically keep us from transgressing key environmental thresholds; others that policy reform can reconcile economic and ecological goals; while a third school argues that only a fundamental shift in societal values can keep human demands within the Earth's ecological limits. Here we use novel integrated analysis of the energy-water-food nexus, rural land use (including biodiversity), material flows and climate change to explore whether mounting ecological pressures in Australia can be reversed, while the population grows and living standards improve. We show that, in the right circumstances, economic and environmental outcomes can be decoupled. Although economic growth is strong across all scenarios, environmental performance varies widely: pressures are projected to more than double, stabilize or fall markedly by 2050. However, we find no evidence that decoupling will occur automatically. Nor do we find that a shift in societal values is required. Rather, extensions of current policies that mobilize technology and incentivize reduced pressure account for the majority of differences in environmental performance. Our results show that Australia can make great progress towards sustainable prosperity, if it chooses to do so.

Comparison of work related fatal injuries in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand: method and overall findings

PubMed Central

Feyer, A; Williamson, A; Stout, N; Driscoll, T; Usher, H; Langley, J

2001-01-01

Objectives—To compare the extent, distribution, and nature of fatal occupational injury in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Setting—Workplaces in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Methods—Data collections based on vital records were used to compare overall rates and distribution of fatal injuries covering the period 1989–92 in Australia and the United States, and 1985–94 in New Zealand. Household labour force data (Australia and the United States) and census data (New Zealand) provided denominator data for calculation of rates. Case definition, case inclusion criteria, and classification of occupation and industry were harmonised across the three datasets. Results—New Zealand had the highest average annual rate (4.9/100 000), Australia an intermediate rate (3.8/100 000), and the United States the lowest rate (3.2/100 000) of fatal occupational injury. Much of the difference between countries was accounted for by differences in industry distribution. In each country, male workers, older workers, and those working in agriculture, forestry and fishing, in mining and in construction, were consistently at higher risk. Intentional fatal injury was more common in the United States, being rare in both Australia and New Zealand. This difference is likely to be reflected in the more common incidence of work related fatal injuries for sales workers in the United States compared with Australia and New Zealand. Conclusions—The present results contrasted with those obtained by a recent study that used published omnibus statistics, both in terms of absolute rates and relative ranking of the three countries. Such differences underscore the importance of using like datasets for international comparisons. The consistency of high risk areas across comparable data from comparable nations provides clear targets for further attention. At this stage, however, it is unclear whether the same specific occupations and/or hazards are contributing to

Integrated water resource assessment for the Adelaide region, South Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, James W.; Akeroyd, Michele; Oliver, Danielle P.

2016-10-01

South Australia is the driest state in the driest inhabited country in the world, Australia. Consequently, water is one of South Australia's highest priorities. Focus on water research and sources of water in the state became more critical during the Millenium drought that occurred between 1997 and 2011. In response to increased concern about water sources the South Australian government established The Goyder Institute for Water Research - a partnership between the South Australian State Government, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Flinders University, University of Adelaide and University of South Australia. The Goyder Institute undertakes cutting-edge science to inform the development of innovative integrated water management strategies to ensure South Australia's ongoing water security and enhance the South Australian Government's capacity to develop and deliver science-based policy solutions in water management. This paper focuses on the integrated water resource assessment of the northern Adelaide region, including the key research investments in water and climate, and how this information is being utilised by decision makers in the region.

'Worth the test?' Pragmatism, pill testing and drug policy in Australia.

PubMed

Groves, Andrew

2018-04-10

Recent deaths of young Australian music festival attendees from 'party-drug' overdoses have sparked debate about the effectiveness of drug policies. Australia is widely lauded for its harm minimisation approach to drugs, and yet, over the last 30 years, it can be argued its policies have been fragmented, sometimes inconsistent and contradictory. The present article examines the root of this inconsistency, using it as a foundation to advocate for drug policy reform. In keeping with the goals of the National Drug Strategy to promote policy innovation, there is an opportunity to learn from international studies which have shown promising findings in the reduction of party-drug use and its harms through application of pill testing. This paper evaluates Australia's National Drug Strategy and pill testing through a lens of pragmatism, to determine whether there is space for testing practices in contemporary policy. Specifically, the paper analyses current drug policy literature and research studies, examining a range of key drug use indicators, social and political debate and research evidence. The need for policy reform, attitudinal and cultural shifts and development of stronger cross-sectoral partnerships is highlighted, to ensure a rational and logical approach that genuinely tackles drug policy-making and strategy from a broad public health perspective. Using a theoretical frame of pragmatism and drawing from national and international research evidence, this paper recommends the integration of pill testing into Australia's harm minimisation strategy.

Nurses' supervisors, learning options and organisational commitment: Australia, Brazil and England.

PubMed

Brunetto, Yvonne; Shacklock, Kate; Teo, Stephen; Farr-Wharton, Rod; Nelson, Silvia

2015-11-01

To examine the relationships between leader-member exchange (LMX), workplace learning options (teamwork, training and development), empowerment and organisational commitment, for nurses in Australia, England and Brazil. The supervisor-employee relationship is fundamental to management theory and practice within the work context of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Survey-based, self-report data were collected from 1350 nurses in 23 acute-care hospitals during 2011. Significant relationships were found between key Social Exchange Theory antecedents (LMX and teamwork) and outcomes (organisational commitment) for nurses in Australia and England, but not in Brazil. As expected, the path between teamwork and organisational commitment was significant in the three countries. The findings affirm the importance of LMX as a management tool affecting employee outcomes in OECD countries. In contrast, LMX cannot be assumed to play an important role within a context that operates a dual employment structure coupled with a culture accepting of 'Jeitinho' workplace relationships. Informal workplace relationships - 'Jeitinho' (similar to the Chinese 'guanxi') may be worthy of examination within BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries such as Brazil. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project TPACK Survey: Summary of the Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finger, Glenn; Jamieson-Proctor, Romina; Cavanagh, Rob; Albion, Peter; Grimbeek, Peter; Bond, Trevor; Fitzgerald, Robert; Romeo, Geoff; Lloyd, Margaret

2013-01-01

This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the TTF TPACK Survey developed and administered for the Teaching the Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project implemented in 2011. The TTF Project, funded by an Australian Government ICT Innovation Fund grant, involved all 39 Australian Higher Education Institutions which provide initial teacher…

Retention challenge facing Australia's rural community mental health services: Service managers' perspectives.

PubMed

Cosgrave, Catherine; Hussain, Rafat; Maple, Myfanwy

2015-10-01

This paper aims to contribute to the development of a more sustainable Australian rural community mental health workforce by comparing the findings from a literature search investigating impacting factors on retention with the experiences of community mental health service managers running services in rural Australia. Semi-structured interviews. Public health sector, rural New South Wales. Five community mental health managers, running services in rural Australia. Interviews were undertaken as a pilot for a broader qualitative study investigating factors influencing the decision to stay or leave among community mental health professionals working in rural positions. The purpose of undertaking this pilot study was to test for validity and relevance of the retention phenomena and help inform the research design for the main study. Three key retention focussed themes were identified: (i) Staffing is a persistent challenge; (ii) Small remote towns pose the biggest challenge; and (iii) The decision to stay or leave is complex and multifactorial. The findings of this pilot study support previous research and contribute to the understanding of influences on retention among health professionals working in rural community mental health services. Importantly, those who have worked for several years in rural positions hold important information through which to explore factors that impact retention in rural and remote regions. © 2015 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Australia is ‘free to choose’ economic growth and falling environmental pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatfield-Dodds, Steve; Schandl, Heinz; Adams, Philip D.; Baynes, Timothy M.; Brinsmead, Thomas S.; Bryan, Brett A.; Chiew, Francis H. S.; Graham, Paul W.; Grundy, Mike; Harwood, Tom; McCallum, Rebecca; McCrea, Rod; McKellar, Lisa E.; Newth, David; Nolan, Martin; Prosser, Ian; Wonhas, Alex

2015-11-01

Over two centuries of economic growth have put undeniable pressure on the ecological systems that underpin human well-being. While it is agreed that these pressures are increasing, views divide on how they may be alleviated. Some suggest technological advances will automatically keep us from transgressing key environmental thresholds; others that policy reform can reconcile economic and ecological goals; while a third school argues that only a fundamental shift in societal values can keep human demands within the Earth’s ecological limits. Here we use novel integrated analysis of the energy-water-food nexus, rural land use (including biodiversity), material flows and climate change to explore whether mounting ecological pressures in Australia can be reversed, while the population grows and living standards improve. We show that, in the right circumstances, economic and environmental outcomes can be decoupled. Although economic growth is strong across all scenarios, environmental performance varies widely: pressures are projected to more than double, stabilize or fall markedly by 2050. However, we find no evidence that decoupling will occur automatically. Nor do we find that a shift in societal values is required. Rather, extensions of current policies that mobilize technology and incentivize reduced pressure account for the majority of differences in environmental performance. Our results show that Australia can make great progress towards sustainable prosperity, if it chooses to do so.

Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry.

PubMed

McDonald, Stephen P

2015-06-01

The ANZDATA Registry includes all patients treated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) throughout Australia and New Zealand. Funding is predominantly from government sources, together with the non-government organization Kidney Health Australia. Registry operations are overseen by an Executive committee, and a Steering Committee with wide representation. Data is collected from renal units throughout Australia and New Zealand on a regular basis, and forwarded to the Registry. Areas covered include demographic details, primary renal disease, type of renal replacement therapy, process measures, and a variety of outcomes. From this data collection a number of themes of work are produced. These include production of Registry reports with an extensive range of national and regional data, a suite of quality assurance reports, key process indicator (KPI) reports, and data sets for a variety of audit and research purposes. The various types of information from the ANZDATA Registry are used in a wide variety of areas, including health services planning, safety and quality programs, and clinical research projects.

Southeastern Australia

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

article title:  Drought and Burn Scars in Southeastern Australia     ... related to the dry conditions (not related to the brown burn scars) are also indicated in the February 2003 panel, where many ... 14 and 17, 2002 Images:  Australia Burn Scars location:  Australia and New Zealand ...

Serve Size and Estimated Energy and Protein Contents of Meals Prepared by 'Meals on Wheels' South Australia Inc.: Findings from a Meal Audit Study.

PubMed

Arjuna, Tony; Miller, Michelle; Soenen, Stijn; Chapman, Ian; Visvanathan, Renuka; Luscombe-Marsh, Natalie D

2018-02-20

An audit of 'standard' (STD) and 'energy and protein fortified' (HEHP) meals from Meals on Wheels (MOW) South Australia's summer menu was conducted to evaluate the consistency, and serve size and nutrient contents, of their menu items. Twenty soups, 20 mains and 20 desserts from each of the STD and HEHP menus were prepared at the MOW South Australia's kitchen and delivered to three 'sham(dummy)-clients' over a 5-week period. Each meal component was weighed in triplicate, to the nearest gram, the variation within the serve weight was calculated, and the overall energy and protein content of each meal was determined using FoodWorks (Xyris Software, Highgate Hill, Queensland, Australia). On average, the variability for soups and mains was ≤6% and for desserts was ≤10% and although the measured serve sizes of the MOW meals were consistently smaller than prescribed serve size, the differences were minor. As a percentage of recommended daily intakes (RDIs) for adults aged over 60 years, we calculated that the STD meals contained 21-39% for energy and 42-63% for protein while the HEHP meals contained 29-55% for energy and 46-69% for protein. These findings demonstrate that MOW meals currently meet the voluntary meal guidelines for energy and protein.

A solar fuels roadmap for Australia - study outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinkley, James T.; McNaughton, Robbie K.; Hayward, Jennifer A.; Lovegrove, Keith

2017-06-01

This paper summarises the key findings and recommendations of a 3.5 year study into the research, development and demonstration priorities to establish a solar fuels industry in Australia. While Australia has one of the best solar resources in the world, it also has an abundance of conventional fuels such as coal and natural gas. The country is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its primary energy supply and international trade, and is seeking pathways to reduce emissions intensity. While renewable electricity will be able to displace fossil fuels in the electricity sector, this only addresses about 16% of energy consumption by end use. Concentrating solar fuels (CSF) are produced either in full or in part from concentrated solar energy, and can provide either complete or partial reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with energy consumption. Our study reviewed the various potential solar thermal technology pathways and feedstocks available to produce a range of CSF products such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and synthetic gasoline or diesel. We conducted what we believe to be the broadest and most sophisticated evaluation of the many options to identify those that are most prospective, including an evaluation of the expected final fuel costs. The study identified the following opportunities for CSF: • Australia: substitution of imported liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel) with synthetic CSF options would provide fuel security through the utilization of domestic resources. Ammonia is also a potentially attractive CSF product as it is produced in large quantities for fertilisers and explosives. • Export markets: Australia has significant trading relationships with many Asian countries in the energy domain, and CSF fuels could provide a long term future to enable such relationships to continue - or grow - in a carbon constrained world. Japan in particular is considering how to transition to a hydrogen economy, and could be a customer for CSF hydrogen or

Human Health Effects of Dichloromethane: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Schlosser, Paul M.; Bale, Ambuja S.; Gibbons, Catherine F.; Wilkins, Amina

2014-01-01

effects of dichloromethane: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 123:114–119; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1308030 PMID:25325283

Adequacy of nutritional intake among older men living in Sydney, Australia: findings from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP).

PubMed

Waern, Rosilene V R; Cumming, Robert G; Blyth, Fiona; Naganathan, Vasi; Allman-Farinelli, Margaret; Le Couteur, David; Simpson, Stephen J; Kendig, Hal; Hirani, Vasant

2015-09-14

Previous research shows that older men tend to have lower nutritional intakes and higher risk of under-nutrition compared with younger men. The objectives of this study were to describe energy and nutrient intakes, assess nutritional risk and investigate factors associated with poor intake of energy and key nutrients in community-dwelling men aged ≥75 years participating in the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project - a longitudinal cohort study on older men in Sydney, Australia. A total of 794 men (mean age 81·4 years) had a detailed diet history interview, which was carried out by a dietitian. Dietary adequacy was assessed by comparing median intakes with nutrient reference values (NRV): estimated average requirement, adequate intake or upper level of intake. Attainment of NRV of total energy and key nutrients in older age (protein, Fe, Zn, riboflavin, Ca and vitamin D) was incorporated into a 'key nutrients' variable dichotomised as 'good' (≥5) or 'poor' (≤4). Using logistic regression modelling, we examined associations between key nutrients with factors known to affect food intake. Median energy intake was 8728 kJ (P5=5762 kJ, P95=12 303 kJ), and mean BMI was 27·7 (sd 4·0) kg/m2. Men met their NRV for most nutrients. However, only 1 % of men met their NRV for vitamin D, only 19 % for Ca, only 30 % for K and only 33 % for dietary fibre. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only country of birth was significantly associated with poor nutritional intake. Dietary intakes were adequate for most nutrients; however, only half of the participants met the NRV of ≥5 key nutrients.

Monitoring the Future National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Lloyd D.; O'Malley, Patrick M.; Bachman, Jerald G.

This report presents an overview of the key findings from the Monitoring the Future 2001 nationwide survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. A particular emphasis is placed on recent trends in the use of licit and illicit drugs. Trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug--which this study has…

Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use. Overview of Key Findings, 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. Inst. for Social Research.

This report presents an overview of the key findings from the Monitoring the Future 2002 nationwide survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. A particular emphasis is placed on recent trends in the use of licit and illicit drugs. Trends in the levels of perceived risk and personal disapproval associated with each drug--which this study has…

Readiness of communities to engage with childhood obesity prevention initiatives in disadvantaged areas of Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Cyril, Sheila; Polonsky, Michael; Green, Julie; Agho, Kingsley; Renzaho, Andre

2017-07-01

. However, no studies in Australia have assessed disadvantaged communities' readiness to engage in obesity prevention initiatives. What does this paper add? This paper addresses the current gap in the knowledge of disadvantaged communities' level of readiness to engage in childhood obesity prevention initiatives in Australia. The study also identified the key factors responsible for low readiness of disadvantaged communities to participate in current childhood obesity prevention services. By using the Community Readiness model this study shows the readiness levels specific to the various dimensions of the model; Understanding dimension-specific readiness allows us to identify strategies that are tailored to each dimension, as guided by the model. What are the implications for practitioners? With the increasing burden of childhood obesity on disadvantaged communities, policymakers and health practitioners are facing a crisis in obesity prevention and management. Almost every year, new interventions are being planned and implemented. However if the target communities are not ready to participate in the available interventions these efforts are futile. This study exposes the key factors responsible for low readiness to participate in current obesity prevention services by disadvantaged communities. Addressing these key factors and improving readiness before designing new interventions will improve the participation of disadvantaged communities in those interventions. The study findings ultimately have the potential of reducing obesity-related disparities in Australia.

What would a 'scientifically engaged Australia' look like?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donald, Tegan N.

In 2010 the Australian Federal Government released the landmark report Inspiring Australia which described the first national strategy for engagement with the sciences, and aimed to create a ‘scientifically engaged Australia’. This study investigates what might be meant by a ‘scientifically engaged Australia’ by creating a snapshot picture of the current Australian science communication landscape: its priorities, its limitations and its key players’ envisioned recommendations for future activity. It draws on several sources of data to create this picture: academic and practitioner literature regarding the emerging concept of ‘public engagement’; literature and case studies that discuss the appropriate place for deficit model and one-way approaches to science communication; the Inspiring Australia report itself and other government policy documents; and a series of interviews with top level public figures in Australian science policy and advocacy. A central finding of this study is the absence of a universal and unambiguous definition of public engagement. In addition, in contrast to trends within much of the scholarly literature, the study highlights the persistence of one-way methods and to a lesser degree the deficit model in practice. The ongoing use and relevance of one-way communication is evident; it remains a popular, albeit often default, choice in practice and is seen as ideal for the communication of fixed messages. Science communication in Australia remains, for the foreseeable future, dominated by one-way methods, in particular in the use of traditional and social media. In this respect, a scientifically engaged Australia would seem to be one in which a great deal of one-way communication takes place, supplemented by small moves towards dialogical or participatory communication. Finally, this study highlights two dominant motivations behind the call for a ‘scientifically engaged Australia’. Much high level discourse on this topic is

A genomic history of Aboriginal Australia.

PubMed

Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Westaway, Michael C; Muller, Craig; Sousa, Vitor C; Lao, Oscar; Alves, Isabel; Bergström, Anders; Athanasiadis, Georgios; Cheng, Jade Y; Crawford, Jacob E; Heupink, Tim H; Macholdt, Enrico; Peischl, Stephan; Rasmussen, Simon; Schiffels, Stephan; Subramanian, Sankar; Wright, Joanne L; Albrechtsen, Anders; Barbieri, Chiara; Dupanloup, Isabelle; Eriksson, Anders; Margaryan, Ashot; Moltke, Ida; Pugach, Irina; Korneliussen, Thorfinn S; Levkivskyi, Ivan P; Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor; Ni, Shengyu; Racimo, Fernando; Sikora, Martin; Xue, Yali; Aghakhanian, Farhang A; Brucato, Nicolas; Brunak, Søren; Campos, Paula F; Clark, Warren; Ellingvåg, Sturla; Fourmile, Gudjugudju; Gerbault, Pascale; Injie, Darren; Koki, George; Leavesley, Matthew; Logan, Betty; Lynch, Aubrey; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A; McAllister, Peter J; Mentzer, Alexander J; Metspalu, Mait; Migliano, Andrea B; Murgha, Les; Phipps, Maude E; Pomat, William; Reynolds, Doc; Ricaut, Francois-Xavier; Siba, Peter; Thomas, Mark G; Wales, Thomas; Wall, Colleen Ma'run; Oppenheimer, Stephen J; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Durbin, Richard; Dortch, Joe; Manica, Andrea; Schierup, Mikkel H; Foley, Robert A; Lahr, Marta Mirazón; Bowern, Claire; Wall, Jeffrey D; Mailund, Thomas; Stoneking, Mark; Nielsen, Rasmus; Sandhu, Manjinder S; Excoffier, Laurent; Lambert, David M; Willerslev, Eske

2016-10-13

The population history of Aboriginal Australians remains largely uncharacterized. Here we generate high-coverage genomes for 83 Aboriginal Australians (speakers of Pama-Nyungan languages) and 25 Papuans from the New Guinea Highlands. We find that Papuan and Aboriginal Australian ancestors diversified 25-40 thousand years ago (kya), suggesting pre-Holocene population structure in the ancient continent of Sahul (Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania). However, all of the studied Aboriginal Australians descend from a single founding population that differentiated ~10-32 kya. We infer a population expansion in northeast Australia during the Holocene epoch (past 10,000 years) associated with limited gene flow from this region to the rest of Australia, consistent with the spread of the Pama-Nyungan languages. We estimate that Aboriginal Australians and Papuans diverged from Eurasians 51-72 kya, following a single out-of-Africa dispersal, and subsequently admixed with archaic populations. Finally, we report evidence of selection in Aboriginal Australians potentially associated with living in the desert.

Revision of the genus Hydroides (Annelida: Serpulidae) from Australia.

PubMed

Sun, Yanan; Wong, Eunice; ten Hove, Harry A; Hutchings, Pat A; Williamson, Jane E; Kupriyanova, Elena K

2015-09-01

Hydroides Gunnerus, 1768 is the largest and one of the economically most important genera of calcareous tubeworms (Serpulidae, Annelida) that includes a number of notorious fouling and bioinvading species. Although the representatives of the genus are typically found in shallow waters of tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, the species composition of the genus in Australia has never been revised. We conducted the first detailed regional taxonomic revision of Hydroides species based both on the historical collections from Australian museums (Australian Museum, Museum Victoria, South Australian Museum, Western Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, and Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory) and newly collected material from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia. In total, 25 species are currently considered valid in Australia, including three new species: H. amri n. sp. from NSW, SA, and Vic (previously referred to as H. cf. brachyacantha), as well as H. glasbyi n. sp. and H. qiui n. sp., both from NT, and two new records of H. furcifera and H. multispinosa for Australia. We have synonymised H. spiratubus with H. albiceps, and H. spiculitubus with H. tambalagamensis in this study. The status of the taxon H. cf. recta remains undecided. An identification key and diagnoses accompanied by original high-quality photographs for all species recorded in Australia are provided. Application of molecular genetics is needed to resolve the status of some problematic species.

Is there a Lyme-like disease in Australia? Summary of the findings to date.

PubMed

Chalada, Melissa Judith; Stenos, John; Bradbury, Richard Stewart

2016-12-01

Lyme Borreliosis is a common tick-borne disease of the northern hemisphere caused by the spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato ( B. burgdorferi s. l.) complex. It results in multi-organ disease with arthritic, cardiac, neurological and dermatological manifestations. In the last twenty-five years there have been over 500 reports of an Australian Lyme-like syndrome in the scientific literature. However, the diagnoses of Lyme Borreliosis made in these cases have been primarily by clinical presentation and laboratory results of tentative reliability and the true cause of these illnesses remains unknown. A number of animals have been introduced to Australia that may act as B. burgdorferi s. l. reservoirs in Lyme-endemic countries, and there are some Australian Ixodes spp. and Haemaphysalis spp. ticks whose geographical distribution matches that of the Australian Lyme-like cases. Four published studies have searched for Borrelia in Australian ticks, with contradicting results. The cause of the potential Lyme-like disease in Australia remains to be defined. The evidence to date as to whether these illnesses are caused by a Borrelia species, another tick borne pathogen or are due to a novel or unrelated aetiology is summarised in this review.

The crustal thickness of Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clitheroe, G.; Gudmundsson, O.; Kennett, B.L.N.

2000-01-01

We investigate the crustal structure of the Australian continent using the temporary broadband stations of the Skippy and Kimba projects and permanent broadband stations. We isolate near-receiver information, in the form of crustal P-to-S conversions, using the receiver function technique. Stacked receiver functions are inverted for S velocity structure using a Genetic Algorithm approach to Receiver Function Inversion (GARFI). From the resulting velocity models we are able to determine the Moho depth and to classify the width of the crust-mantle transition for 65 broadband stations. Using these results and 51 independent estimates of crustal thickness from refraction and reflection profiles, we present a new, improved, map of Moho depth for the Australian continent. The thinnest crust (25 km) occurs in the Archean Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia; the thickest crust (61 km) occurs in Proterozoic central Australia. The average crustal thickness is 38.8 km (standard deviation 6.2 km). Interpolation error estimates are made using kriging and fall into the range 2.5-7.0 km. We find generally good agreement between the depth to the seismologically defined Moho and xenolith-derived estimates of crustal thickness beneath northeastern Australia. However, beneath the Lachlan Fold Belt the estimates are not in agreement, and it is possible that the two techniques are mapping differing parts of a broad Moho transition zone. The Archean cratons of Western Australia appear to have remained largely stable since cratonization, reflected in only slight variation of Moho depth. The largely Proterozoic center of Australia shows relatively thicker crust overall as well as major Moho offsets. We see evidence of the margin of the contact between the Precambrian craton and the Tasman Orogen, referred to as the Tasman Line. Copyright 2000 by the American Geophysical Union.

Gadigaleyrodes froggatti, a new genus and species of whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from Australia.

PubMed

Dooley, John W; Gillespie, Peter

2013-01-17

A new monotypic genus of whiteflies (Aleyrodidae), Gadigaleyrodes gen.n., is described and illustrated for G. froggatti sp.n. from New South Wales, Australia. Specimens were collected by W. W. Froggatt in 1899 on Syncarpia glomulifera, and subsequently by P. S. Gillespie on an unknown climbing plant. The genus has unusual morphological features with traits common to both Aleurodicinae and Aleyrodinae. The subfamily placement is discussed, and a key provided to discriminate this taxon from similar whitefly genera in Australia.

Publish or perish: Dr Victor Webster and cardiazol treatment in Western Australia, 1937-1938.

PubMed

Martyr, Philippa

2017-10-01

To examine the role of Dr Victor Henry Webster (1905-1980) in the introduction of cardiazol therapy to Western Australia in November 1937. A range of primary and secondary sources were consulted. Webster experimented with cardiazol treatment at Heathcote Reception Home, and published his findings in April 1938, at the same time as Ellery and Lear, but was not able to publish his results in a nationally-recognised journal. As a result, his contribution to early cardiazol treatment in Australia has been largely forgotten. Webster made a genuine contribution to the introduction of cardiazol treatment in Australia, and his story illustrates the need to publish early findings of new physical therapies.

A cross-generational study of contraception and reproductive health among Sudanese and Eritrean women in Brisbane, Australia.

PubMed

Rogers, Claire; Earnest, Jaya

2014-01-01

This study conducted in Brisbane, Australia, was undertaken with a cross-section of Sudanese and Eritrean mothers and daughters. We explored and documented the women's intergenerational experiences and knowledge of reproductive health and contraception. Underpinned by a qualitative approach, focus group discussions were undertaken along with key informant interviews with health and multicultural sector professionals. Through examination of knowledge shared, the analysis distilled key aspects of intergenerational fears, cultural safety, and health. Participants proposed recommendations on how refugee and migrant women in Australia and resettled countries globally can more effectively and holistically exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights.

Widening consumer access to medicines: a comparison of prescription to non-prescription medicine switch in Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Gauld, Natalie J; Kelly, Fiona S; Emmerton, Lynne M; Buetow, Stephen A

2015-01-01

Despite similarities in health systems and Trans-Tasman Harmonization of medicines scheduling, New Zealand is more active than Australia in 'switching' (reclassifying) medicines from prescription to non-prescription. To identify and compare enablers and barriers to switch in New Zealand and Australia. We conducted and analyzed 27 in-depth personal interviews with key participants in NZ and Australia and international participants previously located in Australia, and analyzed records of meetings considering switches (2000-2013). Analysis of both sets of data entailed a heuristic qualitative approach that embraced the lead researcher's knowledge and experience. The key themes identified were conservatism and political influences in Australia, and an open attitude, proactivity and flexibility in NZ. Pharmacist-only medicine schedules and individuals holding a progressive attitude were proposed to facilitate switch in both countries. A pharmacy retail group drove many switches in NZ ('third-party switch'), unlike Australia. Barriers to switch in both countries included small market sizes, funding of prescription medicines and cost of doctor visits, and lack of market exclusivity. In Australia, advertising limitations for pharmacist-only medicines reportedly discouraged industry from submitting switch applications. Perceptions of pharmacy performance could help or hinder switches. Committee and regulator openness to switch, and confidence in pharmacy appear to influence consumer access to medicines. The pharmacist-only medicine schedule in Australasia and the rise of third-party switch and flexibility in switch in NZ could be considered elsewhere to enable switch.

Risking for protection: discourses around 'safe sex' among Chilean, Turkish and second-generation Greek women living in Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed

Gifford, S M; Bakopanos, C; Dawson, M T; Yesilyurt, Z

1998-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the ways in which women from Turkish, second-generation Greek and Chilean backgrounds living in Melbourne, Australia, understand risks to their sexual health with a focus on STDs including HIV/AIDS. Data were derived from in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 women from each ethnic group (N = 60). Interviews were guided by a theme list, conducted in the woman's language of preference, tape-recorded and fully transcribed. Transcripts were double coded for key themes and analysed using ethnographic content analysis. The key findings are that for many women, reducing the risk of STDs to protect their physical health introduces risks to their social health and to the well-being of their family and community. Thus, women place priority over the protection of their social health as opposed to their physical health. Despite specific cultural differences in understandings of sexual health risks and illnesses, all women shared gendered commonalities in the ways in which they contextualise STDs within the wider context of social relationships and their everyday life. We conclude by arguing for interventions that specifically take into account social models of risk in STD and HIV/AIDS prevention and we consider the practical implications of this for harm reduction strategies in multicultural societies such as Australia.

Children's Environmental Health Indicators in Australia.

PubMed

Sly, J Leith; Moore, Sophie E; Gore, Fiona; Brune, Marie Noel; Neira, Maria; Jagals, Paul; Sly, Peter D

2016-01-01

Adverse environmental exposures in early life increase the risk of chronic disease but do not attract the attention nor receive the public health priority warranted. A safe and healthy environment is essential for children's health and development, yet absent in many countries. A framework that aids in understanding the link between environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes are environmental health indicators-numerical estimates of hazards and outcomes that can be applied at a population level. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a set of children's environmental health indicators (CEHI) for physical injuries, insect-borne disease, diarrheal diseases, perinatal diseases, and respiratory diseases; however, uptake of steps necessary to apply these indicators across the WHO regions has been incomplete. A first indication of such uptake is the management of data required to measure CEHI. The present study was undertaken to determine whether Australia has accurate up-to-date, publicly available, and readily accessible data on each CEHI for indigenous and nonindigenous Australian children. Data were not readily accessible for many of the exposure indicators, and much of the available data were not child specific or were only available for Australia's indigenous population. Readily accessible data were available for all but one of the outcome indicators and generally for both indigenous and nonindigenous children. Although Australia regularly collects data on key national indicators of child health, development, and well-being in several domains mostly thought to be of more relevance to Australians and Australian policy makers, these differ substantially from the WHO CEHI. The present study suggests that the majority of these WHO exposure and outcome indicators are relevant and important for monitoring Australian children's environmental health and establishing public health interventions at a local and national level and collection of appropriate

Social change, migration and sexual health: Chilean women in Chile and Australia.

PubMed

Dawson, Maria Teresa; Gifford, Sandra Margaret

2003-01-01

Cultural beliefs, norms and values regarding sexuality and gender roles forge people's sexual behaviour and understanding of sexual health risk. Acknowledging a person's cultural background is a key challenge for the promotion of sexual health programs and strategies for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS. This challenge acquires larger dimensions when health promotion programs are directed towards migrant communities. This article examines narratives about past and present life experiences of Chilean women living in Australia and Chilean women in Chile. We inquire about social changes and exposure to education women experienced in their own country and in Australia and the ways in which migrant women define and articulate their experiences in relation to sexual health prevention. In comparing these experiences, we raise a number of questions about sexual health promotion and programs, including the prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS targeted to specific migrant communities in Australia. Very few sexual health policies and strategies in Australia take into account the impact that the social and cultural background of migrants, social changes and the 'settlement process' has on the cultural construction of gender identity of migrants in the new country. We propose that these cultural constructs are key in the formulation of migrants' beliefs and attitudes towards sexuality and sexual health. We suggest that there is a need to build effective and culturally appropriate sexual health promotion and prevention strategies that build upon the social and cultural background and the present and past life experiences of migrant women and men.

Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning in Australia and Germany. Australia Centre Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Gerald, Ed.; Reuling, Jochen, Ed.

This document contains 17 papers on vocational training and lifelong learning in Australia and Germany. The following papers are included: "Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning in Australia and Germany: Background" (Gerald Burke); "Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning in Australia: Observations and Conclusions from a…

Assessment of Health Effects of Exogenous Urea: Summary and Key Findings.

PubMed

Dickerson, Aisha S; Lee, Janice S; Keshava, Channa; Hotchkiss, Andrew; Persad, Amanda S

2018-05-01

Urea has been utilized as a reductant in diesel fuels to lower emission of nitrogen oxides, igniting interest in probable human health hazards associated with exposure to exogenous urea. Here, we summarize and update key findings on potential health effects of exogenous urea, including carcinogenicity. No definitive target organs for oral exposure were identified; however, results in animal studies suggest that the liver and kidney could be potential target organs of urea toxicity. The available human-subject literature suggests that the impact on lung function is minimal. Based on the literature on exogenous urea, we concluded that there was inadequate information to assess the carcinogenic potential of urea, or perform a quantitative assessment to derive reference values. Given the limited information on exogenous urea, additional research to address gaps for exogenous urea should include long-term cancer bioassays, two-generation reproductive toxicity studies, and mode-of-action investigations.

What's Different Away from the Rat Race?: Issues for VET in Non-Metropolitan Australia. CRLRA Discussion Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilpatrick, Sue; Bell, Rowena

A review of research literature relating to vocational education and training (VET) in non-metropolitan Australia identified issues which differentially impact metropolitan and non-metropolitan Australia and research needs. Findings indicated non-metropolitan Australia is diverse in terms of population density, educational experiences of the…

Transmission and prevention of HIV among heterosexual populations in Australia.

PubMed

Persson, Asha; Brown, Graham; McDonald, Ann; Körner, Henrike

2014-06-01

In Australia, unlike much of the rest of the world, HIV transmission through heterosexual contact remains a relatively rare occurrence. In consequence, HIV-prevention efforts have been firmly focused on male-to-male sex as the most frequent source of HIV transmission. There are emerging signs that this epidemiological landscape may be shifting, which raises questions about current and future HIV prevention strategies. Over the past decade, national surveillance data have shown an increase in HIV notifications for which exposure to HIV was attributed to heterosexual contact. This paper offers an epidemiological and sociocultural picture of heterosexual HIV transmission in Australia. We outline recent trends in heterosexually acquired HIV and discuss specific factors that shape transmission and prevention among people at risk of HIV infection through heterosexual contact. To illustrate the contextual dynamics surrounding HIV in this diverse population, we detail two key examples: HIV among people from minority ethnic backgrounds in New South Wales; and overseas-acquired HIV among men in Western Australia. We argue that, despite their differences, there are significant commonalities across groups at risk of HIV infection through heterosexual contact, which not only provide opportunities for HIV prevention, but also call for a rethink of the dominant HIV response in Australia.

"Key to Freshwater Algae": A Web-Based Tool to Enhance Understanding of Microscopic Biodiversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shayler, Hannah A.; Siver, Peter A.

2006-01-01

The Freshwater Ecology Laboratory at Connecticut College has developed an interactive, Web-based identification key to freshwater algal genera using the Lucid Professional and Lucid 3 software developed by the Centre for Biological Information Technology at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. The "Key to Freshwater Algae"…

Socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects: key findings and lessons learned

Treesearch

Susan Charnley; Pamela Jakes; John Schelhas

2012-01-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) aimed to create jobs and promote economic growth while addressing the Nation’s social and environmental needs. The USDA Forest Service received $1.15 billion in economic recovery funding. This report contains key findings and lessons learned from a socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service Recovery...

Aboriginal mitogenomes reveal 50,000 years of regionalism in Australia.

PubMed

Tobler, Ray; Rohrlach, Adam; Soubrier, Julien; Bover, Pere; Llamas, Bastien; Tuke, Jonathan; Bean, Nigel; Abdullah-Highfold, Ali; Agius, Shane; O'Donoghue, Amy; O'Loughlin, Isabel; Sutton, Peter; Zilio, Fran; Walshe, Keryn; Williams, Alan N; Turney, Chris S M; Williams, Matthew; Richards, Stephen M; Mitchell, Robert J; Kowal, Emma; Stephen, John R; Williams, Lesley; Haak, Wolfgang; Cooper, Alan

2017-04-13

Aboriginal Australians represent one of the longest continuous cultural complexes known. Archaeological evidence indicates that Australia and New Guinea were initially settled approximately 50 thousand years ago (ka); however, little is known about the processes underlying the enormous linguistic and phenotypic diversity within Australia. Here we report 111 mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from historical Aboriginal Australian hair samples, whose origins enable us to reconstruct Australian phylogeographic history before European settlement. Marked geographic patterns and deep splits across the major mitochondrial haplogroups imply that the settlement of Australia comprised a single, rapid migration along the east and west coasts that reached southern Australia by 49-45 ka. After continent-wide colonization, strong regional patterns developed and these have survived despite substantial climatic and cultural change during the late Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. Remarkably, we find evidence for the continuous presence of populations in discrete geographic areas dating back to around 50 ka, in agreement with the notable Aboriginal Australian cultural attachment to their country.

Shining the light on the dark side of medical leadership - a qualitative study in Australia.

PubMed

Loh, Erwin; Morris, Jennifer; Thomas, Laura; Bismark, Marie Magdaleen; Phelps, Grant; Dickinson, Helen

2016-07-04

Purpose The paper aims to explore the beliefs of doctors in leadership roles of the concept of "the dark side", using data collected from interviews carried out with 45 doctors in medical leadership roles across Australia. The paper looks at the beliefs from the perspectives of doctors who are already in leadership roles themselves; to identify potential barriers they might have encountered and to arrive at better-informed strategies to engage more doctors in the leadership of the Australian health system. The research question is: "What are the beliefs of medical leaders that form the key themes or dimensions of the negative perception of the 'dark side'?". Design/methodology/approach The paper analysed data from two similar qualitative studies examining medical leadership and engagement in Australia by the same author, in collaboration with other researchers, which used in-depth semi-structured interviews with 45 purposively sampled senior medical leaders in leadership roles across Australia in health services, private and public hospitals, professional associations and health departments. The data were analysed using deductive and inductive approaches through a coding framework based on the interview data and literature review, with all sections of coded data grouped into themes. Findings Medical leaders had four key beliefs about the "dark side" as perceived through the eyes of their own past clinical experience and/or their clinical colleagues. These four beliefs or dimensions of the negative perception colloquially known as "the dark side" are the belief that they lack both managerial and clinical credibility, they have confused identities, they may be in conflict with clinicians, their clinical colleagues lack insight into the complexities of medical leadership and, as a result, doctors are actively discouraged from making the transition from clinical practice to medical leadership roles in the first place. Research limitations/implications This research was

No drama: key elements to the success of an HIV/STI-prevention mass-media campaign.

PubMed

Pedrana, Alisa E; Hellard, Margaret E; Higgs, Peter; Asselin, Jason; Batrouney, Colin; Stoovè, Mark

2014-05-01

We qualitatively examined gay men's reactions to the national "Drama Downunder" HIV/STI social marketing campaign targeting gay men in Australia to identify key campaign elements that underpinned the demonstrated effectiveness of the campaign. We present findings from six qualitative focus groups held with 49 participants as part of the evaluation of the sexual-health-promotion campaign over 2008-2009. Participants identified attention-grabbing images, a humorous approach, positive and simple tailored messaging, and the use of mainstream media as campaign features crucial in normalizing sexual health testing, driving campaign engagement, and ensuring high message exposure. Our results suggest that designers of future campaigns should strive to balance positive and negative campaign images and messages, and find new ways to engage men with sexual health topics, particularly younger gay men. We discuss the implications of our findings about campaign effectiveness for future health-promotion campaigns and message design.

Widening Consumer Access to Medicines: A Comparison of Prescription to Non-Prescription Medicine Switch in Australia and New Zealand

PubMed Central

Gauld, Natalie J.; Kelly, Fiona S.; Emmerton, Lynne M.; Buetow, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Background Despite similarities in health systems and Trans-Tasman Harmonization of medicines scheduling, New Zealand is more active than Australia in ‘switching’ (reclassifying) medicines from prescription to non-prescription. Objectives To identify and compare enablers and barriers to switch in New Zealand and Australia. Methods We conducted and analyzed 27 in-depth personal interviews with key participants in NZ and Australia and international participants previously located in Australia, and analyzed records of meetings considering switches (2000–2013). Analysis of both sets of data entailed a heuristic qualitative approach that embraced the lead researcher’s knowledge and experience. Results The key themes identified were conservatism and political influences in Australia, and an open attitude, proactivity and flexibility in NZ. Pharmacist-only medicine schedules and individuals holding a progressive attitude were proposed to facilitate switch in both countries. A pharmacy retail group drove many switches in NZ (‘third-party switch’), unlike Australia. Barriers to switch in both countries included small market sizes, funding of prescription medicines and cost of doctor visits, and lack of market exclusivity. In Australia, advertising limitations for pharmacist-only medicines reportedly discouraged industry from submitting switch applications. Perceptions of pharmacy performance could help or hinder switches. Conclusion Committee and regulator openness to switch, and confidence in pharmacy appear to influence consumer access to medicines. The pharmacist-only medicine schedule in Australasia and the rise of third-party switch and flexibility in switch in NZ could be considered elsewhere to enable switch. PMID:25785589

Key Financial Metrics on Australia's Higher Education Sector--December 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 2016

2016-01-01

This report is the second release of financial information held by Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). It provides a snapshot of selected key financial metrics across the Australian higher education sector. Data in this report has been sourced from TEQSA's 2015 data collection and relates to financial years ended 31 December…

Fungus-feeding Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae of the Idiothrips genus-group in Australia, with nine new species.

PubMed

Mound, Laurence A; Tree, Desley J

2015-10-29

In a group of fungus-feeding Phlaeothripinae characterized by complex body sculpture, identification keys are provided to three genera and 15 species from Australia, including nine new species. In the genus Azaleothrips one new species is described, and one Asian species is newly recorded from Australia. The genus Stictothrips is recorded from Australia for the first time, with two new species. Within the genus Strepterothrips considerable structural diversity is recorded including three new species in which antennal segment III is greatly reduced and bears no sense cones. Some species in this genus exhibit the unusual condition of having several setae on the pelta, the first abdominal tergite. Problems in the production of generic diagnoses within the Phlaeothripinae are discussed.

Corporate Social Responsibility programs of Big Food in Australia: a content analysis of industry documents.

PubMed

Richards, Zoe; Thomas, Samantha L; Randle, Melanie; Pettigrew, Simone

2015-12-01

To examine Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) tactics by identifying the key characteristics of CSR strategies as described in the corporate documents of selected 'Big Food' companies. A mixed methods content analysis was used to analyse the information contained on Australian Big Food company websites. Data sources included company CSR reports and web-based content that related to CSR initiatives employed in Australia. A total of 256 CSR activities were identified across six organisations. Of these, the majority related to the categories of environment (30.5%), responsibility to consumers (25.0%) or community (19.5%). Big Food companies appear to be using CSR activities to: 1) build brand image through initiatives associated with the environment and responsibility to consumers; 2) target parents and children through community activities; and 3) align themselves with respected organisations and events in an effort to transfer their positive image attributes to their own brands. Results highlight the type of CSR strategies Big Food companies are employing. These findings serve as a guide to mapping and monitoring CSR as a specific form of marketing. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Surveillance of Space in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newsam, G.

Australia's geography and technology base got it off to a flying start in the early days of surveillance of space, starting with CSIRO's first radio telescope in the 1940's and climaxing in NASA's establishment of station 43 in the Deep Space Network at Tidbinbilla in 1965. But Britain's exit from space and the subsequent closure of the Woomera launch range and associated space tracking facilities in the early 1970's saw the start of a long draw-down of capability. Programs such as CSIRO's radio astronomy telescopes, Electro-Optic Systems' adoption of laser technology for satellite laser ranging and tracking system, and the exploration of the use of technology developed in Australia's over-the-horizon-radar program for surveillance of space, kept some interest in the problem alive, but there has been no serious national investment in the area for the last thirty years. Recently, however, increased awareness of the vulnerability of space systems and the need to include potential opponents' space capabilities in operations planning has led to a revival of interest in space situational awareness within the Australian Defence Organisation. While firm commitments to new systems must wait on the next Defence White Paper due out at the end of 2007 and the policy directions it formally endorses, discussions have already started with the US on participating in the Space Surveillance Network (SSN) and developing a comprehensive space situational awareness capability. In support of these initiatives the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is drawing up an inventory of relevant Australian capabilities, technologies and activities: the paper will describe the findings of this inventory, and in particular local technologies and systems that might be deployed in Australia to contribute to the SSN. In the optical regime the available options are rather limited; they centre primarily on the satellite laser ranging technology developed by Electro-Optic Systems and

Paediatric International Nursing Study: using person-centred key performance indicators to benchmark children's services.

PubMed

McCance, Tanya; Wilson, Val; Kornman, Kelly

2016-07-01

The aim of the Paediatric International Nursing Study was to explore the utility of key performance indicators in developing person-centred practice across a range of services provided to sick children. The objective addressed in this paper was evaluating the use of these indicators to benchmark services internationally. This study builds on primary research, which produced indicators that were considered novel both in terms of their positive orientation and use in generating data that privileges the patient voice. This study extends this research through wider testing on an international platform within paediatrics. The overall methodological approach was a realistic evaluation used to evaluate the implementation of the key performance indicators, which combined an integrated development and evaluation methodology. The study involved children's wards/hospitals in Australia (six sites across three states) and Europe (seven sites across four countries). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used during the implementation process, however, this paper reports the quantitative data only, which used survey, observations and documentary review. The findings demonstrate the quality of care being delivered to children and their families across different international sites. The benchmarking does, however, highlight some differences between paediatric and general hospitals, and between the different key performance indicators across all the sites. The findings support the use of the key performance indicators as a novel method to benchmark services internationally. Whilst the data collected across 20 paediatric sites suggest services are more similar than different, benchmarking illuminates variations that encourage a critical dialogue about what works and why. The transferability of the key performance indicators and measurement framework across different settings has significant implications for practice. The findings offer an approach to benchmarking and celebrating

Where next on e-waste in Australia?

PubMed

Golev, Artem; Schmeda-Lopez, Diego R; Smart, Simon K; Corder, Glen D; McFarland, Eric W

2016-12-01

For almost two decades waste electrical and electronic equipment, WEEE or e-waste, has been considered a growing problem that has global consequences. The value of recovered materials, primarily in precious and base metals, has prompted some parts of the world to informally and inappropriately process e-waste causing serious environmental and human health issues. Efforts in tackling this issue have been limited and in many ways unsuccessful. The global rates for formal e-waste treatment are estimated to be below the 20% mark, with the majority of end-of-life (EoL) electronic devices still ending up in the landfills or processed through rudimentary means. Industrial confidentiality regarding device composition combined with insufficient reporting requirements has made the task of simply characterizing the problem difficult at a global scale. To address some of these key issues, this paper presents a critical overview of existing statistics and estimations for e-waste in an Australia context, including potential value and environmental risks associated with metals recovery. From our findings, in 2014, on average per person, Australians purchased 35kg of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) while disposed of 25kg of WEEE, and possessed approximately 320kg of EEE. The total amount of WEEE was estimated at 587kt worth about US$ 370million if all major metals are fully recovered. These results are presented over the period 2010-2014, detailed for major EEE product categories and metals, and followed by 2015-2024 forecast. Our future projection, with the base scenario fixing EEE sales at 35kg per capita, predicts stabilization of e-waste generation in Australia at 28-29kg per capita, with the total amount continuing to grow along with the population growth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internet advertising of artificial tanning in Australia.

PubMed

Team, Victoria; Markovic, Milica

2006-08-01

Artificial tanning, defined as deliberate exposure to ultraviolet rays produced by artificial tanning devices, is a new and emerging public health issue in Australia and globally. Epidemiological research suggests that artificial tanning may contribute to the incidence of melanoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer as well as other health problems. Given that Australia has a high incidence of skin cancer, we have undertaken a study to explore how artificial tanning has been promoted to its users. The aim was to analyze the completeness and accuracy of information about artificial tanning. A content analysis of web sites of tanning salons and distributors of tanning equipment in Australia was conducted. A total of 22 web sites were analyzed. None of the solarium operators or distributors of equipment provided full information about the risks of artificial tanning. Fifty-nine percent of web advertisements had no information and 41% provided only partial information regarding the risks of artificial tanning. Pictures with the image of bronze-tanned bodies, predominantly women, were used by all web advertisers. In light of the success of sun-safety campaigns in Australia, the findings of future epidemiological research on the prevalence of artificial tanning and sociological and anthropological research on why people utilize artificial tanning should be a basis for developing effective targeted health promotion on the elimination of artificial tanning in the country.

Trends in Learning Outcomes Assessment. Key Findings from a Survey among Administrators at AAC&U Member Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2016

2016-01-01

This 2016 report summarizes key findings from a national survey among chief academic officers at Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) member institutions and explores trends in learning outcomes and approaches to assessing them. It documents that many in higher education are moving away from standardized tests and…

COMMERCIAL SURROGACY: WHAT ROLE FOR LAW IN AUSTRALIA?

PubMed

Sifris, Ronli; Ludlow, Karinne; Sifris, Adiva

2015-12-01

This editorial begins by illuminating current conversations regarding the regulation of commercial surrogacy in Australia. It defines "commercial surrogacy" and explains the interaction between changes in social attitudes and changes to the law before setting out the current Australian law and practice in this area. An examination of current domestic law and practice reveals that surrogacy legislation in Australia is mired in inconsistencies and a lack of uniformity but that the one key common element is the prohibition of commercial surrogacy. The inability of couples to access commercial surrogacy within Australia has led to offshore reproductive tourism and unpredictable, contradictory decision-making as the Family Court attempts to apply legislation which was never intended to apply in this context. The editorial then turns to consider the international arena, discussing the approach of the Hague Conference on Private International Law before delving into a human rights analysis of commercial surrogacy arrangements. The adoption of a rights-based approach requires an analysis of this vexed issue from the perspective of the child, surrogate and intending parents. While questions surrounding the human rights implications of legalising commercial surrogacy continue to be the subject of passionate debate, the authors believe that the human rights of all parties are best protected through appropriate regulation rather than absolute prohibition.

Indigenous values and water markets: Survey insights from northern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolakis, William D.; Grafton, R. Quentin; To, Hang

2013-09-01

Drawing upon on the literature on Indigenous values to water, water markets and the empirical findings from a survey of 120 Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents across northern Australia, the paper makes important qualitative and statistical comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous values to water markets. The study is the first comparison of Indigenous and non-Indigenous values to water markets based on the same survey instrument. Key results from Indigenous respondents include: (1) water markets are held to be an acceptable approach to managing water; (2) markets must be carefully designed to protect customary and ecological values; (3) the allocation of water rights need to encompass equity considerations; and (4) water and land rights should not be separated even if this enhances efficiency, as it runs counter to Indigenous holistic values. Overall, the survey results provide the basis for a proposed adaptive decision loop, which allows decision makers to incorporate stakeholder values in water markets.

Integrating Environmental Sustainability Considerations into Food and Nutrition Policies: Insights from Australia's National Food Plan.

PubMed

Ridgway, Ella Megan; Lawrence, Mark Andrew; Woods, Julie

2015-01-01

The environmental sustainability (ES) of food systems is a critical challenge for policy makers. This is a highly contested policy area with differing views among stakeholders. The aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of how ES considerations are addressed in Australian food and nutrition policies and the way that consultation processes affect final policy outcomes. A mixed-methods study design combined a detailed chronology of key policy developments (2009-2015), a content analysis of written submissions obtained during the NFP's consultation period (2011-2013) and a frame analysis of the sustainability perspectives - efficiency, demand restraint, and system transformation - in the NFP's Issues, Green, and White Papers. There were 555 written submissions responding to two consultation papers. Stakeholders represented all sectors of Australia's food system including government, non-government organizations, the food supply chain, research and academic institutions, and members of the general public. Around 74% of submissions referred to ES considerations and ~65% supported their inclusion into the final policy. Efficiency frames were most dominant; emphasizing a production-oriented approach that regards the environment as a natural resource base for food production but overlooks consumption and equity concerns. Despite strong support for the inclusion of ES considerations in the NFP, the influence of Australia's socio-political context, powerful, industry-dominated stakeholders, and a reliance on traditional production-oriented perspectives delivered a business-as-usual approach to food policy making. It has since been replaced by an agricultural strategy that provides only cursory attention to ES. Our findings indicate that Australia's political environment is not sufficiently mature for ES considerations to be integrated into food and nutrition policies. We propose reforms to the current consultation process in Australia to better support this

Women Astronomers: Australia: Women astronomers in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhathal, Ragbir

2001-08-01

Ragbir Bhathal summarizes the role played by women astronomers in Australia's astronomy, now and in the past. Australia has a great tradition in astronomy, from the early observations of Aboriginal people through the colonial drive to explore and understand, culminating in the established excellence of research there today. Women have contributed to this achievement in no small way, yet their contribution has been unremarked, if not ignored. Here I summarize the historical and present state of affairs and look forward to a brighter and more equitable future.

Goat paddock cryptoexplosion crater, Western Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harms, J.E.; Milton, D.J.; Ferguson, J.; Gilbert, D.J.; Harris, W.K.; Goleby, B.

1980-01-01

Goat Paddock, a crater slightly over 5 km in diameter (18??20??? S, 126??40???E), lies at the north edge of the King Leopold Range/Mueller Range junction in the Kimberley district, Western Australia (Fig. 1). It was noted as a geological anomaly in 1964 during regional mapping by the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics and the Geological Survey of Western Australia. The possibility of its being a meteorite impact crater has been discussed1, although this suggestion was subsequently ignored2. Two holes were drilled by a mining corporation in 1972 to test whether kimberlite underlay the structure. Here we report the findings of five days of reconnaissance in August 1979 which established that Goat Paddock is a cryptoexplosion crater containing shocked rocks and an unusually well exposed set of structural features. ?? 1980 Nature Publishing Group.

User Testing of Consumer Medicine Information in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jay, Eleanor; Aslani, Parisa; Raynor, D. K.

2011-01-01

Background: Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) forms an important basis for the dissemination of medicines information worldwide. Methods: This article presents an overview of the design and development of Australian CMI, and discusses "user-testing" as an iterative, formative process for CMI design. Findings: In Australia, legislation…

Monitoring HIV Prevention Programme Outcomes among Key Populations in Kenya: Findings from a National Survey

PubMed Central

Musyoki, Helgar; Anthony, John; Kioko, Japheth; Kaosa, Shem; Ogwang, Bernard E.; Githuka, George; Sirengo, Martin; Birir, Sarah; Blanchard, James F.; Muraguri, Nicholas; Isac, Shajy; Moses, Stephen

2015-01-01

In preparation for the implementation of the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework 2014/15-2018/19, the Kenya National AIDS and STI Control Programme facilitated a national polling booth survey as part of a baseline assessment of HIV-related risk behaviours among FSWs, MSM, and PWID, and their utilization of existing preventive interventions, as well as structural factors that may influence KPs’ vulnerability to HIV. The survey was conducted among “key populations” (female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs) to understand current HIV risk and prevention behaviours, utilization of existing programmes and services, and experiences of violence. In total, 3,448 female sex workers, 1,308 men who have sex with men, and 690 people who inject drugs were randomly selected to participate in polling booth survey sessions from seven priority sites. Survey responses were aggregated and descriptive statistics derived. In general, reported condom use among all key populations was quite high with paying clients, and lower with regular, non-paying partners. Many participants reported unavailability of condoms or clean injecting equipment within the past month. Exposure to, and utilization of, existing HIV prevention services varied significantly among the groups, and was reported least commonly by female sex workers. Encouragingly, approximately three-quarters of all key population members reported receiving an HIV test in the past three months. All key population groups reported experiencing high levels of physical and sexual violence from partners/clients, and/or arrest and violence by law enforcement officials. Although some of the findings are encouraging, there is room for improvement in HIV prevention programmes and services for key populations across Kenya. PMID:26313642

Sexual and reproductive health and philanthropic funding in Australia.

PubMed

Gill-Atkinson, Liz; Vaughan, Cathy; Williams, Hennie

2014-09-01

Background Australia's philanthropic sector is growing and could support efforts to improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH). However, philanthropy is often misunderstood in Australia and there is limited evidence of philanthropic support for SRH initiatives. We aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators to philanthropic funding of SRH initiatives in Australia. A qualitative approach was used and involved 13 in-depth interviews with professionals from the philanthropic sector, and from organisations and services involved in SRH. Barriers to organisations in seeking philanthropic funding for SRH activities included insufficient resources for writing grant applications and the small financial value of philanthropic grants. Facilitators to seeking philanthropic funding for SRH included a perception that government funding is shrinking and that philanthropic research grants are less competitive than government grants. Philanthropic participants identified that barriers to funding SRH include the sensitive nature of SRH and the perceived conservative nature of philanthropy. Facilitators identified by these participants in supporting SRH initiatives included networking and relationships between grant-makers and grant-seekers. All participants agreed that philanthropy does and could have a role in funding SRH in Australia. The findings of this research suggest that barriers to philanthropic funding for SRH in Australia exist for organisations attempting to access philanthropic funding. Philanthropic organisations could provide more financial support to Australian SRH service providers, as happens in countries such as the United States and United Kingdom. Addressing these barriers and promoting the facilitators could lead to increased awareness of SRH by Australia's philanthropic sector.

Optometry Australia Scope of Practice Survey 2015.

PubMed

Kiely, Patricia M; Cappuccio, Skye; McIntyre, Ellen

2017-05-01

This paper presents results from the inaugural Scope of Practice Survey of Optometry Australia members conducted in October 2015. The survey gathered information related to confidence in detecting and diagnosing key ocular conditions, grading diabetic retinopathy, prescribing scheduled medicines, access to equipment, confidence using equipment, incidence of patients requiring therapeutic management, referral practices and services provided. The survey was developed, piloted, modified and administered to members of Optometry Australia (excluding student and retired members), who had a current email address. Results were collated and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Of the 587 optometrists in clinical practice who responded, 254 (43 per cent) had therapeutic endorsement of registration. The majority of respondents practised in a major city or surrounding suburbs (63 per cent). Independent practice was the most frequently cited practice type (58 per cent). The estimated average number of patients seen in a week was 48; there was a steady decrease in the number of patients per week with increasing age, from 53 for optometrists in their 20s to 27 for optometrists aged over 70. There was very high confidence (over 93 per cent) in ability to grade diabetic retinopathy and diagnose a range of ocular conditions. Confidence in performance of more advanced techniques was higher for endorsed than non-endorsed optometrists. Approximately 12 per cent of patients required a Schedule 4 therapeutic prescription. The most frequently recommended over-the-counter medications were for dry eye for both endorsed and non-endorsed optometrists. The most frequently prescribed Schedule 4 medications were anti-inflammatories. The most challenging conditions to prescribe for were glaucoma, microbial keratitis and uveitis. Approximately one in six therapeutically endorsed optometrists reported unexpected side effects of medications they had prescribed. Information from the survey will guide

Income inequality and alcohol attributable harm in Australia.

PubMed

Dietze, Paul M; Jolley, Damien J; Chikritzhs, Tanya N; Clemens, Susan; Catalano, Paul; Stockwell, Tim

2009-02-25

There is little research on the relationship between key socioeconomic variables and alcohol related harms in Australia. The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between income inequality and the rates of alcohol-attributable hospitalisation and death at a local-area level in Australia. We conducted a cross sectional ecological analysis at a Local Government Area (LGA) level of associations between data on alcohol caused harms and income inequality data after adjusting for socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of LGAs.The main outcome measures used were matched rate ratios for four measures of alcohol caused harm; acute (primarily related to the short term consequences of drinking) and chronic (primarily related to the long term consequences of drinking) alcohol-attributable hospitalisation and acute and chronic alcohol-attributable death. Matching was undertaken using control conditions (non-alcohol-attributable) at an LGA level. A total of 885 alcohol-attributable deaths and 19467 alcohol-attributable hospitalisations across all LGAs were available for analysis. After weighting by the total number of cases in each LGA, the matched rate ratios of acute and chronic alcohol-attributable hospitalisation and chronic alcohol-attributable death were associated with the squared centred Gini coefficients of LGAs. This relationship was evident after adjusting for socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of LGAs. For both measures of hospitalisation the relationship was curvilinear; increases in income inequality were initially associated with declining rates of hospitalisation followed by large increases as the Gini coefficient increased beyond 0.15. The pattern for chronic alcohol-attributable death was similar, but without the initial decrease. There was no association between income inequality and acute alcohol-attributable death, probably due to the relatively small number of these types of death. We found a curvilinear relationship between income

New Mid-Cretaceous (Latest Albian) Dinosaurs from Winton, Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Hocknull, Scott A.; White, Matt A.; Tischler, Travis R.; Cook, Alex G.; Calleja, Naomi D.; Sloan, Trish; Elliott, David A.

2009-01-01

Background Australia's dinosaurian fossil record is exceptionally poor compared to that of other similar-sized continents. Most taxa are known from fragmentary isolated remains with uncertain taxonomic and phylogenetic placement. A better understanding of the Australian dinosaurian record is crucial to understanding the global palaeobiogeography of dinosaurian groups, including groups previously considered to have had Gondwanan origins, such as the titanosaurs and carcharodontosaurids. Methodology/Principal Findings We describe three new dinosaurs from the late Early Cretaceous (latest Albian) Winton Formation of eastern Australia, including; Wintonotitan wattsi gen. et sp. nov., a basal titanosauriform; Diamantinasaurus matildae gen. et sp. nov., a derived lithostrotian titanosaur; and Australovenator wintonensis gen. et sp. nov., an allosauroid. We compare an isolated astragalus from the Early Cretaceous of southern Australia; formerly identified as Allosaurus sp., and conclude that it most-likely represents Australovenator sp. Conclusion/Significance The occurrence of Australovenator from the Aptian to latest Albian confirms the presence in Australia of allosauroids basal to the Carcharodontosauridae. These new taxa, along with the fragmentary remains of other taxa, indicate a diverse Early Cretaceous sauropod and theropod fauna in Australia, including plesiomorphic forms (e.g. Wintonotitan and Australovenator) and more derived forms (e.g. Diamantinasaurus). PMID:19584929

TPACK Development in Science Teacher Preparation: A Case Study in Queensland, Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sickel, Jamie L.

2016-01-01

This study sought to identify key experiences that impact the development of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of preservice secondary sciences teachers at a medium-sized university in Queensland, Australia. TPACK is a conceptual framework of a body of knowledge that teachers draw upon to influence practice; it is a dynamic and…

Politics, Economics, Society, and Overseas Chinese Teaching: A Case Study of Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ping

2016-01-01

The history and current state of Chinese teaching in Australia has largely been determined by two key factors: first, the country's policy on languages, and in particular its policy regarding foreign language education; and second, its immigrants and overseas students from Chinese-speaking countries and regions. Beginning in the 1980s, Chinese…

Sharing Music and Culture through Singing in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Dawn

2009-01-01

This article discusses the notion of sharing music and culture as an effective platform to celebrate diversity in Melbourne, Australia. My research project "Celebrating Music Making and Finding Meaning" investigates and illustrates a context of diversity, one that promotes respect in a multicultural society sharing music and culture of a…

Charitable Giving to Universities in Australia and New Zealand Survey: Findings from Data Collected from 24 Universities in Australia and New Zealand for 2013, 2014 and 2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Advancement and Support of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The Charitable Giving to Universities in Australia and New Zealand Survey collects detailed information about fundraising and donors to measure the philanthropic performance of higher education institutions. It also provides an estimate of the overall impact of philanthropy on the higher education sector. This survey of philanthropic giving uses…

Association of climate drivers with rainfall in New South Wales, Australia, using Bayesian Model Averaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duc, Hiep Nguyen; Rivett, Kelly; MacSween, Katrina; Le-Anh, Linh

2017-01-01

Rainfall in New South Wales (NSW), located in the southeast of the Australian continent, is known to be influenced by four major climate drivers: the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Many studies have shown the influences of ENSO, IPO modulation, SAM and IOD on rainfall in Australia and on southeast Australia in particular. However, only limited work has been undertaken using a multiple regression framework to examine the extent of the combined effect of these climate drivers on rainfall. This paper analysed the role of these combined climate drivers and their interaction on the rainfall in NSW using Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to account for model uncertainty by considering each of the linear models across the whole model space which is equal to the set of all possible combinations of predictors to find the model posterior probabilities and their expected predictor coefficients. Using BMA for linear regression models, we are able to corroborate and confirm the results from many previous studies. In addition, the method gives the ranking order of importance and the probability of the association of each of the climate drivers and their interaction on the rainfall at a site. The ability to quantify the relative contribution of the climate drivers offers the key to understand the complex interaction of drivers on rainfall, or lack of rainfall in a region, such as the three big droughts in southeastern Australia which have been the subject of discussion and debate recently on their causes.

Algae Reefs in Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Numerous algae reefs are seen in Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia (26.0S, 113.5E) especially in the southern portions of the bay. The south end is more saline because tidal flow in and out of the bay is restricted by sediment deposited at the north and central end of the bay opposite the mouth of the Wooramel River. This extremely arid region produces little sediment runoff so that the waters are very clear, saline and rich in algae.

Nature and frequency of services provided by child and family health nurses in Australia: results of a national survey.

PubMed

Schmied, Virginia; Fowler, Cathrine; Rossiter, Chris; Homer, Caroline; Kruske, Sue

2014-05-01

Australia has a system of universal child and family health (CFH) nursing services providing primary health services from birth to school entry. Herein, we report on the findings of the first national survey of CFH nurses, including the ages and circumstances of children and families seen by CFH nurses and the nature and frequency of the services provided by these nurses across Australia. A national survey of CFH nurses was conducted. In all, 1098 CFH nurses responded to the survey. Over 60% were engaged in delivering primary prevention services from a universal platform. Overall, 82.8% reported that their service made first contact with families within 2 weeks of birth, usually in the home (80.7%). The proportion of respondents providing regular support to families decreased as the child aged. Services were primarily health centre based, although 25% reported providing services in other locations (parks, preschools).The timing and location of first contact, the frequency of ongoing services and the composition of families seen by nurses varied across Australian jurisdictions. Nurses identified time constraints as the key barrier to the delivery of comprehensive services. CFH nurses play an important role in supporting families across Australia. The impact of differences in the CFH nursing provision across Australia requires further investigation. What is known about the topic? Countries that offer universal well child health services demonstrate better child health and developmental outcomes than countries that do not. Australian jurisdictions offer free, universal child and family health (CFH) nursing services from birth to school entry. What does this paper add? This paper provides nation-wide data on the nature of work undertaken by CFH nurses offering universal care. Across Australia, there are differences in the timing and location of first contact, the frequency of ongoing services and the range of families seen by nurses. What are the implications for

Breast milk donation after neonatal death in Australia: a report.

PubMed

Carroll, Katherine E; Lenne, Brydan S; McEgan, Kerri; Opie, Gillian; Amir, Lisa H; Bredemeyer, Sandra; Hartmann, Ben; Jones, Rachel; Koorts, Pieter; McConachy, Helen; Mumford, Patricia; Polverino, Jan

2014-01-01

Lactation and breast milk can hold great value and meaning for grieving mothers who have experienced a recent death of an infant. Donation to a human milk bank (HMB) as an alternative to discarding breast milk is one means of respecting the value of breast milk. There is little research, national policy discussion, or organizational representation in Australia on the subject of breast milk donation after infant death. On 29 November 2013 the Mercy Hospital for Women in Melbourne, Australia hosted Australia's first National Stakeholder Meeting (NSM) on the topic of milk donation after neonatal death. The NSM drew together representatives from Australian HMBs, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) currently using donor human milk, and Australia's chief NICU parent support organization. The NSM was video-recorded and transcribed, and analyzed thematically by researchers. This article reports the seven dominant themes discussed by stakeholders during the NSM: the spectrum of women's lactation and donation experiences after infant death; the roles of the HMB and NICU in meeting the needs of the bereaved donor; how bereaved mothers' lactation autonomy may interface with a HMB's donation guidelines; how milk donation may be discussed with bereaved mothers; the variation between four categories of milk donation after neonatal death; the impact of limited resources and few HMBs on providing donation programs for bereaved mothers in Australia. This article provides evidence from researchers and practitioners that can assist HMB staff in refining their bank's policy on milk donation after infant death, and provides national policy makers with key considerations to support lactation, human milk banking, and bereavement services nation-wide.

Supply Issues for Science Academics in Australia: Now and in the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Daniel; Smith, T. Fred

2010-01-01

Australia, like the rest of the developed world, is in the midst of dealing with notable issues related to the age structure of its academic workforce. These issues are widespread and have been articulated in the Australian context most comprehensively by Hugo (2008). This paper investigates issues with demographic change and other key factors…

Robbing Public to Pay Private? Two Cases of Refinancing Education Infrastructure in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crump, Stephen; Slee, Roger

2005-01-01

This paper will explore private sector participation in public sector education in the Australian context, focusing on case studies of Queensland and New South Wales, with reference to developments in other states and territories and internationally. In Australia, most states and territories have PPP policies and key projects include the Southbank…

Remote Sensing Derived Fire Frequency, Soil Moisture and Ecosystem Productivity Explain Regional Movements in Emu over Australia

PubMed Central

Madani, Nima; Kimball, John S.; Nazeri, Mona; Kumar, Lalit; Affleck, David L. R.

2016-01-01

Species distribution modeling has been widely used in studying habitat relationships and for conservation purposes. However, neglecting ecological knowledge about species, e.g. their seasonal movements, and ignoring the proper environmental factors that can explain key elements for species survival (shelter, food and water) increase model uncertainty. This study exemplifies how these ecological gaps in species distribution modeling can be addressed by modeling the distribution of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) in Australia. Emus cover a large area during the austral winter. However, their habitat shrinks during the summer months. We show evidence of emu summer habitat shrinkage due to higher fire frequency, and low water and food availability in northern regions. Our findings indicate that emus prefer areas with higher vegetation productivity and low fire recurrence, while their distribution is linked to an optimal intermediate (~0.12 m3 m-3) soil moisture range. We propose that the application of three geospatial data products derived from satellite remote sensing, namely fire frequency, ecosystem productivity, and soil water content, provides an effective representation of emu general habitat requirements, and substantially improves species distribution modeling and representation of the species’ ecological habitat niche across Australia. PMID:26799732

Remote Sensing Derived Fire Frequency, Soil Moisture and Ecosystem Productivity Explain Regional Movements in Emu over Australia.

PubMed

Madani, Nima; Kimball, John S; Nazeri, Mona; Kumar, Lalit; Affleck, David L R

2016-01-01

Species distribution modeling has been widely used in studying habitat relationships and for conservation purposes. However, neglecting ecological knowledge about species, e.g. their seasonal movements, and ignoring the proper environmental factors that can explain key elements for species survival (shelter, food and water) increase model uncertainty. This study exemplifies how these ecological gaps in species distribution modeling can be addressed by modeling the distribution of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) in Australia. Emus cover a large area during the austral winter. However, their habitat shrinks during the summer months. We show evidence of emu summer habitat shrinkage due to higher fire frequency, and low water and food availability in northern regions. Our findings indicate that emus prefer areas with higher vegetation productivity and low fire recurrence, while their distribution is linked to an optimal intermediate (~0.12 m3 m(-3)) soil moisture range. We propose that the application of three geospatial data products derived from satellite remote sensing, namely fire frequency, ecosystem productivity, and soil water content, provides an effective representation of emu general habitat requirements, and substantially improves species distribution modeling and representation of the species' ecological habitat niche across Australia.

Policy Fuzz and Fuzzy Logic: Researching Contemporary Indigenous Education and Parent-School Engagement in North Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lea, Tess; Thompson, Helen; McRae-Williams, Eva; Wegner, Aggie

2011-01-01

"Engagement" is the second of six top priorities in Australia's most recent Indigenous education strategy to "close the gap" in schooling outcomes. Drawing on findings from a three-year ethnographic analysis of school engagement issues in the north of Australia, this article situates engagement within the history of Indigenous…

The case of national health promotion policy in Australia: where to now?

PubMed

Smith, James A; Crawford, Gemma; Signal, Louise

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Over the last three decades there has been an incremental investment in health promotion and prevention across Australia; yet, the Commonwealth Government and some state/territory governments have more recently instigated funding cuts in health promotion and prevention. This paper argues that the role of health promotion is critical in contemporary Australia and discusses strategies needed to move forward within the context of recent disinvestments. Discussion Key areas of concern relating to recent health promotion and prevention disinvestment in Australia include the abolishment of the Australian National Preventive Health Agency, the cessation of the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health and significant cuts to Indigenous programs. These changes pose a significant threat to the health, economic and social well being of Australians and the region, particularly those that are most vulnerable. Conclusions Future health promotion and prevention efforts will require strategic leadership and action to enhance the promotion of health equity in Australia over the coming decades. We call on governments to (re)invest in health promotion and prevention both in and outside the health sector so that health promotion professionals can continue their advocacy efforts aimed at articulating their professional place in improving population health. So what? Recent changes to national health promotion and prevention policy are detrimental to the health and well being of the Australian population, particularly those most vulnerable. Sound planning to revitalise and refocus health promotion action in Australia is urgently required.

Four new species of Unixenus Jones, 1944 (Diplopoda, Penicillata, Polyxenida) from Australia

PubMed Central

Short, Megan; Huynh, Cuong

2013-01-01

Abstract Unixenus carnarvonensis sp. n., Unixenus corringlensis sp. n., Unixenus barrabaensis sp. n. and Unixenus myallensis sp. n. are described from Australia. A revised diagnosis of Unixenus karajinensis and new details on the distribution of the species are given. A key is presented to 10 of all 11 currently known species of the genus. PMID:23794829

Young Pedestrians' Gendering of Mathematics: Australia and Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forgasz, Helen; Leder, Gilah; Gómez-Chacón, Inés Ma

2012-01-01

People aged 20-39 were stopped in the streets of Victoria (Australia) and Madrid (Spain) to gauge their views on the gendering of mathematics. The findings suggested that for respondents from both countries, if stereotyped beliefs are held they were more strongly associated with the traditional male stereotype, that is, that males are considered…

Sizing up Australia: toward a national sizing survey.

PubMed

Veitch, Daisy; Blewett, Verna; Caple, David

2012-01-01

This paper reports on the outcomes of research on the use of anthropometric data by designers of Australian workplaces and products used in Australian workplaces. Australian designers were asked how they used anthropometric data, and about the adequacy of data that were available to them for their needs as designers. In addition to a review of published and grey literature, designers were surveyed and asked for detailed information about their use of anthropometric data and about their needs. Thirty-two completed questionnaires were received. Two focus groups of designers were conducted; 13 people attended in Adelaide and 16 in Melbourne. The data indicated that designers either did not use anthropometric data at all or had difficulty finding data that were reliable and relevant to their specific needs. In response to the findings the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia developed a Special Interest Group for anthropometry that currently has over 150 members. The Group is actively lobbying government for an Australian Sizing Survey, so this research is an important stimulus to a major policy investment for Australia.

Algae Reefs in Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-12-10

STS035-81-040 (2-10 Dec 1990) --- Numerous algae reefs are seen in Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia (26.0S, 113.5E) especially in the southern portions of the bay. The south end is more saline because tidal flow in and out of the bay is restricted by sediment deposited at the north and central end of the bay opposite the mouth of the Wooramel River. This extremely arid region produces little sediment runoff so that the waters are very clear, saline and rich in algae.

Handbook on Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, Austin.

A study unit on Australia for secondary students is divided into eight sections. Section 1 introduces students to the states, territories, and capitals of the country. Section two, land and people, discusses the size, location, geology, climate, flora and fauna, and population of Australia. Sections 3 and 4 outline Australian history and include…

Reflections of Girls in the Media: A Two-Part Study on Gender and Media. Summary of Key Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

This pamphlet summarizes the key findings of a two-part study that investigated the messages that young women (age 10 to 17) get from the media. A content analysis examined messages to girls across a range of media most heavily used by adolescent girls: television, movies, magazines, music videos, television commercials, and magazine…

How evidence-based workforce planning in Australia is informing policy development in the retention and distribution of the health workforce.

PubMed

Crettenden, Ian F; McCarty, Maureen V; Fenech, Bethany J; Heywood, Troy; Taitz, Michelle C; Tudman, Sam

2014-02-03

Australia's health workforce is facing significant challenges now and into the future. Health Workforce Australia (HWA) was established by the Council of Australian Governments as the national agency to progress health workforce reform to address the challenges of providing a skilled, innovative and flexible health workforce in Australia. HWA developed Australia's first major, long-term national workforce projections for doctors, nurses and midwives over a planning horizon to 2025 (called Health Workforce 2025; HW 2025), which provided a national platform for developing policies to help ensure Australia's health workforce meets the community's needs. A review of existing workforce planning methodologies, in concert with the project brief and an examination of data availability, identified that the best fit-for-purpose workforce planning methodology was the stock and flow model for estimating workforce supply and the utilisation method for estimating workforce demand. Scenario modelling was conducted to explore the implications of possible alternative futures, and to demonstrate the sensitivity of the model to various input parameters. Extensive consultation was conducted to test the methodology, data and assumptions used, and also influenced the scenarios selected for modelling. Additionally, a number of other key principles were adopted in developing HW 2025 to ensure the workforce projections were robust and able to be applied nationally. The findings from HW 2025 highlighted that a 'business as usual' approach to Australia's health workforce is not sustainable over the next 10 years, with a need for co-ordinated, long-term reforms by government, professions and the higher education and training sector for a sustainable and affordable health workforce. The main policy levers identified to achieve change were innovation and reform, immigration, training capacity and efficiency and workforce distribution. While HW 2025 has provided a national platform for health

Australia's role in HIV prevention in the developing world.

PubMed

Cooper, D A

1995-12-01

A scientist with the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, addresses the fact that Australians working in the area of HIV infection have been very successful in prevention, treatment, and care. In the early 1980s, a bipartisan political decision was made to foster an effective partnership between HIV-infected communities, health care providers, and governments. HIV-infected communities included sex workers, prisoners, Aboriginal people, and high profile gay community activists. These three different groups succeeded in forming such a partnership, as reflected in the fact that the annual number of new HIV cases is down to 500 from a peak of 3000 in 1984. A key method used to contain HIV infection was needle-and-syringe exchange programs and continuing access to needles to prevent HIV transmission in the injecting drug community. Even though Australia has all this experience and success, it had a backseat role in ushering in the UNAIDS program because Australia did not contribute a significant share of the agency's relatively small budget (US$100 million/year). If Australia were to give just 10%, it would acquire a front row seat along with the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, France, and the UK. These nations have the greatest say as to where UNAIDS funds go. The Australian international aid organization has recently received an increase in funds, $110 million for 4 years to spend on four areas, one of which is HIV/AIDS. Australia has just allocated $25 million for a 5-year program for HIV/STD (sexually transmitted disease) prevention in Indonesia. This money would have been able to buy Australia a leading role in UNAIDS. Australians need to reassess their priorities. Australians can help their neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region move away from their denial of HIV to HIV prevention and care. They can conduct clinical trials of shorter and more user-friendly regimens of antiviral drugs that

Teaching about Australia. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prior, Warren R.

Many reasons can be offered for teaching about Australia. The field of Australian studies offers many opportunities for U.S. teachers and students to critically analyze aspects of their own culture, for there are many experiences in the history of Australia that parallel the U.S. experience. Australia and the United States have strong ongoing…

The Financing of Adult Education in Australia: From the Perspective of Recurrent Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Barry W.

1987-01-01

The author argues that the key problems for the financing of adult education in Australia are political, stating that recurrent education has been subsumed into the rhetoric of education but has been ignored in practice. He calls for arguments to establish the importance of adult education in traditional terms and to challenge current practices.…

From hydrodynamic to hydrological modelling: Investigating long-term hydrological regimes of key wetlands in the Macquarie Marshes, a semi-arid lowland floodplain in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Li; Macdonald, Rohan; Morrison, Tim; Hameed, Tahir; Saintilan, Neil; Ling, Joanne

2013-09-01

The Macquarie Marshes is an intermittently flooded wetland complex covering nearly 200,000 ha. It is one of the largest semi-permanent wetland systems in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia, and portions of the Marshes are listed as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention. Previous studies indicate that the Marshes have undergone accelerated ecological degradation since the 1980s. The ecological degradation is documented in declining biodiversity, encroaching of terrestrial species, colonisation of exotic species, and deterioration of floodplain forests. There is strong evidence that reduction in river flows is the principal cause of the decrease in ecological values. Although the streams are relatively well gauged and modelled, the lack of hydrological records within the Marshes hampers any attempts to quantitatively investigate the relationship between hydrological variation and ecosystem integrity. To enable a better understanding of the long-term hydrological variations within the key wetland systems, and in particular, to investigate the impacts of the different water management policies (e.g. environmental water) on wetlands, a river system model including the main wetland systems was needed. The morphological complex nature of the Marshes means that the approximation of hydrological regimes within wetlands using stream hydrographs would have been difficult and inaccurate. In this study, we built a coupled 1D/2D MIKE FLOOD floodplain hydrodynamic model based on a 1 m DEM derived from a LiDAR survey. Hydrological characteristics of key constituent wetlands such as the correlation between water level and inundation area, relationships between stream and wetlands and among wetlands were estimated using time series extracted from hydrodynamic simulations. These relationships were then introduced into the existing river hydrological model (IQQM) to represent the wetlands. The model was used in this study to simulate the daily behaviours of inflow

Australia's Vocational Education & Training System. Annual National Report. Volume 3: Vocational Education & Training Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian National Training Authority, Brisbane.

The state of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia in 1997 was evaluated by collecting data on the following key performance measures: participation and achievement in VET; employer views on VET; student outcomes from VET; VET's benefits for particular client groups (females, people from rural and remote areas, indigenous…

Governance versus government: drug consumption rooms in Australia and the UK.

PubMed

Zampini, Giulia Federica

2014-09-01

To evaluate, through a case study, the extent to which elements of governance and elements of government are influential in determining the implementation or non-implementation of a drugs intervention. Comparative analysis of the case of a drug consumption room in the UK (England) and Australia (New South Wales), including 16 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of relevant documents according to characteristic features of governance and government (power decentralisation, power centralisation, independent self-organising policy networks, use of evidence, top-down steering/directing, legislation). Characteristic features of both governance and government are found in the data. Elements of governance are more prominent in New South Wales, Australia than in England, UK, where government prevails. Government is seen as the most important actor at play in the making, or absence, of drug consumption rooms. Both governance and government are useful frameworks in conceptualising the policy process. The governance narrative risks overlooking the importance of traditional government structures. In the case of drug consumption rooms in the UK and Australia, a focus on government is shown to have been crucial in determining whether the intervention was implemented. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temporal overlap of humans and giant lizards (Varanidae; Squamata) in Pleistocene Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Gilbert J.; Louys, Julien; Cramb, Jonathan; Feng, Yue-xing; Zhao, Jian-xin; Hocknull, Scott A.; Webb, Gregory E.; Nguyen, Ai Duc; Joannes-Boyau, Renaud

2015-10-01

An obvious but key prerequisite to testing hypotheses concerning the role of humans in the extinction of late Quaternary 'megafauna' is demonstrating that humans and the extinct taxa overlapped, both temporally and spatially. In many regions, a paucity of reliably dated fossil occurrences of megafauna makes it challenging, if not impossible, to test many of the leading extinction hypotheses. The giant monitor lizards of Australia are a case in point. Despite commonly being argued to have suffered extinction at the hands of the first human colonisers (who arrived by 50 ka), it has never been reliably demonstrated that giant monitors and humans temporally overlapped in Australia. Here we present the results of an integrated U-Th and 14C dating study of a late Pleistocene fossil deposit that has yielded the youngest dated remains of giant monitor lizards in Australia. The site, Colosseum Chamber, is a cave deposit in the Mt Etna region, central eastern Australia. Sixteen new dates were generated and demonstrate that the bulk of the material in the deposit accumulated since ca. 50 ka. The new monitor fossil is, minimally, 30 ky younger than the previous youngest reliably dated record for giant lizards in Australia and for the first time, demonstrates that on a continental scale, humans and giant lizards overlapped in time. The new record brings the existing geochronological dataset for Australian giant monitor lizards to seven dated occurrences. With such sparse data, we are hesitant to argue that our new date represents the time of their extinction from the continent. Rather, we suspect that future fossil collecting will yield new samples both older and younger than 50 ka. Nevertheless, we unequivocally demonstrate that humans and giant monitor lizards overlapped temporally in Australia, and thus, humans can only now be considered potential drivers for their extinction.

Enterprise Networking Web Sites and Organizational Communication in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Allee M.; Zhu, Yunxia; Hildebrandt, Herbert

2009-01-01

This article aims to report initial findings about networking in organizational settings in Australia through the use of enterprise social software. According to Gray and Honick (2008), enterprise social software (also known as Enterprise 2.0) is a term describing social software used in businesses and enterprises. It includes such tools as…

Drawing them in: professional perspectives on the complexities of engaging 'culturally diverse' young people with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care in Sydney, Australia.

PubMed

Botfield, Jessica R; Newman, Christy E; Zwi, Anthony B

2017-04-01

Young people from minority ethnic, migrant and refugee backgrounds are widely recognised as being under-served by mainstream sexual and reproductive healthcare in developed economy nations. This paper documents the views of professionals in Australia on the complexities of, and best practice approaches to, engaging members of this group with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 purposively selected key informants (health service providers, policymakers, academics and community advocates). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in NVivo10 using interpretive thematic analysis. Principles of 'cultural competence' were employed to structure the interpretation of findings. Five key themes reveal pivotal aspects of how professionals work in, and make sense of, this complex field. These may be summarised as: (1) appreciating the complexities of cultural diversity; (2) recognising structural barriers and disincentives to engagement; (3) normalising sexual health; (4) balancing 'youth-friendly' and 'culturally-competent' priorities; and (5) going beyond simple translation. As migration to Australia continues to diversify the population, an integrated, national approach to the design and delivery of sexual and reproductive health promotion and care would be of value, along with training and support for those involved. Implications may have resonance for other countries similarly engaged in facilitating the successful settlement of migrants and refugees.

Problems with provision: barriers to drinking water quality and public health in rural Tasmania, Australia.

PubMed

Whelan, Jessica J; Willis, Karen

2007-01-01

Access to safe drinking water is essential to human life and wellbeing, and is a key public health issue. However, many communities in rural and regional parts of Australia are unable to access drinking water that meets national standards for protecting human health. The aim of this research was to identify the key issues in and barriers to the provision and management of safe drinking water in rural Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key local government employees and public health officials responsible for management of drinking water in rural Tasmania. Participants were asked about their core public health duties, regulatory responsibilities, perceptions and management of risk, as well as the key barriers that may be affecting the provision of safe drinking water. This research highlights the effect of rural locality on management and safety of fresh water in protecting public health. The key issues contributing to problems with drinking water provision and quality identified by participants included: poor and inadequate water supply infrastructure; lack of resources and staffing; inadequate catchment monitoring; and the effect of competing land uses, such as forestry, on water supply quality. This research raises issues of inequity in the provision of safe drinking water in rural communities. It highlights not only the increasing need for greater funding by state and commonwealth government for basic services such as drinking water, but also the importance of an holistic and integrated approach to managing drinking water resources in rural Tasmania.

Low uptake of Aboriginal interpreters in healthcare: exploration of current use in Australia's Northern Territory.

PubMed

Ralph, Anna P; Lowell, Anne; Murphy, Jean; Dias, Tara; Butler, Deborah; Spain, Brian; Hughes, Jaquelyne T; Campbell, Lauren; Bauert, Barbara; Salter, Claire; Tune, Kylie; Cass, Alan

2017-11-15

In Australia's Northern Territory, most Aboriginal people primarily speak an Aboriginal language. Poor communication between healthcare providers and Aboriginal people results in adverse outcomes including death. This study aimed to identify remediable barriers to utilisation of Aboriginal Interpreter services at the Northern Territory's tertiary hospital, which currently manages over 25,000 Aboriginal inpatients annually. This is a multi-method study using key stakeholder discussions, medical file audit, bookings data from the Aboriginal Interpreter Service 2000-2015 and an online cross-sectional staff survey. The Donabedian framework was used to categorise findings into structure, process and outcome. Six key stakeholder meetings each with approximately 15 participants were conducted. A key structural barrier identified was lack of onsite interpreters. Interpreter bookings data revealed that only 7603 requests were made during the 15-year period, with completion of requests decreasing from 337/362 (93.1%) in 2003-4 to 649/831 (78.1%) in 2014-15 (p < 0.001). Non-completion was more common for minority languages (p < 0.001). Medical files of 103 Aboriginal inpatients were audited. Language was documented for 13/103 (12.6%). Up to 60/103 (58.3%) spoke an Aboriginal language primarily. Of 422 staff who participated in the survey, 18.0% had not received 'cultural competency' training; of those who did, 58/222 (26.2%) indicated it was insufficient. The Aboriginal Interpreter Service effectiveness was reported to be good by 209/368 (56.8%), but only 101/367 (27.5%) found it timely. Key process barriers identified by staff included booking complexities, time constraints, inadequate delivery of tools and training, and greater convenience of unofficial interpreters. We identified multiple structural and process barriers resulting in the outcomes of poor language documentation and low rates of interpreter bookings. Findings are now informing interventions to improve

Cultural innovation and megafauna interaction in the early settlement of arid Australia.

PubMed

Hamm, Giles; Mitchell, Peter; Arnold, Lee J; Prideaux, Gavin J; Questiaux, Daniele; Spooner, Nigel A; Levchenko, Vladimir A; Foley, Elizabeth C; Worthy, Trevor H; Stephenson, Birgitta; Coulthard, Vincent; Coulthard, Clifford; Wilton, Sophia; Johnston, Duncan

2016-11-10

Elucidating the material culture of early people in arid Australia and the nature of their environmental interactions is essential for understanding the adaptability of populations and the potential causes of megafaunal extinctions 50-40 thousand years ago (ka). Humans colonized the continent by 50 ka, but an apparent lack of cultural innovations compared to people in Europe and Africa has been deemed a barrier to early settlement in the extensive arid zone. Here we present evidence from Warratyi rock shelter in the southern interior that shows that humans occupied arid Australia by around 49 ka, 10 thousand years (kyr) earlier than previously reported. The site preserves the only reliably dated, stratified evidence of extinct Australian megafauna, including the giant marsupial Diprotodon optatum, alongside artefacts more than 46 kyr old. We also report on the earliest-known use of ochre in Australia and Southeast Asia (at or before 49-46 ka), gypsum pigment (40-33 ka), bone tools (40-38 ka), hafted tools (38-35 ka), and backed artefacts (30-24 ka), each up to 10 kyr older than any other known occurrence. Thus, our evidence shows that people not only settled in the arid interior within a few millennia of entering the continent, but also developed key technologies much earlier than previously recorded for Australia and Southeast Asia.

In-Place Training: Optimizing Rural Health Workforce Outcomes through Rural-Based Education in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Jennifer; Brown, Leanne; Burrows, Julie

2018-01-01

The medical workforce shortfall in rural areas is a major issue influencing the nature of undergraduate medical education in Australia. Exposing undergraduates to rural life through rural clinical school (RCS) placements is seen as a key strategy to address workforce imbalances. We investigated the influence of an extended RCS placement and rural…

Key Findings from a National Internet Survey of 400 Teachers and 95 Principals Conducted November 12-21, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCleskey, Nicole

2010-01-01

This paper presents the key findings from a national Internet survey of 400 teachers and 95 principals. This survey was conducted November 12-21, 2008. The sample was based on a list provided by EMI Surveys, a custom online research sample provider with an extensive portfolio of projects. The margin of error for a sample of 495 interviews is [plus…

A Mid-DESD Review: Key Findings and Ways Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wals, Arjen E. J.

2009-01-01

This article lists the key outcomes and recommendations of Phase I of the monitoring and evaluation of the DESD. Phase I focused on a review of the structures, provisions and conditions countries and regions have put in place in order to facilitate the development and implementation of ESD. The author also touches upon the constraints and…

From micro to macro: assessing implementation of integrated care in Australia.

PubMed

Angus, Lisa; Valentijn, Pim P

2018-03-01

Many countries and health systems are pursuing integrated care as a means of achieving better outcomes. However, no standard approaches exist for comparing integration approaches across models or settings, and for evaluating whether the key components of integrated care are present in different initiatives. This study sheds light on how integrated care is being implemented in Australia, using a new tool to characterise and compare integration strategies at micro, meso and macro levels. In total, 114 staff from a purposive sample of 38 integrated care projects completed a survey based on the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. Ten key informants gave follow-up interviews. Participating projects reported using multiple strategies to implement integrated care, but descriptions of implementation were often inconsistent. Micro-level strategies, including clinical-professional service coordination and person-centred care, were most commonly reported. A common vision was often described as an essential foundation for joint work. However, performance feedback appeared under-utilised, as did strategies requiring macro-level action such as data linkages or payment reform. The results suggest that current integrated care efforts are unevenly weighted towards micro-level strategies. Increased attention to macro-level strategies may be warranted in order to accelerate progress and sustain integrated care in Australia.

Patents Associated with High-Cost Drugs in Australia

PubMed Central

Christie, Andrew F.; Dent, Chris; McIntyre, Peter; Wilson, Lachlan; Studdert, David M.

2013-01-01

Australia, like most countries, faces high and rapidly-rising drug costs. There are longstanding concerns about pharmaceutical companies inappropriately extending their monopoly position by “evergreening” blockbuster drugs, through misuse of the patent system. There is, however, very little empirical information about this behaviour. We fill the gap by analysing all of the patents associated with 15 of the costliest drugs in Australia over the last 20 years. Specifically, we search the patent register to identify all the granted patents that cover the active pharmaceutical ingredient of the high-cost drugs. Then, we classify the patents by type, and identify their owners. We find a mean of 49 patents associated with each drug. Three-quarters of these patents are owned by companies other than the drug's originator. Surprisingly, the majority of all patents are owned by companies that do not have a record of developing top-selling drugs. Our findings show that a multitude of players seek monopoly control over innovations to blockbuster drugs. Consequently, attempts to control drug costs by mitigating misuse of the patent system are likely to miss the mark if they focus only on the patenting activities of originators. PMID:23577165

KEY COMPARISON: Final report on CCQM-K69 key comparison: Testosterone glucuronide in human urine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fong-Ha; Mackay, Lindsey; Murby, John

2010-01-01

The CCQM-K69 key comparison of testosterone glucuronide in human urine was organized under the auspices of the CCQM Organic Analysis Working Group (OAWG). The National Measurement Institute Australia (NMIA) acted as the coordinating laboratory for the comparison. The samples distributed for the key comparison were prepared at NMIA with funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA granted the approval for this material to be used for the intercomparison provided the distribution and handling of the material were strictly controlled. Three national metrology institutes (NMIs)/designated institutes (DIs) developed reference methods and submitted data for the key comparison along with two other laboratories who participated in the parallel pilot study. A good selection of analytical methods and sample workup procedures was displayed in the results submitted considering the complexities of the matrix involved. The comparability of measurement results was successfully demonstrated by the participating NMIs. Only the key comparison data were used to estimate the key comparison reference value (KCRV), using the arithmetic mean approach. The reported expanded uncertainties for results ranged from 3.7% to 6.7% at the 95% level of confidence and all results agreed within the expanded uncertainty of the KCRV. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision among occupational therapists across Queensland in Australia: findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Martin, Priya; Kumar, Saravana; Lizarondo, Lucylynn; VanErp, Ans

2015-09-24

Health professionals practising in countries with dispersed populations such as Australia rely on clinical supervision for professional support. While there are directives and guidelines in place to govern clinical supervision, little is known about how it is actually conducted and what makes it effective. The purpose of this study was to explore the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision among occupational therapists across Queensland in Australia. This qualitative study took place as part of a broader project. Individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with occupational therapy supervisees in Queensland. The interviews explored the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision in this group. They further explored some findings from the initial quantitative study. Content analysis of the interview data resulted in eight themes. These themes were broadly around the importance of the supervisory relationship, the impact of clinical supervision and the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision. This study identified a number of factors that were perceived to be associated with high quality clinical supervision. Supervisor-supervisee matching and fit, supervisory relationship and availability of supervisor for support in between clinical supervision sessions appeared to be associated with perceptions of higher quality of clinical supervision received. Some face-to-face contact augmented with telesupervision was found to improve perceptions of the quality of clinical supervision received via telephone. Lastly, dual roles where clinical supervision and line management were provided by the same person were not considered desirable by supervisees. A number of enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision were also identified. With clinical supervision gaining increasing prominence as part of organisational and professional governance, this study provides important lessons for

ET nursing education in Australia.

PubMed

Thompson, J M; English, E

1996-05-01

Australia is comparable in size to the United States, but its population is far smaller, approximately 17 million. Australia is technologically advanced and has a high standard of health care, in which ET nursing has always been considered a specialist nursing role. Although Australia is historically linked with England, formation of closer ties with geographic neighbors, such as Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and the Pacific nations, is ongoing. This article describes some relevant aspects of the Australian context and considers the past, present, and expected future trends for ET nurse education in Australia, from the first program in 1971 to current World Council of Enterostomal Therapy-recognized programs teaching students from as far away as Japan, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, Russia, and New Guinea. The content of the programs has progressively broadened in recognition of the expanded scope of practice, and this trend will undoubtedly continue. ET nursing should remain, however, a distinct nursing specialty practice in Australia.

MOBILESAT: Australia's own

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagg, Michael

1990-01-01

Australia will be introducing a dedicated Mobile Satellite Communications System following the launch of the AUSSAT-B satellites late in 1991. The Mobile Satellite System, MOBILESAT, will provide circuit switched voice/data services and packet-switched data services for land, aeronautical and maritime users. Here, an overview is given of the development program being undertaken within Australia to enable a fully commercial service to be introduced in 1992.

Building a Continental Scale Land Cover Monitoring Framework for Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thankappan, Medhavy; Lymburner, Leo; Tan, Peter; McIntyre, Alexis; Curnow, Steven; Lewis, Adam

2012-04-01

validation of land cover products. Among the upcoming missions, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Sentinel-2 satellites are seen as an important source of optical data for updating land cover information in Australia. This paper outlines the DLCD development, key applications that inform nationally significant issues, further work on updating the DLCD that would enable transition to a national land cover monitoring framework, challenges and approaches to delivering land cover information at higher spatial resolutions on a continental scale, and the potential value of data from the Sentinel-2 mission in supporting land cover monitoring in Australia and globally.

Australia's City Food Bowls: Fertile Ground for Investigating Biomes and Food Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Rachel; Sheridan, Jen

2017-01-01

Australia's major state capitals are surrounded by highly productive food bowls, which are an important source of fresh foods for their growing populations. These food producing biomes are a rich resource for investigating key themes related to Biomes and food security, one of two Year 9 units of study in the Australian Curriculum: Geography. This…

Effects of house prices on health: New evidence from Australia.

PubMed

Atalay, Kadir; Edwards, Rebecca; Liu, Betty Y J

2017-11-01

Recent house price variation has strongly affected households' housing wealth and debt, yet the non-economic consequences of these changes in housing wealth are still poorly understood. Using a sample of 19,000 individuals from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA) for 2001-2015, we examine the relationship between house price fluctuations and individual health by exploiting large exogenous changes in house prices in Australia. We find that an increase in local house prices is associated with a positive effect on the physical health of outright owners and a negative effect on the physical and mental health of renters. Improvements in physical health for outright owners can be partially attributed to health-related investments and behaviours such as a reduction in weight, an increase in physical exercise and an increase in time allocated to home production. These findings support the presence of a health-wealth gradient through the wealth mechanism distinct from the effects of local area amenities and macroeconomic conditions. Our findings highlight some of the often-overlooked social impacts - both positive and negative - of fluctuations in the housing market. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gulf War illness: a view from Australia

PubMed Central

Sim, Malcolm; Kelsall, Helen

2006-01-01

Australia sent a small, mostly naval, deployment to the 1991 Gulf War. When papers and media concerns arose about unexplained Gulf War illnesses in Gulf War troops from other countries, Australia decided to undertake its own study of Australian veterans. Undertaking a later study, more than 10 years after the Gulf War, allowed us to incorporate some methodological improvements on previous research, such as the inclusion of a face-to-face health assessment where more objective health data could be collected in addition to using a postal questionnaire. Despite the different Gulf War experience for the mostly naval Australian group, there were remarkable consistencies in the patterns of multiple symptom reporting found in overseas studies, including the fact that no unique symptom clusters were identified. In general, this excess symptom reporting was not found to occur with excesses in more objective measures of physical health. These objective physical measures included a wide range of haematological, biochemical and serological markers, a physical examination, spirometry and a step test of fatigability. In contrast, several psychological disorders, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and substance abuse, were found to occur in excess in the Australian Gulf War group and were associated with Gulf War psychological stressors. These findings have helped raise awareness in Australia of psychological health problems in deployed military personnel. PMID:16687266

Comparison of stroke warning sign campaigns in Australia, England, and Canada.

PubMed

Trobbiani, Kym; Freeman, Kate; Arango, Manuel; Lalor, Erin; Jenkinson, Damian; Thrift, Amanda G

2013-10-01

Public awareness of the signs of stroke is essential to ensure that those affected by stroke arrive at the hospital in time for lifesaving therapies. It is unclear how well stroke awareness campaigns improve awareness of stroke signs and whether people translate this into action. We evaluated stroke awareness campaigns conducted in England, Australia, and Canada using pre- and post-campaign surveys. We assessed the proportion of people who could name the main signs of stroke, and compared the proportion naming these correctly between locations. We also assessed whether people would call emergency services in the event of a stroke. Proportion responding correctly was compared using chi-square analysis. The amount spent on the campaigns was different in each country. The post-campaign survey was conducted among 400 people in Australia, 1921 in England, and 2703 in Canada. Sixty-eight per cent of people in Australia and 57% in Canada could name two or more signs of stroke (P < 0.001). After the campaign, knowledge of each of the elements of the campaign (face, arm, speech, time) was significantly greater in England than in Australia (P < 0.001 for each item). A high proportion of participants reported that they would call emergency services in the event of a stroke (97% in England, 90% in Australia, and 67% in Canada). Knowledge of stroke signs and the action to be taken can be improved with awareness campaigns. The effectiveness of these campaigns may be enhanced by spend on media, media mix, and key messages. It is critical to ensure that campaigns provide the clear and bold message that prompt action is an essential ingredient to reduce death and disability following stroke. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Australian Assassins, Part II: A review of the new assassin spider genus Zephyrarchaea (Araneae, Archaeidae) from southern Australia

PubMed Central

Rix, Michael G.; Harvey, Mark S.

2012-01-01

Abstract The Assassin Spiders of the family Archaeidae from southern Australia are revised, with a new genus (Zephyrarchaea gen. n.) and nine new species described from temperate, mesic habitats in southern Victoria, South Australia and south-western Western Australia: Zephyrarchaea austini sp. n., Zephyrarchaea barrettae sp. n., Zephyrarchaea grayi sp. n., Zephyrarchaea janineae sp. n., Zephyrarchaea marae sp. n., Zephyrarchaea marki sp. n., Zephyrarchaea melindae sp. n., Zephyrarchaea porchi sp. n. and Zephyrarchaea vichickmani sp. n. Specimens of the type species, Zephyrarchaea mainae (Platnick, 1991), comb. n., are redescribed from the Albany region of Western Australia, along with the holotype female of Zephyrarchaea robinsi (Harvey, 2002) comb. n. from the Stirling Range National Park. The previously described species Archaea hickmani Butler, 1929 from Victoria is here recognised as a nomen dubium. A key to species and multi-locus molecular phylogeny complement the species-level taxonomy, with maps, habitat photos, natural history information and conservation assessments provided for all species. PMID:22639534

Baobabopsis, a new genus of graminicolous downy mildews from tropical Australia, with an updated key to the genera of downy mildews.

PubMed

Thines, Marco; Telle, Sabine; Choi, Young-Joon; Tan, Yu Pei; Shivas, Roger G

2015-12-01

So far 19 genera of downy mildews have been described, of which seven are parasitic to grasses. Here, we introduce a new genus, Baobabopsis, to accommodate two distinctive downy mildews, B. donbarrettii sp. nov., collected on Perotis rara in northern Australia, and B. enneapogonis sp. nov., collected on Enneapogon spp. in western and central Australia. Baobabopsis donbarrettii produced both oospores and sporangiospores that are morphologically distinct from other downy mildews on grasses. Molecular phylogenetic analyses showed that the two species of Baobabopsis occupied an isolated position among the known genera of graminicolous downy mildews. The importance of the Poaceae for the evolution of downy mildews is highlighted by the observation that more than a third of the known genera of downy mildews occur on grasses, while more than 90 % of the known species of downy mildews infect eudicots.

The Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant: Issues and challenges associated with this emerging advanced practice nursing role in Australia.

PubMed

Lynn, Andrew; Brownie, Sonya

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to obtain Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistants' views about their emerging new role in contemporary nursing practice in Australia. Internationally advanced practice nursing has led to a range of specialist roles aimed at delivering higher quality, efficient nursing care. In 2005 an Australian university developed the Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant graduate education and training program to provide nurses with an opportunity to gain advanced practice knowledge and extended skills specifically in the perioperative setting. This study was a qualitative research design that used online surveys and in-depth interviews to explore the issues and challenges associated with the introduction of the (currently non-accredited) Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role in Australia. Experienced Australia perioperative nurses who had undertaken graduate education and training in this field were recruited for this study. Data were collected between August and October 2011. An inductive thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings. Eighteen nurses completed the online survey and six were interviewed (n = 24). Nurses cited their commitment to professional development and the delivery of high quality patient care, along with surgeons' encouragement for them to complete specialist clinical training, as key reasons for undertaking Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant education and training. The Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role led to greater job satisfaction and autonomy, and assisted nurses to better meet the needs of patients, surgeons and clinical perioperative teams. Without formal recognition of the Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role its future in the Australian health care system is under threat.

Australia's TERN: Building, Sustaining and Advancing Collaborative Long Term Ecosystem Research Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

HEld, A. A.; Phinn, S. R.

2012-12-01

TERN is Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (www.tern.org.au) is one of several environmental data collection, storage and sharing projects developed through the government's research infrastructure programs 2008-2014. This includes terrestrial and coastal ecosystem data collection infrastructure across multiple disciplines, hardware, software and processes used to store, analyse and integrate data sets. TERN's overall objective is to build the collaborations, infrastructure and programs to meet the needs of ecosystem science communities in Australia in the long term, through institutional frameworks necessary to establish a national terrestrial ecosystem site and observational network, coordinated networks enabling cooperation and operational experience; public access to quality assured and appropriately licensed data; and allowing the terrestrial ecosystem research community to define and sustain the terrestrial observing paradigm into the longer term. This paper explains how TERN was originally established, and now operates, along with plans to sustain itself in the future. TERN is implemented through discipline/technical groups referred to as "TERN Facilities". Combined, the facilities provide observations of surface mass and energy fluxes over key ecosystems, biophysical remote sensing data, ecological survey plots, soils information, and coastal ecosystems and associated water quality variables across Australia. Additional integrative facilities cover elements of ecoinformatics, data-scaling and modelling, and linking science to management. A central coordination and portal facility provides meta-data storage, data identification, legal and licensing support. Data access, uploading, meta-data generation, DOI attachment and licensing is completed at each facility's own portal level. TERN also acts as the open-data repository of choice for Australian scientists required to publish their data. Several key lessons we have learnt, will be presented

Learning in Two Languages: A Bilingual Program in Western Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barratt-Pugh, Caroline; Rohl, Mary

2001-01-01

Describes a one-year research project in a Western Australia primary school in a low socioeconomic area, which has a Khmer-English bilingual program to develop and extend children's English and Khmer language and literacy. Discusses findings concerning the children's written progress in both languages, and children's perceptions of their identity…

The Decline in the Standing of Educational Credentials in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marginson, Simon

1995-01-01

An analysis of the economic returns of education in Australia finds a rising need for education at a time of diminishing apparent returns. It is proposed that the notions of credentialism and education as a positional good provide a better explanation for this phenomenon than does the human capital approach. (MSE)

Regional intelligence and suicide rate: new data for Australia and a synthesis of research.

PubMed

Voracek, Martin

2007-08-01

Previous research has shown for the most part positive correlations between intelligence and suicide prevalence on the national level. However, this study found proxies for regional intelligence in Australia (international average domain scores from the PISA 2000 study) to be significantly negatively correlated with the total, male, and female suicide rates of the different administrative divisions of Australia, and this finding was independent of regional wealth. A research synthesis of the current results and those from similar studies of other countries (positive correlations for Austria, Belarus, The British Isles, Denmark, and The Netherlands; inconclusive findings for France, Germany, and the USA) was conducted. This synthesis of research findings showed that positive ecological correlations of intelligence with suicide rate were more likely observed for nations with higher suicide rates and poorer general living conditions, whereas there was no relation with national IQ.

Electric power industry restructuring in Australia: Lessons from down-under. Occasional paper No. 20

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ray, D.

1997-01-01

Australia`s electric power industry (EPI) is undergoing major restructuring. This restructuring includes commercialization of state-owned electric organization through privatization and through corporatization into separate governmental business units; structural unbundling of generation, transmission, retailing, and distribution; and creation of a National Electricity Market (NEM) organized as a centralized, market-based trading pool for buying and selling electricity. The principal rationales for change in the EPI were the related needs of enhancing international competitiveness, improving productivity, and lowering electric rates. Reducing public debt through privatization also played an important role. Reforms in the EPI are part of the overall economic reform package thatmore » is being implemented in Australia. Enhancing efficiency in the economy through competition is a key objective of the reforms. As the need for reform was being discussed in the early 1990s, Australia`s previous prime minister, Paul Keating, observed that {open_quotes}the engine which drives efficiency is free and open competition.{close_quotes} The optimism about the economic benefits of the full package of reforms across the different sectors of the economy, including the electricity industry, is reflected in estimated benefits of a 5.5 percent annual increase in real gross domestic product and the creation of 30,000 more jobs. The largest source of the benefits (estimated at 25 percent of total benefits) was projected to come from reform of the electricity and gas sectors.« less

A Profile of Pornography Users in Australia: Findings From the Second Australian Study of Health and Relationships.

PubMed

Rissel, Chris; Richters, Juliet; de Visser, Richard O; McKee, Alan; Yeung, Anna; Caruana, Theresa

2017-02-01

There are societal concerns that looking at pornography has adverse consequences among those exposed. However, looking at sexually explicit material could have educative and relationship benefits. This article identifies factors associated with looking at pornography ever or within the past 12 months for men and women in Australia, and the extent to which reporting an "addiction" to pornography is associated with reported bad effects. Data from the Second Australian Study of Health and Relationships (ASHR2) were used: computer-assisted telephone interviews (CASIs) completed by a representative sample of 9,963 men and 10,131 women aged 16 to 69 years from all Australian states and territories, with an overall participation rate of 66%. Most men (84%) and half of the women (54%) had ever looked at pornographic material. Three-quarters of these men (76%) and more than one-third of these women (41%) had looked at pornographic material in the past year. Very few respondents reported that they were addicted to pornography (men 4%, women 1%), and of those who said they were addicted about half also reported that using pornography had had a bad effect on them. Looking at pornographic material appears to be reasonably common in Australia, with adverse effects reported by a small minority.

Australia: Population.

PubMed

The Australian Bureau of Census and Statistics reported on 27 August 1979 that Australia's total population was 14,376,400 at the end of the first quarter of 1979. Net immigration gain during the same period was 12,700. Natural increase was 32,100--births were 57,100 and deaths were 25,000. In January 1979, Australia introduced a new immigration scheme to improve methods of selecting immigrants. Points are awarded on the basis of personal qualities and employability; an applicant must score 60 out of 100. This scheme supersedes the earlier system under which immigrants were selected on the family reunion criterion and employability. Migrants from Britain and Ireland made up the bulk of the new comers, but their proportion has dropped from 50% in the mid-1960s to 30% in early 1979. In contrast, Asian immigrants have risen from 2% to 22% over the same period. Asian immigration began in the mid-1960s with the relaxation of the "White Australia" policy which barred non-European migrants, and increased when the ban was abolished by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1973.

The balancing act: key issues in the lives of women general practitioners in Australia.

PubMed

Kilmartin, Margaret R; Newell, Christopher J; Line, Martin A

2002-07-15

To identify key issues affecting women general practitioners in their professional and non-professional lives. A qualitative study using the Delphi technique, with three rounds of data provision circulated to each participant. Coding was used to ensure anonymity. The participants were a purposive sample of 40 women GPs drawn from all Australian States and Territories. The study was conducted between October 1996 and January 1997. Key issues affecting the professional and non-professional lives of women GPs. Some of the key professional issues for women GPs were job satisfaction, balancing work and personal life, autonomy, availability of flexible and part-time work and training, affordability of professional expenses, fair remuneration, and having a voice in decision-making. Key non-professional issues included self-care; time for relationships with a partner, children, family and friends; and time management to allow pursuit of non-medical interests. The conflicting demands made on women GPs diminish their job satisfaction and lead to stress and imbalance in their lives. Recommendations to ameliorate the problems for women GPs include appropriate training, policy formation, financial and other support, and a change in cultural expectations of women GPs by the community, the profession and governments.

Donor Research in Australia: Challenges and Promise

PubMed Central

Masser, Barbara; Smith, Geoff; Williams, Lisa A.

2014-01-01

Summary Donors are the key to the core business of Blood Collection Agencies (BCAs). However, historically, they have not been a focus of research undertaken by these organizations. This model is now changing, with significant donor research groups established in a number of countries, including Australia. Donor research in the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (Blood Service) is concentrated in the Donor and Community Research (DCR) team. Cognizant of the complex and ever-changing landscape with regard to optimal donor management, the DCR team collaborates with academics located at universities around Australia to coordinate a broad program of research that addresses both short- and-long term challenges to the blood supply. This type of collaboration is not, however, without challenges. Two major collaborative programs of the Blood Service's research, focusing on i) the recruitment and retention of plasmapheresis donors and ii) the role of the emotion pride in donor motivation and return, are showcased to elucidate how the challenges of conducting collaborative BCA research can be met. In so doing, these and the other research programs described herein demonstrate how the Blood Service supports and contributes to research that not only revises operational procedures but also contributes to advances in basic science. PMID:25254025

Sources of Dengue Viruses Imported into Queensland, Australia, 2002–2010

PubMed Central

Northill, Judith A.; Pyke, Alyssa T.

2012-01-01

To assess risk for importation of dengue virus (DENV) into Queensland, Australia, and sources of imported viruses, we sequenced the envelope region of DENV isolates from symptomatic patients with a history of travel during 2002–2010. The number of imported dengue cases greatly increased over the surveillance period, some of which were associated with domestic outbreaks. Patients reported traveling to (in order) Asia, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Island countries, and non–Asia-Pacific countries. By using phylogenetic methods, we assigned DENV isolates from returning residents and overseas visitors with viremia to a specific genotypic group. Genotypes circulating in Asia were extremely diverse. Genotyping and molecular clock analysis supported Asian origination of a strain that caused an outbreak of DENV-4 in Pacific Island countries during 2007–2009, and subsequently, in Innisfail, Australia, in 2009. Our findings indicate that Asia is a major source of DENVs that are imported into Australia, causing a risk for epidemics. PMID:23092682

Key Policy Issues in the Implementation of User Choice. Working Paper No. 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Joy Selby; Smith, Chris Selby; Ferrier, Fran

This working paper examines key policy issues in the implementation of Australia's User Choice policy regarding allocating public funds for vocational education and training (VET). Part 1 explains the process used to obtain stakeholders regarding the User Choice policy, the administrative arrangements required to support it, and issues that must…

Outcomes Approaches to Assessment: Comparing Non-Government and Government Case-Study Schools in Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Joanne; Vidovich, Lesley; Chapman, Anne

2008-01-01

A key feature of recent curriculum reform in post-industrialised liberal economies has been the ascendancy of outcomes-based education policies. A 1995 review conducted in Western Australia (WA) recommended an outcomes-based approach, and in response, the Curriculum Framework (CF) was released in 1998. The same year, the WA State government…

National Gender Equity and Schooling Policy in Australia: Struggles for a Non-Identitarian Feminist Politics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keddie, Amanda

2009-01-01

This paper tracks the development of gender equity and schooling policy in Australia from the "National Policy on the Education of Girls in 1987", to current policy concerns with boys' educational underperformance. The paper's key focus is on the ways in which feminist informed equity policy has been undermined by broader imperatives of…

A New Equity Deal for Schools: A Case Study of Policy-Making in Queensland, Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Parlo; Taylor, Sandra

2007-01-01

In this paper we draw on concepts from policy sociology to analyse the new equity deal for schools in Queensland, Australia. We examine this "new deal" through an analysis of the language of "inclusion" and "educational risk" in key policy documents associated with a major reform of public education in Queensland. In…

The village/commune safety policy and HIV prevention efforts among key affected populations in Cambodia: finding a balance

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The Village/Commune Safety Policy was launched by the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2010 and, due to a priority focus on “cleaning the streets”, has created difficulties for HIV prevention programs attempting to implement programs that work with key affected populations including female sex workers and people who inject drugs. The implementation of the policy has forced HIV program implementers, the UN and various government counterparts to explore and develop collaborative ways of delivering HIV prevention services within this difficult environment. The following case study explores some of these efforts and highlights the promising development of a Police Community Partnership Initiative that it is hoped will find a meaningful balance between the Village/Commune Safety Policy and HIV prevention efforts with key affected populations in Cambodia. PMID:22770267

The Development of Australia's National Training System: A Dynamic Tension between Consistency and Flexibility. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Kaye; McKenna, Suzy

2016-01-01

This occasional paper provides an overview of the development of Australia's national training system and is a key knowledge document of a wider research project "Consistency with flexibility in the Australian national training system." This research project investigates the various approaches undertaken by each of the jurisdictions to…

"There's No Touching in Pharmacy": Training Pharmacists for Australia's First Pharmacist Immunization Pilot.

PubMed

Lau, Esther T L; Rochin, Michelle E; DelDot, Megan; Glass, Beverley D; Nissen, Lisa M

2017-01-01

Vaccination is a safe, efficient, and cost-effective means of preventing, controlling, and eradicating many life-threatening infections and diseases. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that vaccination saves between 2 million and 3 million lives annually. However, low immunization rates are a significant public health concern. Individual factors, along with the vaccination process and system, have been reported as perceived barriers and challenges to immunization. Lack of time, on the part of both health care professionals and patients, has also been reported as a key factor influencing patterns of immunization. Despite the accessibility of pharmacists in community pharmacies in Australia, and initiatives by other countries to introduce pharmacist vaccination services, pharmacists in Australia had not previously delivered this service. The Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP), initially implemented for the 2014 influenza season and later expanded, as QPIP2, to include other vaccines, allowed Australian pharmacists to vaccinate for the first time. To develop, implement, and evaluate a training program for pharmacists undertaking vaccination services in community pharmacies in Australia. Background content was developed and delivered through 2 online modules. Pharmacists were required to successfully answer a series of multiple-choice questions related to the background reading before attending a face-to-face workshop. The workshop provided practical training in injection skills and anaphylaxis management. Participants were also asked to evaluate the training program. Of the 339 pharmacists who completed the training program, 286 (84%) provided an evaluation. Participants were satisfied with the training, as indicated by consistently high scores on the "overall satisfaction" question (mean 4.65/5 for the QPIP and QPIP2 training combined). Participants described the background reading as relevant to their practice and stated that it met their

Online Training in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzic, Joze

2013-01-01

On-line training is becoming an interesting phenomenon in Australia and has attracted a lot of interest across many industries and businesses (Chan and Ngai, 2007). The research reported here looks at the use of online training in corporations in Australia. It focuses on two aspects of online training, the factors that "warrant" its…

Labor force planning issues for allied health in Australia.

PubMed

Smith, C S; Crowley, S

1995-01-01

The aim of this paper is to discuss labor force planning issues for allied health professionals in Australia. Health system reform and changes in the demand for health labor, combined with key characteristics of the professions, will have a profound influence on future needs for career development of allied health professionals. Key issues include the increasing need for allied health professionals to undertake business management and public health training, the growing trend of multiskilling versus specialization, and the need for the professions to diversify their skill base to ensure a range of career options in a changing health care system. The challenge for allied health professions is to improve tools of analysis in relation to labor force planning and to systematically investigate various factors influencing labor force supply and demand, on both a short-term and long-term basis.

Work-Family Conflict, Children, and Hour Mismatches in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Jeremy; Aletraris, Lydia

2007-01-01

This article helps integrate research on work hours and work-family issues by examining how work-family conflict is related to the desire for more and fewer hours of work. Using the first wave of the Household Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia survey, we find that work-to-family conflict is associated with a desire for fewer hours of work.…

New species and new records of deepwater munidid squat lobsters from north-western Australia: Onconida, Bathymunida, Crosnierita, Plesionida and Torbenella.

PubMed

Ahyong, Shane T; Taylor, Joanne; Mccallum, Anna W

2013-11-04

Seven species of Munididae are reported from the continental margin of north-western Australia. Three species are new to science: Crosnierita adela sp. nov., Onconida ariel sp. nov. and Plesionida aurelia sp. nov., each presently known only from Western Australia. Four species are reported for the first time from Australian waters, Bathymunida balssi Van Dam, 1838, Bathymunida dissimilis Baba & de Saint Laurent, 1996, Crosnierita yante (Macpherson, 1994) and Torbenella orbis (Baba, 2005). Keys to the world species of the genera represented are provided.

Experiences of international students from Asian backgrounds studying occupational therapy in Australia.

PubMed

Lim, Jung Wook; Honey, Anne; Du Toit, Sanet; Chen, Yu-Wei; Mackenzie, Lynette

2016-10-01

International students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experience personal and academic challenges when studying health sciences in Australia. Given recent discussions about cultural specificity in occupational therapy and its status as an emerging profession in most Asian countries, this study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of international students from Asian backgrounds studying occupational therapy in Australia. A phenomenological approach was used to understand the experiences of participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight international occupational therapy students from Asian countries studying in Australia. Data were analysed using hermeneutic methods. Participants described three interlinked and ongoing experiences: (1) Discovering and engaging with occupational therapy; (2) Fitting into my new role; and (3) Anticipating my role at home. Whilst theoretical aspects of occupational therapy were seen as compatible with participants' home cultures, application was seen as problematic due to the differences in structure and institutional culture of the healthcare systems. Although students made adaptations to fit in as occupational therapy students in Australia, they continued to see themselves as different, and their adaptation also influenced how they saw themselves in relation to their home culture. Findings can contribute to creating culturally sensitive education for occupational therapy students from Asian countries. To best serve these students, educators should consider ways to facilitate transitions both out of and back into students' home cultures. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Comparative Population Genetic Structure of the Endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus, in Fragmented Landscapes of Southern Australia

PubMed Central

Li, You; Cooper, Steven J. B.; Lancaster, Melanie L.; Packer, Jasmin G.; Carthew, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Genetic connectivity is a key factor for maintaining the persistence of populations in fragmented landscapes. In highly modified landscapes such us peri-urban areas, organisms’ dispersal among fragmented habitat patches can be reduced due to the surrounding matrix, leading to subsequent decreased gene flow and increased potential extinction risk in isolated sub-populations. However, few studies have compared within species how dispersal/gene flow varies between regions and among different forms of matrix that might be encountered. In the current study, we investigated gene flow and dispersal in an endangered marsupial, the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in a heavily modified peri-urban landscape in South Australia, Australia. We used 14 microsatellite markers to genotype 254 individuals which were sampled from 15 sites. Analyses revealed significant genetic structure. Our analyses also indicated that dispersal was mostly limited to neighbouring sites. Comparisons of these results with analyses of a different population of the same species revealed that gene flow/dispersal was more limited in this peri-urban landscape than in a pine plantation landscape approximately 400 km to the south-east. These findings increase our understanding of how the nature of fragmentation can lead to profound differences in levels of genetic connectivity among populations of the same species. PMID:27096952

Climate, not Aboriginal landscape burning, controlled the historical demography and distribution of fire-sensitive conifer populations across Australia

PubMed Central

Sakaguchi, Shota; Bowman, David M. J. S.; Prior, Lynda D.; Crisp, Michael D.; Linde, Celeste C.; Tsumura, Yoshihiko; Isagi, Yuji

2013-01-01

Climate and fire are the key environmental factors that shape the distribution and demography of plant populations in Australia. Because of limited palaeoecological records in this arid continent, however, it is unclear as to which factor impacted vegetation more strongly, and what were the roles of fire regime changes owing to human activity and megafaunal extinction (since ca 50 kya). To address these questions, we analysed historical genetic, demographic and distributional changes in a widespread conifer species complex that paradoxically grows in fire-prone regions, yet is very sensitive to fire. Genetic demographic analysis showed that the arid populations experienced strong bottlenecks, consistent with range contractions during the Last Glacial Maximum (ca 20 kya) predicted by species distribution models. In southern temperate regions, the population sizes were estimated to have been mostly stable, followed by some expansion coinciding with climate amelioration at the end of the last glacial period. By contrast, in the flammable tropical savannahs, where fire risk is the highest, demographic analysis failed to detect significant population bottlenecks. Collectively, these results suggest that the impact of climate change overwhelmed any modifications to fire regimes by Aboriginal landscape burning and megafaunal extinction, a finding that probably also applies to other fire-prone vegetation across Australia. PMID:24174110

A systematic review of the prevalence of comorbid mental health disorders in people presenting for substance use treatment in Australia.

PubMed

Kingston, Rosemary E F; Marel, Christina; Mills, Katherine L

2017-07-01

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the prevalence of comorbid mental health conditions in people accessing treatment for substance use in Australia. A systematic review identified studies meeting the following eligibility criteria: reporting original data published in English; sample presenting for substance use treatment in Australia; assessing the prevalence of mental health and substance use conditions and reporting the percentage of participants with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. A narrative analysis was conducted because of the heterogeneity of methods used to assess key outcome variables and small number of studies assessing particular mental health outcomes. The abstracts of 1173 records were screened, and 59 full articles were assessed for eligibility. Eighteen studies were included in the review. Prevalence estimates of current mental disorders in substance use treatment clients varied (47 to 100%). Mood and anxiety disorders were particularly prevalent, with the prevalence of current depression ranging from 27 to 85% and current generalised anxiety disorder ranging from 1 to 75%. The high prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders in substance use treatment settings indicates a need for clinicians to screen and assess for these disorders as part of routine clinical care, and be familiar with evidence-based management and treatment strategies. Although further studies are required to determine the prevalence of the full range of mental health disorders in this population, these findings emphasise the high prevalence of comorbid mental disorders are among individuals accessing substance use treatment in Australia. [Kingston REF, Marel C, Mills KL. A systematic review of the prevalence of comorbid mental health disorders in people presenting for substance use treatment in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:527-539]. © 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Flooding in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-07

On Jan. 7, 2011, NASA Terra spacecraft captured this image of the inundated city of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. Torrential rains in NE Australia caused the Fitzroy River to overflow its banks and flood much of the city.

Salmonellosis Outbreak Traced to Playground Sand, Australia, 2007–2009

PubMed Central

Musto, Jennie; Hogg, Geoff; Janssen, Monika; Rose, Karrie

2012-01-01

A community outbreak of gastroenteritis in Australia during 2007–2009 was caused by ingestion of playground sand contaminated with Salmonella enterica Paratyphi B, variant Java. The bacterium was also isolated from local wildlife. Findings support consideration of nonfood sources during salmonellosis outbreak investigations and indicate transmission through the animal–human interface. PMID:22709539

Successes and challenges of managing resistance in Helicoverpa armigera to Bt cotton in Australia.

PubMed

Downes, Sharon; Mahon, Rod

2012-01-01

Bt cotton has been gradually released and adopted by Australian growers since 1996. It was initially deployed in Australia primarily to control the polyphagous pest Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), which in the 1990s became increasingly difficult to control due to widespread resistance to synthetic chemical insecticides. Bt-cotton has become a key tool in a program of integrated pest management for the production system that reduces pesticide dependence and the problems associated with its use. Herein we overview the deployment of Bt cotton in Australia including its performance and the approaches used to prolong the evolution of resistance to it by H. armigera. An integral component of this approach is monitoring resistance in this pest. We outline resistance screening methods, as well as the characteristics of resistant strains of H. armigera that have been isolated from field populations, or selected in the laboratory. We then highlight the successes and challenges for Bt cotton in Australia by way of discussing adaptive resistance management in light of potential changes in resistance.

Social Networks, Social Media and Absorptive Capacity in Regional Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosua, Rachelle; Evans, Nina; Sawyer, Janet

2013-01-01

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are major sources of prosperity and employment and are viewed as critical to regional development in Australia. A key factor to foster productivity and growth in SMEs is their ability to identify, acquire, transform and exploit external knowledge. This ability, referred to as the "absorptive capacity…

Retirement and its consequences for women's health in Australia.

PubMed

Zhu, Rong

2016-08-01

Understanding the health consequences of retirement is important, as many developed countries have already started raising state pension eligibility age, with the intention to induce postponed retirement. This paper estimates the causal effect of retirement on the health outcomes of older women in Australia, utilising the exogenous variation in retirement induced by the change in age eligibility for the Australian Age Pension. Using a sample of 19,185 observations for 3771 women from waves 2001-2011 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we show that retirement status has positive and significant effects on women's self-reported health, physical and mental health outcomes. We also find that longer time spent in retirement confers clear additional health benefits. We show that retirement affects physical and mental health in diverse ways and that the estimated positive health effects of retirement are coincidental with increased post-retirement physical activity and reduced smoking. Our finding that retirement can improve health suggests that the welfare losses from working life prolongation policies will be larger than currently though when we include the cost of the foregone health improvements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate and geochemistry as drivers of eucalypt diversification in Australia.

PubMed

Bui, E N; Thornhill, A H; González-Orozco, C E; Knerr, N; Miller, J T

2017-05-01

Eucalypts cover most of Australia. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of climate and geochemistry to the distribution and diversity of eucalypts. Using geostatistics, we estimate major element concentrations, pH, and electrical conductivity at sites where eucalypts have been recorded. We compare the median predicted geochemistry and reported substrate for individual species that appear associated with extreme conditions; this provides a partial evaluation of the predictions. We generate a site-by-species matrix by aggregating observations to the centroids of 100-km-wide grid cells, calculate diversity indices, and use numerical ecology methods (ordination, variation partitioning) to investigate the ecology of eucalypts and their response to climatic and geochemical gradients. We find that β-diversity coincides with variations in climatic and geochemical patterns. Climate and geochemistry together account for less than half of the variation in eucalypt species assemblages across Australia but for greater than 80% in areas of high species richness. Climate is more important than geochemistry in explaining eucalypts species distribution and change in assemblages across Australia as a whole but there are correlations between the two sets of environmental variables. Many individual eucalypt species and entire taxonomic sections (Aromatica, Longistylus of subgenus Eucalyptus, Dumaria, and Liberivalvae of subgenus Symphyomyrtus) have distributions affected strongly by geochemistry. We conclude that eucalypt diversity is driven by steep geochemical gradients that have arisen as climate patterns have fluctuated over Australia over the Cenozoic, generally aridifying since the Miocene. The diversification of eucalypts across Australia is thus an excellent example of co-evolution of landscapes and biota in space and time and challenges accepted notions of macroecology. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Petroleum system of the Gippsland Basin, Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bishop, Michele G.

2000-01-01

The Gippsland Basin Province 3930, located on the southeastern coast of Australia, is formed from two successive failed rifts that developed into a passive margin during the Cretaceous. Formation of this basin is related to the break up of Gondwana, which resulted in the separation of Antarctica from Australia, and the separation of the New Zealand and Lord Howe Rise continental crust from Australia. Coals and coaly shales of Late Cretaceous through Eocene age are the source rocks for oil and gas that accumulated predominantly in anticlinal traps. The basin was Australia?s major producing basin until 1996 when daily oil/condensate production from the North West Shelf surpassed it.

Revolution then evolution: the advance of health economic evaluation in Australia.

PubMed

Lopert, Ruth; Viney, Rosalie

2014-01-01

All governments face immense challenges in providing affordable healthcare for their citizens, and the diffusion of novel health technologies is a key driver of growth in expenditure for many. Although important methodological and process variations exist around the world, health economic evaluation is increasingly seen as an important tool to support decision-making around the introduction of new health technologies, interventions and programmes in countries of varying stages of economic development. In Australia, the assessment of the comparative cost-effectiveness of new medicines proposed for subsidy under the country's national drug subsidy programme, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, was introduced in the late 1980s and became mandatory in 1993, making Australia the first country to introduce such a requirement nationally. Since then the use of health economic evaluation has expanded and been applied to support decision-making across a broader range of health technologies, as well as to programmes in public health. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

22 CFR 120.35 - Australia Implementing Arrangement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Australia Implementing Arrangement. 120.35 Section 120.35 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN ARMS REGULATIONS PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS § 120.35 Australia Implementing Arrangement. Australia Implementing Arrangement means the...

Beyond Externalising and Finalising Definitions: Standards for Teachers of English Language and Literacy in Australia (STELLA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doecke, Brenton

2007-01-01

This article explores issues relating to the development of the Standards for Teachers of English Language and Literacy in Australia (STELLA). STELLA is the product of work by members of the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE) and the Australian Literacy Educators' Association (ALEA), the two key professional bodies in…

Never Mind the Width, Feel the Quality: The Quality and Impact of VET Research in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Andrew

2004-01-01

This article examines the development of nationally funded vocational education and training (VET) research in Australia since the mid-1990s. The provision of nationally competitive funding through the Australian National Training Authority has led to an explosion of VET research guided by a national strategy that outlines the key priorities for…

Fundamental Elements in Examining a Child's Right to Education: A Study of Home Education Research and Regulation in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Glenda; Allan, Sonia

2010-01-01

Home education provides valuable educational and developmental opportunities for children. An examination of Australia's research indicates many best educational practices, including more informed mediation, contextualised learning, and opportunities to exercise autonomy. Key features include learning embedded in communities and program…

A new species of Trichosporonoides isolated from sweetened orange/mango drink in Australia.

PubMed

Ramirez, C

1989-10-01

Trichosporonoides australiense sp. nov.: a basidiomycetous yeast-like fungus is described and illustrated with information on some physiological characteristics based on a single strain isolated from sweetened orange/mango in Australia. The differences between it and already described members of the genus are discussed. The new species may be distinguished principally by its inability to ferment sucrose and maltose. A dichotomous key to all described members of the genus is provided.

Medicines access programs to cancer medicines in Australia and New Zealand: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Grover, Piyush; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din; Oehmen, Raoul; Vitry, Agnes

2018-03-01

Medicines Access Programs (MAP) offer access to publicly unfunded medicines at the discretion of pharmaceutical companies. Limited literature is available on their extent and scope in Australia and New Zealand. This study aims to identify MAPs for cancer medicines that were operational in 2014-15 in Australia and New Zealand and describe their characteristics. A preliminary list of MAPs was sent to hospital pharmacists in Australia and New Zealand to validate and collect further information. Pharmaceutical companies were contacted directly to provide information regarding MAPs offered. Key stakeholders were interviewed to identify issues with MAPs. Fifty-one MAPs were identified covering a range of indications. The majority of MAPs were provided free of charge to the patient for medicines that were registered or in the process of being registered but were not funded. Variability in the number of MAPs across institutions and characteristics was observed. Australia offered more MAPs than New Zealand. Only two of 17 pharmaceutical companies contacted agreed to provide information on their MAPs. Eight stakeholder interviews were conducted. This identified that while MAPs are widely operational there is lack of clinical monitoring, inequity to access, operational issues and lack of transparency. Our results suggest a need for a standardised and mandated policy to mitigate issues with MAPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Suicides in Hong Kong and Australia.

PubMed

Yip, P S

1998-01-01

Although the suicide rate for both Hong Kong and Australia was about 12 per 100,000 in 1994, the age- and gender-specific rates, methods of suicide, and time trends vary greatly for these two places. This paper explores the possible social, economic, and cultural background to explain this discrepancy. We used the official suicide death statistics of Hong Kong and Australia for the period 1984-1994. We calculated age-standardized suicide rates in order to take into account the differences in the age composition between the two countries and years. We employed a log-linear (Poisson) model to detect the age- and gender-specific trends, and to determine whether there were specific age or gender groups whose suicide behavior had changed significantly between 1984 and 1994. Hong Kong experienced a slight increase in suicide rate for both genders in the years 1984-1994, whereas Australia experienced a cubic trend for both genders during the same period and a rise in suicide rate in recent years. The suicide rate in Hong Kong increased with age, with a sharp increase (nearly four times the average) among the group aged 75 or over. A relatively low gender ratio (male:female) was also observed in Hong Kong, whereas in Australia there was not much difference in suicide rates among all age groups, though the suicide rate of the group aged 75 or over was 1.2 times the average. The gender ratio in Australia was higher, and the male suicide rate was four times higher than that of females. The Hong Kong suicide rate in females was twice that of Australia, whereas the Hong Kong male suicide rate was about half that of Australia. Jumping and hanging were the most common methods of suicide in Hong Kong, accounting for more than 80% of all suicide deaths. Poisoning (including gas poisoning) was the most common method used in Australia, with firearms being more common among young males. Australia had a higher years of potential life lost (YPLL) than Hong Kong because of the higher

A comparison of paediatrics occupational therapy university program curricula in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

PubMed

Rodger, Sylvia; Brown, G Ted; Brown, Anita; Roever, Carsten

2006-01-01

Comparisons were made of the paediatric content of professional entry-level occupational therapy university program curricula in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada using an ex post facto survey methodology. The findings indicated that in Australia/New Zealand, paediatrics made up 20% of the total curriculum, but only 13% in Canada. Canadian reference materials were utilized less often in Canadian universities than in Australia/New Zealand. Theories taught most often in Australia/New Zealand were: Sensory Integration, Neurodevelopmental Therapy, Client-Centered Practice, Playfulness, and the Model of Human Occupation. In Canada, the most frequent theories were: Piaget's Stages of Cognitive/Intellectual Development, Neurodevelopmental Therapy, Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development and Sensory Integration. The most frequently taught paediatric assessment tools in both regions were the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and Miller Assessment for Preschoolers. Paediatric intervention methods taught to students in all three countries focused on activities of daily living/self-care, motor skills, perceptual and visual motor integration, and infant and child development.

Consumer access to clozapine in Australia: how does this compare to New Zealand and the United Kingdom?

PubMed

Knowles, Sally-Anne; Mcmillan, Sara S; Wheeler, Amanda J

2016-01-01

Clozapine is an antipsychotic medication used in treatment resistant schizophrenia. However, clozapine is associated with a significant adverse effect profile and extensive monitoring is required to optimise consumer safety. Traditionally, clozapine can only be prescribed by a psychiatrist and dispensed at a hospital or hospital affiliated pharmacy in Australia. These restrictions could result in significant treatment burden for consumers taking clozapine. To identify (1) the different models of supply that exist for people living in the community taking clozapine in Australia and compare to those in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and (2) explore how these supply models may impact on consumer burden from the perspective of professionals involved in the supply of clozapine. Key informants were interviewed (n=8) from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom regarding how consumers, who lived in the community, accessed clozapine. Data were analysed and led to the development of four clozapine supply models. These four models were further validated by an online survey of a wider sample (n=30). Data were analysed thematically and via simple descriptive statistics. Clozapine supply varied depending on location. A secondary care model was utilised in the United Kingdom compared to a community based (primary care) model in New Zealand; Australia utilised a mixture of both secondary and primary care. A key theme from all study participants was that community pharmacy should be utilised to dispense clozapine to consumers living in the community, provided adequate training and safeguards are in place. It was noted that the utilisation of community pharmacies could improve access and flexibility, thereby reducing treatment burden for these consumers. There are predominately two models for supply of clozapine to consumers living in the community in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. One model utilises secondary care facilities and the other community

Extreme heat and cultural and linguistic minorities in Australia: perceptions of stakeholders.

PubMed

Hansen, Alana; Nitschke, Monika; Saniotis, Arthur; Benson, Jill; Tan, Yan; Smyth, Val; Wilson, Leigh; Han, Gil-Soo; Mwanri, Lillian; Bi, Peng

2014-06-03

Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a disparity in heat-susceptibility in certain minority groups, although it is unknown if this occurs in Australia. With cultural diversity increasing, the aim of this study was to explore how migrants from different cultural backgrounds and climate experiences manage periods of extreme heat in Australia. A qualitative study was undertaken across three Australian cities, involving interviews and focus groups with key informants including stakeholders involved in multicultural service provision and community members. Thematic analysis and a framework approach were used to analyse the data. Whilst migrants and refugees generally adapt well upon resettlement, there are sociocultural barriers encountered by some that hinder environmental adaptation to periods of extreme heat in Australia. These barriers include socioeconomic disadvantage and poor housing, language barriers to the access of information, isolation, health issues, cultural factors and lack of acclimatisation. Most often mentioned as being at risk were new arrivals, people in new and emerging communities, and older migrants. With increasing diversity within populations, it is important that the health sector is aware that during periods of extreme heat there may be disparities in the adaptive capacity of minority groups, underpinned by sociocultural and language-based vulnerabilities in migrants and refugees. These factors need to be considered by policymakers when formulating and disseminating heat health strategies.

Roles of Transpiration, Forest Bioproductivity and Fire on a Long-Term Dripwater Hydrochemistry Dataset from Golgotha Cave, SW Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treble, P. C.; Baker, A.; Fairchild, I. J.; Bradley, C.; Mahmud, K.; Andersen, M. S.; Meredith, K.; Mariethoz, G.

2015-12-01

Golgotha Cave is located in a forested catchment in SW Australia where evapotranspiration losses from the vadose-zone are high and forest biomass has been disturbed by fire. The cave has been continuously monitored since 2005 and this extensive dataset has been used to quantify key processes determining dripwater hydrology and chemistry (Mahmud et al., 2015; Treble et al., 2013; 2015). In this paper we present a synthesis of these findings and derive a conceptual model to illustrate the main hydrochemical processes that will impact cave dripwater in similar environments. We applied mass-balance techniques to quantify sources (water/rock interactions and aerosol) and sinks (prior calcite precipitation and biomass uptake). Mass-balance results suggest that transpiration and elemental sequestration into biomass modifies dripwater ion concentrations. The vegetation uptake impacts dripwater Mg, K and SO4, with the largest impact on SO4, estimated to be up to 60% at some drip sites. Overall, our findings suggest that varying amounts of transpiration by deeply-rooted trees contribute significantly to spatial and temporal variability in dripwater solute concentrations. This is in addition to the partitioning of infiltrating water between characteristic flow pathways. Applying principal components analysis, we identify a common long-term rising trend in dripwater Cl, Mg, K, Ca, Sr and Si. We assess whether the long-term trends in dripwater solutes are driven by post-fire biomass recovery and/or the impacts of a drying climate in SW Australia.ReferencesMahmud et al. (2015), Terrestrial Lidar Survey and Morphological Analysis to Identify Infiltration Properties in the Tamala Limestone, Western Australia, doi:10.1109/JSTARS.2015.2451088. Treble et al. (2013), An isotopic and modelling study of flow paths and storage in Quaternary calcarenite, doi:10.1016/J.Quascirev.2012.12.015. Treble et al. (2015), Impacts of cave air ventilation and in-cave prior calcite precipitation on

Reflections on the development and implementation of an early warning system for ecstasy and related drug markets in Australia.

PubMed

Kinner, Stuart A; Degenhardt, Louisa

2006-09-01

Regular and systematic monitoring of drug markets provides the basis for evidence-based policy. In Australia, trends in ecstasy and related drug (ERD) markets have been monitored in selected jurisdictions since 2000 and nationally since 2003, by the Party Drugs Initiative (PDI). The PDI maximises the validity of conclusions by triangulating information from (a) interviews with regular ecstasy users (REU), (b) interviews with key experts and (c) indicator data. There is currently no other system in Australia for monitoring these markets systematically; however, the value of the PDI has been constrained by the quality of available data. Difficulties in recruiting and interviewing appropriate consumers (REU) and key experts have been experienced, but largely overcome. Limitations of available indicator data from both health and law enforcement continue to present challenges and there remains considerable scope for enhancing existing routine data collection systems, to facilitate monitoring of ERD markets. With an expanding market for ecstasy and related drugs in Australia, and in the context of indicator data that continue to be limited in scope and detail, there is a strong argument for the continued collection of annual, comparable data from a sentinel group of REU, such as those recruited for the PDI.

Florida Nurse Leader Survey Findings: Key Leadership Competencies, Barriers to Leadership, and Succession Planning Needs.

PubMed

Denker, Ann-Lynn; Sherman, Rose O; Hutton-Woodland, Michael; Brunell, Mary Lou; Medina, Pamela

2015-01-01

This study examined barriers to nursing leadership and succession planning needs for nurse leaders in Florida. The Florida Action Coalition responded to the call to prepare and enable nurses to lead change to advance health, through a grant supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Florida Blue Foundation. This is a nurse leader subset of a 56-item statewide survey of actively licensed RNs and advanced RN practitioners in Florida conducted via a cross-sectional, exploratory descriptive research design. Key findings included a description of leadership competencies, barriers, and succession planning practices. Florida nurse leaders are aging and less diverse than the general population and report limited utilization of succession planning by their organizations. In Florida, attention must be directed to resources and strategies to develop skilled nurse leaders and plan succession.

On the "hidden" phytoplankton blooms on Australia's southern shelves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kämpf, Jochen; Kavi, Ankit

2017-02-01

Phytoplankton blooms on Australia's southern shelves are revisited using satellite-derived monthly data of chlorophyll a concentrations for the period 2003-2015. It is known that the region hosts a seasonal coastal upwelling system that develops in austral summer (January-March) with chlorophyll a concentrations of >2 mg/m3. While this summer upwelling is spatially limited to a few hot spots, here we show that widespread phytoplankton blooms of moderate ( 1 mg/m3) chlorophyll a concentrations develop during autumn and early winter on most of Australia's extensive southern shelves—from the vast shelves of the Great Australian Bight (GAB) in the west to Bass Strait in the east. This surprising finding disproves the widespread belief that shelf waters of the GAB are generally oligotrophic and may explain the relatively high abundance of both forage fish (sardines) and upper trophic-level predators (e.g., tuna and whales) in the region.

Critical issues in the historical and contemporary development of forensic anthropology in Australia: An international comparison.

PubMed

Mallett, Xanthé; Evison, Martin P

2017-06-01

The aim of this brief critical qualitative analysis is to examine the development of forensic anthropology in Australia, at a time of significant change in the discipline. It will briefly summarise its historical establishment, making comparative reference to other regions-particularly the United Kingdom and United States, and the influence of the Bali Bombings of 2002, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004 and Black Saturday Bushfires of 2009. The analysis goes on to consider key factors in research in forensic anthropology in the United States, and the development of standards and regulation in the US and UK. The significance of research in post-mortem diagenesis in Brazil-a country sharing aspects of climate, soil types and demography with Australia-is also considered, as well as the significance of patterns of casework encountered in Australia compared with those of other jurisdictions. While forensic anthropology as a discipline has grown remarkably in recent years, this analysis suggests that research and training tailored to the specific pattern of casework encountered in Australia is now essential to support the development of national standards in science, education, and professional regulation. The significance of the establishment of the first taphonomy research facility outside of the US-the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research-is briefly considered with reference to what this facility may offer to the development of forensic anthropology in Australia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does Lyme disease exist in Australia?

PubMed

Collignon, Peter J; Lum, Gary D; Robson, Jennifer Mb

2016-11-07

There is no convincing evidence that classic Lyme disease occurs in Australia, nor is there evidence that the causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, is found in Australian animals or ticks. Lyme disease, however, can be acquired overseas but diagnosed in Australia; most people presenting with laboratory-confirmed Lyme disease in Australia were infected in Europe. Despite the lack of evidence that Lyme disease can be acquired in Australia, growing numbers of patients, their supporters, and some politicians demand diagnoses and treatment according to the protocols of the "chronic Lyme disease" school of thought. Antibiotic therapy for chronic "Lyme disease-like illness" can cause harm to both the individual (eg, cannula-related intravenous sepsis) and the broader community (increased antimicrobial resistance rates). Until there is strong evidence from well performed clinical studies that bacteria present in Australia cause a chronic debilitating illness that responds to prolonged antibiotics, treating patients with "Lyme disease-like illness" with prolonged antibiotic therapy is unjustified, and is likely to do much more harm than good.

Tick-borne infectious diseases in Australia.

PubMed

Graves, Stephen R; Stenos, John

2017-04-17

Tick bites in Australia can lead to a variety of illnesses in patients. These include infection, allergies, paralysis, autoimmune disease, post-infection fatigue and Australian multisystem disorder. Rickettsial (Rickettsia spp.) infections (Queensland tick typhus, Flinders Island spotted fever and Australian spotted fever) and Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) are the only systemic bacterial infections that are known to be transmitted by tick bites in Australia. Three species of local ticks transmit bacterial infection following a tick bite: the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is endemic on the east coast of Australia and causes Queensland tick typhus due to R. australis and Q fever due to C. burnetii; the ornate kangaroo tick (Amblyomma triguttatum) occurs throughout much of northern, central and western Australia and causes Q fever; and the southern reptile tick (Bothriocroton hydrosauri) is found mainly in south-eastern Australia and causes Flinders Island spotted fever due to R. honei. Much about Australian ticks and the medical outcomes following tick bites remains unknown. Further research is required to increase understanding of these areas.

Men's health and communities of practice in Australia.

PubMed

Henwood, Maree; Shaw, Amie; Cavanagh, Jillian; Bartram, Timothy; Marjoribanks, Timothy; Kendrick, Madeleine

2017-04-10

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the social opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men created through Men's Groups/Sheds across urban, regional and remote areas of Australia. Men's Sheds are a safe space, resembling a work-shop setting or backyard shed, where men are encouraged to socialise and participate in health promotion, informal learning and engage in meaningful tasks both individually and at the community level. Design/methodology/approach Explore five case study sites through Wenger's (1998) active communities of practice (CoP). Qualitative methods are presented and analysed; methods comprise semi-structured interviews and yarning circles (focus groups). Five Indigenous leaders/coordinators participated in semi-structured interviews, as well as five yarning circles with a total of 61 Indigenous men. Findings In a societal context in which Indigenous men in Australia experience a number of social and health issues, impeding their quality of life and future opportunities, the central finding of the paper is that the effective development of social relations and socially designed programs through Men's Groups, operating as CoP, may contribute to overcoming many social and health well-being concerns. Originality/value Contributions will provide a better understanding of how Indigenous men are engaging with Men's Sheds, and through those interactions, are learning new skills and contributing to social change.

High Technology in Australia: Rhetoric or Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekhon, J. G.; Shannon, A. G.

1985-01-01

This paper outlines the imbalance in Australia's intellectual and high technology trade, and argues that if Australia is to move beyond being a high technology colony, a new attitude toward research and development needs to be engendered, particularly in the private sector of industry. It is noted that Australia supplies a small number of the…

Rapid diversification in Australia and two dispersals out of Australia in the globally distributed bee genus, Hylaeus (Colletidae: Hylaeinae).

PubMed

Kayaalp, Pelin; Schwarz, Michael P; Stevens, Mark I

2013-03-01

Hylaeus is the only globally distributed colletid bee genus, with subgeneric and species-level diversity highest in Australia. We used one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes to reconstruct a phylogeny using Bayesian analyses of this genus based on species from Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, Hawai'i, the New World and New Zealand. Our results concord with a ca. 30Mya Hylaeus crown age inferred by earlier studies, and we show that Hylaeus originated in Australia. Our phylogeny indicates only two dispersal events out of Australia, both shortly after the initial diversification of extant taxa. One of these dispersals was into New Zealand with only a minor subsequent radiation, but the second dispersal out of Australia resulted in a world-wide distribution. This second dispersal and radiation event, combined with very extensive early radiation of Hyleaus in Australia, poses a conundrum: what kinds of biogeographical and ecological factors could simultaneously drive global dispersal, yet strongly constrain further successful migrations out of Australia when geographical barriers appear to be weak? We argue that for hylaeine bees movement into new niches and enemy-free spaces may have favoured initial dispersal events, but that subsequent dispersals would not have entailed the original benefits of new niche space. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ensuring Biologics Advanced Development and Manufacturing Capability for the United States Government: A Summary of Key Findings and Conclusions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-06

Government: A Summary of Key Findings and Conclusions. This report has passed the Department of Defense’s security review process and is approved for...manufacturing and combine advance development and production of biologics in a multi-product facility focused on satisfying USG needs. Finally, the study...MCM needs of both DoD and HHS, an extensive survey was conducted. This included a review of all published requirements, the biodefense R&D portfolio

Perceived Challenges in Dementia Care by Vietnamese Family Caregivers and Care Workers in South Australia.

PubMed

Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Habel, Lesley; De Bellis, Anita

2015-09-01

The majority of Vietnamese Australians migrated to Australia as refugees to escape a war and this unique migration background may affect their ability to access and utilize healthcare services in Australia. Inability to utilize dementia services is associated with higher levels of caregiver burden, higher rates of morbidities and mortality and hospitalization. The aim of the study was to explore the perceived challenges of dementia care from Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics was used to interpret and describe the experiences of the participants. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with six Vietnamese family caregivers and a focus group with Vietnamese care workers using purposive sampling. Participants were recruited from a Vietnamese community care organization in South Australia. Five themes were identified from the data analysis namely: (1) a need for culturally and linguistically appropriate dementia education programs; (2) a willingness and unwillingness to seek help; (3) poor knowledge of health care service availability related to dementia; (4) the effect of language barrier in accessing services; and (5) the main sources of services utilized. The study revealed that Vietnamese family caregivers and Vietnamese care workers held different views on the association of stigma with dementia. Findings also revealed factors that impacted accessing and utilizing dementia services. These findings facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of Vietnamese family caregivers' needs and have implications for developing individualized support for family caregivers and for consumer-directed dementia services in Australia.

Social Capital and Economic Development in Regional Australia: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodhouse, Andrew

2006-01-01

This article reports the findings of a case study of social capital and economic development conducted in two towns in regional Australia between 2001 and 2002. The hypothesis driving the research states that a town displaying a high level of social capital will also display a high level of economic development, while a town with a low level of…

Mental health service delivery: a profile of mental health non-government organisations in south-east Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Byrne, Louise; Wilson, Michael; Burke, Karena J; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J; Happell, Brenda

2014-05-01

Non-government organisations make a substantial contribution to the provision of mental health services; despite this, there has been little research and evaluation targeted at understanding the role played by these services within the community mental health sector. The aim of the present study was to examine the depth and breadth of services offered by these organisations in south-east Queensland, Australia, across five key aspects of reach and delivery. Representatives from 52 purposively targeted non-government organisations providing mental health services to individuals with significant mental health challenges were interviewed regarding their approach to mental health service provision. The findings indicated a diverse pattern of service frameworks across the sector. The results also suggested a positive approach to the inclusion of consumer participation within the organisations, with most services reporting, at the very least, some form of consumer advocacy within their processes and as part of their services. This paper offers an important first look at the nature of non-government service provision within the mental health sector and highlights the importance of these organisations within the community sector. What is known about the topic? Non-government organisations make a substantial contribution to the multisectorial provision of services to mental health consumers in community settings. Non-government organisations in Australia are well established, with 79.9% of them being in operation for over 10 years. There is an increasing expectation that consumers influence the development, delivery and evaluation of mental health services, especially in the community sector. What does this paper add? This paper provides a profile of non-government organisations in one state in Australia with respect to the services they provide, the consumers they target, the practice frameworks they use, the use of peer workers and consumer participation, the success they

The Importance of Animal Welfare Science and Ethics to Veterinary Students in Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Freire, Rafael; Phillips, Clive J C; Verrinder, Joy M; Collins, Teresa; Degeling, Chris; Fawcett, Anne; Fisher, Andrew D; Hazel, Susan; Hood, Jennifer; Johnson, Jane; Lloyd, Janice K F; Stafford, Kevin; Tzioumis, Vicky; McGreevy, Paul D

The study of animal welfare and ethics (AWE) as part of veterinary education is important due to increasing community concerns and expectations about this topic, global pressures regarding food security, and the requirements of veterinary accreditation, especially with respect to Day One Competences. To address several key questions regarding the attitudes to AWE of veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), the authors surveyed the 2014 cohort of these students. The survey aimed (1) to reveal what AWE topics veterinary students in Australia and NZ consider important as Day One Competences, and (2) to ascertain how these priorities align with existing research on how concern for AWE relates to gender and stage of study. Students identified triage and professional ethics as the most important Day One Competences in AWE. Students ranked an understanding of triage as increasingly important as they progressed through their program. Professional ethics was rated more important by early and mid-stage students than by senior students. Understanding the development of animal welfare science and perspectives on animal welfare were rated as being of little importance to veterinary graduates as Day One Competences, and an understanding of "why animal welfare matters" declined as the students progressed through the program. Combined, these findings suggest that veterinary students consider it more important to have the necessary practical skills and knowledge to function as a veterinarian on their first day in practice.

The Experience of China-Educated Nurses Working in Australia: A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yunxian

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose Transnational nurse migration is a growing phenomenon. This study explored the experiences of China-educated nurses working in Australia. Design Using a constructivist grounded theory method, 46 in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 China-educated nurses in two major cities in Australia. Results The core category emerged was “reconciling different realities”. Three phases of reconciling were conceptualised: realising, struggling, and reflecting. Realising refers to an awareness of the discrepancies between different realities. Struggling reflects the dilemma of the “middle position” and how being situated as “the other” is experienced. Reflecting is the process of making sense of the experience and rationalising the gains and losses associated with immigration. Conclusions This study produced a theoretical understanding of the experience of China-educated nurses working in Australia. The findings not only inform Chinese nurses who wish to migrate but contribute to the implementation of more effective support services for immigrant nurses. PMID:25229564

Humans rather than climate the primary cause of Pleistocene megafaunal extinction in Australia

PubMed Central

van der Kaars, Sander; Miller, Gifford H.; Turney, Chris S. M.; Cook, Ellyn J.; Nürnberg, Dirk; Schönfeld, Joachim; Kershaw, A. Peter; Lehman, Scott J.

2017-01-01

Environmental histories that span the last full glacial cycle and are representative of regional change in Australia are scarce, hampering assessment of environmental change preceding and concurrent with human dispersal on the continent ca. 47,000 years ago. Here we present a continuous 150,000-year record offshore south-western Australia and identify the timing of two critical late Pleistocene events: wide-scale ecosystem change and regional megafaunal population collapse. We establish that substantial changes in vegetation and fire regime occurred ∼70,000 years ago under a climate much drier than today. We record high levels of the dung fungus Sporormiella, a proxy for herbivore biomass, from 150,000 to 45,000 years ago, then a marked decline indicating megafaunal population collapse, from 45,000 to 43,100 years ago, placing the extinctions within 4,000 years of human dispersal across Australia. These findings rule out climate change, and implicate humans, as the primary extinction cause. PMID:28106043

Humans rather than climate the primary cause of Pleistocene megafaunal extinction in Australia.

PubMed

van der Kaars, Sander; Miller, Gifford H; Turney, Chris S M; Cook, Ellyn J; Nürnberg, Dirk; Schönfeld, Joachim; Kershaw, A Peter; Lehman, Scott J

2017-01-20

Environmental histories that span the last full glacial cycle and are representative of regional change in Australia are scarce, hampering assessment of environmental change preceding and concurrent with human dispersal on the continent ca. 47,000 years ago. Here we present a continuous 150,000-year record offshore south-western Australia and identify the timing of two critical late Pleistocene events: wide-scale ecosystem change and regional megafaunal population collapse. We establish that substantial changes in vegetation and fire regime occurred ∼70,000 years ago under a climate much drier than today. We record high levels of the dung fungus Sporormiella, a proxy for herbivore biomass, from 150,000 to 45,000 years ago, then a marked decline indicating megafaunal population collapse, from 45,000 to 43,100 years ago, placing the extinctions within 4,000 years of human dispersal across Australia. These findings rule out climate change, and implicate humans, as the primary extinction cause.

Maintaining the Integrity of Public Education: A Comparative Analysis of School Autonomy in the United States and Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keddie, Amanda

2016-01-01

This article takes a critical comparative approach to examining autonomous schooling in the United States and Australia. Amid the market imperatives currently driving education priorities, its focus is on how autonomy can be mobilized in ways that preserve the integrity of public education. Through reference to key debates and research about…

Becoming an 'Amai': Meanings and experiences of motherhood amongst Zimbabwean women living in Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed

Benza, Sandra; Liamputtong, Pranee

2017-02-01

little is known about the meanings and experiences of motherhood among Zimbabwean migrant women. This paper discusses the meanings and experiences of motherhood from the perspectives of Zimbabwean migrant women living in Melbourne, Australia. qualitative methods (in-depth interviewing, photo elicitation and drawing) were conducted with 15 Zimbabwean women who had children in Zimbabwe and in Australia. Data were analysed using thematic analysis method. Zimbabwean women defined motherhood in varied ways. Common to all women was that becoming a mother had a significant meaning. Motherhood came with a sense of responsibility for children which resulted from their compromise and sacrifice. The dedication was exhibited by participants who demonstrated commitment to motherhood when striving to be a good mother. While motherhood provided pleasure and joy, some women found the role of motherhood burdensome in their new homeland. Due to cultural expectations of motherhood, women kept their difficulties silent for fear of being judged a 'bad mother'. The unfamiliarity with the health and social care systems in Australia presented challenges to these women. Often, they were treated without respect and felt discriminated against. our findings reveal the paradox of motherhood. Although motherhood can be burdensome, there are positive changes brought about by the process of motherhood. Due to a lack of knowledge about the health and social care system and the negative experiences with health care in Australia, the women felt overwhelmed about becoming a mother in Australia. healthcare providers, including midwives, need to understand how migrant women perceive and experience motherhood and their mothering role as this will help to improve the health and social care for these women and their children. Findings from this study provide a basis for further investigation into the formation and strengthening of support networks for Zimbabwean mothers in particular, and to other migrant

Extreme heat and cultural and linguistic minorities in Australia: perceptions of stakeholders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a disparity in heat-susceptibility in certain minority groups, although it is unknown if this occurs in Australia. With cultural diversity increasing, the aim of this study was to explore how migrants from different cultural backgrounds and climate experiences manage periods of extreme heat in Australia. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken across three Australian cities, involving interviews and focus groups with key informants including stakeholders involved in multicultural service provision and community members. Thematic analysis and a framework approach were used to analyse the data. Results Whilst migrants and refugees generally adapt well upon resettlement, there are sociocultural barriers encountered by some that hinder environmental adaptation to periods of extreme heat in Australia. These barriers include socioeconomic disadvantage and poor housing, language barriers to the access of information, isolation, health issues, cultural factors and lack of acclimatisation. Most often mentioned as being at risk were new arrivals, people in new and emerging communities, and older migrants. Conclusions With increasing diversity within populations, it is important that the health sector is aware that during periods of extreme heat there may be disparities in the adaptive capacity of minority groups, underpinned by sociocultural and language-based vulnerabilities in migrants and refugees. These factors need to be considered by policymakers when formulating and disseminating heat health strategies. PMID:24889099

ASTER Images Continuing Flooding in Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-15

On Jan. 14, 2011, NASA Terra spacecraft captured this image of the inundated city of St. George, Queensland, Australia. Torrential rains in northeastern Australia caused the Balonne River to overflow its banks and flood much of the city.

Regulation of veterinary antibiotics in Australia.

PubMed

Dyke, T M

2003-01-01

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)* registers veterinary antibiotic products before they can be supplied, distributed or sold in Australia. Extensive scientific assessment on all new veterinary antibiotic products is undertaken for the APVMA by experts in other government agencies including the Therapeutic Goods Administration (toxicology), the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (occupational health and safety), Environment Australia (environmental hazards) and state departments of agriculture or primary industry (efficacy and safety) as well as APVMA assessments on food residues, trade and manufacturing. The National Health and Medical Research Council Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance provides advice to the APVMA on the potential transfer of antibiotic resistance from the use of antibiotics in animals to humans, and the impact transfer may have on public health. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (previously Australia New Zealand Food Authority) set maximum residue levels for human foods. The APVMA monitors registered product use through compliance activities and an adverse experience reporting program, and reviews registered products as necessary. The import, manufacture, supply and use of veterinary antibiotics are regulated by Commonwealth and State governments in Australia.

Rapid increase in pertactin-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates, Australia.

PubMed

Lam, Connie; Octavia, Sophie; Ricafort, Lawrence; Sintchenko, Vitali; Gilbert, Gwendolyn L; Wood, Nicholas; McIntyre, Peter; Marshall, Helen; Guiso, Nicole; Keil, Anthony D; Lawrence, Andrew; Robson, Jenny; Hogg, Geoff; Lan, Ruiting

2014-04-01

Acellular vaccines against Bordetella pertussis were introduced in Australia in 1997. By 2000, these vaccines had replaced whole-cell vaccines. During 2008-2012, a large outbreak of pertussis occurred. During this period, 30% (96/320) of B. pertussis isolates did not express the vaccine antigen pertactin (Prn). Multiple mechanisms of Prn inactivation were documented, including IS481 and IS1002 disruptions, a variation within a homopolymeric tract, and deletion of the prn gene. The mechanism of lack of expression of Prn in 16 (17%) isolates could not be determined at the sequence level. These findings suggest that B. pertussis not expressing Prn arose independently multiple times since 2008, rather than by expansion of a single Prn-negative clone. All but 1 isolate had ptxA1, prn2, and ptxP3, the alleles representative of currently circulating strains in Australia. This pattern is consistent with continuing evolution of B. pertussis in response to vaccine selection pressure.

Fires in Australia's Northern Territory and Bathurst Island

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The Aqua satellite collected this natural-color image of fires in Australia with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on June 30, 2017. The image looks at multiple fires and smoke from those fires burning in northern Australia and the island of Bathurst on June 30, 2017. The Northern Territory fire incident map does show some incidents of grass and shrub fires, in the past 24 hours, but it also shows areas of what are called "strategic fires" which are those set by fire experts to rid an area of overgrowth, brush, dead grass and shrubs to prevent fires from spreading in the event of a lightning strike. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

From Radio, to Satellite, to M-Learning: Interactive Distance Education in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crump, Stephen

2013-01-01

This paper provides reflections on M-learning as a form of "distance education," based on a summary of the findings of the Interactive Distance e-Learning (IDL) research project in rural and remote Australia under an Australian Research Council Linkage grant. This project was a joint undertaking between 3 government agencies and an…

Promoting Rural Education: The Role of the Society of the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan, Colin

2012-01-01

The paper explores the role of the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) and the challenges it has faced as the primary voice for Australian rural educators. The paper charts the origins of SPERA, and the contributions of key people involved in its foundation. The paper then examines the advocacy and impact of SPERA…

Who owns Australia's water--elements of an effective regulatory model.

PubMed

McKay, J

2003-01-01

This paper identifies and describes a number of global trends in regulatory theory and legal scholarship. It points out the huge level of complexity demanded by globalisation and the unfortunate complication of this is that there is legal indeterminacy. The legal indeterminacy springs from the desire to amend and alter existing models. That has been the thrust of the Council of Australian Governments changes to adapt and add huge amounts of complexity to a flawed system. This paper argues that an effective water regulatory model requires a fundamental re-examination of the concept of water ownership and a capturing by the State of the right to allocate rainfall. This foundation is effective and the way forward to deal with the key issues in this transition phase. The second key element to an effective regulatory model is the concept of performance-based assessment. This requires information and schemes to be set up to work out ways to monitor and evaluate the performance of the utility on selected criteria. For Australia at present there is a dire lack of agreed criteria on these key issues and these have the potential to pull apart the whole process. The key issues are indigenous rights, governance issues, public participation, alteration of pre-existing rights and incorporation of environmental requirements.

Abortion in Australia: access versus protest.

PubMed

Dean, Rebecca Elizabeth; Allanson, Susie

2004-05-01

Currently in Australia anti-choice protesters' right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest is privileged over a woman's right to privacy and to access a health service safely, free from harassment, intimidation and obstruction. This article considers how this situation is played out daily at one Victorian abortion-providing clinic. The Fertility Control Clinic was thrown into the spotlight after the murder of its security guard by an anti-choice crusader in July 2001. Australian common law appears not to offer women protection from anti-choice protesters. By contrast, United States and Canadian "bubble" legislation sits comfortably with key constitutional rights. It would be a useful development if Australian governments passed legislation to ensure the rights, wellbeing and safety of Australian women accessing health services. Such legislation would be another step away from the misogynistic and androcentric values once central to our legislative framework.

Male mental health problems, psychopathy, and personality traits: key findings from the first 14 years of the Pittsburgh Youth Study.

PubMed

Loeber, R; Farrington, D P; Stouthamer-Loeber, M; Moffitt, T E; Caspi, A; Lynam, D

2001-12-01

This paper reviews key findings on juvenile mental health problems in boys, psychopathy, and personality traits, obtained in the first 14 years of studies using data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study. This is a study of 3 samples, each of about 500 boys initially randomly drawn from boys in the 1st, 4th, and 7th grades of public schools in Pittsburgh. The boys have been followed regularly, initially each half year, and later at yearly intervals. Currently, the oldest boys are about 25 years old, whereas the youngest boys are about 19. Findings are presented on the prevalence and interrelation of disruptive behaviors, ADHD, and depressed mood. Results concerning risk factors for these outcomes are reviewed. Psychological factors such as psychopathy, impulsivity, and personality are described. The paper closes with findings on service delivery of boys with mental health problems.

Getting Australia more active: challenges and opportunities for health promotion.

PubMed

Hills, A P; Street, S J; Harris, N

2014-04-01

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that regular physical activity promotes health and assists in the prevention of non-communicable diseases but this is presently curtailed by low and unhealthy participation rates in Australia and comparable industrialised countries. Compounding the problem is knowledge that physical inactivity is independently associated with poor health outcomes. Despite physical activity being described as public health's 'best bet' or 'best buy', motivating individuals and groups to adopt and maintain physical activity continues to be a major challenge for health professionals. Global advocacy for prevention efforts must be operationalised through national to local strategies to promote and support physical activity in multiple settings including the home, schools and workplace. The Australian health promotion community has and continues to play a leadership role in physical activity promotion. However, there is an urgent need to continue to promote the importance of physical activity, along with its pivotal role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases, alongside related agendas including healthy diets, tobacco control and environmental sustainability. This commentary overviews the contemporary status of physical activity promotion in Australia and identifies key challenges and opportunities moving forward.

Isoprene and monoterpene emissions in south-east Australia: comparison of a multi-layer canopy model with MEGAN and with atmospheric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emmerson, Kathryn M.; Cope, Martin E.; Galbally, Ian E.; Lee, Sunhee; Nelson, Peter F.

2018-05-01

One of the key challenges in atmospheric chemistry is to reduce the uncertainty of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emission estimates from vegetation to the atmosphere. In Australia, eucalypt trees are a primary source of biogenic emissions, but their contribution to Australian air sheds is poorly quantified. The Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) has performed poorly against Australian isoprene and monoterpene observations. Finding reasons for the MEGAN discrepancies and strengthening our understanding of biogenic emissions in this region is our focus. We compare MEGAN to the locally produced Australian Biogenic Canopy and Grass Emissions Model (ABCGEM), to identify the uncertainties associated with the emission estimates and the data requirements necessary to improve isoprene and monoterpene emissions estimates for the application of MEGAN in Australia. Previously unpublished, ABCGEM is applied as an online biogenic emissions inventory to model BVOCs in the air shed overlaying Sydney, Australia. The two models use the same meteorological inputs and chemical mechanism, but independent inputs of leaf area index (LAI), plant functional type (PFT) and emission factors. We find that LAI, a proxy for leaf biomass, has a small role in spatial, temporal and inter-model biogenic emission variability, particularly in urban areas for ABCGEM. After removing LAI as the source of the differences, we found large differences in the emission activity function for monoterpenes. In MEGAN monoterpenes are partially light dependent, reducing their dependence on temperature. In ABCGEM monoterpenes are not light dependent, meaning they continue to be emitted at high rates during hot summer days, and at night. When the light dependence of monoterpenes is switched off in MEGAN, night-time emissions increase by 90-100 % improving the comparison with observations, suggesting the possibility that monoterpenes emitted from Australian vegetation may not be

Health concerns associated with unconventional gas mining in rural Australia.

PubMed

Haswell, Melissa R; Bethmont, Anna

2016-01-01

Many governments globally are investigating the benefits and risks associated with unconventional gas mining for shale, tight and coal seam gas (coalbed methane) to determine whether the industry should proceed in their jurisdiction. Most locations likely to be developed are in rural areas, with potential impact on farmers and small communities. Despite significant health concerns, public health knowledge and growing evidence are often overlooked in decision-making. It is difficult to gain a broad but accurate understanding of the health concerns for rural communities because the evidence has grown very recently and rapidly, is complex and largely based in the USA, where the industry is advanced. In 2016, a concerned South Australian beef and lamb farmer in an area targeted for potential unconventional gas development organised visits to homes in developed unconventional gas areas of Pennsylvania and forums with leading researchers and lawyers in Pennsylvania and New York. Guided by priorities identified during this trip, this communication concisely distils the research evidence on these key concerns, highlighting the Australian situation where evidence exists. It summarises key information of particular concern to rural regions, using Australia as an example, to assist rural health professionals to be better prepared to engage in decision-making and address the challenges associated with this new industry. Discussions with communities and experts, supported by the expanding research from the USA and Australia, revealed increasing health concerns in six key areas. These are absence of a safe solution to the toxic wastewater management problems, air pollution, land and water competition, mental health and psychosocial wellbeing risks, fugitive methane emissions and lack of proven regulatory regimes. Emerging epidemiological studies suggesting interference with foetal development and birth outcomes, and exacerbation of asthma conditions, are particularly concerning

What causes southeast Australia's worst droughts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ummenhofer, Caroline C.; England, Matthew H.; McIntosh, Peter C.; Meyers, Gary A.; Pook, Michael J.; Risbey, James S.; Gupta, Alexander Sen; Taschetto, Andréa S.

2009-02-01

Since 1995, a large region of Australia has been gripped by the most severe drought in living memory, the so-called ``Big Dry''. The ramifications for affected regions are dire, with acute water shortages for rural and metropolitan areas, record agricultural losses, the drying-out of two of Australia's major river systems and far-reaching ecosystem damage. Yet the drought's origins have remained elusive. For Southeast Australia, we show here that the ``Big Dry'' and other iconic 20th Century droughts, including the Federation Drought (1895-1902) and World War II drought (1937-1945), are driven by Indian Ocean variability, not Pacific Ocean conditions as traditionally assumed. Specifically, a conspicuous absence of Indian Ocean temperature conditions conducive to enhanced tropical moisture transport has deprived southeastern Australia of its normal rainfall quota. In the case of the ``Big Dry'', its unprecedented intensity is also related to recent higher temperatures.

International travelers and unintentional fatal drowning in Australia--a 10 year review 2002-12.

PubMed

Peden, Amy E; Franklin, Richard C; Leggat, Peter A

2016-02-01

. Drowning deaths of travelers are commonly reported in the media, creating a perception that they are at a higher risk of drowning than residents. This may be true, due in part to unfamiliarity with the risks posed by the hazard, however there is limited information about drowning deaths of travelers in Australia. This study aims to identify the incidence of drowning among international travelers in Australia and examine the risk factors to inform prevention strategies. . Data on unintentional fatal drowning in Australian waterways of victims with a residential postcode from outside Australia were extracted from the Royal Life Saving Society-Australia National Fatal Drowning Database. . Between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2012 drowning deaths among people known to be international travelers accounted for 4.3% (N = 123) of the 2870 drowning deaths reported in Australian waterways. Key locations for drowning deaths included beaches (39.0%), ocean/harbour (22.0%) and swimming pools (12.2%). Leading activities prior to drowning included swimming (52.0%), diving (17.9%) and watercraft incidents (13.0%). . International travelers pose a unique challenge from a drowning prevention perspective. The ability to exchange information on water safety is complicated due to potential language barriers, possible differences in swimming ability, different attitudes to safety in the traveler's home country and culture, a lack of opportunities to discuss safety, a relaxed attitude to safety which may result in an increase in risk taking behaviour and alcohol consumption. . Prevention is vital both to reduce loss of life in the aquatic environment and promote Australia as a safe and enjoyable holiday destination for international travelers. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Property rights in human gametes in Australia.

PubMed

White, Vanessa

2013-03-01

It has long been a basic tenet of the common law that there can be no property interest in human bodies or body parts. However, exceptions to the rule have been recognised from the mid-19th century and developed over time. In the early 21st century, there have been interesting developments in the common law of Australia and England, with Australian Supreme Court judges and the English Court of Appeal casting aside existing exceptions, and finding property rights in human body parts, including gametes, by relying instead on a "rational" and "logical" basis to identify property interests in human body parts.

A natural language processing program effectively extracts key pathologic findings from radical prostatectomy reports.

PubMed

Kim, Brian J; Merchant, Madhur; Zheng, Chengyi; Thomas, Anil A; Contreras, Richard; Jacobsen, Steven J; Chien, Gary W

2014-12-01

Natural language processing (NLP) software programs have been widely developed to transform complex free text into simplified organized data. Potential applications in the field of medicine include automated report summaries, physician alerts, patient repositories, electronic medical record (EMR) billing, and quality metric reports. Despite these prospects and the recent widespread adoption of EMR, NLP has been relatively underutilized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of an internally developed NLP program in extracting select pathologic findings from radical prostatectomy specimen reports in the EMR. An NLP program was generated by a software engineer to extract key variables from prostatectomy reports in the EMR within our healthcare system, which included the TNM stage, Gleason grade, presence of a tertiary Gleason pattern, histologic subtype, size of dominant tumor nodule, seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), perineural invasion (PNI), angiolymphatic invasion (ALI), extracapsular extension (ECE), and surgical margin status (SMS). The program was validated by comparing NLP results to a gold standard compiled by two blinded manual reviewers for 100 random pathology reports. NLP demonstrated 100% accuracy for identifying the Gleason grade, presence of a tertiary Gleason pattern, SVI, ALI, and ECE. It also demonstrated near-perfect accuracy for extracting histologic subtype (99.0%), PNI (98.9%), TNM stage (98.0%), SMS (97.0%), and dominant tumor size (95.7%). The overall accuracy of NLP was 98.7%. NLP generated a result in <1 second, whereas the manual reviewers averaged 3.2 minutes per report. This novel program demonstrated high accuracy and efficiency identifying key pathologic details from the prostatectomy report within an EMR system. NLP has the potential to assist urologists by summarizing and highlighting relevant information from verbose pathology reports. It may also facilitate future urologic research through the rapid and

Establishing School Decision-Making Groups: Problems Confronted by Three Secondary Schools in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dellar, Graham B.

Central to restructuring efforts in Australia was the establishment of school decision-making groups (SDMGs), which gave school staff and community representatives more autonomy over decisions concerning educational policy and school development. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the responses of three secondary schools to the…

Does the hand that controls the cigarette packet rule the smoker? Findings from ethnographic interviews with smokers in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA.

PubMed

Bell, Kirsten; Dennis, Simone; Robinson, Jude; Moore, Roland

2015-10-01

Throughout the twentieth century, packaging was a carefully cultivated element of the appeal of the cigarette. However, the tobacco industry's control over cigarette packaging has been steadily eroded through legislation that aims to rebrand the packet from a desirable to a dangerous commodity-epitomized in Australia's introduction of plain packaging in 2012. Evident in both the enactment of cigarette packaging legislation and industry efforts to overturn it is the assumption that packets do things-i.e. that they have a critical role to play in either promoting or discouraging the habit. Drawing on 175 ethnographic interviews conducted with people smoking in public spaces in Vancouver, Canada; Canberra, Australia; Liverpool, England; and San Francisco, USA, we produce a 'thick description' of smokers' engagements with cigarette packets. We illustrate that despite the very different types of cigarette packaging legislation in place in the four countries, there are marked similarities in the ways smokers engage with their packets. In particular, they are not treated as a purely visual sign; instead, a primary means through which one's own cigarette packet is apprehended is by touch rather than by sight. Smokers perceive cigarette packets largely through the operations of their hands-through their 'handiness'. Thus, our study findings problematize the assumption that how smokers engage with packets when asked to do so on a purely intellectual or aesthetic level reflects how they engage with packets as they are enfolded into their everyday lives. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Family caregiver challenges in dementia care in Australia and China: a critical perspective

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Both Australia and China have a large proportion of people with dementia and the prevalence will triple in Australia and increase five times in China by 2050. The majority of people with dementia are reliant on family caregivers to provide daily care and to maintain the dignity in both countries. As a consequence, caregiver burden has become a major concern because of the negative impact on the care recipients’ and the caregivers’ health. It is strongly recommended that cross-national collaboration should be conducted to share experiences in fighting dementia. The aim of this study was to compare socially and culturally constructed enablers and barriers pertinent to dementia caregivers in one capital city in Australia and one capital city in China through critical reflection on the caregivers’ subjective and objective experiences for the improvement of dementia care services in both countries. Methods Giddens’ Structuration Theory was used as a framework to guide a concurrent mixed methods design with the qualitative strand as a priority. In the qualitative strand, data were collected by focus groups and in-depth interviews while in the quantitative strand, data were collected by questionnaire survey. Results In total 148 caregivers participated in the project with 57 of them from Australia (26 and 31 in the qualitative and quantitative strands respectively) and 91 of them from China (23 and 68 in the qualitative and quantitative strands respectively). Findings from the qualitative and quantitative strands were presented as three categories: A higher objective burden in the Chinese cohort versus a higher subjective burden in the Australian cohort; Unmet need for caregiver support in Australia and China; and Expectations for improving dementia services in Australia and for developing dementia services in China. Conclusions Dementia policy, services and resources need to be grounded on current research evidence in an ever-changing society like

The Relationship between Sun Protection Policy and Associated Practices in a National Sample of Early Childhood Services in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ettridge, Kerry A.; Bowden, Jacqueline A.; Rayner, Joanne M.; Wilson, Carlene J.

2011-01-01

Limiting exposure to sunlight during childhood can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer. This was the first national study to assess the sun protection policies and practices of early childhood services across Australia. It also examined the key predictors of services' sun protection practices. In 2007, 1017 respondents completed a…

Usage patterns of stop smoking medications in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States: findings from the 2006-2008 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey.

PubMed

Fix, Brian V; Hyland, Andrew; Rivard, Cheryl; McNeill, Ann; Fong, Geoffrey T; Borland, Ron; Hammond, David; Cummings, K Michael

2011-01-01

Varenicline is a new prescription stop smoking medication (SSM) that has been available in the United States since August 1, 2006, in the United Kingdom and other European Union countries since December 5, 2006, in Canada since April 12, 2007, and in Australia since January 1, 2008. There are few population-based studies that have examined use rates of varenicline and other stop smoking medications. We report data from the ITC Four Country survey conducted with smokers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia who reported an attempt to quit smoking in past year in the 2006 survey (n = 4,022 participants), 2007 (n = 3,790 participants), and 2008 surveys (n = 2,735 participants) Respondents reported use of various stop smoking medications to quit smoking at each survey wave, along with demographic and smoker characteristics. The self-reported use of any stop smoking medication has increased significantly over the 3 year period in all 4 countries, with the sharpest increase occurring in the United States. Varenicline has become the second most used stop smoking medication, behind NRT, in all 4 countries since being introduced. Between 2006 and 2008, varenicline use rates increased from 0.4% to 21.7% in the US, 0.0% to 14.8% in Canada, 0.0% to 14.5% in Australia, and 0.0% to 4.4% in the UK. In contrast, use of NRT and bupropion remained constant in each country. Males and non-whites were significantly less likely to report using any SSM, while more educated smokers were significantly more likely to use any SSM, including varenicline. Our findings suggest that the introduction of varenicline led to an increase in the number of smokers who used evidence-based treatment during their quit attempts, rather than simply gaining market share at the expense of other medications. From a public health perspective, messages regarding increased success rates among medication users and the relative safety of stop smoking medications should be disseminated widely so as to reach all

Incidence of oral cancer in Western Australia (1982-2009): Trends and regional variations.

PubMed

Derbi, Hajer Abdelhafied; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

2016-06-01

Oral cancer remains a significant issue for many communities of the world. In Australia, there are approximately 2000 new diagnoses each year, and the rates are growing. The divide between city and rural, rich and poor, is, in many countries, found to be linked to the incidence of oral cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the trends in the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (specifically cancer of the parotid and major salivary glands, pharynx, and tongue) in Western Australia over a 27-year period, from 1982 to 2009, and determine the geographic distribution of incidence within the state. The de-identified data were provided by the Western Australian Cancer Registry, as oral cancer is a notifiable condition in Australia. There were a total of 2801 cases reported with pharynx, tongue, major salivary glands and parotid cancers over a 27-year period: 73.2 percent were male and 26.8 percent were female. The age-standardized incidence rate was 67.4 per 100 000 persons per annum for pharyngeal cancer, 54.1 for tongue cancer, 22.2 for parotid gland cancer and 5.5 for major salivary gland cancer. The age-standardized rates for pharyngeal and tongue cancer (but not parotid) were higher in country areas of Western Australia than in the metropolitan areas. The burden of some site-specific oral cancers is continuing to rise. An increasing trend with older age is also consistent throughout the study period. This study finds that the incidence of oral cancers in Western Australia is not inconsistent with other parts of Australia and fundamentally shows there is a rural-urban difference for oral cancer. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Cyclone Chris Hits Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This false-color image shows Cyclone Chris shortly after it hit Australia's northwestern coast on February 6, 2002. This scene was acquired by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite. (Please note that this scene has not been reprojected.) Cyclone Chris is one of the most powerful storms ever to hit Australia. Initially, the storm contained wind gusts of up to 200 km per hour (125 mph), but shortly after making landfall it weakened to a Category 4 storm. Meteorologists expect the cyclone to weaken quickly as it moves further inland.

Examining supply changes in Australia's cocaine market.

PubMed

Hughes, Caitlin E; Chalmers, Jenny; Bright, David A; Matthew-Simmons, Francis; Sindicich, Natasha

2012-05-01

Media attention to cocaine use and supply has increased following some of the largest cocaine seizures in Australia's history. Whether there has been an expansion in supply remains unclear. This paper examines the evidence behind assertions of increased supply in Australia and the scale and nature of any apparent increase, using proxy indicators of cocaine importation, distribution and use. Eight proxies of cocaine importation, distribution and use were adopted, including amount of importation, mode of importation and supply flows to Australia. Each proxy indicator was sourced using publicly available and Australia-wide data, including information on the total weight of border seizures, mode of detection and country of embarkation of individual seizures. Data permitting, trends were examined for up to a 12 year period (1997-1998 to 2009-2010). Since 2006-2007 there was evidence of increased cocaine importation, albeit less than between 1998-1999 and 2001-2002. There were further signs that the 2006-2007 expansion coincided with a diversification of trafficking routes to and through Australia (beyond the traditional site of entry-Sydney) and shifts in the geographic distribution of use. The congruity between indicators suggests that there has been a recent expansion in cocaine supply to and distribution within Australia, but that the more notable shift has concerned the nature of supply, with an apparent growth in importation and distribution beyond New South Wales. The diversification of cocaine supply routes may increase risks of market entrenchment and organised crime throughout Australia. © 2011 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Estimating antiretroviral treatment coverage rates and viral suppression rates for homosexual men in Australia

PubMed Central

De La Mata, Nicole L.; Mao, Limin; De Wit, John; Smith, Don; Holt, Martin; Prestage, Garrett; Wilson, David P.; Petoumenos, Kathy

2016-01-01

Gay and other men who have sex with men (GMSM) are disproportionally affected by the HIV epidemic in Australia. The study objective is to combine a clinical-based cohort with a community-based surveillance system to present a broader representation of the GMSM community to determine estimates of proportions receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and/or with an undetectable viral load. Between 2010 and 2012, small increases were shown in ART uptake (to 70.2%) and proportions with undetectable viral load (to 62.4%). The study findings highlight the potential for significantly increasing ART uptake among HIV-positive GMSM to reduce the HIV epidemic in Australia. PMID:26166247

Oregon Public School Drug Use Survey, 1996: Key Findings Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finigan, Michael

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among public school students continues to be a major concern in Oregon as it is across the nation. This report, the sixth of the biannual public school drug use surveys conducted in Oregon since 1986, discusses major findings. These findings are (1) marijuana use is up for both the eighth and eleventh grades;…

A map of community-based obesity prevention initiatives in Australia following obesity funding 2009-2013.

PubMed

Whelan, Jillian; Love, Penny; Romanus, Anne; Pettman, Tahna; Bolton, Kristy; Smith, Erin; Gill, Tim; Coveney, John; Waters, Elizabeth; Allender, Steve

2015-04-01

Obesity is the single biggest public health threat to developed and developing economies. In concert with healthy public policy, multi-strategy, multi-level community-based initiatives appear promising in preventing obesity, with several countries trialling this approach. In Australia, multiple levels of government have funded and facilitated a range of community-based obesity prevention initiatives (CBI), heterogeneous in their funding, timing, target audience and structure. This paper aims to present a central repository of CBI operating in Australia during 2013, to facilitate knowledge exchange and shared opportunities for learning, and to guide professional development towards best practice for CBI practitioners. A comprehensive search of government, non-government and community websites was undertaken to identify CBI in Australia in 2013. This was supplemented with data drawn from available reports, personal communication and key informant interviews. The data was translated into an interactive map for use by preventive health practitioners and other parties. We identified 259 CBI; with the majority (84%) having a dual focus on physical activity and healthy eating. Few initiatives, (n=37) adopted a four-pronged multi-strategy approach implementing policy, built environment, social marketing and/or partnership building. This comprehensive overview of Australian CBI has the potential to facilitate engagement and collaboration through knowledge exchange and information sharing amongst CBI practitioners, funders, communities and researchers. An enhanced understanding of current practice highlights areas of strengths and opportunities for improvement to maximise the impact of obesity prevention initiatives. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Understanding Parent Perceptions of a 1:1 Laptop Program in Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bate, Frank; MacNish, Jean; Males, Steven

2012-01-01

This paper provides some initial findings from a current longitudinal study that examines the implementation of a student-owned 1:1 laptop program in a school for boys in Perth, Western Australia. This research tracks 196 students, their families and associated teachers for a 3-year period (2010-2012). Underpinning this research is a mixed methods…

Phytoplankton Bloom off Coast of Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Phytoplankton bloom in the Great Australian Bight captured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite on December 30, 2013 at 6:05 UTC. The Great Australian Bight is a large bight, or open bay, off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

The Life Story Experience of "Migrant Dentists" in Australia: Potential Implications for Health Workforce Governance and International Cooperation

PubMed Central

Balasubramanian, Madhan; Spencer, A. John; Short, Stephanie D.; Watkins, Keith; Chrisopoulos, Sergio; Brennan, David S.

2017-01-01

Background: The migration of dentists is a major policy challenge facing both developing and developed countries. Dentists from over 120 countries migrate to Australia, and a large proportion are from developing countries. The aim of the study was to assess the life story experience (LSE) of migrant dentists in Australia, in order to address key policy challenges facing dentist migration. Methods: A national survey of all migrant dentists resident in Australia was conducted in 2013. Migrant experiences were assessed through a suite of LSE scales, developed through a qualitative-quantitative study. Respondents rated experiences using a five-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 1022 migrant dentists responded to the survey (response rate = 54.5%). LSE1 (health system and general lifestyle concerns in home country), LSE2 (appreciation towards Australian way of life) and LSE3 (settlement concerns in Australia) scales varied by migrant dentist groups, sex, and years since arrival to Australia (chi-square, P < .05). In a logistic regression model, migrants mainly from developing countries (ie, the examination pathway group) faced greater health system and general lifestyle concerns in their home countries (9.32; 3.51-24.72) and greater settlement challenges in Australia (5.39; 3.51-8.28), compared to migrants from well-developed countries, who obtained direct recognition of qualifications. Migrants also are more appreciative towards the Australian way of life if they had lived at least ten years in Australia (1.97; 1.27-3.05), compared to migrants who have lived for less than ten years. Conclusion: Migrant dentists, mainly from developing countries, face challenges both in their home countries and in Australia. Our study offers evidence for multi-level health workforce governance and calls for greater consensus towards an international agenda to address dentist migration. Better integration of dentist migration with the mainstream health workforce governance is a

Language Planning and Placenaming in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Flavia

2007-01-01

Before colonisation Australia was fully named by its Indigenous population, but that complex network of naming was largely overlooked as Europeans introduced their own names for features and settlements. Each of Australia's states and territories now has a nomenclature authority, whose activities are coordinated through the Committee for…

SmARTest regulation? Comparing the regulatory structures for ART in the UK and Australia.

PubMed

Petersen, Kerry; Johnson, Martin H

2007-08-01

Assisted reproductive technologies are regulated in both the UK and Australia, thereby curtailing both reproductive and professional autonomy. Different regulatory models have developed in each jurisdiction, despite the similar legal, scientific and cultural histories of the two jurisdictions. In the UK the regulatory structures are under review, largely in the absence of empirical research on the costs and benefits of regulation. The regulatory structures in each jurisdiction are compared and some key differences identified. The UK regulatory structure governing assisted reproductive technologies is currently simpler, more accountable and more transparent than that in Australia. On the other hand, despite administrative and legislative restrictions (particularly in Victoria), the medical scientists and clinicians in Australia generally have more control than their British counterparts over the technical aspects of their work in the provision of IVF and other treatment services, and to a lesser extent in embryo research. Recent proposals appear to move the UK regulatory structure towards a less accountable and less transparent model, but with no evident increase in reproductive or professional autonomy. It is suggested that this change is not in the interests of patients, doctors and the public, and a different model is outlined for devolution of both authority and accountability to the professions.

Shared decision making in Australia in 2017.

PubMed

Trevena, Lyndal; Shepherd, Heather L; Bonner, Carissa; Jansen, Jesse; Cust, Anne E; Leask, Julie; Shadbolt, Narelle; Del Mar, Chris; McCaffery, Kirsten; Hoffmann, Tammy

2017-06-01

Shared decision making (SDM) is now firmly established within national clinical standards for accrediting hospitals, day procedure services, public dental services and medical education in Australia, with plans to align general practice, aged care and disability service. Implementation of these standards and training of health professionals is a key challenge for the Australian health sector at this time. Consumer involvement in health research, policy and clinical service governance has also increased, with a major focus on encouraging patients to ask questions during their clinical care. Tools to support shared decision making are increasingly used but there is a need for more systemic approaches to their development, cultural adaptation and implementation. Sustainable solutions to ensure tools are kept up-to-date with the best available evidence will be important for the future. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and changes in health risk behaviours in Australia: 1989-90 to 2001.

PubMed Central

Najman, Jake M.; Toloo, Ghasem; Siskind, Victor

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated in industrialized countries with unhealthy lifestyle characteristics, such as smoking, physical inactivity and being overweight or obese. This paper examines changes over time in the association between SES and smoking status, physical activity and being overweight or obese in Australia. METHODS: Data were taken from three successive national health surveys in Australia carried out in 1989-90 (n = 54,576), 1995 (n = 53,828) and 2001 (n = 26,863). Participants in these surveys were selected using a national probability sampling strategy, and aggregated data for geographical areas are used to determine the changing association between SES and lifestyle over time. FINDINGS: Overall, men had less healthy lifestyles. In 2001 inverse SES trends for both men and women showed that those living in lower SES areas were more likely to smoke and to be sedentary and obese. There were some important socioeconomic changes over the period 1989-90 to 2001. The least socioeconomically disadvantaged areas had the largest decrease in the percentage of people smoking tobacco (24% decrease for men and 12% for women) and the largest decrease in the percentage of people reporting sedentary activity levels (25% decrease for men and 22% for women). While there has been a general increase in the percentage over time of those who are overweight or obese, there is a modest trend for being overweight to have increased (by about 16% only among females) among those living in areas of higher SES. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic inequalities have been increasing for several key risk behaviours related to health; this suggests that specific population-based prevention strategies intended to reduce health inequalities are needed. PMID:17242834

Australia's Vocational Education & Training System. Annual National Report. Volume 1: National Overview [and] Volume 2: Commonwealth, State & Territory Achievements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian National Training Authority, Brisbane.

This document consists of the first two volumes of the 1997 annual report on Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system. Examined in volume 1 are the following topics: strategic directions for 1997; overview of the VET system's operation and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) agreement; key initiatives in 1997 (the…

Australia's double standard on Thailand's alcohol warning labels.

PubMed

O'Brien, Paula

2013-01-01

Since 2010, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including Australia, have opposed Thailand's proposal for graphic warnings on alcohol containers. This paper aims to provide an account of the arguments for/against Thailand and to examine the arguments' legal and political validity. This paper reviews primary WTO records in relation to Thailand's proposal to reveal the arguments for/against Thailand's proposal. The paper analyses these arguments in light of WTO cases to identify the legal strengths and weaknesses of Thailand's position. The paper then considers whether the attacks on Thailand by Australia are justified in light of the Australian Government's position on (i) alcohol warning labels in Australia and (ii) tobacco plain packaging. The legal arguments against Thailand are: only harmful alcohol consumption should be prevented; there is no evidence that graphic warning labels can reduce alcohol-related harm; the labels unnecessarily restrict international trade. There are some legal weaknesses in Thailand's proposal. Yet, Australia's opposition to Thailand cannot be justified whilst Australia is (i) mandating pregnancy-related alcohol warnings in Australia and (ii) defending its plain packaging law against similar WTO attacks. No WTO member is obliged to challenge another member for being non-compliant. The case tests the willingness of WTO members like Australia to respect the autonomy of other countries to pursue their public health goals and trial novel interventions. Australia's actions suggest it is willing to protect its alcohol industry at the expense of public health in Thailand. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia's major climatic regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freund, Mandy; Henley, Benjamin J.; Karoly, David J.; Allen, Kathryn J.; Baker, Patrick J.

2017-11-01

Australian seasonal rainfall is strongly affected by large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate influences. In this study, we exploit the links between these precipitation influences, regional rainfall variations, and palaeoclimate proxies in the region to reconstruct Australian regional rainfall between four and eight centuries into the past. We use an extensive network of palaeoclimate records from the Southern Hemisphere to reconstruct cool (April-September) and warm (October-March) season rainfall in eight natural resource management (NRM) regions spanning the Australian continent. Our bi-seasonal rainfall reconstruction aligns well with independent early documentary sources and existing reconstructions. Critically, this reconstruction allows us, for the first time, to place recent observations at a bi-seasonal temporal resolution into a pre-instrumental context, across the entire continent of Australia. We find that recent 30- and 50-year trends towards wetter conditions in tropical northern Australia are highly unusual in the multi-century context of our reconstruction. Recent cool-season drying trends in parts of southern Australia are very unusual, although not unprecedented, across the multi-century context. We also use our reconstruction to investigate the spatial and temporal extent of historical drought events. Our reconstruction reveals that the spatial extent and duration of the Millennium Drought (1997-2009) appears either very much below average or unprecedented in southern Australia over at least the last 400 years. Our reconstruction identifies a number of severe droughts over the past several centuries that vary widely in their spatial footprint, highlighting the high degree of diversity in historical droughts across the Australian continent. We document distinct characteristics of major droughts in terms of their spatial extent, duration, intensity, and seasonality. Compared to the three largest droughts in the instrumental period (Federation Drought

Retinal photography screening programs to prevent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy in rural and urban Australia: a review.

PubMed

Tapp, Robyn J; Svoboda, Jean; Fredericks, Bronwyn; Jackson, A Jonathan; Taylor, Hugh R

2015-02-01

This review assessed the effectiveness of diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening programs, using retinal photography in Australian urban and rural settings, and considered implications for public health strategy and policy. An electronic search of MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase for studies published between 1 January 1996 and the 30 June 2013 was undertaken. Key search terms were "diabetic retinopathy," "screening," "retinal photography" and "Australia." Twelve peer-reviewed publications were identified. The 14 DR screening programs identified from the 12 publications were successfully undertaken in urban, rural and remote communities across Australia. Locations included a pathology collection center, and Indigenous primary health care and Aboriginal community controlled organizations. Each intervention using retinal photography was highly effective at increasing the number of people who underwent screening for DR. The review identified that prior to commencement of the screening programs a median of 48% (range 16-85%) of those screened had not undergone a retinal examination within the recommended time frame (every year for Indigenous people and every 2 years for non-Indigenous people in Australia). A median of 16% (range 0-45%) of study participants had evidence of DR. This review has shown there have been many pilot and demonstration projects in rural and urban Australia that confirm the effectiveness of retinal photography-based screening for DR.

Feeding of prohibited substances (swill) to pigs in Australia.

PubMed

Schembri, N; Hernández-Jover, M; Toribio, J-A; Holyoake, P K

2010-08-01

To assess current swill feeding legislation, swill feeding investigation practices by authorities and feeding practices of pig producers who trade via saleyards in eastern Australia in order to determine levels of understanding and conformance related to current swill feeding legislation. A three-tiered approach was undertaken to gather information on the feeding of prohibited substances (swill) to pigs in Australia. Firstly, a review of swill feeding legislation was undertaken to highlight the commonalities and inconsistencies between the various state and territory legislations in defining swill. Secondly, agricultural authorities were contacted in each state to gather information on swill feeding investigations undertaken in 2006. Finally, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 106 pig producers who traded pigs at one of six saleyards in eastern Australia to ascertain their knowledge of swill feeding and to determine the feeding practices of this sector of the industry. Areas of concern identified included (1) inconsistencies in the feedstuffs classed as 'swill' among states, (2) the number of producers who had been prosecuted for swill feeding in 2006 (n = 4 of 148 inspections), (3) the low knowledge base of producers who sell pigs at saleyards regarding swill feeding, and (4) the types of feedstuffs provided to pigs marketed at saleyards. Our findings highlight the need for a consistent definition for 'swill' across Australian states and for improved awareness of swill feeding among producers, particularly those who market pigs at saleyards.

Rural Empowerment through the Arts: The Role of the Arts in Civic and Social Participation in the Mid West Region of Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHenry, Julia Anwar

2011-01-01

To combat social and economic inequity in rural Australia, governments, communities, and policy makers are seeking ways to empower local residents to find local solutions to local problems. Through an exploratory review of the literature and semi-structured interviews conducted in the Mid West of Western Australia, this research examined the role…

Biogeography of Burkholderia pseudomallei in the Torres Strait Islands of Northern Australia

PubMed Central

Baker, Anthony; Mayo, Mark; Owens, Leigh; Burgess, Graham; Norton, Robert; McBride, William John Hannan; Currie, Bart J.

2013-01-01

It has been hypothesized that biogeographical boundaries are a feature of Burkholderia pseudomallei ecology, and they impact the epidemiology of melioidosis on a global scale. This study examined the relatedness of B. pseudomallei sourced from islands in the Torres Strait of Northern Australia to determine if the geography of isolated island communities is a determinant of the organisms' dispersal. Environmental sampling on Badu Island in the Near Western Island cluster recovered a single clone. An additional 32 clinical isolates from the region were sourced. Isolates were characterized using multilocus sequence typing and a multiplex PCR targeting the flagellum gene cluster. Gene cluster analysis determined that 69% of the isolates from the region encoded the ancestral Burkholderia thailandensis-like flagellum and chemotaxis gene cluster, a proportion significantly lower than that reported from mainland Australia and consistent with observations of isolates from southern Papua New Guinea. A goodness-of-fit test indicated that there was geographic localization of sequence types throughout the archipelago, with the exception of Thursday Island, the economic and cultural hub of the region. Sequence types common to mainland Australia and Papua New Guinea were identified. These findings demonstrate for the first time an environmental reservoir for B. pseudomallei in the Torres Strait, and multilocus sequence typing suggests that the organism is not randomly distributed throughout this region and that seawater may provide a barrier to dispersal of the organism. Moreover, these findings support an anthropogenic dispersal hypothesis for the spread of B. pseudomallei throughout this region. PMID:23698533

What Makes "Good" Literacy and Numeracy Provision? Case Study Research of Regional Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guenther, John

The question of what makes 'good' literacy and numeracy provision was examined by reviewing interview data from a project on the role of vocational education and training that was conducted by the University of Tasmania's Centre for Research and Learning in Regional Australia. The study dataset included the findings from 541 structured interviews…

Professional misconduct: the case of the Medical Board of Australia v Tausif (occupational discipline).

PubMed

Colton, Caroline

2015-03-01

In 2014, the Australian Capital Territory Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (ACAT) made a finding of professional misconduct against a Canberra general practitioner working in two bulk-billing medical practices established by a corporate medical practice service company, Primary Health Care Limited (Medical Board of Australia v Tausif (Occupational Discipline) [2015] ACAT 4). This column analyses that case, particularly in relation to the ACAT finding that the practitioner's professional misconduct was substantially contributed to by an unsafe system of care, specifically, the failure of Primary Health Care to provide supervision and mentoring for clinicians working at its medical centres. The case highlights the professional pressures carried by general practitioners who practise medicine within the framework of corporate bulk-billing business models. The column also examines the related issue of general practitioner co-payments in Australia and their impact on business models built around doctors purportedly characterised as independent contractors, bulk-billing large numbers of patients each day for short consultations.

The prevalence and burden of mental and substance use disorders in Australia: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

PubMed

Ciobanu, Liliana G; Ferrari, Alize J; Erskine, Holly E; Santomauro, Damian F; Charlson, Fiona J; Leung, Janni; Amare, Azmeraw T; Olagunju, Andrew T; Whiteford, Harvey A; Baune, Bernhard T

2018-05-01

Timely and accurate assessments of disease burden are essential for developing effective national health policies. We used the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 to examine burden due to mental and substance use disorders in Australia. For each of the 20 mental and substance use disorders included in Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, systematic reviews of epidemiological data were conducted, and data modelled using a Bayesian meta-regression tool to produce prevalence estimates by age, sex, geography and year. Prevalence for each disorder was then combined with a disorder-specific disability weight to give years lived with disability, as a measure of non-fatal burden. Fatal burden was measured as years of life lost due to premature mortality which were calculated by combining the number of deaths due to a disorder with the life expectancy remaining at the time of death. Disability-adjusted life years were calculated by summing years lived with disability and years of life lost to give a measure of total burden. Uncertainty was calculated around all burden estimates. Mental and substance use disorders were the leading cause of non-fatal burden in Australia in 2015, explaining 24.3% of total years lived with disability, and were the second leading cause of total burden, accounting for 14.6% of total disability-adjusted life years. There was no significant change in the age-standardised disability-adjusted life year rates for mental and substance use disorders from 1990 to 2015. Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 found that mental and substance use disorders were leading contributors to disease burden in Australia. Despite several decades of national reform, the burden of mental and substance use disorders remained largely unchanged between 1990 and 2015. To reduce this burden, effective population-level preventions strategies are required in addition to effective interventions of sufficient duration and coverage.

Solar battery power supply: A reliable power supply system for nursing clinic in Australia`s remote areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zahedi, A.

Design and performance investigation of a new solar-battery system to power health clinics in Australia`s remote and isolated areas is a research project being conducted in the Department. The objective of this paper is to present the solar-battery system and to discuss the design factors of the system.

Northern Australia

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

article title:  Tropical Northern Australia   ... view. Water appears in blue shades in the right image, for example, because glitter makes the water look brighter at the aft camera's view ... MD. The MISR data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center in Hampton, VA. Image ...

Unsettled weather across central Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

In late July 2013, a low pressure system off Australia’s southeast coast and moist onshore winds combined to create unsettled weather across central Australia – and a striking image of a broad cloud band across the stark winter landscape. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image on July 22 at 01:05 UTC (10:35 a.m. Australian Central Standard Time). To the west of the low pressure trough the skies are clear and dry. To the east, the broad band of bright white clouds obscures the landscape. The system brought wind, precipitation and cooler temperatures to the region. The same day as MODIS captured this image, the Naval Research Lab (NRL) published an edition of the Global Storm Tracker (GST), which gave a world-wide view of the low-pressure systems across the world. This tracker shows the entire cloud band across Australia, as well as the location of the low pressure system. A good view of the Storm Tracker is provided by Red Orbit at: www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2013/07/072213-weather-003... Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Video in the Outback: An Evaluation of the Loan Video Programme in Western Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosie, Peter

This study was conducted to examine the reactions of children, parents, and teachers to the Loan Video Programme in Western Australia, which supplies videocassette recordings of the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) school broadcasts to primary Distance Education Centre and School of the Air students in remote locations. Findings reported…

Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The Great Barrier Reef of Queensland, Australia extends for roughly 2,000 km along the northeast coast of Australia and is made up of thousands of individual reefs which define the edge of the Continental shelf. Swan Reef, the southern part of the reef system, is seen in this view. Water depths around the reefs are quite shallow (less than 1 to 36 meters) but only a few kilometers offshore, water depths can reach 1,000 meters.

Policy and Indigenous Languages in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKay, Graham

2011-01-01

The use of Indigenous languages has been declining over the period of non-Aboriginal settlement in Australia as a result of repressive policies, both explicit and implicit. The National Policy on Languages (Lo Bianco, 1987) was the high point of language policy in Australia, given its national scope and status and its attempt to encompass all…

Action toward wilderness protection in Australia

Treesearch

Keith Muir

2007-01-01

In 1992, a National Forest Policy Statement created a political opportunity to protect wilderness across Australia. The following decade saw over a million hectares of wilderness reserved in the state of New South Wales (NSW) but, until recently, little progress was made elsewhere in Australia. The success in NSW, as opposed to other states, can largely be attributed...

Internationalization in Australia and Canada: Lessons for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Kelly

2014-01-01

This paper examines the internationalization of postsecondary education in Australia and Canada. The author discusses the contextual similarities and differences between the two countries, the shifting rationale "from aid to trade" behind Australia's internationalization attempts and some of the reasons for Australia's success.…

The National Television Violence Study: Key Findings and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young Children, 1996

1996-01-01

Summarizes findings of the Television Violence Study indicating that the context of much television violence is dangerous to viewers, perpetrators go unpunished in the majority of programs, negative consequences of violence are often ignored, guns feature prominently, and presentation of violence differs greatly across networks and across…

Fundamental finite key limits for one-way information reconciliation in quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomamichel, Marco; Martinez-Mateo, Jesus; Pacher, Christoph; Elkouss, David

2017-11-01

The security of quantum key distribution protocols is guaranteed by the laws of quantum mechanics. However, a precise analysis of the security properties requires tools from both classical cryptography and information theory. Here, we employ recent results in non-asymptotic classical information theory to show that one-way information reconciliation imposes fundamental limitations on the amount of secret key that can be extracted in the finite key regime. In particular, we find that an often used approximation for the information leakage during information reconciliation is not generally valid. We propose an improved approximation that takes into account finite key effects and numerically test it against codes for two probability distributions, that we call binary-binary and binary-Gaussian, that typically appear in quantum key distribution protocols.

Prevalence of koala retrovirus in geographically diverse populations in Australia.

PubMed

Simmons, G S; Young, P R; Hanger, J J; Jones, K; Clarke, D; McKee, J J; Meers, J

2012-10-01

To determine the prevalence of koala retrovirus (KoRV) in selected koala populations and to estimate proviral copy number in a subset of koalas. Blood or tissue samples from 708 koalas in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia were tested for KoRV pol provirus gene using standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nested PCR and real-time PCR (qPCR). Prevalence of KoRV provirus-positive koalas was 100% in four regions of Queensland and New South Wales, 72.2% in mainland Victoria, 26.6% on four Victorian islands and 14.8% on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Estimated proviral copy number per cell in four groups of koalas from Queensland and Victoria showed marked variation, ranging from a mean of 165 copies per cell in the Queensland group to 1.29 × 10(-4) copies per cell in one group of Victorian koalas. The higher prevalence of KoRV-positive koalas in the north of Australia and high proviral loads in Queensland koalas may indicate KoRV entered and became endogenous in the north and is spreading southwards. It is also possible there are genetic differences between koalas in northern and southern Australia that affect susceptibility to KoRV infection or endogenisation, or that environmental factors affecting transmission in northern states are absent or uncommon in southern regions. Although further studies are required, the finding of proviral copy numbers orders of magnitude lower than what would be expected for the presence of a single copy in every cell for many Victorian animals suggests that KoRV is not endogenous in these animals and likely reflects ongoing exogenous infection. © 2012 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2012 Australian Veterinary Association.

Instantaneous deformation and kinematics of the India-Australia Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delescluse, Matthias; Chamot-Rooke, Nicolas

2007-02-01

Active intraplate deformation of the India-Australia Plate is now being captured by far-field global positioning system (GPS) measurements as well as measurements on a few islands located within the deforming zone itself. In this paper, we combine global and regional geodetic solutions with focal mechanisms of earthquakes to derive the present-day strain field of the India-Australia Plate. We first compile an updated catalogue of 131 Indian intraplate earthquakes (M > 5) spanning the period between the two Asian mega earthquakes of Assam 1897 and Sumatra 2004. Using Haines and Holt's numerical approach applied to a fully deformable India-Australia Plate, we show that the use of GPS data only or earthquakes data only has severe drawbacks, related, respectively, to the small number of stations and the incompleteness of the earthquakes catalogue. The combined solution avoids underestimation of the strain inherent to the Kostrov summation of seismic moments and provides details that cannot be reached by pure GPS modelling. We further explore the role of heterogeneity of the India-Australia Plate and find that the best model, in terms of geodetic vectors fit, relative distribution of strain, style and direction of principal strain from earthquakes, is obtained using the surface heat-flow as a proxy for rheological weakness of the oceanic lithosphere. The present-day deformation is distributed around the Afanasy Nikitin Chain in the Central Indian Basin (CIB)-where it is almost pure shortening-and within the Wharton Basin (WB) off Sumatra-where it is almost pure lateral strike-slip. The northern portion of NinetyEast ridge (NyR) appears as a major discontinuity for both strain and velocity. The new velocity field gives an India/Australia rotation pole located at 11.3°S, 72.8°E (-0.301°Myr-1) overlapping with previous solutions, with continental India moving eastward at rates ranging from 13 mm yr-1 (southern India) to 26 mm yr-1 (northern India) with respect to

Recent Trends in General Education Design, Learning Outcomes, and Teaching Approaches. Key Findings from a Survey among Administrators at AAC&U Member Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2016

2016-01-01

This report summarizes key findings from a national survey among chief academic officers at Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) member institutions and explores how institutions are defining common learning outcomes, trends related to general education design and the use of emerging, evidence-based teach­ing and learning…

Strategies for Employee Learning in Professional Service Firms: A Study of Community Pharmacies in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotey, Bernice; Saini, Bandana; While, Lesley

2011-01-01

The study investigated employee learning strategies in community pharmacies in Australia and the factors that explain differences among pharmacies in the strategies employed. A qualitative methodology was applied, involving semi-structured interviews with owners, managers, or senior employees of 12 pharmacies. The findings revealed learning…

Political economy and population health: is Australia exceptional?

PubMed Central

Boxall, Anne-marie; Short, Stephanie D

2006-01-01

Background It is accepted knowledge that social and economic conditions – like education and income – affect population health. What remains uncertain is whether the degree of inequality in these conditions influences population health and if so, how. Some researchers who argue that inequalities are important, say there is a relationship between political economy, inequality and population health. Their evidence comes from comparative studies showing that countries with neo-liberal political economies generally have poorer population health outcomes than those with social or Christian democratic political economies. According to these researchers, neo-liberal political economies adopt labour market and welfare state policies that lead to greater levels of inequality and poorer population health outcomes for us all. Discussion Australia has experienced considerable social and economic reforms over the last 20 years, with both major political parties increasingly adopting neo-liberal policies. Despite these reforms, population health outcomes are amongst the best in the world. Summary Australia appears to contest theories suggesting a link between political economy and population health. To progress our understanding, researchers need to concentrate on policy areas outside health – such as welfare, economics and industrial relations. We need to do longitudinal studies on how reforms in these areas affect levels of social and economic inequality, as well population health. We need to draw on social scientific methods, especially concerning case selection, to advance our understanding of casual relationships in policy studies. It is important to find out if, and why, Australia has resisted the affects of neo-liberalism on population health so we ensure our high standards are maintained in the future. PMID:16737549

Estimating Foodborne Gastroenteritis, Australia

PubMed Central

Kirk, Martyn D.; Becker, Niels; Gregory, Joy E.; Unicomb, Leanne; Millard, Geoffrey; Stafford, Russell; Lalor, Karin

2005-01-01

We estimated for Australia the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to foodborne gastroenteritis in a typical year, circa 2000. The total amount of infectious gastroenteritis was measured by using a national telephone survey. The foodborne proportion was estimated from Australian data on each of 16 pathogens. To account for uncertainty, we used simulation techniques to calculate 95% credibility intervals (CrI). The estimate of incidence of gastroenteritis in Australia is 17.2 million (95% confidence interval 14.5–19.9 million) cases per year. We estimate that 32% (95% CrI 24%–40%) are foodborne, which equals 0.3 (95% CrI 0.2–0.4) episodes per person, or 5.4 million (95% CrI 4.0–6.9 million) cases annually in Australia. Norovirus, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. cause the most illnesses. In addition, foodborne gastroenteritis causes ≈15,000 (95% CrI 11,000–18,000) hospitalizations and 80 (95% CrI 40–120) deaths annually. This study highlights global public health concerns about foodborne diseases and the need for standardized methods, including assessment of uncertainty, for international comparison. PMID:16102316

Surviving neoliberalism, maintaining values: Community health mergers in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Roussy, Véronique; Livingstone, Charles

2018-04-01

Independent, not-for-profit community health services in the state of Victoria, Australia, provide one of that country's few models of comprehensive primary health care (PHC). Recent amalgamations among some such agencies created regional-sized community health organisations, in a departure from this sector's traditionally small local structure. This study explored the motivations, desired outcomes, and decision-making process behind these mergers. Qualitative exploratory study was based on 26 semistructured interviews with key informants associated with 2 community health mergers, which took place in 2014 in Victoria, Australia. Thematic data analysis was influenced by concepts derived from institutional theory. Becoming bigger by merging was viewed as the best way to respond to mounting external pressures, such as increasingly neoliberal funding mechanisms, perceived as threatening survival. Desired outcomes were driven by comprehensive PHC values, and related to creating organisational capacity to continue providing quality services to disadvantaged communities. This study offers insights into decision-making processes geared towards protecting the comprehensiveness of PHC service delivery for disadvantaged communities, ensuring financial viability, and surviving neoliberal economic policy whilst preserving communitarian values. These are relevant to an international audience, within a global context of rising health inequities, increasingly tight fiscal environments, and growing neoliberal influences on health policymaking and funding. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Southern Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

South-central Australia is home to several deserts, including the Simpson Desert, whose reddish-orange sands are seen in the upper left quadrant of this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from July 1, 2002. Several impermanent, salty, lakes stand whitely out against the arid terrain. The largest is North Lake Eyre, southwest of center. At bottom center, Spencer Gulf separates the triangular Eyre Peninsula from the Yorke Peninsula. The Gulf of St. Vincent separates Yorke Peninsula from the mainland. In Spencer Gulf, colorful blue-green swirls indicate the presence of a bloom of marine plants called phytoplankton, whose brightly colored photosynthetic pigments stain the water. Water quality in the Gulf is an ongoing problem for Australia, as irrigation projects have diverted the already small flow of freshwater that empties into the Gulf. Other problems include contamination with pesticides and agricultural and residential fertilizer. On both the Eyre Peninsula and in the Victoria Territory to the east of Spencer Gulf, dark-colored rectangles show the boundaries of parks and nature preserves where the natural, drought-tolerant vegetation thrives.

A new skink (Scincidae: Saproscincus) from rocky rainforest habitat on Cape Melville, north-east Australia.

PubMed

Hoskin, Conrad J

2013-01-01

Saproscincus skinks are restricted to wet forest habitats of eastern Australia. Eleven species have previously been described, with most having small distributions in disjunct areas of subtropical and tropical rainforest. The localized distributions and specific habitat requirements of Saproscincus have made them a key group for understanding the biogeographic history of Australia's rainforests. Here I describe a new species of Saproscincus from the Melville Range on Cape Melville, north-east Australia. The Melville Range is composed of boulder-fields and areas of rainforest in the uplands, and is highly isolated from other areas of elevated rainforest. All individuals of the new species were found on a moist ridgeline, active on boulders under a rainforest canopy or on boulder-field immediately adjacent to rainforest. Saproscincus saltus sp. nov. is highly distinct in morphology and colour pattern. Of particular interest are its long limbs and digits compared to congeners, which in conjunction with the observed ecology, suggest a long history of association with rock. The discovery of S. saltus sp. nov. extends the distribution of the genus over 100 km north from the nearest congeners in the Wet Tropics region. This species brings the number of vertebrates known to be endemic to the Melville Range to six, which is remarkable for such a small area.

Biodiversity in Australia: What, Where, and for How Long?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panizzon, Debra; Boulton, Andrew

2000-01-01

Australia's most serious environmental problem is the loss of biological diversity, or biodiversity. Australia harbors much of the world's species diversity and has remarkably high numbers of endemic species. Reviews current threats to biodiversity and efforts to protect and enhance it in Australia. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/ASK)

Rethinking "Commercial" Surrogacy in Australia.

PubMed

Millbank, Jenni

2015-09-01

This article proposes reconsideration of laws prohibiting paid surrogacy in Australia in light of increasing transnational commercial surrogacy. The social science evidence base concerning domestic surrogacy in developed economies demonstrates that payment alone cannot be used to differentiate "good" surrogacy arrangements from "bad" ones. Compensated domestic surrogacy and the introduction of professional intermediaries and mechanisms such as advertising are proposed as a feasible harm-minimisation approach. I contend that Australia can learn from commercial surrogacy practices elsewhere, without replicating them.

Veterinary infection control in Australia: is there control?

PubMed

Attard, K; Burrows, E; Kotiranta-Harris, K; Hedlefs, R; Ketheesan, N; Govan, B

2012-11-01

There is little information relating to infection control procedures in Australian veterinary practices. This review summarises the findings of international studies in the area of zoonoses and infection control, and discusses potential reasons for the apparent complacency about these issues in veterinary practice. It is the authors' opinion that legislative changes governing veterinary practice in Australia should be implemented. The curricula in veterinary schools should also emphasise infection control. These measures would significantly improve safety issues associated with the control of zoonoses in veterinary practice. © 2012 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2012 Australian Veterinary Association.

Young People and the Environment in Australia: Beliefs, Knowledge, Commitment and Educational Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Sharon; Fien, John; Sykes, Helen; Yencken, David

2014-01-01

There is a paucity of research in Australia on the nature of young people's attitudes, knowledge and actions. This paper reports on the findings from one such study of Australian high school students. The research was based on a survey of 5,688 students form Melbourne and Brisbane. These young people identified protection of the environment as the…

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and youth justice: a prevalence study among young people sentenced to detention in Western Australia

PubMed Central

Watkins, Rochelle E; Marriott, Rhonda; Freeman, Jacinta; Kippin, Natalie R; Safe, Bernadette; Pestell, Carmela; Cheung, Candy S C; Shield, Helen; Tarratt, Lodewicka; Springall, Alex; Taylor, Jasmine; Walker, Noni; Argiro, Emma; Leitão, Suze; Hamilton, Sharynne; Condon, Carmen; Passmore, Hayley M

2018-01-01

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) among young people in youth detention in Australia. Neurodevelopmental impairments due to FASD can predispose young people to engagement with the law. Canadian studies identified FASD in 11%–23% of young people in corrective services, but there are no data for Australia. Design Multidisciplinary assessment of all young people aged 10–17 years 11 months and sentenced to detention in the only youth detention centre in Western Australia, from May 2015 to December 2016. FASD was diagnosed according to the Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD. Participants 99 young people completed a full assessment (88% of those consented; 60% of the 166 approached to participate); 93% were male and 74% were Aboriginal. Findings 88 young people (89%) had at least one domain of severe neurodevelopmental impairment, and 36 were diagnosed with FASD, a prevalence of 36% (95% CI 27% to 46%). Conclusions This study, in a representative sample of young people in detention in Western Australia, has documented a high prevalence of FASD and severe neurodevelopmental impairment, the majority of which had not been previously identified. These findings highlight the vulnerability of young people, particularly Aboriginal youth, within the justice system and their significant need for improved diagnosis to identify their strengths and difficulties, and to guide and improve their rehabilitation. PMID:29440216

A right to die? Euthanasia and the law in Australia.

PubMed

Bartels, Lorana; Otlowski, Margaret

2010-02-01

This article examines the legal regulation of active voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide in Australia. The Dying with Dignity Bill 2009 (Tas), which was recently defeated by the Tasmanian Parliament, is discussed, as well as other jurisdictions' past and present legislative developments in this context. The recent case law is also considered to ascertain how "mercy killing" or assisted suicide cases are dealt with by the criminal justice system, with particular reference to the case of R v Justins [2008] NSWSC 1194. This is followed by a critical evaluation of the key arguments for and against euthanasia. The article concludes by examining the significance of the Tasmanian Bill and the implications of such legislation.

Human health effects of dichloromethane: key findings and scientific issues.

PubMed

Schlosser, Paul M; Bale, Ambuja S; Gibbons, Catherine F; Wilkins, Amina; Cooper, Glinda S

2015-02-01

The U.S. EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) completed an updated toxicological review of dichloromethane in November 2011. In this commentary we summarize key results and issues of this review, including exposure sources, identification of potential health effects, and updated physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling. We performed a comprehensive review of primary research studies and evaluation of PBPK models. Hepatotoxicity was observed in oral and inhalation exposure studies in several studies in animals; neurological effects were also identified as a potential area of concern. Dichloromethane was classified as likely to be carcinogenic in humans based primarily on evidence of carcinogenicity at two sites (liver and lung) in male and female B6C3F1 mice (inhalation exposure) and at one site (liver) in male B6C3F1 mice (drinking-water exposure). Recent epidemiologic studies of dichloromethane (seven studies of hematopoietic cancers published since 2000) provide additional data raising concerns about associations with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Although there are gaps in the database for dichloromethane genotoxicity (i.e., DNA adduct formation and gene mutations in target tissues in vivo), the positive DNA damage assays correlated with tissue and/or species availability of functional glutathione S-transferase (GST) metabolic activity, the key activation pathway for dichloromethane-induced cancer. Innovations in the IRIS assessment include estimation of cancer risk specifically for a presumed sensitive genotype (GST-theta-1+/+), and PBPK modeling accounting for human physiological distributions based on the expected distribution for all individuals 6 months to 80 years of age. The 2011 IRIS assessment of dichloromethane provides insights into the toxicity of a commonly used solvent.

New Genetic and Linguistic Analyses Show Ancient Human Influence on Baobab Evolution and Distribution in Australia

PubMed Central

Rangan, Haripriya; Bell, Karen L.; Baum, David A.; Fowler, Rachael; McConvell, Patrick; Saunders, Thomas; Spronck, Stef; Kull, Christian A.; Murphy, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the role of human agency in the gene flow and geographical distribution of the Australian baobab, Adansonia gregorii. The genus Adansonia is a charismatic tree endemic to Africa, Madagascar, and northwest Australia that has long been valued by humans for its multiple uses. The distribution of genetic variation in baobabs in Africa has been partially attributed to human-mediated dispersal over millennia, but this relationship has never been investigated for the Australian species. We combined genetic and linguistic data to analyse geographic patterns of gene flow and movement of word-forms for A. gregorii in the Aboriginal languages of northwest Australia. Comprehensive assessment of genetic diversity showed weak geographic structure and high gene flow. Of potential dispersal vectors, humans were identified as most likely to have enabled gene flow across biogeographic barriers in northwest Australia. Genetic-linguistic analysis demonstrated congruence of gene flow patterns and directional movement of Aboriginal loanwords for A. gregorii. These findings, along with previous archaeobotanical evidence from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene, suggest that ancient humans significantly influenced the geographic distribution of Adansonia in northwest Australia. PMID:25830225

Weipa, Queensland, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-21

This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows the world largest bauxite mine found near Weipa, Queensland, Australia. The rich aluminum deposits were first recognized on the end of the Cape York Peninsula in 1955, and mining began in 1960.

Top-down Estimates of Isoprene Emissions in Australia Inferred from OMI Satellite Data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, J.; Fisher, J. A.; Surl, L.; Palmer, P. I.

2017-12-01

Australia is a global hotspot for biogenic isoprene emission factors predicted by process-based models such as the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN). It is also prone to increasingly frequent temperature extremes that can drive episodically high emissions. Estimates of biogenic isoprene emissions from Australia are poorly constrained, with the frequently used MEGAN model overestimating emissions by a factor of 4-6 in some areas. Evaluating MEGAN and other models in Australia is difficult due to sparse measurements of emissions and their ensuing chemical products. In this talk, we will describe efforts to better quantify Australian isoprene emissions using top-down estimates based on formaldehyde (HCHO) observations from the OMI satellite instrument, combined with modelled isoprene to HCHO yields obtained from the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model. The OMI-based estimates are evaluated using in situ observations from field campaigns conducted in southeast Australia. We also investigate the impact on the inferred emission of horizontal resolution used for the yield calculations, particularly in regions on the boundary between low- and high-NOx chemistry. The prevalence of fire smoke plumes roughly halves the available satellite dataset over Australia for much of the year; however, seasonal averages remain robust. Preliminary results show that the top-down isoprene emissions are lower than MEGAN estimates by up to 90% in summer. The overestimates are greatest along the eastern coast, including areas surrounding Australia's major population centres in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The coarse horizontal resolution of the model significantly affects the emissions estimates, as many biogenic emitting regions lie along narrow coastal stretches. Our results confirm previous findings that the MEGAN biogenic emission model is poorly calibrated for the Australian environment and suggests that chemical transport models driven by MEGAN are likely

The sexual behaviour of British backpackers in Australia.

PubMed

Hughes, K; Downing, J; Bellis, M A; Dillon, P; Copeland, J

2009-10-01

To explore sexual behaviour and risk-taking among British backpackers in Australia and to investigate the influence of substance use and social settings on sexual behaviour abroad. A cross-sectional design was used. The questionnaire gathered information on sexual and substance use behaviour in the 12 months prior to leaving the UK and during backpackers' stays in Australia. A total of 1008 backpackers, recruited in hostels in Sydney and Cairns, were included in the study. In total, 73.2% had sex during their stay in Australia, including 68.9% of those who arrived without a partner. Across all backpackers, mean number of sexual partners increased from 0.3 per 4-week period in the UK in the 12 months prior to the trip to 1.0 per 4-week period spent in Australia. Over a third (39.7%) had multiple partners in Australia, increasing to 45.7% in those arriving single. Of those arriving single and having sex, 40.9% reported inconsistent condom use and 24.0% had unprotected sex with multiple partners. Number of sexual partners in the UK, length of stay in Australia at time of interview, planned length of stay, frequent visits to bars/clubs, high frequency of alcohol intake and use of illicit substances in Australia were indicators for risky sexual behaviour. Backpackers are at high risk of sexually transmitted infections and other negative sexual health outcomes. Multi-agency sexual health promotion strategies that address the relationship between sex, drugs and alcohol should be targeted at backpackers prior to, and during, their travels.

Sleep Disordered Breathing and Polysomnography in Australia: Trends in Provision from 2005 to 2012 and the Impact of Home-Based Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Woods, Cindy E.; Usher, Kim J.; Jersmann, Hubertus; Maguire, Graeme Paul

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: To describe the growth of publicly funded polysomnography (PSG) in Australia since 2004 and to compare this with earlier growth. Methods: Longitudinal census-level data stratified by jurisdiction were retrieved from the Medicare Australia online database. Results: There has been a near doubling in provision of PSG since the introduction of publicly funded in-home PSG under the Australian national Medicare program available to all Australian citizens in 2008. Overall annual PSG rates have risen from 339 in 2005 to 608 in 2012 per 100,000. This growth has exceeded that of comparable diagnostic procedures and all Medicare services overall. Queensland remains the leading jurisdiction per 100,000 Medicare enrollees for accessing Medicare-funded PSG. Conclusion: The continued growth in publicly funded PSG provision in Australia is unlikely to abate. The disparity in Australia between the estimated prevalence of sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnea, and the number of people having PSGs would suggest there remain a large number of undiagnosed cases. Support for the development of appropriate diagnostic and screening algorithms will be key in ensuring sustainable, effective, efficient, and accessible PSG services. Citation: Woods CE, Usher KJ, Jersmann H, Maguire GP. Sleep disordered breathing and polysomnography in Australia: trends in provision from 2005 to 2012 and the impact of home-based diagnosis. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(7):767-772. PMID:25024654

The Acraman impact and its widespread ejecta, South Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gostin, V. A.; Keays, R. R.; Wallace, M. W.

1992-01-01

Discovery of a widespread horizon of shock-deformed volcaniclastic ejecta preserved in Late Proterozoic (approx. 600 Ma) shales in South Australia and its probable link to the Acraman impact structure in the Middle Proterozoic Gawler Range. Volcanics provide a rare opportunity to study the effects of a major terrestrial impact, including the sedimentology and distribution of an ejecta blanket and its precious-metal signature. The ejecta horizon occurs in the Bunyeroo Formation at many localities within the Adelaide Geosyncline, including the Wearing Hills, which are approx. 350 km northeast of the Acraman impact site. Following a search at the same stratigraphic level in other basins in South Australia, the ejecta has been located within the Lower Rodda beds of the Officer Basin, extending the limits of the ejecta to approx. 470 km northwest of the Acraman impact structure. The ejecta is therefore widely dispersed, and provides an important chronostratigraphic marker enabling precise correlation of Late Proterozoic sequences in southern Australia. In summary, the Bunyeroo ejecta is unique as the only known example of a widely dispersed, coarse-grained ejecta blanket that is, moreover, strongly linked to a known major impact structure. The marked Ir-PGE anomalies in the ejecta horizon provide support for the hypothesis that meteorite impact events can produce Ir anomalies interrestrial sediments. The findings also indicate that Ir can be mobilized and concentrated in sediments by low-temperature diagenetic processes. The identification of ejecta horizons in sedimentary rocks therefore should be based on the coincidence of shock-metamorphic features in the detritus and clear Ir anomalies.

Health seeking narratives of unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne Australia.

PubMed

Samuel, Sophia; Advocat, Jenny; Russell, Grant

2018-03-01

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are among the largest group of refugees to resettle in Australia in the last decade. The aim of this study is to characterise the narratives of health-seeking among unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological perspective, we conducted in-depth interviews in Tamil and English with 12 participants who identified as being unwell for 6 months or more. Findings revealed three narratives of health-seeking: the search for the 'good life' that was lost or never experienced, seeking help from familiar channels in an unfamiliar context, and the desire for financial and occupational independence. These three narratives are undergirded by the metanarrative of a hope-filled recovery. These narratives of Tamil refugees' lived experience provide new insights into clinical care and health service delivery.

What caused the recent reduction in heroin supply in Australia?

PubMed

Wodak, Alex

2008-08-01

Heroin availability and purity decreased and prices increased in Australia suddenly in early 2001. The heroin market in Australia has still not returned to the status quo ante after more than six years. Benefits of the heroin shortage, including a substantial reduction in drug overdose deaths and property crime, are generally considered to have outweighed adverse effects which included increased use of other drugs, especially stimulants, with a subsequent increase in aggression, violence and mental illness. Some commentators attributed the heroin shortage to a combination of factors, while an influential study highlighted the importance of supply control asserting that increased funding and improved effectiveness of domestic drug law enforcement produced critical heroin seizures which disrupted major syndicates, thereby producing the heroin shortage. Evidence to support a critical role for drug law enforcement in the heroin shortage is weak with some recent evidence contradicting key assertions used to support the supply control hypothesis. Although the most likely interpretation is still a combination of multiple factors, the most important factors appear to have been a substantial recent reduction in source opium cultivation and heroin production in Burma, but probably also increased heroin consumption en route through China and a switch from heroin to amphetamine production in Burma. This interpretation is consistent with the international experience of several recent decades in numerous countries where national heroin shortages have occurred rarely and generally only briefly, notwithstanding vigorous and very well resourced supply control efforts. The recent reduction in heroin supply in Australia, the most severe, longest lasting and best-documented heroin shortage in the world, cannot be confidently attributed, solely or largely, to improved domestic drug law enforcement. At best, domestic law enforcement may have made a small contribution compared to several

Medicine shortages in Australia: causes, impact and management strategies in the community setting.

PubMed

Tan, Yee Xi; Moles, Rebekah J; Chaar, Betty B

2016-10-01

Background Medicine shortages are an ongoing global problem. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) dedicated a website for monitoring of medicine shortages in Australia in May 2014, as part of the Medicine Shortage Information Initiative. This study aimed to explore the views of pharmacists regarding medicine shortages in the community setting and the impact of the TGA website in Australia. Setting Community pharmacies in New South Wales, Australia. Method Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with community pharmacists. Data collected were analysed thematically utilising the framework analysis method. Main outcome measure Qualitative analysis conducted using the framework approach. Results Findings clearly indicated that medicine shortages were experienced on a regular basis, but most participants were unaware of the TGA website. Medicine shortages reportedly impacted both pharmacists and consumers; and various workarounds were undertaken to manage the issue. The "price disclosure policy" was found to be a prominent contributing factor in emerging shortages. Suggestions were made for ways to improve the growing occurrence of shortages. Conclusion Overall, the study found that there was a lack of familiarity with the TGA website, despite experiencing regular shortages of medicines in practice. Also highlighted, was the importance of pharmacists prioritising patient care over business decisions. To reduce prescribing of out-of-stock medicines notifying doctors about shortages was also considered important, to allow for early action to be taken at higher levels of the supply chain. Findings of this study may help direct future policy-making around the world, as medicine shortages is a problem shared by healthcare providers in most countries around the world.

Lessons Learned from Australia: A science-based policy approach to manage California's Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, M. M.; Froend, R.; Howard, J.

2016-12-01

New requirements under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) requires local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to identify Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) and consider the interests of environmental beneficial uses and users of groundwater when developing their Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Most local water agencies will be identifying and considering GDEs for the first time under SGMA, and will find this challenging due to a lack of in-house biological and ecologic expertise. Uncertainty around what management triggers and thresholds are needed to prevent harm to GDEs is not only endemic to California, but also worldwide due to a lack of science at the intersection of hydrology and ecology. Australia has, however, has done an exceptional job at reducing uncertainty when selecting management triggers and thresholds for GDEs in their water management plans. This has been achieved by integrating risk assessment into an adaptive management framework that uses monitoring programs to inform management strategies. This "learn by doing" approach has helped close knowledge gaps needed to manage GDEs in response to Australia's national sustainable water management legislation. The two main objectives of this paper are to: 1) synthesize Australia's adaptive management approach of GDEs in state water plans, and 2) highlight opportunities for knowledge transfer from Australia into the California context.

The Life Story Experience of "Migrant Dentists" in Australia: Potential Implications for Health Workforce Governance and International Cooperation.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, Madhan; Spencer, A John; Short, Stephanie D; Watkins, Keith; Chrisopoulos, Sergio; Brennan, David S

2016-10-10

The migration of dentists is a major policy challenge facing both developing and developed countries. Dentists from over 120 countries migrate to Australia, and a large proportion are from developing countries. The aim of the study was to assess the life story experience (LSE) of migrant dentists in Australia, in order to address key policy challenges facing dentist migration. A national survey of all migrant dentists resident in Australia was conducted in 2013. Migrant experiences were assessed through a suite of LSE scales, developed through a qualitative-quantitative study. Respondents rated experiences using a five-point Likert scale. A total of 1022 migrant dentists responded to the survey (response rate = 54.5%). LSE1 (health system and general lifestyle concerns in home country), LSE2 (appreciation towards Australian way of life) and LSE3 (settlement concerns in Australia) scales varied by migrant dentist groups, sex, and years since arrival to Australia (chi-square, P < .05). In a logistic regression model, migrants mainly from developing countries (ie, the examination pathway group) faced greater health system and general lifestyle concerns in their home countries (9.32; 3.51-24.72) and greater settlement challenges in Australia (5.39; 3.51-8.28), compared to migrants from well-developed countries, who obtained direct recognition of qualifications. Migrants also are more appreciative towards the Australian way of life if they had lived at least ten years in Australia (1.97; 1.27-3.05), compared to migrants who have lived for less than ten years. Migrant dentists, mainly from developing countries, face challenges both in their home countries and in Australia. Our study offers evidence for multi-level health workforce governance and calls for greater consensus towards an international agenda to address dentist migration. Better integration of dentist migration with the mainstream health workforce governance is a viable and opportunistic way forward. © 2017

Do Disadvantaged Students Get Less Effective Teaching? Key Findings from Recent Institute of Education Sciences Studies. NCEE Evaluation Brief. Technical Appendix. NCEE 2014-4010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Max, Jeffrey; Glazerman, Steven

2014-01-01

This document represents the technical appendix intended to accompany "Do Disadvantaged Students Get Less Effective Teaching? Key Findings from Recent Institute of Education Sciences Studies. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4010." Contents include: (1) Summary of Related, Non-Peer-Reviewed Studies; (2) Methods for Comparing Findings…

Educational Technology in Australia: Origins, Status, Prospects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Brian N.

1989-01-01

Discusses the field of educational technology and describes the evolution of the field in Australia. Definitions of educational technology are offered, the influence of computers is discussed, student attitudes toward educational technology in Australia are described, and prospects for the future are suggested. (10 references) (LRW)

Science Engagement and Literacy: A retrospective analysis for students in Canada and Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woods-McConney, Amanda; Colette Oliver, Mary; McConney, Andrew; Schibeci, Renato; Maor, Dorit

2014-07-01

Given international concerns about students' pursuit (or more correctly, non-pursuit) of courses and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, this study is about achieving a better understanding of factors related to high school students' engagement in science. The study builds on previous secondary analyses of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) datasets for New Zealand and Australia. For the current study, we compared patterns of science engagement and science literacy for male and female students in Canada and Australia. The study's secondary analysis revealed that for all PISA measures included under the conceptual umbrella of engagement in science (i.e. interest, enjoyment, valuing, self-efficacy, self-concept and motivation), 15-year-old students in Australia lagged their Canadian counterparts to varying, albeit modest, degrees. Our retrospective analysis further shows, however, that gender equity in science engagement and science literacy is evident in both Canadian and Australian contexts. Additionally, and consistent with our previous findings for indigenous and non-indigenous students in New Zealand and Australia, we found that for male and female students in both countries, the factor most strongly associated with variations in engagement in science was the extent to which students participate in science activities outside of school. In contrast, and again for both Canadian and Australian students, the factors most strongly associated with science literacy were students' socioeconomic backgrounds, and the amount of formal time spent doing science. The implications of these results for science educators and researchers are discussed.

The intention to continue nursing: work variables affecting three nurse generations in Australia.

PubMed

Shacklock, Kate; Brunetto, Yvonne

2012-01-01

The aims of the study were to examine how seven variables impacted upon the intention of hospital nurses to continue working as nurses and to investigate whether there are generational differences in these impacts. There is a critical shortage of trained nurses working as nurses in Australia, as in many other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries. The retention of nurses has been examined from the traditional management perspectives; however, this paper presents a different approach (Meaning of Working theory). A self-report survey of 900 nurses employed across four states of Australia was completed in 2008. The sample was hospital nurses in Australia from three generational cohorts - Baby Boomers (born in Australia between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (1965-1979) and Generation Y (1980-2000). Six variables were found to influence the combined nurses' intentions to continue working as nurses: work-family conflict, perceptions of autonomy, attachment to work, importance of working to the individual, supervisor-subordinate relationship and interpersonal relationships at work. There were differences in the variables affecting the three generations, but attachment to work was the only common variable across all generations, affecting GenYs the strongest. The shortage of nurses is conceptualized differently in this paper to assist in finding solutions. However, the results varied for the three generations, suggesting the need to tailor different retention strategies to each age group. Implications for management and policy planning are discussed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The remittances of migrant Tongan and Samoan nurses from Australia

PubMed Central

Connell, John; Brown, Richard PC

2004-01-01

Background Migration and remittances are of considerable importance in the small Pacific island states. There has been a significant migration of skilled health workers in recent decades to metropolitan fringe states, including Australia and New Zealand. This paper reports the findings of a re-analysis of survey of Samoan and Tongan migrants in Australia where the sample is split between nurse households and others. Methods The study analyzes the survey data with a view to comparing the remittance behaviour and determinants of remittances for nurses and other migrant households, using both descriptive, cross-tabulations and appropriate econometric methods. Results It is found that a significantly higher proportion of nurse households sent remittances home, and, on average remitted more. Remittances of nurse households did not decline significantly over time contrary to what has generally been predicted. This was in contrast to other migrant households in the sample, for whom remittances showed a sharp decline after 15 years absence. Remittances contribute much more to the income of migrant sending countries, than the cost of the additional human capital in nurse training. Conclusions Given the shortage of nurses in Australia and New Zealand, and therefore the high demand for immigrant nurses, investment by Pacific island governments and families in nurse training constitutes a rational use of economic resources. Policies encouraging investment in home countries may be more effective than policies directly discouraging brain drain in contributing to national development. PMID:15078577

Integrating deep Earth dynamics in paleogeographic reconstructions of Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heine, Christian; Müller, R. Dietmar; Steinberger, Bernhard; DiCaprio, Lydia

2010-03-01

It is well documented that the Cenozoic progressive flooding of Australia, contemporaneous with a eustatic sea level fall, requires a downward tilting of the Australian Plate towards the SE Asian subduction system. Previously, this large-scale, mantle-convection driven dynamic topography effect has been approximated by computing the time-dependent vertical shifts and tilts of a plane, but the observed subsidence and uplift anomalies indicate a more complex interplay between time-dependent mantle convection and plate motion. We combine plate kinematics with a global mantle backward-advection model based on shear-wave mantle tomography, paleogeographic data, eustatic sea level estimates and basin stratigraphy to reconstruct the Australian flooding history for the last 70 Myrs on a continental scale. We compute time-dependent dynamic surface topography and continental inundation of a digital elevation model adjusted for sediment accumulation. Our model reveals two evolving dynamic topography lows, over which the Australian plate has progressively moved. We interpret the southern low to be caused by sinking slab material with an origin along the eastern Gondwana subduction zone in the Cretaceous, whereas the northern low, which first straddles northern Australia in the Oligocene, is mainly attributable to material subducted north and northeast of Australia. Our model accounts for the Paleogene exposure of the Gulf of Carpentaria region at a time when sea level was much higher than today, and explains anomalous Late Tertiary subsidence on Australia's northern, western and southern margins. The resolution of our model, which excludes short-wavelength mantle density anomalies and is restricted to depths larger than 220 km, is not sufficient to model the two well recorded episodes of major transgressions in South Australia in the Eocene and Miocene. However, the overall, long-wavelength spatio-temporal pattern of Australia's inundation record is well captured by combining

Salinity monitoring in Western Australia using remotely sensed and other spatial data.

PubMed

Furby, Suzanne; Caccetta, Peter; Wallace, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The southwest of Western Australia is affected by dryland salinity that results in the loss of previously productive agricultural land, damage to buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, decline in pockets of remnant vegetation and biodiversity, and reduction in water quality. Accurate information on the location and rate of change of the extent of saline land over the region is required by resource managers. For the first time, comprehensive, spatially explicit maps of dryland salinity and its change over approximately 10 yr for the southwest agricultural region of Western Australia have been produced operationally in the 'Land Monitor' project. The methods rely on an integrated analysis of long-term sequences of Landsat TM satellite image data together with variables derived from digital elevation models (DEMs). Understanding of the physical process and surface expression of salinity provided by experts was used to guide the analyses. Ground data-the delineation of salt-affected land by field experts-was collected for training and validation. The results indicate that the land area currently affected by salinity in Western Australia's southwest is about 1 million hectares (in 1996) and the annual rate of increase is about 14,000 ha. This is a lesser extent than many previous estimates and lower rate of change than generally predicted from limited hydrological data. The results are widely distributed and publicly available. The key to providing accurate mapping and monitoring information was the incorporation of time series classification of a sequence of images over several years combined with landform information.

Nordic (cross-country) skiing injuries in Australia.

PubMed

Sherry, E; Asquith, J

1987-03-02

A retrospective study of 88 nordic skiing injuries from the 1984 and 1985 skiing seasons in Australia is presented. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date of such injuries. These injuries are compared with alpine skiing injuries from the same medical clinic for the 1985 skiing season. There was a much lower incidence of injury from nordic skiing; however, when injuries did occur, they tended to be more serious than those of alpine skiing and frequently required immediate evacuation to hospital for treatment. As the nordic skier is relatively isolated from medical services, these findings need to be considered in the future planning of rescue services for such skiers.

Queensland, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-30

STS068-253-045 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- Forest fires in southeastern Queensland, Australia. The smoke is blowing to the east. This is the southeastern edge of the Darling Downs, a wheat-growing and sheep pasture region just west of the Great Dividing Range, southwest of Brisbane. An extensive summer drought made the forests of the range highly susceptible to wildfire.

Creating a Place to "Be": Unpacking the Facilitation Role in Three Supported Playgroups in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Dianne

2013-01-01

Supported playgroups are a service model used widely in Australia with the dual focus of providing stimulating early childhood environments for children and supportive environments for parents. This article describes research findings from a recent doctoral study that explored three supported playgroups in western Sydney. In particular it focuses…

Maternity health care: The experiences of Sub-Saharan African women in Sub-Saharan Africa and Australia.

PubMed

Mohale, Hlengiwe; Sweet, Linda; Graham, Kristen

2017-08-01

Increasing global migration is resulting in a culturally diverse population in the receiving countries. In Australia, it is estimated that at least four thousand Sub-Saharan African women give birth each year. To respond appropriately to the needs of these women, it is important to understand their experiences of maternity care. The study aimed to examine the maternity experiences of Sub-Saharan African women who had given birth in both Sub-Saharan Africa and in Australia. Using a qualitative approach, 14 semi-structured interviews with Sub-Saharan African women now living in Australia were conducted. Data was analysed using Braun and Clark's approach to thematic analysis. Four themes were identified; access to services including health education; birth environment and support; pain management; and perceptions of care. The participants experienced issues with access to maternity care whether they were located in Sub-Saharan Africa or Australia. The study draws on an existing conceptual framework on access to care to discuss the findings on how these women experienced maternity care. The study provides an understanding of Sub-Saharan African women's experiences of maternity care across countries. The findings indicate that these women have maternity health needs shaped by their sociocultural norms and beliefs related to pregnancy and childbirth. It is therefore arguable that enhancing maternity care can be achieved by improving women's health literacy through health education, having an affordable health care system, providing respectful and high quality midwifery care, using effective communication, and showing cultural sensitivity including family support for labouring women. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Study of quality control on Cuscuta chinensis and C. australia].

PubMed

Lin, Hui-bin; Lin, Jian-qun; Lu, Ning; Lin, Jian-qiang

2007-11-01

To study the estimate method of C. chinensis and C. australia. HPLC was used to determine the contents of four kinds of flavones of C. chinensis and C. australia growing on different hosts. C. chinensis and C. australia growing on different hosts both had hyperoside, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. The content range of hyperoside was 2.790-6.502 mg/g and was higher than other flavones. The content ranges of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin were 0.025-0.176 mg/g, 0.001-0.213 mg/g and 0.001-0.077 mg/g, respectively. The contents of hyperoside and quercetin are higher in C. chineasis than in C. australia. The contents of kaempferol and isorhamnetin are lower in C. chinensis than in C. australia. The hosts influence flavones content of C. chinensis and C. australia.

Salt reduction in Australia: from advocacy to action

PubMed Central

Trieu, Kathy; Dunford, Elizabeth; Nowson, Caryl; Jolly, Kellie-Ann; Greenland, Rohan; Reimers, Jenny; Bolam, Bruce

2015-01-01

Background As part of its endorsement of the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan to prevent non-communicable diseases, the Federal Government of Australia has committed to a 30% reduction in average population salt intake by 2025. Currently, mean daily salt intake levels are 8-9 g, varying by sex, region and population group. A number of salt reduction initiatives have been established over the last decade, but key elements for a co-ordinated population-level strategy are still missing. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of existing population-level salt reduction activities in Australia and identify opportunities for further action. Methods A review of the published literature and stakeholder activities was undertaken to identify and document current activities. The activities were then assessed against a pre-defined framework for salt reduction strategies. Results A range of initiatives were identified from the review. The Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) was established in 2005 and in 2007 launched its Drop the Salt! Campaign. This united non-governmental organisations (NGOs), health and medical and food industry organisations in a co-ordinated advocacy effort to encourage government to develop a national strategy to reduce salt. Subsequently, in 2010 the Federal Government launched its Food and Health Dialogue (FHD) with a remit to improve the health of the food supply in Australia through voluntary partnerships with food industry, government and non-government public health organisations. The focus of the FHD to date has been on voluntary reformulation of foods, primarily through salt reduction targets. More recently, in December 2014, the government’s Health Star Rating system was launched. This front of pack labelling scheme uses stars to highlight the nutritional profile of packaged foods. Both government initiatives have clear targets or criteria for industry to meet, however

Mars’ First Billion Years: Key Findings, Key Unsolved Paradoxes, and Future Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehlmann, Bethany

2017-10-01

In the evolution of terrestrial planets, the first billion years are the period most shrouded in mystery: How vigorous is early atmospheric loss? How do planetary climates respond to a brightening sun? When and how are plate tectonic recycling processes initiated? How do voluminous volcanism and heavy impact bombardment influence the composition of the atmosphere? Under what conditions might life arise? Looking outward to terrestrial planets around other stars, the record from Venus, Earth and Mars in this solar system is crucial for developing models of physical can chemical processes. Of these three worlds, Mars provides the longest record of planetary evolution from the first billion years, comprising >50% of exposed geologic units, which are only lightly overprinted by later processes.Orbital observations of the last decade have revealed abundant evidence for surface waters in the form of lakes, valley networks, and evidence of chemically open-system near-surface weathering. Groundwaters at temperatures ranging from just above freezing to hydrothermal have also left a rich record of process in the mineralogical record. A rsuite of environments - similar in diversity to Earth’s - has been discovered on Mars with water pH, temperature, redox, and chemistries varying in space and time.Here, I will focus on the consequences of the aqueous alteration of the Martian crust on the composition of the atmosphere based on recent work studying aspects of the volatile budget (Usui et al., 2015; Edwards & Ehlmann, 2015; Hu et al., 2015; Jakosky et al., 2017, Wordsworth et al., 2017, and Ehlmann, in prep.). The solid crust and mantle of Mars act as volatile reservoirs and volatile sources through volcanism, mineral precipitation, and release of gases. We examine the extent to which the budget is understood or ill-understood for hydrogen and carbon, and associated phases H2O, CO2, and CH4. Additionally, I identify some key stratigraphies where a combination of focused in

The Cost of Youth Suicide in Australia.

PubMed

Kinchin, Irina; Doran, Christopher M

2018-04-04

Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians between 15 and 24 years of age. This study seeks to estimate the economic cost of youth suicide (15–24 years old) for Australia using 2014 as a reference year. The main outcome measure is monetized burden of youth suicide. Costs, in 2014 AU$, are measured and valued as direct costs, such as coronial inquiry, police, ambulance, and funeral expenses; indirect costs, such as lost economic productivity; and intangible costs, such as bereavement. In 2014, 307 young Australians lost their lives to suicide (82 females and 225 males). The average age at time of death was 20.4 years, representing an average loss of 62 years of life and close to 46 years of productive capacity. The average cost per youth suicide is valued at $2,884,426, including $9721 in direct costs, $2,788,245 as the value of lost productivity, and $86,460 as the cost of bereavement. The total economic loss of youth suicide in Australia is estimated at $22 billion a year (equivalent to US$ 17 billion), ranging from $20 to $25 billion. These findings can assist decision-makers understand the magnitude of adverse outcomes associated with youth suicide and the potential benefits to be achieved by investing in effective suicide prevention strategies.

The Cost of Youth Suicide in Australia

PubMed Central

Doran, Christopher M.

2018-01-01

Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians between 15 and 24 years of age. This study seeks to estimate the economic cost of youth suicide (15–24 years old) for Australia using 2014 as a reference year. The main outcome measure is monetized burden of youth suicide. Costs, in 2014 AU$, are measured and valued as direct costs, such as coronial inquiry, police, ambulance, and funeral expenses; indirect costs, such as lost economic productivity; and intangible costs, such as bereavement. In 2014, 307 young Australians lost their lives to suicide (82 females and 225 males). The average age at time of death was 20.4 years, representing an average loss of 62 years of life and close to 46 years of productive capacity. The average cost per youth suicide is valued at $2,884,426, including $9721 in direct costs, $2,788,245 as the value of lost productivity, and $86,460 as the cost of bereavement. The total economic loss of youth suicide in Australia is estimated at $22 billion a year (equivalent to US$ 17 billion), ranging from $20 to $25 billion. These findings can assist decision-makers understand the magnitude of adverse outcomes associated with youth suicide and the potential benefits to be achieved by investing in effective suicide prevention strategies. PMID:29617305

Similarities and Differences in Views of Ageing and Learning in Hong Kong and Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Maureen; Boulton-Lewis, Gillian; Buys, Laurie; Chui, Ernest

2017-01-01

This article is an overview and summary of the findings from a General Research Fund project funded (2012-2014) by the Research Grants Council of the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong to investigate cross cultural understanding of ageing and learning by seniors in Hong Kong and Australia. Results have been published separately in…

Global Scale Variation in the Salinity Sensitivity of Riverine Macroinvertebrates: Eastern Australia, France, Israel and South Africa

PubMed Central

Kefford, Ben J.; Hickey, Graeme L.; Gasith, Avital; Ben-David, Elad; Dunlop, Jason E.; Palmer, Carolyn G.; Allan, Kaylene; Choy, Satish C.; Piscart, Christophe

2012-01-01

Salinity is a key abiotic property of inland waters; it has a major influence on biotic communities and is affected by many natural and anthropogenic processes. Salinity of inland waters tends to increase with aridity, and biota of inland waters may have evolved greater salt tolerance in more arid regions. Here we compare the sensitivity of stream macroinvertebrate species to salinity from a relatively wet region in France (Lorraine and Brittany) to that in three relatively arid regions eastern Australia (Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania), South Africa (south-east of the Eastern Cape Province) and Israel using the identical experimental method in all locations. The species whose salinity tolerance was tested, were somewhat more salt tolerant in eastern Australia and South Africa than France, with those in Israel being intermediate. However, by far the greatest source of variation in species sensitivity was between taxonomic groups (Order and Class) and not between the regions. We used a Bayesian statistical model to estimate the species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) for salinity in eastern Australia and France adjusting for the assemblages of species in these regions. The assemblage in France was slightly more salinity sensitive than that in eastern Australia. We therefore suggest that regional salinity sensitivity is therefore likely to depend most on the taxonomic composition of respective macroinvertebrate assemblages. On this basis it would be possible to screen rivers globally for risk from salinisation. PMID:22567097

TPACK Development in Science Teacher Preparation: A Case Study in Queensland, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sickel, Jamie L.

This study sought to identify key experiences that impact the development of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of preservice secondary sciences teachers at a medium-sized university in Queensland, Australia. TPACK is a conceptual framework of a body of knowledge that teachers draw upon to influence practice; it is a dynamic and emergent form of knowledge that informs the employment of technology for teaching specific subject matter. This study employed an embedded case study approach, including delivery of a TPACK survey instrument and analysis of participant interviews, to identify the context-specific experiences that promote the development of TPACK among twelve preservice secondary science teachers. The research addresses a specific need cited in the literature, identifying TPACK impact factors, and provides a novel way to visualize TPACK development through contextual experiences. A novel approach to visually representing context-specific experiences and their influence on teacher knowledge, self-efficacy, values and beliefs was employed. Three major findings are presented below: 1) the majority of preservice secondary science teachers were unable to define the constructs of learning and science; 2) a focus on motivation and interest paired with a disconnect between expressed and enacted pedagogical orientation lead to teacher-centered instruction augmented with superficial tactics aimed at generating interest; and 3) difficulty in integrating knowledge bases yielded lower TPACK self-efficacy, which has detrimental impacts on the instruction planned by pre-service teachers for their students. Findings are directly aligned with participants' prior experience, compared to the relevant literature, and utilized to identify implications for teacher preparation as well as recommendations for future research.

Tertiary Educators' Voices in Australia and South Africa: Experiencing and Engaging in African Music and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Dawn

2015-01-01

Music tertiary educators can foster positive experiences that promote diversity, enhance intercultural and cross-cultural understanding through our teaching. Through findings of interview data of tertiary music educators' understandings of multicultural music practice at two South African universities and at an Australia university, I used…

Breasts for hire and shared breastfeeding: wet nursing and cross feeding in Australia, 1900-2000.

PubMed

Thorley, Virginia

2008-01-01

Wet nursing and cross-nursing both involve the breastfeeding of a baby by someone who is not the baby's mother. They differ in that wet nurses were usually employees in paid situations and the breastfeeding was not reciprocated, whereas cross-nursing was between peers and was usually unpaid and could be reciprocal. In Australia at the turn of the twentieth century wet nurses were employed in private homes or institutions. By the 1920s, finding a wet nurse had become extremely difficult, but informal cross-feeding existed long after this. This study examines both practices in twentieth century Australia, 1900-2000, and includes a discussion of the decline of human milk banks, another means of sharing mothers' milk.

The physician assistant role in Aboriginal healthcare in Australia.

PubMed

Laufik, Nanette

2014-01-01

Australia has a shortage of doctors in general and more so in Aboriginal communities. The 2011-2012 report by Health Workforce Australia endorses the relevance of physician assistants (PAs) in rural Australia, and this article describes the experience of a PA employed in rural Aboriginal Health Services in North Queensland. The author also shares recommendations and insights for expanded implementation of PAs.

Australia's national men's health policy: masculinity matters.

PubMed

Saunders, Margo; Peerson, Anita

2009-08-01

The development of Australia's first national men's health policy provides an important opportunity for informed discussions of health and gender. It is therefore a concern that the stated policy appears to deliberately exclude hegemonic masculinity and other masculinities, despite evidence of their major influence on men's health-related values, beliefs, perspectives, attitudes, motivations and behaviour. We provide an evidence-based critique of the proposed approach to a national men's health policy which raises important questions about whether the new policy can achieve its aims if it fails to acknowledge 'masculinity' as a key factor in Australian men's health. The national men's health policy should be a means to encourage gender analysis in health. This will require recognition of the influence of hegemonic masculinity, and other masculinities, on men's health. Recognising the influence of 'masculinity' on men's health is not about 'blaming' men for 'behaving badly', but is crucial to the development of a robust, meaningful and comprehensive national men's health policy.

Title I ESEA Projects: Digest of Annual Evaluations. Supplementary Edition 1977-1978. A historical summary, by the Department of Federal Evaluation Resources, of the key findings reported in the annual evaluations of each project. Report #7827.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia School District, PA. Office of Research and Evaluation.

This supplement provides a historical summary, for the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania schools, of the key findings in the Annual Evaluations of each Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I project since 1975. The 1977-1978 management information, the key findings for 1975-1976 and 1976-1977, as well as the preliminary findings for 1977-1978 are…

Jack Hills, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-02

This image acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft, shows the oldest material on Earth which has yet been dated by man is a zircon mineral of 4.4 billion years old from a sedimentary gneiss in the Jack Hills of the Narre Gneiss Terrane of Australia.

Barriers and facilitators to childhood obesity prevention among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Cyril, Sheila; Nicholson, Jan M; Agho, Kingsley; Polonsky, Michael; Renzaho, Andre M

2017-06-01

Childhood obesity is rising among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups who show poor engagement in obesity prevention initiatives. We examined the barriers and facilitators to the engagement of CALD communities in obesity prevention initiatives. We used the nominal group technique to collect data from 39 participants from Vietnamese, Burmese, African, Afghani and Indian origins living in disadvantaged areas of Victoria, Australia. Data analysis revealed ranked priorities for barriers and facilitators for CALD community engagement in obesity prevention initiatives. CALD parents identified key barriers as being: competing priorities in the post-migration settlement phase; language, cultural and program accessibility barriers; low levels of food and health literacy; junk food advertisement targeting children; and lack of mandatory weight checks for schoolchildren. Key facilitators emerged as: bicultural playgroup leaders; ethnic community groups; and school-based healthy lunch box initiatives. This study has identified several policy recommendations including: the implementation of robust food taxation policies; consistent control of food advertising targeting children; improving CALD health literacy using bicultural workers; and matching health promotional materials with CALD community literacy levels. Implications for Public Health: These recommendations can directly influence public health policy to improve the engagement of CALD communities in obesity prevention services and ultimately reduce the widening obesity disparities in Australia. © 2017 The Authors.

Australia's First Public Private Partnership School Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Peter

2004-01-01

The design and construction of nine schools has commenced in Australia using a Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) methodology. This is the first project in Australia where social infrastructure has been acquired in this way. The Australian project is being managed by the New South Wales (NSW) State Government through its Department of Education…

Imported case of poliomyelitis, Melbourne, Australia, 2007.

PubMed

Stewardson, Andrew J; Roberts, Jason A; Beckett, Carolyn L; Prime, Hayden T; Loh, Poh-Sien; Thorley, Bruce R; Daffy, John R

2009-01-01

Wild poliovirus-associated paralytic poliomyelitis has not been reported in Australia since 1977. We report type 1 wild poliovirus infection in a man who had traveled from Pakistan to Australia in 2007. Poliomyelitis should be considered for patients with acute flaccid paralysis or unexplained fever who have been to poliomyelitis-endemic countries.

Quality failures in residential aged care in Australia: The relationship between structural factors and regulation imposed sanctions.

PubMed

Baldwin, Richard; Chenoweth, Lynnette; Dela Rama, Marie; Liu, Zhixin

2015-12-01

To examine the relationship between structural factors and the imposition of sanctions on residential aged care services across Australia for regulatory compliance failure. Poisson Regression analysis was used to examine the association between the number of sanctions imposed and the structural characteristics of residential aged care services in Australia. Residential aged care services that have a greater likelihood of having government sanctions imposed on them are operated by for-profit providers and located in remote locations and in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. The findings confirm the international literature on the relationship between residential aged care service location, ownership type and the likelihood of sanctions. In the light of the predicted expansion of residential aged care services, policy makers should give consideration to structural elements most likely to be associated with a failure to meet and maintain service standards. © 2014 ACOTA.

The influence of sociocultural factors on organ donation and transplantation in Korea: findings from key informant interviews.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Ran; Elliott, Doug; Hyde, Cheryl

2004-04-01

Although brain death was formally recognized in Korea in 2000 for the purpose of organ donation, traditional Confucian-based thought still prevails. The aim of this study was to explore sociocultural perspectives that influence health professionals' attitudes and perceptions regarding organ donation. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine key informants from three major hospitals providing transplant services in South Korea. Several themes were identified as barriers to organ donation: Confucianism, misunderstandings and myths, organs as spare for selling, lack of clarity in the definition of death in the new legislation, and limited medical insurance coverage. It remains difficult for brain death to be accepted as true death, and there is currently a poor rate of organ procurement. Findings of the study will help identify socioculturally appropriate strategies to promote acceptance and accessibility of organ transplantation among South Koreans.

Inequalities in bariatric surgery in Australia: findings from 49,364 obese participants in a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Korda, Rosemary J; Joshy, Grace; Jorm, Louisa R; Butler, James R G; Banks, Emily

2012-12-10

To investigate variation, and quantify socioeconomic inequalities, in the uptake of primary bariatric surgery in an obese population. Prospective population-based cohort study of 49,364 individuals aged 45-74 years with body mass index (BMI)≥30 kg/m2. Data from questionnaires (distributed from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008) were linked to hospital and death data to 30 June 2010. The sample was drawn from the 45 and Up Study (approximately 10% of New South Wales population aged 45 included, response rate approximately 18%). Rates of bariatric surgery and adjusted rate ratios (RRs) in relation to health and sociodemographic characteristics. Over 111,757 person-years (py) of follow-up, 312 participants had bariatric surgery, a rate of 27.92 per 10,000 py (95% CI, 24.91-31.19). Rates were highest in women, those living in major cities and those with diabetes, and increased significantly with a higher BMI and number of chronic health conditions. Adjusted RRs were 5.27 (95% CI, 3.18-8.73) for those with annual household income≥ $70 000 versus those with household income<$20,000, and 4.01 (95% CI, 2.41-6.67) for those living in areas in the least disadvantaged quintile versus those in the most disadvantaged quintile. Having versus not having private health insurance (age- and sex-adjusted RR, 9.25; 95% CI, 5.70-15.00) partially explained the observed inequalities. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be cost-effective in treating severe obesity and associated illnesses. While bariatric surgery rates in Australia are higher in those with health problems, large socioeconomic inequalities are apparent. Our findings suggest these procedures are largely available to those who can afford private health insurance and associated out-of-pocket costs, with poor access in populations who are most in need. Continuing inequalities in access are likely to exacerbate existing inequalities in obesity and related health problems.

The Influence of a Western Boundary Current on Continental Shelf Processes Along Southeastern Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roughan, M.

2016-02-01

The East Australian Current (EAC) flows as a jet over the narrow shelf of southeastern Australia, dominating shelf circulation, and shedding vast eddies at the highly variable separation point. These characteristics alone make it a dynamically challenging region to measure, model and predict. In recent years a significant effort has been placed on understanding continental shelf processes along the coast of SE Australia, adjacent to the EAC, our major Western Boundary Current. We have used a multi-pronged approach by combining state of the art in situ observations and data assimilation modelling. Observations are obtained from a network of moorings, HF Radar and ocean gliders deployed in shelf waters along SE Australia, made possible through Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). In addition, we have developed a high resolution reanalysis of the East Australian Current using ROMS and 4DVar data Assimilation. In addition to the traditional data streams (SST, SSH and ARGO) we assimilate the newly available IMOS observations in the region. These include velocity and hydrographic observations from the EAC transport array, 1km HF radar measurements of surface currents, CTD casts from ocean gliders, and temperature, salinity and velocity measurements from a network of shelf mooring arrays. We use these vast data sets and numerical modelling tools combined with satellite remote sensed data to understand spatio-temporal variability of shelf processes and water mass distributions on synoptic, seasonal and inter-annual timescales. We have quantified the cross shelf transport variability inshore of the EAC, the driving mechanisms, the seasonal cycles in shelf waters and to some extent variability in the biological (phytoplankton) response. I will present a review of some of the key results from a number of recent studies.

Casemix funding in Australia.

PubMed

Braithwaite, J; Hindle, D; Phelan, P D; Hanson, R

1998-06-01

Casemix funding for hospitals with the use of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), which organise patients' conditions into similar clinical categories with similar costs, was introduced in Australia five years ago. It has been applied in different ways and to a greater or lesser extent in different Australian States. Only Victoria and South Australia have implemented casemix funding across all healthcare services. Attempts have been made to formally evaluate its impact, but they have not met the required scientific standards in controlling for confounding factors. Casemix funding remains a much-discussed issue. In this Debate, Braithwaite and Hindle take a contrary position, largely to stimulate policy debate; Phelan defends the casemix concept and advocates retaining its best features; and Hanson adds a plea for consumer input.

Classification in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinlay, John

Despite some inroads by the Library of Congress Classification and short-lived experimentation with Universal Decimal Classification and Bliss Classification, Dewey Decimal Classification, with its ability in recent editions to be hospitable to local needs, remains the most widely used classification system in Australia. Although supplemented at…

Imported Case of Poliomyelitis, Melbourne, Australia, 2007

PubMed Central

Roberts, Jason A.; Beckett, Carolyn L.; Prime, Hayden T.; Loh, Poh-Sien; Thorley, Bruce R.; Daffy, John R.

2009-01-01

Wild poliovirus–associated paralytic poliomyelitis has not been reported in Australia since 1977. We report type 1 wild poliovirus infection in a man who had traveled from Pakistan to Australia in 2007. Poliomyelitis should be considered for patients with acute flaccid paralysis or unexplained fever who have been to poliomyelitis-endemic countries. PMID:19116053

Factors influencing warfarin control in Australia and Singapore.

PubMed

Bernaitis, Nijole; Ching, Chi Keong; Teo, Siew Chong; Chen, Liping; Badrick, Tony; Davey, Andrew K; Crilly, Julia; Anoopkumar-Dukie, Shailendra

2017-09-01

Warfarin is widely used for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Variations in warfarin control, as measured by time in therapeutic range (TTR), have been reported across different regions and ethnicities, particularly between Western and Asian countries. However, there is limited data on comparative factors influencing warfarin control in Caucasian and Asian patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine warfarin control and potential factors influencing this in patients with NVAF in Australia and Singapore. Retrospective data was collected for patients receiving warfarin for January to June 2014 in Australia and Singapore. TTR was calculated for individuals with mean patient TTR used for analysis. Possible influential factors on TTR were analysed including age, gender, concurrent co-morbidities, and concurrent medication. The mean TTR was significantly higher in Australia (82%) than Singapore (58%). At both sites, chronic kidney disease significantly lowered this TTR. Further factors influencing control were anaemia and age<60years in Australia, and vascular disease, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score of 6, and concurrent platelet inhibitor therapy in Singapore. Warfarin control was significantly higher in Australia compared to Singapore, however chronic kidney disease reduced control at both sites. The different levels of control in these two countries, together with patient factors further reducing control may impact on anticoagulant choice in these countries with better outcomes from warfarin in Australia compared to Singapore. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics and practice profiles of migrant dentist groups in Australia: implications for dental workforce policy and planning.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, Madhan; Spencer, A John; Short, Stephanie D; Watkins, Keith; Chrisopoulos, Sergio; Brennan, David S

2015-06-01

Migrants comprise a growing proportion of the dental workforce in Australia. To date, research on migrant dentists is limited, raising policy questions regarding the motivations for migration, demographic profiles and work patterns. The purpose of this paper was to present findings from the first national survey of migrant dentists in Australia. All dentists with a primary dental qualification from an overseas institution and registered with the Australian Dental Association (n=1,872) or enrolled as a graduate student in any of the nine dental schools in Australia (n=105) were surveyed between January and May 2013. A total of 1,022 participants (response rate=54.5%) were classifiable into three migrant dentist groups: direct recognition (n=491); Australian Dental Council (ADC) (n=411); and alternative pathway (n=120). Overall, 41.8% of migrant dentists were female. More than half of the ADC group (54.1%) were from lower middle income countries. The most frequent motivation for migration according to the direct recognition group (21.1%) was 'adventure', whereas other groups migrated for 'better opportunity'. The majority of ADC respondents (65%) were under 45 years of age, and a larger proportion worked in the most disadvantaged areas (12.4%), compared with other groups. Gender, marital status, years since arrival in Australia and having children varied between the groups (chi square; P<0.05). Dentist groups migrate to Australia for different reasons. The large proportion of the migrant dentist workforce sourced from lower middle income countries points towards deficiencies in oral health systems both for these countries and for Australia. The feminisation of the migrant dentist profile could in future affect dentist-practice activity patterns in Australia. Further research, especially on the settlement experiences of these dentists, can provide better insights into issues faced by these dentists, the nature of support that migrant dentists receive in Australia, the

Nutrient profile of 23 596 packaged supermarket foods and non-alcoholic beverages in Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Brown, Ryan; Jiang, Yannan; Eyles, Helen; Dunford, Elizabeth; Neal, Bruce

2016-02-01

To compare the nutrient profile of packaged supermarket food products available in Australia and New Zealand. Eligibility to carry health claims and relationship between nutrient profile score and nutritional content were also evaluated. Nutritional composition data were collected in six major Australian and New Zealand supermarkets in 2012. Mean Food Standards Australia New Zealand Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (NPSC) scores were calculated and the proportion of products eligible to display health claims was estimated. Regression analyses quantified associations between NPSC scores and energy density, saturated fat, sugar and sodium contents. NPSC scores were derived for 23,596 packaged food products (mean score 7.0, range -17 to 53). Scores were lower (better nutrient profile) for foods in Australia compared with New Zealand (mean 6.6 v. 7.8). Overall, 45% of foods were eligible to carry health claims based on NPSC thresholds: 47% in Australia and 41% in New Zealand. However, less than one-third of dairy (32%), meat and meat products (28%) and bread and bakery products (27.5%) were eligible to carry health claims. Conversely, >75% of convenience food products were eligible to carry health claims (82.5%). Each two-unit higher NPSC score was associated with higher energy density (78 kJ/100 g), saturated fat (0.95 g/100 g), total sugar (1.5 g/100 g) and sodium (66 mg/100 g; all P values<0.001). Fewer than half of all packaged foods available in Australia and New Zealand in 2012 met nutritional criteria to carry health claims. The few healthy choices available in key staple food categories is a concern. Improvements in nutritional quality of foods through product reformulation have significant potential to improve population diets.

Australia and international treaties: population.

PubMed

Hugo, G

1995-05-01

"The separation of environmental and population issues globally is reflected in the fact that the setting of international agendas to tackle them was for all intents and purposes undertaken at separate international meetings--the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the International Population Conference in Cairo in 1994. This paper presents an overview of Australia's international involvement in population issues and suggests that until recently Australia had played a minor political role in international population initiatives primarily, and perhaps ironically, because it has been a world leader in demographic research and teaching for several decades." excerpt

Clavadoce (Annelida: Phyllodocidae) from Australia.

PubMed

Wilson, Robin S; Greaves, Elizabeth

2016-01-04

The first records of the phyllodocid genus Clavadoce are provided from Australia, where the fifth species in the genus is now known: Clavadoce dorsolobata (Hartmann-Schröder, 1987) comb. nov. which is widely distributed in intertidal habitats in southeastern Australia. Clavadoce dorsolobata was described as Eumida (Sige) dorsolobata Hartmann-Schröder, 1987 and herein transferred to Clavadoce. Five species of Clavadoce are now known world wide, four of which are from different regions on the Pacific Ocean margin, while Clavadoce cristata is from the North Atlantic. The Australian species is the first record of Clavadoce for the southern hemisphere.

Advertising displays of male Musk Ducks indicate population subdivision across the Nullarbor Plain of Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCracken, K.G.; Fullagar, P.J.; Slater, E.C.; Paton, D.C.; Afton, A.D.

2002-01-01

Acoustic advertising displays (n=75) of male Musk Ducks Biziura lobata were analysed at ten widely spaced geographic localities in South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Vocalisations differed in a fixed, non-overlapping pattern between allopatric Musk Duck populations in southeastern and southwestern Australia. These findings suggest that Musk Duck populations are subdivided by the Nullarbor Plain, the arid treeless desert at the head of the Great Australian Bight. Three vocalisations performed by male Musk Ducks not previously reported in the literature were documented also. Vocalisations of captive Musk Ducks collected from different geographic regions (southeast and southwest) differed between regions from which captives originally were collected and were unlike those performed by wild birds. Based on calls of immature Musk Ducks, acoustic variation within regional populations and the apparent inability of captive Musk Ducks reared in isolation to develop the wild type adult call, regional dialects seemingly are acquired in a social context by repeated observance of adult males and some combination of social imprinting, learning, or practice.

Changing places: the impact of rural restructuring on mental health in Australia.

PubMed

Fraser, Cait; Jackson, Henry; Judd, Fiona; Komiti, Angela; Robins, Garry; Murray, Greg; Humphreys, John; Pattison, Pip; Hodgins, Gene

2005-06-01

Significant demographic, social and economic change has come to characterise much of rural Australia, with some authors arguing there are now two sharply differentiated zones, one of growth and one of decline. This restructuring process, which has been similar to other western nations, has had a profound impact upon rural places-socially, economically and physically. Findings from research investigating the relationship between health, place and income inequality suggest that rural 'desertification', which is characterised by decline of the agricultural sector, net population loss and the deterioration of demographic structures, may negatively influence mental health outcomes in these areas. By contrast, the growth in rural areas, which is associated with expanding employment opportunities and the movement of capital and people, may confer positive benefits to mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in mental health and well-being between rural communities experiencing growth and decline as measured by net population change. Utilising a survey methodology, questionnaires were distributed to 20,000 people randomly sampled from the electoral role in rural Australia. We selected four sub-regions from the sample area that were characteristic of areas experiencing population growth and decline in Australia and analysed the results of respondents from these four regions (n = 1334). The analysis provided support for our hypothesis that living in a declining area is associated with poorer mental health status; however, the factors that underpin growth and decline may also be important in influencing mental health. Discussed are the mechanisms by which demographic and social change influence mental health. The findings of this study highlight the diversity of health outcomes in rural areas and suggest that aspects of place in declining rural areas may present risk factors for mental health.

Systematic examination of publicly-available information reveals the diverse and extensive corporate political activity of the food industry in Australia.

PubMed

Mialon, Melissa; Swinburn, Boyd; Allender, Steven; Sacks, Gary

2016-03-22

The political influence of the food industry, referred to as corporate political activity (CPA), represents a potential barrier to the development and implementation of effective public health policies for non-communicable diseases prevention. This paper reports on the feasibility and limitations of using publicly-available information to identify and monitor the CPA of the food industry in Australia. A systematic search was conducted for information from food industry, government and other publicly-available data sources in Australia. Data was collected in relation to five key food industry actors: the Australian Food and Grocery Council; Coca Cola; McDonald's; Nestle; and Woolworths, for the period January 2012 to February 2015. Data analysis was guided by an existing framework for classifying CPA strategies of the food industry. The selected food industry actors used multiple CPA strategies, with 'information and messaging' and 'constituency building' strategies most prominent. The systematic analysis of publicly-available information over a limited period was able to identify diverse and extensive CPA strategies of the food industry in Australia. This approach can contribute to accountability mechanisms for NCD prevention.

AgRISTARS: Foreign commodity production forecasting. Country summary report, Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henninger, D. L.; Reed, C. R. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Australia is one of the world's major growers and exporters of wheat and as such is one of the countries of interest in the AgRISTARS program which endeavors to develop technology to estimate crop production using aerospace remote sensing. A compilation of geographic, political, and agricultural information on Australia is presented. Also included is a summary of the aerospace remote sensing, meteorological, and ground-observed data which were collected with respect to Australia, as well as a summary of contacts between AgRISTARS and Australia personnel.

Anthropometric data of elderly people in Australia.

PubMed

Kothiyal, K; Tettey, S

2000-06-01

An anthropometric data set on 171 elderly people in Australia has been presented. The data set consists of 22 body dimensions relevant to design of living facilities, equipment and workplaces for the elderly people. The study was carried out in metropolitan Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. A comparative analysis with other populations indicates significant differences in the body dimensions.

How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide?

PubMed

White, Ben; Willmott, Lindy

2012-12-01

This article invites consideration of how Australia should regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. It attempts to pose this question as neutrally as possible, acknowledging that both prohibition and legalisation of such conduct involve decisions about regulation. It begins by charting the wider field of law at the end of life, before considering the repeated, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempts at law reform in Australia. The situation in Australia is contrasted with permissive jurisdictions overseas where voluntary euthanasia and/or assisted suicide are lawful. The authors consider the arguments for and against legalisation of such conduct along with the available empirical evidence as to what happens in practice both in Australia and overseas. The article concludes by outlining a framework for deliberating on how Australia should regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. It asks a threshold question of whether such conduct should be criminal acts (as they presently are), the answer to which then leads to a range of possible regulatory options.

Optometry Australia Entry-level Competency Standards for Optometry 2014.

PubMed

Kiely, Patricia M; Slater, Jared

2015-01-01

Competency standards for entry-level to the profession of optometry in Australia were first developed in 1993, revised in 1997 and 2000, and again in 2008, when therapeutic competency standards were introduced but differentiated from the entry-level competencies. Therapeutic competencies were an additional requirement for the purpose of endorsing optometric registration to allow prescription of medicines for conditions of the eye. Recent changes to educational and registration requirements mean that therapeutic competencies are now required at entry-level. To address this and to ensure the standards reflect current best practice, a full revision of the standards was undertaken. A steering committee oversaw the review of the standards, which involved a literature review, workshops with optometrists and broad consultation with stakeholders, including the Optometry Board of Australia, individual optometrists and employers of optometrists, to identify changes needed. Representatives of the profession from Australia and New Zealand and from academia in Australia were involved. A modified document based on the feedback received was circulated to the State Divisions and the National Board of the then Optometrists Association Australia. The updated standards reflect the state of entry to the optometric profession in 2014; competencies for prescribing of scheduled medicines are included, new material has been added, other areas have been modified. The updated entry-level competency standards were adopted on behalf of the profession by the National Board of the then Optometrists Association Australia in March 2014. Competency standards have been updated so that they continue to be current and useful for the profession, individual optometrists and Australian and New Zealand registration authorities for the purposes of accreditation of optometric programs and assessment of overseas-trained optometrists. This paper details the revision process and presents the 2014 version of

The rate and cost of nurse turnover in Australia.

PubMed

Roche, Michael A; Duffield, Christine M; Homer, Caroline; Buchan, James; Dimitrelis, Sofia

2015-01-01

Nurse turnover is a critical issue facing workforce planners across the globe, particularly in light of protracted and continuing workforce shortages. An ageing population coupled with the rise in complex and chronic diseases, have contributed to increased demands placed on the health system and importantly, nurses who themselves are ageing. Costs associated with nurse turnover are attracting more attention; however, existing measurements of turnover show inconsistent findings, which can be attributed to differences in study design, metrics used to calculate turnover and variations in definitions for turnover. This paper will report the rates and costs of nurse turnover across three States in Australia.

Dermatology training and practice in Australia.

PubMed

Sebaratnam, Deshan F; Murrell, Dédée F

2014-10-01

Dermatology is a relatively young discipline in Australia compared to other specialities within the medical fraternity. From its humble beginnings, the profession has evolved significantly over the decades and is now represented by the Australasian College of Dermatologists which is charged with training the next generation of dermatologists and advocating for and advancing the profession. The authors reviewed and describe the history of dermatology training and practice in Australia. Despite the progress in education, there are only 415 dermatologists serving a population of 23.3 million (1 per 58 000) and yet it has the highest incidence and prevalence of skin cancer in the world. The scope of clinical practice is wide in Australia, with clinicians well versed in medical and procedural dermatology. It is hoped that Australian dermatology will continue to bolster the dermatology profession globally. © 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.

Sex Education in South Australia: The Past and the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talukdar, Joy; Aspland, Tania; Datta, Poulomee

2013-01-01

In South Australia, sex education has been controversial since its inception. The Australasian White Cross league and the Family Planning Association of South Australia were the pioneers of sex education in South Australia. The framing of a national framework and the implementation of the SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationships Education) project…

Practice nursing in Australia: A review of education and career pathways

PubMed Central

Parker, Rhian M; Keleher, Helen M; Francis, Karen; Abdulwadud, Omar

2009-01-01

Background Nurses in Australia are often not educated in their pre registration years to meet the needs of primary care. Careers in primary care may not be as attractive to nursing graduates as high-tech settings such as intensive or acute care. Yet, it is in primary care that increasingly complex health problems are managed. The Australian government has invested in incentives for general practices to employ practice nurses. However, no policy framework has been developed for practice nursing to support career development and post-registration education and training programs are developed in an ad hoc manner and are not underpinned by core professional competencies. This paper reports on a systematic review undertaken to establish the available evidence on education models and career pathways with a view to enhancing recruitment and retention of practice nurses in primary care in Australia. Methods Search terms describing education models, career pathways and policy associated with primary care (practice) nursing were established. These search terms were used to search electronic databases. The search strategy identified 1394 citations of which 408 addressed one or more of the key search terms on policy, education and career pathways. Grey literature from the UK and New Zealand internet sites were sourced and examined. The UK and New Zealand Internet sites were selected because they have well established and advanced developments in education and career pathways for practice nurses. Two reviewers examined titles, abstracts and studies, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreement between the reviewers was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer. Results Significant advances have been made in New Zealand and the UK towards strengthening frameworks for primary care nursing education and career pathways. However, in Australia there is no policy at national level prepare nurses to work in primary care sector and no framework for education or career

Practice nursing in Australia: A review of education and career pathways.

PubMed

Parker, Rhian M; Keleher, Helen M; Francis, Karen; Abdulwadud, Omar

2009-05-27

Nurses in Australia are often not educated in their pre registration years to meet the needs of primary care. Careers in primary care may not be as attractive to nursing graduates as high-tech settings such as intensive or acute care. Yet, it is in primary care that increasingly complex health problems are managed. The Australian government has invested in incentives for general practices to employ practice nurses. However, no policy framework has been developed for practice nursing to support career development and post-registration education and training programs are developed in an ad hoc manner and are not underpinned by core professional competencies. This paper reports on a systematic review undertaken to establish the available evidence on education models and career pathways with a view to enhancing recruitment and retention of practice nurses in primary care in Australia. Search terms describing education models, career pathways and policy associated with primary care (practice) nursing were established. These search terms were used to search electronic databases. The search strategy identified 1394 citations of which 408 addressed one or more of the key search terms on policy, education and career pathways. Grey literature from the UK and New Zealand internet sites were sourced and examined. The UK and New Zealand Internet sites were selected because they have well established and advanced developments in education and career pathways for practice nurses.Two reviewers examined titles, abstracts and studies, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreement between the reviewers was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer. Significant advances have been made in New Zealand and the UK towards strengthening frameworks for primary care nursing education and career pathways. However, in Australia there is no policy at national level prepare nurses to work in primary care sector and no framework for education or career pathways for nurses working in

Is rapid growth in Internet usage environmentally sustainable for Australia? An empirical investigation.

PubMed

Salahuddin, Mohammad; Alam, Khorshed; Ozturk, Ilhan

2016-03-01

This study estimates the short- and long-run effects of Internet usage and economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using annual time series macro data for Australia for the period 1985-2012. Autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bounds and Gregory-Hansen structural break cointegration tests are applied. ARDL estimates indicate no significant long-run relationship between Internet usage and CO2 emissions, which implies that the rapid growth in Internet usage is still not an environmental threat for Australia. The study further indicates that higher level of economic growth is associated with lower level of CO2 emissions; however, Internet usage and economic growth have no significant short-run relationship with CO2 emissions. Financial development has both short-run and long-run significant positive association with CO2 emissions. The findings offer support in favor of energy efficiency gains and a reduction in energy intensity in Australia. However, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis suggest that Internet usage, economic growth and financial development will continue to impact CO2 emissions in the future, and as such, this study recommends that in addition to the existing measures to combat CO2 emissions, Australia needs to exploit the potential of the Internet not only to reduce its own carbon footprint but also to utilize information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled emissions abatement potential to reduce emissions in various other sectors across the economy, such as, power, renewable energy especially in solar and wind energy, agriculture, transport and service.

Molecular epidemiology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in Australia: when one became many

PubMed Central

Kovaliski, John; Sinclair, Ron; Mutze, Greg; Peacock, David; Strive, Tanja; Abrantes, Joana; Esteves, Pedro J.; Holmes, Edward C.

2015-01-01

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced into Australia in 1995 as a biological control agent against the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We evaluated its evolution over a 16 year period (1995–2011) by examining 50 isolates collected throughout Australia, as well as the original inoculum strains. Phylogenetic analysis of capsid protein VP60 sequences of the Australian isolates, compared to those sampled globally, revealed that they form a monophyletic group with the inoculum strains (CAPM V-351 and RHDV351INOC). Strikingly, despite more than 3000 re-releases of RHDV351INOC since 1995, only a single viral lineage has sustained its transmission in the long-term, indicative of a major competitive advantage. In addition, we find evidence for widespread viral gene flow, in which multiple lineages entered individual geographic locations, resulting in a marked turnover of viral lineages with time, as well as a continual increase in viral genetic diversity. The rate of RHDV evolution recorded in Australia – 4.0 (3.3 – 4.7) × 10−3 nucleotide substitutions per site per year – was higher than previously observed in RHDV, and evidence for adaptive evolution was obtained at two VP60 residues. Finally, more intensive study of a single rabbit population (Turretfield) in South Australia provided no evidence for viral persistence between outbreaks, with genetic diversity instead generated by continual strain importation. PMID:24251353

The Resource-Infrastructure-Environment Index for Measuring Progress: An Application to Australia, Mexico and the US

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natoli, Riccardo; Zuhair, Segu

2013-01-01

The resource-infrastructure-environment (RIE) index was proposed as an alternative measure of progress which was then employed to: (1) compare the aggregate (single summary) index findings between Australia (mid-industrialised nation), Mexico (emerging economy), and the US (highly industrialised nation); and (2) compare the RIE index against the…

Properies of the microseism wave field in Australia from three component array data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal, Martin; Reading, Anya; Ellingsen, Simon; Koper, Keith; Burlacu, Relu; Tkalčić, Hrvoje

2016-04-01

In the last two decades, ambient noise studies in the range of 1-20 seconds have predominantly focused on the analysis of source regions for Rayleigh and P waves. The theoretical excitation of these phases is well understood for primary microseisms (direct coupling of gravity waves in sloping shallow bathymetry) and secondary microseisms (wave-wave interaction) and correlates well with observations. For Love waves, the excitation mechanism in the secondary microseism band is to date unknown. It has been shown, that LQ waves can exhibit larger amplitudes than Rg waves for certain frequencies. Therefore detailed analysis of the wave field are necessary to find indications on the generation mechanism. We analyse data from two spiral-shaped arrays located in Australia, the Pilbara Array (PSAR) in the North-West and an array in South Queensland (SQspa) in the East. The two arrays are different in aperture and allow for the study of primary and secondary microseisms with SQspa and higher secondary microseisms with PSAR. We use a deconvolution enhanced beamforming approach, which is based on the CLEAN algorithm. It allows the accurate detection of weaker sources and the estimation of power levels on each component or wave type. For PSAR we evaluate 1 year of data in the frequency range of 0.35-1 Hz and find fundamental and higher mode Rg and LQ waves. For the low end of the frequency range, we find the strongest fundamental mode Rg waves to originate from multiple direction, but confined to coastline reflectors, i.e. coastlines that are perpendicular to the main swell direction, while higher mode Rg waves are mainly generated in the Great Australian Bight. For higher frequencies, the source locations of Rg waves move toward the north coast, which is closest to the array and we see an increase in the Lg phase. The majority of fundamental LQ waves are generated at the west coast of Australia and we find some agreement between low frequency Rg and LQ source locations, which

Tropical Cyclone Ita Off-Shore Queensland, Australia

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-11

Residents of the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia are facing high winds, dangerous tides and very heavy rain between Cape Melville and Cooktown. These hazards will migrate southward for the next few days as the center of the storm remains close to the coast. This image was taken by the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument around 0335Z on April11, 2014. Credit: NASA/NOAA via NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Implementing falls prevention research into policy and practice in Australia: past, present and future.

PubMed

Lord, Stephen R; Sherrington, Catherine; Cameron, Ian D; Close, Jacqueline C T

2011-12-01

Falls in older Australians are a significant public health issue with one in three older people falling one or more times each year. Many fall prevention randomized controlled trials have been conducted in Australia as well as across the world. The findings of these studies now constitute a substantial evidence base that can provide direction for health and lifestyle interventions for preventing falls in older people. This research evidence has contributed to health policy in Australia to some extent, but is yet to be widely implemented into practice. This opinion piece overviews previous policy initiatives and describes a new Partnership research program funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which seeks to further influence health policy and address the ongoing research-practice gap. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of bacille Calmette-Guérin immunisation programs in Australia.

PubMed

Khandaker, Gulam; Beard, Frank H; Dey, Aditi; Coulter, Chris; Hendry, Alexandra J; Macartney, Kristine K

2017-03-31

bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunisation programs in Australia are funded and operated by the individual states and territories. In recent years BCG vaccine shortages have required use of unregistered products. We aimed to evaluate BCG immunisation programs in Australia, with particular reference to program implementation and national consistency.
 Methods: Between September and November 2015, 12 key stakeholders, representing Australian states and territories, completed surveys. We analysed BCG vaccination coverage data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR), and data on adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) with BCG vaccine from the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Adverse Drug Reactions System, for 2001 to 2014.
 Results: Access to BCG vaccination varies between jurisdictions, with some states providing this only in major city locations. Analysis of ACIR data suggests significant differences in vaccine delivery between jurisdictions, but varying levels of under-reporting to the ACIR were also acknowledged. The rate of BCG AEFI appeared to increase between 2011 and 2014; however, these data need to be interpreted with caution due to small numbers, likely under-reporting of both numerator (AEFI) and denominator (vaccine doses administered), and the general increase in reporting of AEFI related to other vaccines in children over this period.
 Conclusions: BCG immunisation programs aim to prevent severe forms of tuberculosis in young children who live in or travel to high burden settings. A range of factors, particularly inconsistent vaccine supply are leading to low, variable and inequitable vaccine delivery across Australian jurisdictions. Improved BCG vaccination uptake and AEFI data quality are required for accurate monitoring of program delivery and vaccine safety - this is particularly important given the current need to use unregistered vaccines. Improved and consistent access to BCG vaccine is suggested to optimise

Realistic evaluation of an emergency department-based mental health nurse practitioner outpatient service in Australia.

PubMed

Wand, Timothy; White, Kathryn; Patching, Joanna

2011-06-01

Evaluation of new models of care requires consideration of the complexity inherent within health care programs and their sensitivity to local contextual factors as well as broader community, social and political influences. Evaluation frameworks that are flexible and responsive while maintaining research rigor are therefore required. Realistic evaluation was adopted as the methodology for the implementation and evaluation of an emergency department-based mental health nurse practitioner outpatient service in Sydney, Australia. The aim of realistic evaluation is to generate, test and refine theories of how programs work within a given context. This paper represents the final methodological step from the completed evaluation. A summary of quantitative and qualitative findings from the mixed-methods evaluation is presented, which is transformed into a set of overarching statements or "middle range theories". Middle range theory statements seek to explain the success of a program and provide transferable lessons for practitioners wishing to implement similar programs elsewhere. For example, the research team consider that early consultation with key local stakeholders and emergency department ownership of the project was pivotal to the implementation process. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Evaluating hazardous air pollutants in Australia.

PubMed

Hinwood, A L; Di Marco, P N

2002-12-27

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) have been evaluated for their health and environmental significance on a targeted and campaign basis in Australia until recently. Individual States and Territories have been undertaking targeted monitoring studies and have numerous control strategies aimed at controlling HAPS emissions with the focus largely on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and selected heavy metals, with some limited work on exposure assessment. There has been little evaluation of the potential health or environmental effects of the monitored concentrations of these substances and few toxicological or epidemiological studies have been conducted-none in the community setting in Australia. Moreover, there has not been an agreed method for assessing risks from HAPS in ambient air, with different jurisdictions utilising different international benchmarks. Recently, the National Environmental Health (EnHealth) Council commenced developing a risk assessment methodology, which is being used in the development of ambient air quality guidelines for selected HAPS in Western Australia. In 1999, the Commonwealth Government established the Living Cities-Toxics Program, designed to assess the state of knowledge on HAPS in Australia with the aims of identifying and prioritising HAPS, identifying information gaps and informing the development of national air quality standards and national management strategies. The Commonwealth Government commenced a number of projects in 2000 to progress these aims.

Improving pathways to primary health care among LGBTQ populations and health care providers: key findings from Nova Scotia, Canada.

PubMed

Gahagan, Jacqueline; Subirana-Malaret, Montse

2018-06-13

This study explores the perceived barriers to primary health care as identified among a sample of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) identified individuals and health care providers in Nova Scotia, Canada. These findings, based on a province-wide anonymous online survey, suggest that additional efforts are needed to improve pathways to primary health among LGBTQ populations and in deepening our understanding of how to advance the unique primary health needs of these populations. Data were collected from the LGBTQ community through an online, closed-ended anonymous survey. Inclusion criteria for participation were self-identifying as LGBTQ, offering primary health care to LGBTQ patients, being able to understand English, being 16 years of age or older, and having lived in Nova Scotia for at least one year. A total of 283 LGBTQ respondents completed the online survey which included sociodemographic questions, perceptions of respondents' health status, and their primary health care experiences. In addition, a total of 109 health care providers completed the survey based on their experiences providing care in Nova Scotia, and in particular, their experiences and perceptions regarding LGBTQ access to primary health care and physician-patient interactions. Our results indicate that, in several key areas, the primary health care needs of LGBTQ populations in Nova Scotia are not being met and this may in turn contribute to their poor health outcomes across the life course. A framework of intersectionality and health equity was used to interpret and analyze the survey data. The key findings indicate the need to continue improving pathways to primary health care among LGBTQ populations, specifically in relation to additional training and related supports for health care providers who work with these populations.

Doctoral profile of the medical radiation sciences: a baseline for Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Ekpo, Ernest U; Snaith, Beverly; Harris, Martine A; McEntee, Mark F

2017-09-01

Research is critical to evidence-based practice, and the rapid developments in technology provide opportunities to innovate and improve practice. Little is known about the research profile of the medical radiation science (MRS) profession in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). This study provides a baseline of their doctoral activity. A cross-sectional survey of MRS professionals in Australia and NZ holding a doctorate or undertaking doctoral studies, was performed using an online tool (Bristol Online Survey ® , Bristol, UK). A chain-referral sampling technique was adopted for data collection. An email invitation with a link to the survey was generated and distributed through email and social media. The survey contained questions related to participant demographics, doctoral status, qualification route, funding and employment. There were 63 responses to the survey comprising 50.8% diagnostic radiographers (DRs; n = 32), 23.8% radiation therapists (RTs; n = 15), with the remaining 25.4% (n = 16) equally split between sonographers and nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs). A total of 40 (63.5%) of respondents had completed their doctoral qualification. In NZ, only DRs held a doctoral award constituting 0.3% of DRs and 0.2% of the total registered MRS population. In Australia, there was a greater proportion of doctoral NMTs (n = 8/1098; 0.7%) than RTs (n = 15/2394; 0.6%) and DRs (n = 27/12,001; 0.2%). Similar to other countries, findings show a very small percentage of doctoral MRS professionals in Australia and NZ. Strategies to engage and support individuals in research, up to and beyond doctoral study, need to be embedded in practice. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology.

Key Findings and Recommendations from the Coös Youth Study: Research from the First Half of the Study. Regional Issue Brief Number 41

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staunton, Michael S.; Jaffee, Eleanor M.

2014-01-01

In this brief, authors Michael Staunton and Eleanor Jaffee review the key findings and recommendations from research conducted in the first half of the Coös Youth Study, which began in 2008 and is planned to continue through 2018. The study explores young people's decisions about their educational and job opportunities in rural northern New…

Perceptions of the solarium ban in Australia: 'Fake it, don't bake it'.

PubMed

Prichard, Ivanka; Dobbinson, Suzanne; Wilson, Carlene; Hutchinson, Amanda D; Rayner, Joanne; Makin, Jen

2015-08-01

The causal link between ultraviolet radiation from solarium use and skin cancer is well established. In 2012 and 2013, state governments across Australia announced plans to ban commercial solarium use from 31 December 2014. The present study examined the responses of solarium and non-solarium users to the ban on commercial solariums in Australia. Participants (n = 488; 388 females, 100 males; mean age = 26.02, s.d. = 9.95) completed an online questionnaire during the summer prior to the ban relating to solarium usage and their opinions about the ban. Overall, 49% (n = 237) of participants were aware of the impending ban; 17% (n = 83) had used a solarium at some point in their life. The response to the solarium ban was positive; however, some current solarium users intended post-ban to use privately owned sunbeds and or spend a greater amount of time sun-tanning. These findings indicate a high level of public support for the solarium ban, which has removed a risky source of ultraviolet radiation in Australia. SO WHAT? Further steps are now needed to monitor the tanning behaviours of previous solarium users post-ban and their access to private sunbed use and other potentially dangerous methods of tanning (e.g. tanning injections).

Country Report on Building Energy Codes in Australia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shui, Bin; Evans, Meredydd; Somasundaram, Sriram

2009-04-02

This report is part of a series of reports on building energy efficiency codes in countries associated with the Asian Pacific Partnership (APP) - Australia, South Korea, Japan, China, India, and the United States of America (U.S.). This reports gives an overview of the development of building energy codes in Australia, including national energy policies related to building energy codes, history of building energy codes, recent national projects and activities to promote building energy codes. The report also provides a review of current building energy codes (such as building envelope, HVAC, and lighting) for commercial and residential buildings in Australia.

A statewide review of postnatal care in private hospitals in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Rayner, Jo-Anne; McLachlan, Helen L; Forster, Della A; Peters, Louise; Yelland, Jane

2010-05-28

Concerns have been raised in Australia and internationally regarding the quality and effectiveness of hospital postnatal care, although Australian women receiving postnatal care in the private maternity sector rate their satisfaction with care more highly than women receiving public maternity care. In Victoria, Australia, two-thirds of women receive their maternity care in the public sector and the remainder in private health care sector. A statewide review of public hospital postnatal care in Victoria from the perspective of care providers found many barriers to care provision including the busyness of postnatal wards, inadequate staffing and priority being given to other episodes of care; however the study did not include private hospitals. The aim of this study was replicate the review in the private sector, to explore the structure and organisation of postnatal care in private hospitals and identify those aspects of care potentially impacting on women's experiences and maternal and infant care. This provides a more complete overview of the organisational structures and processes in postnatal care in all Victorian hospitals from the perspective of care providers. A mixed method design was used. A structured postal survey was sent to all Victorian private hospitals (n = 19) and key informant interviews were undertaken with selected clinical midwives, maternity unit managers and obstetricians (n = 11). Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and interview data analysed thematically. Private hospital care providers report that postnatal care is provided in very busy environments, and that meeting the aims of postnatal care (breastfeeding support, education of parents and facilitating rest and recovery for women following birth) was difficult in the context of increased acuity of postnatal care; prioritising of other areas over postnatal care; high midwife-to-woman ratios; and the number and frequency of visitors. These findings were similar to the

HIV diagnoses in indigenous peoples: comparison of Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

PubMed

Shea, Beverley; Aspin, Clive; Ward, James; Archibald, Chris; Dickson, Nigel; McDonald, Ann; Penehira, Mera; Halverson, Jessica; Masching, Renee; McAllister, Sue; Smith, Linda Tuhiwai; Kaldor, John M; Andersson, Neil

2011-09-01

In industrial countries, a number of factors put indigenous peoples at increased risk of HIV infection. National surveillance data between 1999 and 2008 provided diagnoses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Australia), First Nations, Inuit and Métis (Canada excluding Ontario and Quebec) and Māori (New Zealand). Each country provided similar data for a non-indigenous comparison population. Direct standardisation used the 2001 Canadian Aboriginal male population for comparison of five-year diagnosis rates in 1999-2003 and 2004-2008. Using the general population as denominators, we report diagnosis ratios for presumed heterosexual transmission, men who have sex with men (MSM) and intravenous drug users (IDU). Age standardised HIV diagnosis rates in indigenous peoples in Canada in 2004-2008 (178.1 and 178.4/100 000 for men and women respectively) were higher than in Australia (48.5 and 12.9/100 000) and New Zealand (41.9 and 4.3/100 000). Higher HIV diagnosis rates related to heterosexual contact among Aboriginal peoples, especially women, in Canada confirm a widening epidemic beyond the conventional risk groups. This potential of a generalised epidemic requires urgent attention in Aboriginal communities; available evidence can inform policy and action by all stakeholders. Although less striking in Australia and New Zealand, these findings may be relevant to indigenous peoples in other countries.

Assessment of the Risk of Ebola Importation to Australia

PubMed Central

Cope, Robert C.; Cassey, Phillip; Hugo, Graeme J.; Ross, Joshua V.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To assess the risk of Ebola importation to Australia during the first six months of 2015, based upon the current outbreak in West Africa. Methodology: We assessed the risk under two distinct scenarios: (i) assuming that significant numbers of cases of Ebola remain confined to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and using historic passenger arrival data into Australia; and, (ii) assuming potential secondary spread based upon international flight data. A model appropriate to each scenario is developed, and parameterised using passenger arrival card or international flight data, and World Health Organisation case data from West Africa. These models were constructed based on WHO Ebola outbreak data as at 17 October 2014 and 3 December 2014. An assessment of the risk under each scenario is reported. On 27 October 2014 the Australian Government announced a policy change, that visas from affected countries would be refused/cancelled, and the predicted effect of this policy change is reported. Results: The current probability of at least one case entering Australia by 1 July 2015, having travelled directly from West Africa with historic passenger arrival rates into Australia, is 0.34. Under the new Australian Government policy of restricting visas from affected countries (as of 27 October 2014), the probability of at least one case entering Australia by 1 July 2015 is reduced to 0.16. The probability of at least one case entering Australia by 1 July 2015 via an outbreak from a secondary source country is approximately 0.12. Conclusions: Our models suggest that if the transmission of Ebola remains unchanged, it is possible that a case will enter Australia within the first six months of 2015, either directly from West Africa (even when current visa restrictions are considered), or via secondary outbreaks elsewhere. Government and medical authorities should be prepared to respond to this eventuality. Control measures within West Africa over recent months have

The Employers' View of "Work-Ready" Graduates: A Study of Advertisements for Marketing Jobs in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, Ellen; Kubacki, Krzysztof; Pang, Bo; Alcaraz, Celeste

2017-01-01

This study of job advertisements extends our understanding of how employers, rather than researchers, describe the specific skills and attributes sought in candidates for employment in graduate marketing roles in Australia. The article presents the findings of a content analysis of 359 marketing job advertisements downloaded in 2016, in two…

Secure key from bound entanglement.

PubMed

Horodecki, Karol; Horodecki, Michał; Horodecki, Paweł; Oppenheim, Jonathan

2005-04-29

We characterize the set of shared quantum states which contain a cryptographically private key. This allows us to recast the theory of privacy as a paradigm closely related to that used in entanglement manipulation. It is shown that one can distill an arbitrarily secure key from bound entangled states. There are also states that have less distillable private keys than the entanglement cost of the state. In general, the amount of distillable key is bounded from above by the relative entropy of entanglement. Relationships between distillability and distinguishability are found for a class of states which have Bell states correlated to separable hiding states. We also describe a technique for finding states exhibiting irreversibility in entanglement distillation.

The genus Unixenus Jones, 1944 (Diplopoda, Penicillata, Polyxenida) in Australia

PubMed Central

Short, Megan; Huynh, Cuong

2011-01-01

Abstract The penicillate genus Unixenus Jones, 1944 is widespread, with species found in Africa, Madagascar, India and Australia. Each of the two Australian species was originally described from single samples from Western Australia. In this study, collections of Penicillata from museums in all states of Australia were examined to provide further details of the two described species, to revise the diagnoses for both the genus and the species, and to better understand the distribution of the two species in Australia. In addition, two new species Unixenus karajinensis sp. n. and Unixenus corticolus sp. n. are described. PMID:22303098

The contribution of organised sports to physical activity in Australia: Results and directions from the Active Healthy Kids Australia 2014 Report Card on physical activity for children and young people.

PubMed

Vella, Stewart A; Schranz, Natasha K; Davern, Melanie; Hardy, Louise L; Hills, Andrew P; Morgan, Philip J; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Tomkinson, Grant

2016-05-01

Youth participation in organised sport and physical activity is important for healthy development, growth and wellbeing. In 2014, Active Healthy Kids Australia released its inaugural Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Young People, which synthesised the best available national- and state-level data for children and young people (<18 years). This paper provides a more detailed examination of the evidence informing the grade for Organised Sport from the 2014 Report Card, compares Australia's Organised Sport grade with other countries, identifies future directions for research and surveillance, and explores possible beneficial strategies. The Report Card highlighted that between 64% and 85% of Australians aged 5-17 years participate in organised sports, a rate higher than alternate forms of physical activity such as active transportation, active play and school based physical activity. This finding reflects Australia's position as one of the global leaders for participating in organised sport. Future research and surveillance methodologies however, need to incorporate standardised metrics that aim to capture more detailed data regarding organised sport participation. Facilitating access for all children and preventing dropout from organised sports are important initiatives to improve current levels of sport participation. However, given that 80% of Australians aged 5-17 years are not sufficiently physically active to achieve the daily recommendation, participation in sport alone is not enough to ensure that children can accrue the health benefits associated with being physically active. As such, there is a pressing need to develop strategies that engage children in other forms of physical activity such as active transportation and active play. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic considerations and health in all policies initiatives: evidence from interviews with key informants in Sweden, Quebec and South Australia.

PubMed

Pinto, Andrew D; Molnar, Agnes; Shankardass, Ketan; O'Campo, Patricia J; Bayoumi, Ahmed M

2015-02-18

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is a form of intersectoral action that aims to include the promotion of health in government initiatives across sectors. To date, there has been little study of economic considerations within the implementation of HiAP. As part of an ongoing program of research on the implementation of HiAP around the world, we examined how economic considerations influence the implementation of HiAP. By economic considerations we mean the cost and financial gain (or loss) of implementing a HiAP process or structure within government, or the cost and financial gain (or loss) of the policies that emerge from such a HiAP process or structure. We examined three jurisdictions: Sweden, Quebec and South Australia. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 12 to 14 key informants in each jurisdiction. Two investigators separately coded transcripts to identify relevant statements. Initial readings of transcripts led to the development of a coding framework for statements related to economic considerations. First, economic evaluations of HiAP are viewed as important for prompting HiAP and many forms of economic evaluation were considered. However, economic evaluations were often absent, informal, or incomplete. Second, funding for HiAP initiatives is important, but is less important than a high-level commitment to intersectoral collaboration. Furthermore, having multiple sources of funding of HiAP can be beneficial, if it increases participation across government, but can also be disadvantageous, if it exposes underlying tensions. Third, HiAP can also highlight the challenge of achieving both economic and social objectives. Our results are useful for elaborating propositions for use in realist multiple explanatory case studies. First, we propose that economic considerations are currently used primarily as a method by health sectors to promote and legitimize HiAP to non-health sectors with the goal of securing resources for HiAP. Second

Joeropsididae Nordenstam, 1933 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Asellota) from the Lizard Island region of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Bruce, Niel L.

2015-01-01

Abstract The marine isopod family Joeropsididae (Asellota) is documented for the Lizard Island region of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Fifteen species of Joeropsis are recorded, including ten new species; descriptive notes are provided for five species that lacked adequate material for description. A revised family and genus diagnosis is presented together with comments on the most useful characters for species identification and a key to Joeropsis of the Lizard Island region. PMID:25878536

Private Schools and National Policy: A Comparative Study of Australia and the U.S.A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Thomas A.

This paper summarizes the findings of a questionnaire study comparing government aid to private schools in Australia and the United States. The study drew questions from those raised in a hearing of the Senate Committee on finance about tax credits for private schools. The paper covers the answers of ten Australian respondents, given in the form…

Quarantine, exports and animal disease in Australia 1901-2010.

PubMed

Turner, Aj

2011-09-01

The Constitution forming the Australian Commonwealth Government on 1 January 1901 provided that animal and animal products imported into and exported from Australia would be under the authority of the national government. By mutual agreement, the Quarantine Act 1908 provided for the states to continue the delivery of services under contract until 1995 when the Commonwealth took back full responsibility for quarantine services. In the 1940s, 50s and 60s there were world pandemics of livestock diseases and Australia ceased the import of many species. By the 1970s, the livestock industries sought relaxation of import restrictions to gain access to diversified genetic stock. By the use of new technologies, many species can now be imported into Australia through tight importation protocols. With the advent of the World Trade Organization and implementation of the Sanitary Phytosanitary Agreement, Australia has developed a risk-based framework to support the development of import conditions for animals and animal products. Australia's 'Acceptable Level of Protection' has been set to provide a low likelihood of disease entry. Being an island continent, Australia can apply strong controls over imports and exports of all commodities and relatively few outbreaks of exotic animal diseases have occurred by breach of quarantine, but the outbreaks of rinderpest in 1923 and equine influenza in 2007 were notable exceptions. © 2011 The Author. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2011 Australian Veterinary Association.

Quantifying bushfire penetration into urban areas in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Keping; McAneney, John

2004-06-01

The extent and trajectory of bushfire penetration at the bushland-urban interface are quantified using data from major historical fires in Australia. We find that the maximum distance at which homes are destroyed is typically less than 700 m. The probability of home destruction emerges as a simple linear and decreasing function of distance from the bushland-urban boundary but with a variable slope that presumably depends upon fire regime and human intervention. The collective data suggest that the probability of home destruction at the forest edge is around 60%. Spatial patterns of destroyed homes display significant neighbourhood clustering. Our results provide revealing spatial evidence for estimating fire risk to properties and suggest an ember-attack model.

Money for Language: Indigenous Language Funding in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahboob, Ahmar; Jacobsen, Britt; Kemble, Melissa; Xu, Zichen Catherine

2017-01-01

This paper examines how language development aid is managed and distributed via grant programs administered by federal and state Aboriginal affairs departments across Australia. While these departments are not the only organisations offering grants for development and language-related projects in Australia, they are in a good position to…

A New Era for Research Education in Australia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Helene; Smith, Bradley; King, Max; Evans, Terry

2012-01-01

Use of the Australian research assessment exercise, Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) to influence the policy and practice of research education in Australia will undoubtedly have many consequences, some of them unintended and potentially deleterious. ERA is a retrospective measure of research quality; research education is prospective.…

Australia Great Barrier Reef

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-04-11

The Great Barrier Reef extends for 2,000 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Australia. It is not a single reef, but a vast maze of reefs, passages, and coral cays islands that are part of the reef.

Summer spawning of Porites lutea from north-western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoddart, C. W.; Stoddart, J. A.; Blakeway, D. R.

2012-09-01

Most coral species off Australia's west coast spawn in the austral autumn (March-April), with a few species also spawning in the southern spring or early summer (November-December). This is the reverse timing to spawning recorded off Australia's east coast. Porites lutea, a gonochoric broadcast spawner that is common on Australia's west coast, is shown here to spawn in the months of November or December, as it does on Australia's east coast. Spawning occurred between 2 and 5 nights after full moon, with the majority of spawning activity on night 3. Gametes developed over three to four months with rapid development in the last two weeks before spawning. Zooxanthellae were typically observed in mature oocytes, only a week before spawning so their presence may provide a useful indicator of imminent spawning.

Medical e-commerce for regional Australia.

PubMed

Kumar, D K; Mikelaitis, P

2001-12-01

The residents of rural and regional Australia have less access to health care services than in capital cities. There is a reluctance of General Practitioners to practice in the country. New information technology and government initiatives are now addressing this problem. High bandwidth videoconferencing is now being routinely used to provide psychiatric consultations to areas without this service. But this (like many other implementations of telecommunication technologies to health) has resulted in loss of revenue to regional Australia while benefiting capital cities. Thus, the current implementation of telecommunication technology to health has resulted in loss of revenue of the regions while increasing the bias towards the cities. Further, the system is not economically viable and requires the Government to inject funds for the smooth operation of the system. This paper proposes the use of telecommunication technology for enabling the communities of regional Australia to access health facilities via physical and virtual clinics. The proposed technique is self supporting and is based in the country with the intent to prevent the drain of resources from regional Australia. The technique attempts to eradicate the problem at the root level by providing a business opportunity that is based in and to cater for the needs of the remote communities. The proposed system would provide health services by physical and virtual clinics and while serving the communities would be profit centres- and thus attracting doctors and other resources to the remote communities.

The Many Turnings of Agricultural Extension in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Warren; Birch, Colin; Coutts, Jeff; Vanclay, Frank

2012-01-01

Purpose: This article outlines the development of extension as a discipline in Australia, its organization, and the ideological changes that have occurred from the second half of the nineteenth century through to the present. Design/Methodology/Approach: It considers the evolution of extension across the different states of Australia from a…

Cyclists’ experiences of harassment from motorists: findings from a survey of cyclists in Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Heesch, Kristiann C; Sahlqvist, Shannon; Garrard, Jan

2013-01-01

Objective Harassment from motorists is a major constraint on cycling that has been under-researched. We examined incidence and correlates of harassment of cyclists. Methods Cyclists in Queensland, Australia were surveyed in 2009 about their experiences of harassment while cycling, from motor vehicle occupants. Respondents also indicated the forms of harassment they experienced. Logistic regression modeling was used to examine gender and other correlates of harassment. Results Of 1830 respondents, 76% of men and 72% of women reported harassment in the previous 12 months. The most reported forms of harassment were driving too close (66%), shouting abuse (63%), and making obscene gestures/sexual harassment (45%). Older age, overweight/obesity, less cycling experience (<2 years) and less frequent cycling (<3 days/week) were associated with less likelihood of harassment, while living in highly advantaged areas (SEIFA deciles 8 or 9), cycling for recreation, and cycling for competition were associated with increased likelihood of harassment. Gender was not associated with reports of harassment. Conclusions Efforts to decrease harassment should include a closer examination of the circumstances that give rise to harassment, as well as fostering road environments and driver attitudes and behaviors that recognize that cyclists are legitimate road users. PMID:22001076

Cyclists' experiences of harassment from motorists: findings from a survey of cyclists in Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Heesch, Kristiann C; Sahlqvist, Shannon; Garrard, Jan

2011-12-01

Harassment from motorists is a major constraint on cycling that has been under-researched. We examined incidence and correlates of harassment of cyclists. Cyclists in Queensland, Australia were surveyed in 2009 about their experiences of harassment while cycling, from motor vehicle occupants. Respondents also indicated the forms of harassment they experienced. Logistic regression modeling was used to examine gender and other correlates of harassment. Of 1830 respondents, 76% of men and 72% of women reported harassment in the previous 12 months. The most reported forms of harassment were driving too close (66%), shouting abuse (63%), and making obscene gestures/sexual harassment (45%). Older age, overweight/obesity, less cycling experience (<2 years) and less frequent cycling (<3 days/week) were associated with less likelihood of harassment, while living in highly advantaged areas (SEIFA deciles 8 or 9), cycling for recreation, and cycling for competition were associated with increased likelihood of harassment. Gender was not associated with reports of harassment. Efforts to decrease harassment should include a closer examination of the circumstances that give rise to harassment, as well as fostering road environments and driver attitudes and behaviors that recognize that cyclists are legitimate road users. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuous variable quantum key distribution: finite-key analysis of composable security against coherent attacks.

PubMed

Furrer, F; Franz, T; Berta, M; Leverrier, A; Scholz, V B; Tomamichel, M; Werner, R F

2012-09-07

We provide a security analysis for continuous variable quantum key distribution protocols based on the transmission of two-mode squeezed vacuum states measured via homodyne detection. We employ a version of the entropic uncertainty relation for smooth entropies to give a lower bound on the number of secret bits which can be extracted from a finite number of runs of the protocol. This bound is valid under general coherent attacks, and gives rise to keys which are composably secure. For comparison, we also give a lower bound valid under the assumption of collective attacks. For both scenarios, we find positive key rates using experimental parameters reachable today.

Inter-Organizational Trust in EDI Adoption: The Case of Ford Motor Company and PBR Limited in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratnasingam, Pauline

2001-01-01

This study examines behavioral dimensions of trading partner trust in EDI (electronic data interchange) adoption via a qualitative interpretative case study conducted between an automotive manufacturer (Ford Motor Company) in Australia and their first tier supplier, PBR Limited. Findings suggest that trust is important for cooperative long-term…

From Vision to Reality: Views of Primary School Principals on Inclusive Education in New South Wales, Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Linda J.; Spandagou, Ilektra

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the findings of a research study that used semi-structured interviews to explore the views of primary school principals on inclusive education in New South Wales, Australia. Content analysis of the transcript data indicates that principals' attitudes towards inclusive education and their success in engineering inclusive…

Association between lung capacity and abnormal glucose metabolism: findings from China and Australia.

PubMed

Yu, Dahai; Chen, Tao; Qin, Rui; Cai, Yamei; Jiang, Zhixin; Zhao, Zhanzheng; Simmons, David

2016-07-01

Restricted pulmonary function is found among people with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the dose-response relationship between pulmonary function measurements [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC)] and risk of metabolic syndrome (MS)/type 2 diabetes. A total of 1454 adults in rural Victoria, Australia, and 5824 adults in Nanjing, China, from randomly selected households provided clinical history, oral glucose tolerance test, lipids, anthropometric, blood pressure and spirometric measurements. MS was defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria. Adjusted odds ratios for MS and type 2 diabetes with lung capacity measurements were estimated using logistic regression. Dose-response relationships were explored using the restricted cubic spline models. There was a nonlinear relationship between FEV1 and the risk of type 2 diabetes and MS (both P < 0·0001) in both the Australian and Chinese populations. The FEV1 associated with the lowest risk of type 2 diabetes and MS was above 2·70 l (95%CI: 2·68 to 2·72 l and 2·65 to 2·76 l in Chinese and Australian populations, respectively). The discrimination of the model could be significantly improved using the FEV1 threshold in both the Australian and Chinese populations. In both the Australian and Chinese populations, the risk of type 2 diabetes and MS is lowest with a FEV1 of 2·65-2·76 l. This might be used in clinical practice in different countries as a prompt to screen for type 2 diabetes and MS in patients with obstructive lung disease and to ensure there was no abnormal glucose metabolism before the commencement of steroids if indicated. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

When did a Mediterranean-type climate originate in southwestern Australia?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamont, Byron B.; He, Tianhua

2017-09-01

Knowing the environments under which biota have evolved is essential for understanding the functional traits that they possess. Here, we ask when a Mediterranean-type climate (MTC) originated in Western Australia that might help to explain some of its special plant adaptations to summer drought and heat, mild wet winters and intense summer fires. Periodic drought and fire can be traced back to the Cretaceous in southwestern Australia (SWA) but its seasonality is unknown. Previous estimates of the origin of the MTC in SWA have varied from 30 to 3 million years ago (Ma). An early proposal was that it originated in northwestern Australia 30 Ma and migrated south to its present location for which we find independent support. We collated 47 cases of what is currently known about the time of origin of adaptive responses to summer drought and heat, wet winters and periodic intense fire among flowering plants in SWA. About 15% arose in the 40-30-million-year (My) period, 32% in the 30-20-My period and 47% in the 20-10-My period, suggesting that a MTC may have been widespread in SWA by the mid-Miocene, but there may have been local appearances (proto-MTC) up to 20 My earlier. Uncertainties remain about the location of lineages at various times, the fitness benefits of apparent adaptive traits and their confinement to a MTC, and the significance of the origin versus the onset of diversification of traits. The current dearth of C4 grasses in SWA is consistent with other indications of the absence of a prior history of a summer-dominant rainfall, suggesting that the current MTC arose from a uniform-rainfall climate. Other lines of evidence that might refine these findings include the chemical composition of, and application of geochronometers to, laterites, carbonates and corals that have been used with success elsewhere. We conclude by noting that there may have been a mixture of climates for much of the time, indicated by the persistence of a few rainforest species up to 3

Resettlement experiences and resilience in refugee youth in Perth, Western Australia.

PubMed

Earnest, Jaya; Mansi, Ruth; Bayati, Sara; Earnest, Joel Anthony; Thompson, Sandra C

2015-06-10

In Australia, the two major pathways of refugee entry are the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees resettlement programme and irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs) seeking asylum. The Australian Government's policies towards IMAs since July 2013 are controversial, uncompromising and consistently harsh, with asylum seekers held in detention centres for prolonged periods. Refugees and asylum seekers have distinct and unique stressors that make resettlement difficult. This exploratory study examines resettlement experiences for refugee youth in Western Australia using the psychosocial conceptual framework and qualitative methods. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken with verbatim transcripts analysed using thematic analysis to identify themes. Themes documented that language and its impact, and experience with education, health, and social activities, support structures provided to youth and supporting future aspirations as critical to successful resettlement. This exploratory study contributes to developing a broader understanding of the resettlement experiences of refugee youth, drawing on their current and past experiences, cultural differences and mechanisms for coping. Fluency in English language, especially spoken, was a facilitator of successful resettlement. Our results align with previous studies documenting that support programs are vital for successful resettlement. Although faced with immense difficulties refugee youth are resilient, want to succeed and have aspirations for the future. Strategies and recommendations suggested by refugee youth themselves could be used for developing interventions to assist successful resettlement.

Application of Scan Statistics to Detect Suicide Clusters in Australia

PubMed Central

Cheung, Yee Tak Derek; Spittal, Matthew J.; Williamson, Michelle Kate; Tung, Sui Jay; Pirkis, Jane

2013-01-01

Background Suicide clustering occurs when multiple suicide incidents take place in a small area or/and within a short period of time. In spite of the multi-national research attention and particular efforts in preparing guidelines for tackling suicide clusters, the broader picture of epidemiology of suicide clustering remains unclear. This study aimed to develop techniques in using scan statistics to detect clusters, with the detection of suicide clusters in Australia as example. Methods and Findings Scan statistics was applied to detect clusters among suicides occurring between 2004 and 2008. Manipulation of parameter settings and change of area for scan statistics were performed to remedy shortcomings in existing methods. In total, 243 suicides out of 10,176 (2.4%) were identified as belonging to 15 suicide clusters. These clusters were mainly located in the Northern Territory, the northern part of Western Australia, and the northern part of Queensland. Among the 15 clusters, 4 (26.7%) were detected by both national and state cluster detections, 8 (53.3%) were only detected by the state cluster detection, and 3 (20%) were only detected by the national cluster detection. Conclusions These findings illustrate that the majority of spatial-temporal clusters of suicide were located in the inland northern areas, with socio-economic deprivation and higher proportions of indigenous people. Discrepancies between national and state/territory cluster detection by scan statistics were due to the contrast of the underlying suicide rates across states/territories. Performing both small-area and large-area analyses, and applying multiple parameter settings may yield the maximum benefits for exploring clusters. PMID:23342098

Socio-economic benefits from protected areas in southeastern Australia.

PubMed

Heagney, E C; Kovac, M; Fountain, J; Conner, N

2015-12-01

International case studies of protected area performance increasingly report that conservation and socio-economic outcomes are interdependent. Effective conservation requires support and cooperation from local governments and communities, which in turn requires that protected areas contribute to the economic well-being of the communities in which they are sited. Despite increasing recognition of their importance, robust studies that document the socio-economic impacts of protected areas are rare, especially in the developed world context. We proposed 3 potential pathways through which protected areas might benefit local communities in the developed world: the improved local housing value, local business stimulus, and increased local funding pathways. We examined these pathways by undertaking a statistical longitudinal analysis of 110 regional and rural communities covering an area of approximately 600,000 km(2) in southeastern Australia. We compared trends in 10 socio-economic indicators describing employment, income, housing, business development and local government revenue from 2000 to 2010. New protected areas acquisitions led to an increased number of new dwelling approvals and associated developer contributions, increased local business numbers, and increased local government revenue from user-pays services and grants. Longer-term effects of established protected areas included increased local council revenue from a variety of sources. Our findings provide support for each of our 3 proposed benefit pathways and contribute new insights into the cycling of benefits from protected areas through the economy over time. The business and legislative models in our study are typical of those operating in many other developed countries; thus, the benefit pathways reported in our study are likely to be generalizable. By identifying and communicating socio-economic benefits from terrestrial protected areas in a developed world context, our findings represent an important

Tuberculosis notifications in Australia, 2011.

PubMed

Bareja, Christina; Waring, Justin; Stapledon, Richard; Toms, Cindy; Douglas, Paul

2014-12-31

The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received 1,385 tuberculosis (TB) notifications in 2011, representing a rate of 6.2 cases per 100,000 population. While Australia has maintained a rate of 5 to 6 cases per 100,000 for TB since the mid-1980s, there has been a steady increase in incidence over the past decade. In 2011, Australia's overseas-born population continued to represent the majority of TB notifications (88%) with a notification rate of 20.2 per 100,000. The incidence of TB in the Australian-born Indigenous population has fluctuated over the last decade and showed no clear trend; however, in 2011 the notification rate was 4.9 per 100,000, which is a notable decrease from the 7.5 per 100,000 recorded in 2010. The incidence of TB in the Australian-born non-Indigenous population has continued to remain low at 0.9 per 100,000. Australia continued to record only a small number of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases nationally (n=25), all of which were identified in the overseas-born population. To ensure that Australia can retain its low TB rate and work toward reducing rates further, it is essential that Australia maintains good centralised national TB reporting to monitor trends and identify at-risk populations, and continues to contribute to global TB control initiatives. This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce the whole or part of this work in unaltered form for your own personal use or, if you are part of an organisation, for internal use within your organisation, but only if you or your organisation do not use the reproduction for any commercial purpose and retain this copyright notice and all disclaimer notices as part of that reproduction. Apart from rights to use as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 or allowed by this copyright notice, all other rights are reserved and you are not allowed to reproduce the whole or any part of this work in any way (electronic or otherwise) without first being given the

Virulence and Evolution of West Nile Virus, Australia, 1960-2012.

PubMed

Prow, Natalie A; Edmonds, Judith H; Williams, David T; Setoh, Yin X; Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle; Suen, Willy W; Hobson-Peters, Jody; van den Hurk, Andrew F; Pyke, Alyssa T; Hall-Mendelin, Sonja; Northill, Judith A; Johansen, Cheryl A; Warrilow, David; Wang, Jianning; Kirkland, Peter D; Doggett, Stephen; Andrade, Christy C; Brault, Aaron C; Khromykh, Alexander A; Hall, Roy A

2016-08-01

Worldwide, West Nile virus (WNV) causes encephalitis in humans, horses, and birds. The Kunjin strain of WNV (WNVKUN) is endemic to northern Australia, but infections are usually asymptomatic. In 2011, an unprecedented outbreak of equine encephalitis occurred in southeastern Australia; most of the ≈900 reported cases were attributed to a newly emerged WNVKUN strain. To investigate the origins of this virus, we performed genetic analysis and in vitro and in vivo studies of 13 WNVKUN isolates collected from different regions of Australia during 1960-2012. Although no disease was recorded for 1984, 2000, or 2012, isolates collected during those years (from Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, respectively) exhibited levels of virulence in mice similar to that of the 2011 outbreak strain. Thus, virulent strains of WNVKUN have circulated in Australia for >30 years, and the first extensive outbreak of equine disease in Australia probably resulted from a combination of specific ecologic and epidemiologic conditions.

Potential future scenarios for Australia's native biodiversity given on-going increases in human population.

PubMed

Pepper, D A; Lada, Hania; Thomson, James R; Bakar, K Shuvo; Lake, P S; Mac Nally, Ralph

2017-01-15

Most natural assets, including native biodiversity (our focus), are under increasing threat from direct (loss of habitat, hunting) and indirect (climate change) human actions. Most human impacts arise from increasing human populations coupled with rises in per capita resource use. The rates of change of human actions generally outpace those to which the biota can respond or adapt. If we are to maintain native biodiversity, then we must develop ways to envisage how the biota may be affected over the next several decades to guide management and policy responses. We consider the future for Australia's native biodiversity in the context of two assumptions. First, the human population in Australia will be 40million by 2050, which has been mooted by federal government agencies. Second, greenhouse gas emissions will track the highest rates considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The scenarios are based on major drivers of change, which were constructed from seven key drivers of change pertinent to native biodiversity. Five scenarios deal with differing distributions of the human population driven by uncertainties in climate change and in the human responses to climate change. Other scenarios are governed largely by global change and explore different rates of resource use, unprecedented rates of technological change, capabilities and societal values. A narrative for each scenario is provided. The set of scenarios spans a wide range of possible future paths for Australia, with different implications for the future of native biodiversity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Problems, policies and politics: making the case for better assistive technology provision in Australia.

PubMed

Layton, Natasha

2015-05-01

Substantial evidence supports assistive technology and environmental adaptations as key enablers to participation. In order to realise the potential of these interventions, they need to be both recognised in policy, and resourced in practice. This paper uses political theory to understand the complexities of assistive technology (AT) policy reform in Australia. AT research will not be influential in improving AT policy without consideration of political drivers. Theories of policy formation are considered, with Kingdon's (2003) theory of multiple streams identified as a useful lens through which to understand government actions. This theory is applied to the case of current AT policy reformulation in Australia. The convergence model of problem identification, policy formulation and political will is found to be an applicable construct with which to evaluate contemporary policy changes. This paper illustrates the cogency of this theory for the field of AT, in the case of Australia's recent disability and aged care reforms. Political theory provides a way of conceptualising the difficulties of consumers and AT practitioners experience in getting therapeutically valid solutions into public policy, and then getting policies prioritised and funded. It is suggested that AT practitioners must comprehend and consider political factors in working towards effective policies to support their practice. AT practitioners generally lack political awareness or an understanding of the drivers of policy. The effectiveness of AT practitioners at a systemic level will remain limited without consideration of policy drivers. AT practitioners must comprehend and consider political factors in working towards effective policies to support their practice.

Inclusivity and Senior Physical Education: Insights from Queensland and Western Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penney, Dawn; Hay, Peter

2008-01-01

In the context of uncertainty and ongoing reform of senior secondary education in Australia, this paper addresses inclusivity in the design and implementation of senior physical education (PE) courses. Critical analysis of course developments in two states in Australia; Queensland and Western Australia, demonstrates ways in which course design,…

The introduction of buprenorphine-naloxone film in opioid substitution therapy in Australia: Uptake and issues arising from changing buprenorphine formulations.

PubMed

Larance, Briony; Dietze, Paul; Ali, Robert; Lintzeris, Nicholas; White, Nancy; Jenkinson, Rebecca; Degenhardt, Louisa

2015-11-01

Buprenorphine-naloxone (BNX) film for opioid dependence treatment was introduced in Australia in 2011. A key difference in State policy approaches saw transfer from BNX tablets to BNX film mandated in South Australia (SA) with New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria (VIC) having less stringent policies. This study examined (i) how initiations and transfers were implemented, (ii) the profile and predictors of adverse effects as self-reported by BNX film clients, and (iii) dosing issues. Survey of 334 buprenorphine (BPN), BNX tablet and BNX film clients and semi-structured interviews with 39 key experts (KEs) in 2012. Comparisons are made between clients interviewed in SA versus NSW and VIC combined. Among the 180 current BNX film clients, 23% started treatment on BNX film, 18% requested a transfer to BNX film and 59% (n = 106) reported their clinic/prescriber recommended transfer to BNX film. Among clients who were offered but refused a transfer to BNX film (n = 66), the most common reason was 'I am happy with my current treatment and do not see a reason to change' (53%). Some opioid substitution therapy clients and KE viewed transfers as 'forced' (i.e. no choice of buprenorphine formulation). Multivariable regression showed residing in SA (vs. NSW/VIC) and a shorter length of current treatment episode were associated with more BNX film-attributed adverse effects but clinic/prescriber-recommended transfer was not. The introduction of BNX film in Australia varied across States. A perception of restricted choice in medication may have undermined initial acceptance in SA. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Investigating key beliefs guiding mothers' dietary decisions for their 2-3 year old.

PubMed

Spinks, Teagan; Hamilton, Kyra

2015-06-01

Currently, there is no research in Australia that systematically investigates the underlying beliefs for mothers' decisions regarding their young child's nutritional needs based on current guidelines. We aimed to determine, using a Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) belief-based approach, key beliefs that guide mothers' decisions with regards to: (a) providing their child with a wide range of foods from the five food groups ('healthy eating'); and (b) limiting their child's intake of 'discretionary choices' (e.g. lollies). Mothers (N = 197, M age = 34.39, SD = 5.65) completed a main questionnaire either online or on hard copy (paper-based), with a 1-week phone follow-up of the target behaviours (N = 161). Correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted, and a number of key behavioural, normative, and control beliefs emerged for both healthy eating and discretionary choice behaviours. For healthy eating, mothers identified behavioural beliefs 'improving my child's health' and 'resistance from my child'; normative beliefs 'other family members' and 'spouse/partner'; and control beliefs 'child's food preferences'. For discretionary choices, behavioural beliefs 'maintain consistent energy levels in my child' for intentions, and 'give my child their required nutritional intake'; normative beliefs 'spouse/partner', 'healthcare professionals' and 'friends'; and control beliefs 'child's food preferences' were identified. These findings can inform the development of future intervention programmes aimed at modifying mothers' child feeding practices to encourage healthy eating and limit discretionary choice intake and, ultimately, increase the life expectancy of the current generation of children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online news media reporting of football-related fatalities in Australia: A matter of life and death.

PubMed

Fortington, Lauren V; Bekker, Sheree; Finch, Caroline F

2018-03-01

While deaths in sports settings are rare, they do occur. To develop an understanding of the sports and people most at risk, and to identify opportunities for prevention, routine and systematic data detailing the occurrence of these fatalities is required. There is currently no routine reporting of data of this nature in Australia. As there is often strong community interest in these incidents, the media offers an opportunity for surveillance. However before this can occur, understanding of the terminology used by the media is required. The aim of this study was to identify the terminology most frequently used in online Australian news media coverage of football-related deaths. Retrospective review of online news media. Three databases were searched for online news media reports of people who died while participating in football (all football codes) in Australia. A descriptive analysis of terminology was undertaken to identify the common language applied. Thirty-four football-related fatalities in Australia were identified between 2010-2016, via 149 separate articles. The most frequent terms identified in the media items were: Family; Club; Rugby; Football; Player; League; Died; Game; Death; Life; Loved; Hospital; Match; Young; Community; Playing; Friends; Sport; Heart; AFL [Australian Football League]. This study identified terminology used in reporting football-related fatalities in Australia, identifying common reference to terms relating to 'death' as metaphors and the frequent celebration of 'life.' The findings suggest that a reliance on researcher-generated terminology will be insufficient to reflect media discourse in prospective monitoring of sports deaths for surveillance. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Telehealth services in rural and remote Australia: a systematic review of models of care and factors influencing success and sustainability.

PubMed

Bradford, Natalie K; Caffery, Liam J; Smith, Anthony C

2016-01-01

including clinical speciality, disciplines involved, geographical location and the role of the service. Data relating to the success or sustainability of services were grouped thematically. Inclusion criteria were met by 116 articles that described 72 discrete telehealth services. Telehealth services in rural and remote Australia are described and we have identified six key factors associated with the success and sustainability of services: vision, ownership, adaptability, economics, efficiency and equipment. Telehealth has the potential to address many of the key challenges to providing health in Australia, with its substantial land area and widely dispersed population. This review collates information regarding the telehealth services in Australia and describes models of care and characteristics of successful and sustainable services. We identified a wide variety of telehealth services being provided in rural and remote areas of Australia. There is great potential to increase this number by scaling up and replicating successful services. This review provides information for policy makers, governments and public and private health services that wish to integrate telehealth into routine practice and for telehealth providers to enhance the sustainability of their service.

Improving Australia's Schools. Executive Summary of "Making Schools More Effective: Report of the Australian Effective Schools Project".

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGaw, Barry; And Others

This booklet summarizes findings of a study, the Effective Schools Project, which sought to promote public discussion about improving educational quality in Australia. Questionnaires that were distributed with 300,000 booklets elicited a total of 7,203 responses from principals, parents, staff, and schools. Respondents were asked to identify the…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in Australia | Concentrating Solar Power

Science.gov Websites

‚¬"alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project name | NREL Australia Concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in Australia are listed belowââ

The silence of Good Samaritan kidney donation in Australia: a survey of hospital websites.

PubMed

Bramstedt, Katrina A; Dave, Sameer

2013-01-01

It is common for living donor candidates to use the Internet as a tool to enhance their decision-making process. Specifically, the websites of transplant hospitals can potentially be a vital source of information for those contemplating living donation. In an effort to explore the low incidence of Good Samaritan kidney donation (donations to strangers) in Australia, two raters conducted a nine-attribute website content analysis for all hospitals which participate in these transplants (n = 15). Overall, the concept of living donation is relatively silent on Australian hospital websites. Only four hospitals mention their living donor program, and only one mentions their Good Samaritan program. No site linked directly to Australia's AKX Paired Kidney Exchange Program - the only program which facilitates pair and chain transplants in Australia. Further, information about deceased donation is nearly absent as well. An individual with the altruistic desire to donate will generally find scant or absent information about donation at the website of their local transplant hospital, although this information could easily be present as an educational tool which supports the consent process. Using a hospital website to educate the public about a clinical service should not be viewed as ethically problematic (solicitation), but rather an ethical essential. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Education and Change in South Australia. First Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee of Enquiry into Education in South Australia, Adelaide.

This publication contains the first report of the Committee of Enquiry into Education in South Australia, the major task of which is to examine and make recommendations to the Minister of Education on the educational system of South Australia. The committee emphasized that there was no need for radical changes in the educational system at this…

How Accessible Is IB Schooling? Evidence from Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Anisah; Perry, Laura B.; Ledger, Susan

2017-01-01

This study examines access to International Baccalaureate schools in Australia. It is important to examine whether, as a highly regarded form of rigorous academic education, IB programmes are available to a wide range of students. We examine the location of schools in Australia that offer one or more of the IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years…

Development of wildfires in Australia over the last century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieradzik, Lars Peter; Haverd, Vanessa; Briggs, Peter; Canadell, Josep G.; Smith, Ben

2017-04-01

Wildfires and their emissions are key biospheric processes in the modeling of the carbon cycle that still are insufficiently understood. In Australia, fire emissions constitute a large flux of carbon from the biosphere to the atmosphere of approximately 1.3 times larger than the annual fossil fuel emissions. In addition, fire plays a big role in determining the composition of vegetation which in turn affects land-atmosphere fluxes. Annualy, up to 4% of the vegetated land-surface area is burned which amounts to up to 3% of global NPP and results in the reslease of about 2 Pg carbon into the atmosphere. There are indications that burned area has decreased globally over recent decades but so far there is not a clear trend in the development in fire-intensity and fuel availability. Net emissions from wildfires are not generally included in global and regional carbon budgets, because it is assumed that gross fire emissions are in balance with post-fire carbon uptake by recovering vegetation. This is a valid assumption as long as climate and fire regimes are in equilibrium, but not when the climate and other drivers are changing. We present a study on the behaviour of wildfires on the Australian continent over the last century (1911 - 2012) introducing the novel fire model BLAZE (BLAZe induced biosphere-atmosphere flux Estimator) that has been designed to address the feedbacks between climate, fuel loads, and fires. BLAZE is used within the Australian land-surface model CABLE (Community Atmophere-Biosphere-Land Exchange model). The study shows two significant outcomes: A regional shift in fire patterns shift during this century due to fire suppression and greening effects as well as an increase of potential fire-line intensity (the risk that a fire becomes more intense), especially in regions where most of Australia's population resides. This strongly emphasises the need to further investigate fire dynamics under future climate scenarios. The fire model BLAZE has been

New Miocene Fossils and the History of Penguins in Australia.

PubMed

Park, Travis; Fitzgerald, Erich M G; Gallagher, Stephen J; Tomkins, Ellyn; Allan, Tony

2016-01-01

Australia has a fossil record of penguins reaching back to the Eocene, yet today is inhabited by just one breeding species, the little penguin Eudyptula minor. The description of recently collected penguin fossils from the re-dated upper Miocene Port Campbell Limestone of Portland (Victoria), in addition to reanalysis of previously described material, has allowed the Cenozoic history of penguins in Australia to be placed into a global context for the first time. Australian pre-Quaternary fossil penguins represent stem taxa phylogenetically disparate from each other and E. minor, implying multiple dispersals and extinctions. Late Eocene penguins from Australia are closest to contemporaneous taxa in Antarctica, New Zealand and South America. Given current material, the Miocene Australian fossil penguin fauna is apparently unique in harbouring 'giant penguins' after they went extinct elsewhere; and including stem taxa until at least 6 Ma, by which time crown penguins dominated elsewhere in the southern hemisphere. Separation of Australia from Antarctica during the Palaeogene, and its subsequent drift north, appears to have been a major event in Australian penguin biogeography. Increasing isolation through the Cenozoic may have limited penguin dispersal to Australia from outside the Australasian region, until intensification of the eastwards-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the mid-Miocene established a potential new dispersal vector to Australia.

Exploring the role of occupational therapy in caring for cancer survivors in Australia: A cross sectional study.

PubMed

Buckland, Nicole; Mackenzie, Lynette

2017-10-01

With increasing rates of cancer survival in Australia, more people are living with long-term side effects of cancer and its treatment, and cancer survivorship is now considered a distinct phase of cancer care. While occupational therapists play an integral role in multidisciplinary care for people with chronic conditions, there is little evidence documenting the occupational therapy role for people living with chronic cancer-related conditions. This study aimed to explore the views of Australian occupational therapists about current practice and what constitutes best practice for cancer survivors. A cross-sectional online survey was developed and distributed via emailed invitations to the Occupational Therapy Australia membership to collect responses from occupational therapists in a range of locations and practice settings around Australia. A total of 204 completed surveys were returned (response rate of 4%). More than 70% (n = 143) of respondents worked with people with cancer at least sometimes and most worked in acute (13.8%, n = 28) or community (11.2%, n = 23) settings. Participants rated equipment provision as the most common intervention (94%, n = 192), followed by energy conservation (91%, n = 185) and pressure care (78%, n = 160). Lack of funding for occupational therapy positions and a lack of recognition of the role of occupational therapy by health professionals and consumers were identified as key barriers to survivorship care. Research is needed to provide evidence supporting the role and practice of occupational therapy with cancer survivors. Collaborative work with multidisciplinary teams is needed to develop long-term routine treatment pathways that include occupational therapy interventions. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Structures and processes in spontaneous ADR reporting systems: a comparative study of Australia and Denmark.

PubMed

Aagaard, Lise; Stenver, Doris Irene; Hansen, Ebba Holme

2008-10-01

To explore the organisational structure and processes of the Danish and Australian spontaneous ADR reporting systems with a view to how information is generated about new ADRs. The Danish and Australian spontaneous ADR reporting systems. Qualitative analyses of documentary material, descriptive interviews with key informants, and observations were made. We analysed the organisational structure of the Danish and Australian ADR reporting systems with respect to structures and processes, including information flow and exchange of ADR data. The analysis was made based on Scott's adapted version of Leavitt's diamond model, with the components: goals/tasks, social structure, technology and participants, within a surrounding environment. The main differences between the systems were: (1) PARTICIPANTS: Outsourcing of ADR assessments to the pharmaceutical companies complicates maintenance of scientific skills within the Danish Medicines Agency (DKMA), as it leaves the handling of spontaneous ADR reports purely administrative within the DKMA, and the knowledge creation process remains with the pharmaceutical companies, while in Australia senior scientific staff work with evaluation of the ADR report; (2) Goals/tasks: In Denmark, resources are targeted at evaluating Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSUR) submitted by the companies, while the resources in Australia are focused on single case assessment resulting in faster and more proactive medicine surveillance; (3) Social structure: Discussions between scientific staff about ADRs take place in Australia, while the Danish system primarily focuses on entering and forwarding ADR data to the relevant pharmaceutical companies; (4) Technology: The Danish system exchanges ADR data electronically with pharmaceutical companies and the other EU countries, while Australia does not have a system for electronic exchange of ADR data; and (5) ENVIRONMENT: The Danish ADR system is embedded in the routines of cooperation within European

First report of Cryptosporidium parvum in a dromedary camel calf from Western Australia.

PubMed

Zahedi, Alireza; Lee, Gary K C; Greay, Telleasha L; Walsh, Audra L; Blignaut, David J C; Ryan, Una M

2018-06-26

Cryptosporidium is an important enteric parasite that can contribute large numbers of infectious oocysts to drinking water catchments. As a result of its resistance to disinfectants including chlorine, it has been responsible for numerous waterborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Wildlife and livestock play an important role in the transmission of Cryptosporidium in the environment. Studies conducted outside Australia have indicated that camels may also play a role in the transmission of zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium. Despite Australia being home to the world's largest camel herd, nothing is known about the prevalence and species of Cryptosporidium infecting camels in this country. In the present study, C. parvum was identified by PCR amplification and sequencing of a formalin-fixed intestinal tissue specimen from a one-week old dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius). Subtyping analysis at the glycoprotein 60 (gp60) locus identified C. parvum subtype IIaA17G2R1, which is a common zoonotic subtype reported in humans and animals worldwide. Histopathological findings also confirmed the presence of large numbers of variably-sized (1-3 µm in diameter) circular basophilic protozoa - consistent with Cryptosporidium spp.- adherent to the mucosal surface and occasionally free within the lumen. Further analysis of the prevalence and species of Cryptosporidium in camel populations across Australia are essential to better understand their potential for contamination of drinking water catchments.

Utilising a multi-item questionnaire to assess household food security in Australia.

PubMed

Butcher, Lucy M; O'Sullivan, Therese A; Ryan, Maria M; Lo, Johnny; Devine, Amanda

2018-03-15

Currently, two food sufficiency questions are utilised as a proxy measure of national food security status in Australia. These questions do not capture all dimensions of food security and have been attributed to underreporting of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate food security using the short form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) within an Australian context; and explore the relationship between food security status and multiple socio-demographic variables. Two online surveys were completed by 2334 Australian participants from November 2014 to February 2015. Surveys contained the short form of the HFSSM and twelve socio-demographic questions. Cross-tabulations chi-square tests and a multinomial logistic regression model were employed to analyse the survey data. Food security status of the respondents was classified accordingly: High or Marginal (64%, n = 1495), Low (20%, n = 460) or Very Low (16%, n = 379). Significant independent predictors of food security were age (P < .001), marital status (P = .005), household income (P < .001) and education (P < .001). Findings suggest food insecurity is an important issue across Australia and that certain groups, regardless of income, are particularly vulnerable. Government policy and health promotion interventions that specifically target "at risk" groups may assist to more effectively address the problem. Additionally, the use of a multi-item measure is worth considering as a national indicator of food security in Australia. © 2018 Australian Health Promotion Association.

Building co-management as a process: problem solving through partnerships in Aboriginal country, Australia.

PubMed

Zurba, Melanie; Ross, Helen; Izurieta, Arturo; Rist, Philip; Bock, Ellie; Berkes, Fikret

2012-06-01

Collaborative problem solving has increasingly become important in the face of the complexities in the management of resources, including protected areas. The strategy undertaken by Girringun Aboriginal Corporation in north tropical Queensland, Australia, for developing co-management demonstrates the potential for a problem solving approach involving sequential initiatives, as an alternative to the more familiar negotiated agreements for co-management. Our longitudinal case study focuses on the development of indigenous ranger units as a strategic mechanism for the involvement of traditional owners in managing their country in collaboration with government and other interested parties. This was followed by Australia's first traditional use of marine resources agreement, and development of a multi-jurisdictional, land to sea, indigenous protected area. In using a relationship building approach to develop regional scale co-management, Girringun has been strengthening its capabilities as collaborator and regional service provider, thus, bringing customary decision-making structures into play to 'care for country'. From this evolving process we have identified the key components of a relationship building strategy, 'the pillars of co-management'. This approach includes learning-by-doing, the building of respect and rapport, sorting out responsibilities, practical engagement, and capacity-building.

Building Co-Management as a Process: Problem Solving Through Partnerships in Aboriginal Country, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zurba, Melanie; Ross, Helen; Izurieta, Arturo; Rist, Philip; Bock, Ellie; Berkes, Fikret

2012-06-01

Collaborative problem solving has increasingly become important in the face of the complexities in the management of resources, including protected areas. The strategy undertaken by Girringun Aboriginal Corporation in north tropical Queensland, Australia, for developing co-management demonstrates the potential for a problem solving approach involving sequential initiatives, as an alternative to the more familiar negotiated agreements for co-management. Our longitudinal case study focuses on the development of indigenous ranger units as a strategic mechanism for the involvement of traditional owners in managing their country in collaboration with government and other interested parties. This was followed by Australia's first traditional use of marine resources agreement, and development of a multi-jurisdictional, land to sea, indigenous protected area. In using a relationship building approach to develop regional scale co-management, Girringun has been strengthening its capabilities as collaborator and regional service provider, thus, bringing customary decision-making structures into play to `care for country'. From this evolving process we have identified the key components of a relationship building strategy, `the pillars of co-management'. This approach includes learning-by-doing, the building of respect and rapport, sorting out responsibilities, practical engagement, and capacity-building.

Optimal dynamic water allocation: Irrigation extractions and environmental tradeoffs in the Murray River, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grafton, R. Quentin; Chu, Hoang Long; Stewardson, Michael; Kompas, Tom

2011-12-01

A key challenge in managing semiarid basins, such as in the Murray-Darling in Australia, is to balance the trade-offs between the net benefits of allocating water for irrigated agriculture, and other uses, versus the costs of reduced surface flows for the environment. Typically, water planners do not have the tools to optimally and dynamically allocate water among competing uses. We address this problem by developing a general stochastic, dynamic programming model with four state variables (the drought status, the current weather, weather correlation, and current storage) and two controls (environmental release and irrigation allocation) to optimally allocate water between extractions and in situ uses. The model is calibrated to Australia's Murray River that generates: (1) a robust qualitative result that "pulse" or artificial flood events are an optimal way to deliver environmental flows over and above conveyance of base flows; (2) from 2001 to 2009 a water reallocation that would have given less to irrigated agriculture and more to environmental flows would have generated between half a billion and over 3 billion U.S. dollars in overall economic benefits; and (3) water markets increase optimal environmental releases by reducing the losses associated with reduced water diversions.

Mathematical Sciences in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jan; Muchatuta, Michelle; Wood, Leigh

2009-01-01

This article investigates enrolment trends in mathematical sciences in Australian universities. Data has been difficult to extract and the coding for mathematical disciplines has made investigation challenging. We show that the number of mathematics major undergraduates in Australia is steadily declining though the number studying…

Extreme Heat and Health: Perspectives from Health Service Providers in Rural and Remote Communities in South Australia

PubMed Central

Williams, Susan; Bi, Peng; Newbury, Jonathan; Robinson, Guy; Pisaniello, Dino; Saniotis, Arthur; Hansen, Alana

2013-01-01

Among the challenges for rural communities and health services in Australia, climate change and increasing extreme heat are emerging as additional stressors. Effective public health responses to extreme heat require an understanding of the impact on health and well-being, and the risk or protective factors within communities. This study draws on lived experiences to explore these issues in eleven rural and remote communities across South Australia, framing these within a socio-ecological model. Semi-structured interviews with health service providers (n = 13), and a thematic analysis of these data, has identified particular challenges for rural communities and their health services during extreme heat. The findings draw attention to the social impacts of extreme heat in rural communities, the protective factors (independence, social support, education, community safety), and challenges for adaptation (vulnerabilities, infrastructure, community demographics, housing and local industries). With temperatures increasing across South Australia, there is a need for local planning and low-cost strategies to address heat-exacerbating factors in rural communities, to minimise the impact of extreme heat in the future. PMID:24173140

Alcohol policy and harm reduction in Australia.

PubMed

Loxley, Wendy; Gray, Dennis; Wilkinson, Celia; Chikritzhs, Tanya; Midford, Richard; Moore, David

2005-11-01

With consultations having been held across Australia this year as part of the process of developing a new National Alcohol Strategy, it seemed timely to invite my colleagues from the National Drug Research Institute who are experts in the alcohol field to write this Harm Reduction Digest. The authors have canvassed a range of alcohol policy options and discussed their effectiveness in reducing harm for what is arguably Australia's number one drug problem. Australia's response to alcohol and other drug problems has, historically, been based on 'harm minimization--incorporating supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction'. At this time where the policy options for alcohol are being set for the next 5 years in a climate of 'small government', removing restrictions of 'fair competition' in business and a belief in the free market, what does the research have to say about recommended policies and strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm?

Qualitative Research to Design Sustainable Community-Based Surveillance for Rabies in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Brookes, Victoria J; Kennedy, Emma; Dhagapan, Phillipa; Ward, Michael P

2017-01-01

Given the proximity and recent spread of rabies in Indonesia, effective rabies surveillance in dogs is a priority in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Reporting of potential cases requires community engagement; therefore, the value and acceptability of such a system is critical to ensure sustainable surveillance. We used qualitative research methods to identify factors that influence the acceptability and value of community-based rabies surveillance. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with informants in 16 communities in East Arnhem, the Northern Peninsula Area, the Torres Strait in Australia, and in Western Province, PNG. Thematic analysis identified common themes including the importance of verbal communication, particularly via radio, community meetings, and direct conversation. We also found that dogs have high value to community members through connection to culture, economic (especially hunting), and companionship. The greatest barrier to the reporting of sick dogs was insufficient veterinary services and the subsequent lack of treatment response. In some regions, acceptance that sick dogs are a normal daily occurrence and lack of trust of authorities were also barriers to reporting. The findings from this study will be used to design sustainable rabies surveillance in Northern Australia and PNG by utilizing traditional communication channels and building on existing and valued animal-management services. The methods and findings of this study complement previous quantitative research, so as to target surveillance to high-risk areas within these regions.

Working in Australia's heat: health promotion concerns for health and productivity.

PubMed

Singh, Sudhvir; Hanna, Elizabeth G; Kjellstrom, Tord

2015-06-01

This exploratory study describes the experiences arising from exposure to extreme summer heat, and the related health protection and promotion issues for working people in Australia. Twenty key informants representing different industry types and occupational groups or activities in Australia provided semi-structured interviews concerning: (i) perceptions of workplace heat exposure in the industry they represented, (ii) reported impacts on health and productivity, as well as (iii) actions taken to reduce exposure or effects of environmental heat exposure. All interviewees reported that excessive heat exposure presents a significant challenge for their industry or activity. People working in physically demanding jobs in temperatures>35°C frequently develop symptoms, and working beyond heat tolerance is common. To avoid potentially dangerous health impacts they must either slow down or change their work habits. Such health-preserving actions result in lost work capacity. Approximately one-third of baseline work productivity can be lost in physically demanding jobs when working at 40°C. Employers and workers consider that heat exposure is a 'natural hazard' in Australia that cannot easily be avoided and so must be accommodated or managed. Among participants in this study, the locus of responsibility for coping with heat lay with the individual, rather than the employer. Heat exposure during Australian summers commonly results in adverse health effects and productivity losses, although quantification studies are lacking. Lack of understanding of the hazardous nature of heat exposure exacerbates the serious risk of heat stress, as entrenched attitudinal barriers hamper amelioration or effective management of this increasing occupational health threat. Educational programmes and workplace heat guidelines are required. Without intervention, climate change in hot countries, such as Australia, can be expected to further exacerbate heat-related burden of disease and loss

Measles control in Australia - threats, opportunities and future needs.

PubMed

MacIntyre, C Raina; Kpozehouen, Elizabeth; Kunasekaran, Mohana; Harriman, Kathleen; Conaty, Stephen; Rosewell, Alexander; Druce, Julian; Martin, Nicolee; Heywood, Anita E; Gidding, Heather F; Wood, James; Nicholl, Sonya

2018-06-19

Control of measles was the focus of a national workshop held in 2015 in Sydney, Australia, bringing together stakeholders in disease control and immunisation to discuss maintaining Australia's measles elimination status in the context of regional and global measles control. The global epidemiology of measles was reviewed, including outbreaks in countries that have achieved elimination, such as the Disneyland outbreak in the United States and large outbreaks in Sydney, Australia. Transmission of measles between Australia and New Zealand occurs, but has not been a focus of control measures. Risk groups, the genetic and seroepidemiology of measles as well as surveillance, modelling and waning vaccine-induced immunity were reviewed. Gaps in policy, research and practice for maintaining measles elimination status in Australia were identified and recommendations were developed. Elimination of measles globally is challenging because of the infectiousness of measles and the need for 2-dose vaccine coverage rates in excess of 95% in all countries to achieve it. Until this occurs, international travel will continue to permit measles importation from endemic countries to countries that have achieved elimination. When measles cases are imported, failure to diagnose and isolate cases places the health system at risk of measles outbreaks. Vaccine funding models can result in gaps in vaccine coverage for adults and migrants. Australia introduced a whole-of-life immunisation register in 2016 and catch-up vaccination for at-risk communities, which will improve measles control. Research on diagnosis, immunology, case management and modelling of vaccination strategies are important to ensure continued control of measles. Copyright © 2018.

The boundaries of care work: a comparative study of professionals and volunteers in Denmark and Australia.

PubMed

Overgaard, Charlotte

2015-07-01

This paper explores the manner in which two hospices--one located in Denmark and one in Australia--negotiate and determine the boundaries of volunteer workers vis-à-vis paid staff. A comparative case study approach was used to juxtapose organisations with similar activity fields located in different welfare state systems, i.e. a social democratic welfare state and a liberal welfare state. This study involved non-participant observation of volunteers at work and unstructured interviews with volunteers, staff and management in the hospices (n = 41). Data were collected between August 2012 and February 2013. Data were managed using NVivo and analysed thematically. A key finding is that volunteers in the Danish hospice were excluded from all direct care work due to the effective monopoly of the professional care providers, whereas the Australian volunteers participated in the provision of care to the extent that risk could be eliminated or mitigated to an acceptable level. The findings suggest two different models of the roles of volunteers in tension with professional care providers. Both models recognise that volunteers add to the level of care delivered by the organisations and allow for a discussion that moves away from the normative discussions of 'not taking somebody's job', while also recognising that volunteers must be more than just the 'nice extra' if they are to be of any real value to the organisation and to care receivers. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Temporal dynamics and the identification of musical key.

PubMed

Farbood, Morwaread Mary; Marcus, Gary; Poeppel, David

2013-08-01

A central process in music cognition involves the identification of key; however, little is known about how listeners accomplish this task in real time. This study derives from work that suggests overlap between the neural and cognitive resources underlying the analyses of both music and speech and is the first, to our knowledge, to explore the timescales at which the brain infers musical key. We investigated the temporal psychophysics of key-finding over a wide range of tempi using melodic sequences with strong structural cues, where statistical information about overall key profile was ambiguous. Listeners were able to provide robust judgments within specific limits, at rates as high as 400 beats per minute (bpm; ∼7 Hz) and as low as 30 bpm (0.5 Hz), but not outside those bounds. These boundaries on reliable performance show that the process of key-finding is restricted to timescales that are closely aligned with beat induction and speech processing. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Remote access laboratories in Australia and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, H.; Ahfock, T.; Yusaf, T.

2011-06-01

Remote access laboratories (RALs) were first developed in 1994 in Australia and Switzerland. The main purposes of developing them are to enable students to do their experiments at their own pace, time and locations and to enable students and teaching staff to get access to facilities beyond their institutions. Currently, most of the experiments carried out through RALs in Australia are heavily biased towards electrical, electronic and computer engineering disciplines. However, the experiments carried out through RALs in Europe had more variety, in addition to the traditional electrical, electronic and computer engineering disciplines, there were experiments in mechanical and mechatronic disciplines. It was found that RALs are now being developed aggressively in Australia and Europe and it can be argued that RALs will develop further and faster in the future with improving Internet technology. The rising costs of real experimental equipment will also speed up their development because by making the equipment remotely accessible, the cost can be shared by more universities or institutions and this will improve their cost-effectiveness. Their development would be particularly rapid in large countries with small populations such as Australia, Canada and Russia, because of the scale of economy. Reusability of software, interoperability in software implementation, computer supported collaborative learning and convergence with learning management systems are the required development of future RALs.

Tissue banking in australia.

PubMed

Ireland, Lynette; McKelvie, Helen

2003-01-01

The legal structure for the regulation of tissue banking has existed for many years. In Australia, the donation of human tissue is regulated by legislation in each of the eight States and Territories. These substantially uniform Acts were passed in the late 1970's and early 1980's, based on model legislation and underpinned by the concept of consensual giving. However, it was not until the early 1990's that tissue banking came under the notice of regulatory authorities. Since then the Australian Government has moved quickly to oversee the tissue banking sector in Australia. Banked human tissue has been deemed to be a therapeutic good under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, and tissue banks are required to be licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and are audited for compliance with the Code of Good Manufacturing Practice- Human Blood and Tissues. In addition, tissue banks must comply with a myriad of other standards, guidelines and recommendations.

An audit of the toxicology findings in 555 medico-legal autopsies finds manner of death changed in 5 cases.

PubMed

Langlois, Neil E I; Gilbert, John D; Heath, Karen J; Winskog, Calle; Kostakis, Chris

2013-03-01

An audit of toxicological analysis in Coronial autopsies performed at Forensic Science South Australia was conducted on the cases of three pathologists. Toxicological analysis had been performed in 555 (68 %) from a total of 815 autopsies. It was found that the proffered manner of death was changed from the provisional report (provided immediately after the post-mortem examination) in five cases (just under 1 %) as a consequence of the toxicological findings. This is a limited study as it is retrospective, not all cases had toxicological analysis and the findings are constrained by the range of the substances that could be detected. Nonetheless, the audit supports the application of toxicological analysis in medico-legal death investigation and suggests that an inclusive policy should be adopted.

Unequal Bargaining? Australia's Aviation Trade Relations with the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solomon, Russell

2001-01-01

International aviation trade bargaining is distinguished by its use of a formal process of bilateral bargaining based on the reciprocal exchange of rights by states. Australia-United States aviation trade relations are currently without rancour, but this has not always been the case and in the late 1980s and early 1990s, their formal bilateral aviation negotiations were a forum for a bitter conflict between two competing international aviation policies. In seeking to explain the bilateral aviation outcomes between Australia and the United States and how Australia has sought to improve upon these, analytical frameworks derived from international political economy were considered, along with the bilateral bargaining process itself. The paper adopts a modified neorealist model and concludes that to understand how Australia has sought to improve upon these aviation outcomes, neorealist assumptions that relative power capabilities determine outcomes must be qualified by reference to the formal bilateral bargaining process. In particular, Australia's use of this process and its application of certain bargaining tactics within that process remain critical to understanding bilateral outcomes.

Linking Schools and Workplaces: Lessons from Australia and Overseas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweet, Richard

Efforts to link schools and workplaces in Australia, Sweden, and elsewhere were examined to identify preconditions and effective strategies for linking school to work in Australia. An Australian program that combines applied, contextualized learning structured according to industry standards with students' general education was shown to produce…

Food and trust in Australia: building a picture.

PubMed

Coveney, John

2008-03-01

To explore consumer trust in food, especially people's experiences that support or diminish trust in the food supply; consumer practices to strengthen trust in food; and views on how trust in the food supply could be increased. Adelaide, South Australia. In-depth qualitative research interviews and focus groups. Women and men who are primary food providers in families (n = 24). Media coverage of food scares and scandals and personal experience of food-borne illness challenged respondents' trust in the food system. Poor retail food handling practices and questionable marketing ploys by food manufacturers also decreased trust. Buying 'Made-in-Australia' produce and following food safety procedures at home were important practices to strengthen food trust. Knowledge of procedures for local food inspection and for national food regulation to keep food safe was scanty. Having a strong regulatory environment governing food safety and quality was considered by respondents to be of prime importance for trust building. The dimensions of trust found in this study are consistent with key theoretical aspects of trust. The need for trust in highly complex environments, in this case the food supply, was evident. Trust was found to be integral to food choice, and negative media reports, the sources of which themselves enjoy various levels of dependability, were found to easily damage trust relationships. The lack of visibility of authoritative monitoring and surveillance, misleading food advertising, and poor retail food handling practices were identified as areas that decreased consumer trust. Respondents also questioned the probity of food labelling, especially health claims and other mechanisms designed to guide food choice. The research highlights the role trust plays in food choice. It also emphasises the importance of a visible authoritative presence in the food system to strengthen trust and provide reassurance to consumers.

New undergraduate curricula in the UK and Australia.

PubMed

Lumsden, M A; Symonds, I M

2010-12-01

There are many challenges facing undergraduate education in the smaller specialities such as obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G). These are similar throughout the world, although the emphasis may vary according to geography and the approach of those involved in medical education in general. The number of medical students has increased because of the greater number of doctors required, the gender balance and also because it provides revenue for the universities. This means that strategies must be developed to include more teaching units in both primary and secondary care as well as those at a distance from the main teaching provider. Australia and the UK both have this problem but, obviously, the distances involved in Australia are much greater. One of the drivers for the change in undergraduate medical education in the UK was factual overload and the need to teach basic competencies to the students. National curricula that take this into account are being developed and that in the UK has been taken up by a majority of the medical schools. The opportunities offered by O&G to provide basic skills and competencies difficult to find elsewhere in the curriculum are unparalleled. These include issues such as communication in situations where great sensitivity is required and also the impact of cultural beliefs and ethnicity on clinical practice. However, factual knowledge of medical science is also essential and ways of achieving a balance are discussed. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis reveals multiple introductions of Cynodon species in Australia.

PubMed

Jewell, M; Frère, C H; Harris-Shultz, K; Anderson, W F; Godwin, I D; Lambrides, C J

2012-11-01

The distinction between native and introduced flora within isolated land masses presents unique challenges. The geological and colonisation history of Australia, the world's largest island, makes it a valuable system for studying species endemism, introduction, and phylogeny. Using this strategy we investigated Australian cosmopolitan grasses belonging to the genus Cynodon. While it is believed that seven species of Cynodon are present in Australia, no genetic analyses have investigated the origin, diversity and phylogenetic history of Cynodon within Australia. To address this gap, 147 samples (92 from across Australia and 55 representing global distribution) were sequenced for a total of 3336bp of chloroplast DNA spanning six genes. Data showed the presence of at least six putatively introduced Cynodon species (C. transvaalensis, C. incompletus, C. hirsutus, C. radiatus, C. plectostachyus and C. dactylon) in Australia and suggested multiple recent introductions. C. plectostachyus, a species often confused with C. nlemfuensis, was not previously considered to be present in Australia. Most significantly, we identified two common haplotypes that formed a monophyletic clade diverging from previously identified Cynodon species. We hypothesise that these two haplotypes may represent a previously undescribed species of Cynodon. We provide further evidence that two Australian native species, Brachyachne tenella and B. convergens belong in the genus Cynodon and, therefore, argue for the taxonomic revision of the genus Cynodon. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Miocene Fossils and the History of Penguins in Australia

PubMed Central

Park, Travis; Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.; Gallagher, Stephen J.; Tomkins, Ellyn; Allan, Tony

2016-01-01

Australia has a fossil record of penguins reaching back to the Eocene, yet today is inhabited by just one breeding species, the little penguin Eudyptula minor. The description of recently collected penguin fossils from the re-dated upper Miocene Port Campbell Limestone of Portland (Victoria), in addition to reanalysis of previously described material, has allowed the Cenozoic history of penguins in Australia to be placed into a global context for the first time. Australian pre-Quaternary fossil penguins represent stem taxa phylogenetically disparate from each other and E. minor, implying multiple dispersals and extinctions. Late Eocene penguins from Australia are closest to contemporaneous taxa in Antarctica, New Zealand and South America. Given current material, the Miocene Australian fossil penguin fauna is apparently unique in harbouring ‘giant penguins’ after they went extinct elsewhere; and including stem taxa until at least 6 Ma, by which time crown penguins dominated elsewhere in the southern hemisphere. Separation of Australia from Antarctica during the Palaeogene, and its subsequent drift north, appears to have been a major event in Australian penguin biogeography. Increasing isolation through the Cenozoic may have limited penguin dispersal to Australia from outside the Australasian region, until intensification of the eastwards-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the mid-Miocene established a potential new dispersal vector to Australia. PMID:27115739

A map of community-based obesity prevention initiatives in Australia following obesity funding 2009–2013

PubMed Central

Whelan, Jillian; Love, Penny; Romanus, Anne; Pettman, Tahna; Bolton, Kristy; Smith, Erin; Gill, Tim; Coveney, John; Waters, Elizabeth; Allender, Steve

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: Obesity is the single biggest public health threat to developed and developing economies. In concert with healthy public policy, multi-strategy, multi-level community-based initiatives appear promising in preventing obesity, with several countries trialling this approach. In Australia, multiple levels of government have funded and facilitated a range of community-based obesity prevention initiatives (CBI), heterogeneous in their funding, timing, target audience and structure. This paper aims to present a central repository of CBI operating in Australia during 2013, to facilitate knowledge exchange and shared opportunities for learning, and to guide professional development towards best practice for CBI practitioners. Methods: A comprehensive search of government, non-government and community websites was undertaken to identify CBI in Australia in 2013. This was supplemented with data drawn from available reports, personal communication and key informant interviews. The data was translated into an interactive map for use by preventive health practitioners and other parties. Results: We identified 259 CBI; with the majority (84%) having a dual focus on physical activity and healthy eating. Few initiatives, (n=37) adopted a four-pronged multi-strategy approach implementing policy, built environment, social marketing and/or partnership building. Conclusion: This comprehensive overview of Australian CBI has the potential to facilitate engagement and collaboration through knowledge exchange and information sharing amongst CBI practitioners, funders, communities and researchers. Implications: An enhanced understanding of current practice highlights areas of strengths and opportunities for improvement to maximise the impact of obesity prevention initiatives. PMID:25561083

Development of an optimised key worker framework for people with dementia, their family and caring unit living in the community.

PubMed

Renehan, Emma; Goeman, Dianne; Koch, Susan

2017-07-20

In Australia, dementia is a national health priority. With the rising number of people living with dementia and shortage of formal and informal carers predicted in the near future, developing approaches to coordinating services in quality-focused ways is considered an urgent priority. Key worker support models are one approach that have been used to assist people living with dementia and their caring unit coordinate services and navigate service systems; however, there is limited literature outlining comprehensive frameworks for the implementation of community dementia key worker roles in practice. In this paper an optimised key worker framework for people with dementia, their family and caring unit living in the community is developed and presented. A number of processes were undertaken to inform the development of a co-designed optimised key worker framework: an expert working and reference group; a systematic review of the literature; and a qualitative evaluation of 14 dementia key worker models operating in Australia involving 14 interviews with organisation managers, 19 with key workers and 15 with people living with dementia and/or their caring unit. Data from the systematic review and evaluation of dementia key worker models were analysed by the researchers and the expert working and reference group using a constant comparative approach to define the essential components of the optimised framework. The developed framework consisted of four main components: overarching philosophies; organisational context; role definition; and key worker competencies. A number of more clearly defined sub-themes sat under each component. Reflected in the framework is the complexity of the dementia journey and the difficulty in trying to develop a 'one size fits all' approach. This co-designed study led to the development of an evidence based framework which outlines a comprehensive synthesis of components viewed as being essential to the implementation of a dementia key

A Review of Roof Harvested Rainwater in Australia

PubMed Central

Whiley, Harriet; Edwards, John W.; Ross, Kirstin E.

2018-01-01

To address concern regarding water sustainability, the Australian Federal Government and many state governments have implemented regulatory mechanisms and incentives to support households to purchase and install rainwater harvesting systems. This has led to an increase in rainwater harvesting in regional and urban Australia. This review examines the implementation of the regulatory mechanisms across Australia. In addition, the literature investigating the potential health consequences of rainwater consumption in Australia was explored. Studies demonstrated that although trace metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and iron were present in Australian rainwater, these metallic elements were generally found below the health limit guideline, except in high industrial areas. In addition, pathogenic or indicator microorganisms that include, but are not limited to, Escherichia coli, total and faecal coliforms, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Legionella, Pseudomonas, Cryptosporidium, Enterococci, Giardia, Aeromonas, and Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) have been detected in rainwater collected in Australia. However, epidemiological evidence suggests that drinking rainwater does not increase the risk of gastrointestinal disease. It was also identified that there is a need for further research investigating the potential for rainwater to be a source of infection for opportunistic pathogens. PMID:29606962

Mycobacterium lentiflavum in Drinking Water Supplies, Australia

PubMed Central

Carter, Robyn; Torbey, Matthew J.; Minion, Sharri; Tolson, Carla; Sidjabat, Hanna E.; Huygens, Flavia; Hargreaves, Megan; Thomson, Rachel M.

2011-01-01

Mycobacterium lentiflavum, a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacterium, is a rare cause of human disease. It has been isolated from environmental samples worldwide. To assess the clinical significance of M. lentiflavum isolates reported to the Queensland Tuberculosis Control Centre, Australia, during 2001–2008, we explored the genotypic similarity and geographic relationship between isolates from humans and potable water in the Brisbane metropolitan area. A total of 47 isolates from 36 patients were reported; 4 patients had clinically significant disease. M. lentiflavum was cultured from 13 of 206 drinking water sites. These sites overlapped geographically with home addresses of the patients who had clinically significant disease. Automated repetitive sequence–based PCR genotyping showed a dominant environmental clone closely related to clinical strains. This finding suggests potable water as a possible source of M. lentiflavum infection in humans. PMID:21392429

Career Development in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCowan, Colin; Mountain, Elizabeth

Australia has a federal system, comprising the national Commonwealth government and eight state and territory governments. At the Commonwealth level, the ministries of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business have primary roles in the career information and services field. Education and training…

The experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse family caregivers in utilising dementia services in Australia

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Older people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups are underrepresented in residential aged care but overrepresented in community aged care in Australia. However, little is known about culturally and linguistically diverse family caregivers in utilising dementia services in Australia because previous studies mainly focused on the majority cultural group. Experiences of caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups who are eligible to utilise dementia services in Australia are needed in order to optimize the utilisation of dementia services for these caregivers. Methods The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers from Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese groups in utilising dementia services. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics was used to interpret the experiences of the participants. Focus group discussions and in-depth individual interviews were used to collect data. Data collection was conducted over a six month period in 2011. In total, 46 family caregivers who were caring for 39 persons with dementia participated. Results Four themes were revealed: (1) negotiating services for the person with dementia; (2) the impact of acculturation on service utilisation; (3) the characteristics of satisfactory services; and (4) negative experiences in utilising services. The present study revealed that the participation of caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups in planning and managing dementia services ranged markedly from limited participation to full participation. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups need to be fully prepared so they can participate in the utilisation of dementia services available to them in Australia. PMID:24148155

The experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse family caregivers in utilising dementia services in Australia.

PubMed

Xiao, Lily Dongxia; De Bellis, Anita; Habel, Lesley; Kyriazopoulos, Helena

2013-10-22

Older people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups are underrepresented in residential aged care but overrepresented in community aged care in Australia. However, little is known about culturally and linguistically diverse family caregivers in utilising dementia services in Australia because previous studies mainly focused on the majority cultural group. Experiences of caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups who are eligible to utilise dementia services in Australia are needed in order to optimize the utilisation of dementia services for these caregivers. The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers from Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese groups in utilising dementia services. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics was used to interpret the experiences of the participants. Focus group discussions and in-depth individual interviews were used to collect data. Data collection was conducted over a six month period in 2011. In total, 46 family caregivers who were caring for 39 persons with dementia participated. Four themes were revealed: (1) negotiating services for the person with dementia; (2) the impact of acculturation on service utilisation; (3) the characteristics of satisfactory services; and (4) negative experiences in utilising services. The present study revealed that the participation of caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups in planning and managing dementia services ranged markedly from limited participation to full participation. The findings of this study suggest that caregivers from culturally and linguistically diverse groups need to be fully prepared so they can participate in the utilisation of dementia services available to them in Australia.

Country, climate change adaptation and colonisation: insights from an Indigenous adaptation planning process, Australia.

PubMed

Nursey-Bray, Melissa; Palmer, Robert

2018-03-01

Indigenous peoples are going to be disproportionately affected by climate change. Developing tailored, place based, and culturally appropriate solutions will be necessary. Yet finding cultural and institutional 'fit' within and between competing values-based climate and environmental management governance regimes remains an ongoing challenge. This paper reports on a collaborative research project with the Arabana people of central Australia, that resulted in the production of the first Indigenous community-based climate change adaptation strategy in Australia. We aimed to try and understand what conditions are needed to support Indigenous driven adaptation initiatives, if there are any cultural differences that need accounting for and how, once developed they be integrated into existing governance arrangements. Our analysis found that climate change adaptation is based on the centrality of the connection to 'country' (traditional land), it needs to be aligned with cultural values, and focus on the building of adaptive capacity. We find that the development of climate change adaptation initiatives cannot be divorced from the historical context of how the Arabana experienced and collectively remember colonisation. We argue that in developing culturally responsive climate governance for and with Indigenous peoples, that that the history of colonisation and the ongoing dominance of entrenched Western governance regimes needs acknowledging and redressing into contemporary environmental/climate management.

Efficient hit-finding approaches for histone methyltransferases: the key parameters.

PubMed

Ahrens, Thomas; Bergner, Andreas; Sheppard, David; Hafenbradl, Doris

2012-01-01

For many novel epigenetics targets the chemical ligand space and structural information were limited until recently and are still largely unknown for some targets. Hit-finding campaigns are therefore dependent on large and chemically diverse libraries. In the specific case of the histone methyltransferase G9a, the authors have been able to apply an efficient process of intelligent selection of compounds for primary screening, rather than screening the full diverse deck of 900 000 compounds to identify hit compounds. A number of different virtual screening methods have been applied for the compound selection, and the results have been analyzed in the context of their individual success rates. For the primary screening of 2112 compounds, a FlashPlate assay format and full-length histone H3.1 substrate were employed. Validation of hit compounds was performed using the orthogonal fluorescence lifetime technology. Rated by purity and IC(50) value, 18 compounds (0.9% of compound screening deck) were finally considered validated primary G9a hits. The hit-finding approach has led to novel chemotypes being identified, which can facilitate hit-to-lead projects. This study demonstrates the power of virtual screening technologies for novel, therapeutically relevant epigenetics protein targets.

Overseas visitor deaths in Australia, 2001 to 2003.

PubMed

Leggat, Peter A; Wilks, Jeff

2009-01-01

The health and safety of international visitors remain an important issue for Australia and other tourist destinations. The death of visitors remains an important indicator of safety. The aim of this study was to provide updated figures on deaths of overseas travelers in Australia. Data were sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics concerning deaths of overseas visitors for the years 2001 to 2003. There were 1,068 overseas visitor deaths (701 males, 66%) during the study period 2001 to 2003. Death by natural causes increased with age, while deaths associated with accidents were more frequent among younger age groups. The majority of deaths were from natural causes (782, 73%), particularly ischemic heart diseases (26%). There were a total of 247 accidental deaths (23% of all deaths) with the main causes being transportation accidents (14% of all deaths) and accidental drowning/submersion (5% of all deaths). The countries contributing the most deaths were the UK (247, 23%), New Zealand (108, 10%) Melanesia/Micronesia (95, 9%), and the United States (57, 5%). Australia remains a relatively safe destination for international travelers, at least in terms of fatalities, which appear to be declining. Most deaths of overseas tourists in Australia are due to natural causes with cardiovascular disease being the predominant cause of death in this group. Accidents remain the most common preventable cause of death of travelers, with road and water safety being the major issues. It is important that tourism and travel medicine groups continue to advocate for improved health and safety of international travelers visiting Australia.

Taxonomy of Paraplatyarthrus Javidkar and King (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Paraplatyarthridae) with description of five new species from Western Australia, and comments on Australian Trichorhina Budde-Lunde, 1908 (Platyarthridae).

PubMed

Javidkar, Mohammad; King, Rachael A; Cooper, Steven J B; Humphreys, William F; Austin, Andrew D

2017-03-16

The oniscidean fauna of Australia is generally poorly known but recent sampling has revealed a new family, Paraplatyarthridae, found in both terrestrial and groundwater calcretes of central Western Australia. The family was initially described based on a new genus and species, Paraplatyarthrus subterraneus Javidkar and King, 2015. Here we describe an additional five Paraplatyarthrus species from the Yilgarn region of Western Australia, based on both morphological and molecular evidence (COI divergences). Four species are subterranean: P. crebesconiscus Javidkar and King sp. nov., P. cunyuensis Javidkar and King sp. nov., P. occidentoniscus Javidkar and King sp. nov., and P. pallidus Javidkar and King sp. nov., and one is a surface species, P. nahidae Javidkar and King sp. nov. A key to their identification is provided along with information on their distribution. In addition, type material of the two described Australian species of Platyarthridae, Trichorhina australiensis Wahrberg, 1922 from Western Australia and T. tropicalis Lewis, 1998 from Queensland, are examined. Morphological reassessment of type material shows T. australiensis belongs to Paraplatyarthrus (comb. nov.) and that T. tropicalis is correctly placed in Trichorhina, confirming that the genus and family Platyarthridae occur in Australia.

Super size me: is a big Australia good for our health?

PubMed

Pelser, Deborah

2010-05-03

Australia faces a federally instigated migration drive aimed at increasing its population to 35 million by 2049. Immigration is welcomed by politicians, economists and business people, who credit it with helping Australia fare better than other developed countries during the recent global financial crisis. Australia's capital cities will have to expand considerably to house the new migrants. Increased urbanisation, when not accompanied by appropriate town planning, is associated with higher rates of chronic disease. Despite the migration drive, Australia's population will continue to age, and by 2056 one in four Australians will be over the age of 65 years. Australian health services are already heavily burdened. Health professionals must engage with governments to ensure that appropriate plans are put in place to accommodate the increased burden of disease that will accompany a more populous Australia. Failure to do so will compromise the health of our nation.

Case Study of an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Service in Australia

PubMed Central

Baum, Fran; Lawless, Angela; Labonté, Ronald; Sanders, David; Boffa, John; Edwards, Tahnia; Javanparast, Sara

2016-01-01

Abstract Universal health coverage provides a framework to achieve health services coverage but does not articulate the model of care desired. Comprehensive primary health care includes promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative interventions and health equity and health as a human right as central goals. In Australia, Aboriginal community-controlled health services have pioneered comprehensive primary health care since their inception in the early 1970s. Our five-year project on comprehensive primary health care in Australia partnered with six services, including one Aboriginal community-controlled health service, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress. Our findings revealed more impressive outcomes in several areas—multidisciplinary work, community participation, cultural respect and accessibility strategies, preventive and promotive work, and advocacy and intersectoral collaboration on social determinants of health—at the Aboriginal community-controlled health service compared to the other participating South Australian services (state-managed and nongovernmental ones). Because of these strengths, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress’s community-controlled model of comprehensive primary health care deserves attention as a promising form of implementation of universal health coverage by articulating a model of care based on health as a human right that pursues the goal of health equity. PMID:28559679

Metabolic syndrome and serum carotenoids: findings of a cross-sectional study in Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Coyne, Terry; Ibiebele, Torukiri I; Baade, Peter D; McClintock, Christine S; Shaw, Jonathan E

2009-12-01

Several components of the metabolic syndrome, particularly diabetes and CVD, are known to be oxidative stress-related conditions and there is research to suggest that antioxidant nutrients may play a protective role in these conditions. Carotenoids are compounds derived primarily from plants and several have been shown to be potent antioxidant nutrients. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between metabolic syndrome status and major serum carotenoids in adult Australians. Data on the presence of the metabolic syndrome, based on International Diabetes Federation 2005 criteria, were collected from 1523 adults aged 25 years and over in six randomly selected urban centres in Queensland, Australia, using a cross-sectional study design. Weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting and 2 h blood glucose and lipids were determined, as well as five serum carotenoids. Mean serum alpha-, beta-carotenes and the sum of the five carotenoid concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in persons with the metabolic syndrome (after adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI status, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity status and vitamin/mineral use) than persons without the syndrome. alpha-, beta- and total carotenoids also decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with increased number of components of the metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for these confounders. These differences were significant among former smokers and non-smokers, but not in present smokers. Low concentrations of serum alpha-, beta-carotenes and the sum of five carotenoids appear to be associated with metabolic syndrome status. Additional research, particularly longitudinal studies, may help to determine whether these associations are causally related to the metabolic syndrome, or are a result of the pathologies of the syndrome.

Association between pulmonary function and renal function: findings from China and Australia.

PubMed

Yu, Dahai; Chen, Tao; Cai, Yamei; Zhao, Zhanzheng; Simmons, David

2017-05-01

The relationship between obstructive lung function and impaired renal function is unclear. This study investigated the dose-response relationship between obstructive lung function and impaired renal function. Two independent cross-sectional studies with representative sampling were applied. 1454 adults from rural Victoria, Australia (1298 with normal renal function, 156 with impaired renal function) and 5824 adults from Nanjing, China (4313 with normal renal function, 1511 with impaired renal function). Pulmonary function measurements included forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and impaired renal function marked by eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m 2 were used as outcome. eGFR increased linearly with FEV1 in Chinese participants and with FVC in Australians. A non-linear relationship with peaked eGFR was found for FEV1 at 2.65 L among Australians and for FVC at 2.78 L among Chinese participants, respectively. A non-linear relationship with peaked eGFR was found for the predicted percentage value of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (PFEV1) at 81-82% and for the predicted percentage value of forced vital capacity (PFVC) at 83-84% among both Chinese and Australian participants, respectively. The non-linear dose-response relationships between lung capacity measurements (both for FEV1 and FVC) and risk of impaired renal function were consistently identified in both Chinese and Australian participants. An increased risk of impaired renal function was found below 3.05 L both for FEV1 and FVC, respectively. The non-linear relationship between PFEV and PVC and the risk of impaired renal function were consistently identified in both Chinese and Australian participants. An increased risk of impaired renal function was found below 76-77% for PFEV1 and 79-80% for PFVC, respectively. In both Australian and Chinese populations, the risk of impaired renal function increased both with FEV1 and FVC below

Australia's health care reform agenda: implications for the nurses' role in chronic heart failure management.

PubMed

Betihavas, Vasiliki; Newton, Phillip J; Du, Hui Yun; Macdonald, Peter S; Frost, Steven A; Stewart, Simon; Davidson, Patricia M

2011-08-01

The importance of the nursing role in chronic heart failure (CHF) management is increasingly recognised. With the recent release of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC) report in Australia, a review of nursing roles in CHF management is timely and appropriate. This paper aims to discuss the implications of the NHHRC report and nursing roles in the context of CHF management in Australia. The electronic databases, Thomson Rheuters Web of Knowledge, Scopus and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), were searched using keywords including; "heart failure", "management", "Australia" and "nursing". In addition policy documents were reviewed including statements and reports from key professional organisations and Government Departments to identify issues impacting on nursing roles in CHF management. There is a growing need for the prevention and control of chronic conditions, such as CHF. This involves an increasing emphasis on specialist cardiovascular nurses in community based settings, both in outreach and inreach health service models. This review has highlighted the need to base nursing roles on evidence based principles and identify the importance of the nursing role in coordinating and managing CHF care in both independent and collaborative practice settings. The importance of the nursing role in early chronic disease symptom recognition and implementing strategies to prevent further deterioration of individuals is crucial to improving health outcomes. Consideration should be given to ensure that evidence based principles are adopted in models of nursing care. Copyright © 2010 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biosecurity and the management of emergency animal disease among commercial beef producers in New South Wales and Queensland (Australia).

PubMed

Hernández-Jover, M; Higgins, V; Bryant, M; Rast, L; McShane, C

2016-11-01

Australia places great importance on the prevention and management of emergency animal diseases (EAD), with strict quarantine measures offshore and at the border. Livestock producers are crucial for disease control onshore; however, limited information is available on commercial livestock producers' practices in relation to the management of disease risks. The aims of this paper are to investigate how commercial beef producers in Australia's Northern and Southern beef zones manage EADs and to identify drivers for effective biosecurity and EAD prevention. This paper forms part of a broader mixed methods research project involving an analysis of literature and current policies, qualitative semi-structured interviews with government and industry stakeholders and a cross-sectional study among beef producers. The cross-sectional study used a postal survey (n=182) and face-to-face interviews (n=34) to gather data on beef producers' knowledge and practices on biosecurity and EADs and their communication networks. Findings indicate that producers are uncertain about the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved in biosecurity and EAD management. This uncertainty may create confusion about EAD management and impact upon producers' willingness to report animal disease, with over 20% reporting the last veterinary contact more than five years ago and an additional 8.5% who had never contacted a veterinarian. Producers had a generally high awareness of the key sources of animal disease risk and they prioritise herd health planning as part of their everyday practices. Over 40% of producers had limited knowledge of the meaning of EAD; and EAD and biosecurity planning was given a low priority, primarily due to the perceived limited likelihood of an EAD event in Australia and the belief that EAD prevention is primarily the role of government. Only a moderate implementation of biosecurity practices, such as isolating incoming animals, having a single property entry point

Heat flow measurements on the southeast coast of Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hyndman, R.D.; Jaeger, J.C.; Sass, J.H.

1969-01-01

Three boreholes have been drilled for the Australian National University near the southeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. The heat flows found are 1.1, 1.0, and 1.3 ??cal/cm2sec. The errors resulting from the proximity of the sea and a lake, surface temperature change, conductivity structure and water flow have been examined. The radioactive heat production in some of the intrusive rocks of the area have also been measured. The heat flows are much lower than the values of about 2.0 found elsewhere in south eastern Australia. The lower values appear to be part of a distinct heat flow province in eastern Australia. ?? 1969.

History and management of sirex wood wasp in Australia

Treesearch

Angus J. Carnegie

2007-01-01

This paper reviews the history and management of Sirex noctilio in Australia, including information from previous reviews as well as more recent data. The sirex wood wasp, Sirex noctilio, is one of the most important insect pests of Pinus radiata in Australia. Native to Europe, North Africa and Turkey, S...

Statistical Annex: National Report on Schooling in Australia, 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Education Council, Melbourne.

This report enlarges upon the tables and figures in the National Report on Schooling in Australia 1991 and provides a basis for the continuing cooperative development of educational statistics in Australia and better quality statistical information about Australian schooling. The following categories organize the series of figures and tables: (1)…

Behaviour and dynamics of di-ammonium phosphate in bauxite processing residue sand in Western Australia--I. NH3 volatilisation and residual nitrogen availability.

PubMed

Chen, C R; Phillips, I R; Wei, L L; Xu, Z H

2010-06-01

. Concentrations of residual NH (4) (+) -N recovered in DAP-treated BRS at the end of the experiment decreased with increasing pH. This finding was consistent with increasing loss of N via volatilisation as pH increased. The concentration of NO (3) (-) -N was very low due to no nitrification in BRS. The pH was a key driver for NH(3) volatilisation from DAP-treated BRS and primarily controlled N dynamics in BRS. Results indicate that NH(4) not adsorbed by BRS was highly susceptible to volatilisation. The likely lack of nitrifying bacteria did not allow conversion of ammonium to nitrate, thereby further exacerbating the potential for loss via volatilisation It was demonstrated that the pH is the key factor controlling the loss of inorganic N from BRS. Although volatilisation was considerably lower at pH 4, achieving this pH reduction in the field is not possible at present. Findings from this study highlight the need to better understand which forms of N fertiliser are most suitable for use in highly alkaline BRS. Although pH reduction is the most likely means of stopping NH(3) volatilisation in BRS, it is economically and operationally unfeasible to add sufficient acidity for adequately lowering pH in the BRS for revegetation. More attention on forms of fertilisers more suitable to highly alkaline, microbially inert soil conditions appears to be warranted.

Canine rabies in Australia: a review of preparedness and research needs.

PubMed

Sparkes, J; Fleming, P J S; Ballard, G; Scott-Orr, H; Durr, S; Ward, M P

2015-06-01

Australia is unique as a populated continent in that canine rabies is exotic, with only one likely incursion in 1867. This is despite the presence of a widespread free-ranging dog population, which includes the naturalized dingo, feral domestic dogs and dingo-dog cross-breeds. To Australia's immediate north, rabies has recently spread within the Indonesian archipelago, with outbreaks occurring in historically free islands to the east including Bali, Flores, Ambon and the Tanimbar Islands. Australia depends on strict quarantine protocols to prevent importation of a rabid animal, but the risk of illegal animal movements by fishing and recreational vessels circumventing quarantine remains. Predicting where rabies will enter Australia is important, but understanding dog population dynamics and interactions, including contact rates in and around human populations, is essential for rabies preparedness. The interactions among and between Australia's large populations of wild, free-roaming and restrained domestic dogs require quantification for rabies incursions to be detected and controlled. The imminent risk of rabies breaching Australian borders makes the development of disease spread models that will assist in the deployment of cost-effective surveillance, improve preventive strategies and guide disease management protocols vitally important. Here, we critically review Australia's preparedness for rabies, discuss prevailing assumptions and models, identify knowledge deficits in free-roaming dog ecology relating to rabies maintenance and speculate on the likely consequences of endemic rabies for Australia. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Australia's Next Top Fraction Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Peter

2013-01-01

Peter Gould suggests Australia's next top fraction model should be a linear model rather than an area model. He provides a convincing argument and gives examples of ways to introduce a linear model in primary classrooms.

Conceptual frameworks, geomorphic interpretation and storytelling: Tales from Lockyer Creek , Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croke, Jacky; Phillips, Jonathan; Van Dyke, Chris

2017-04-01

Earth science knowledge and insight begins with case studies, and theories should be derived from and ultimately evaluated against empirical, case study evidence. However, isolated case studies not linked conceptually to other locations or embedded within a broader framework are often of limited use beyond the study site. Geomorphic evidence and phenomena may be interpreted using a variety of conceptual frameworks (theories, models, laws, methodologies, etc.). The evidence may be, or at least appear to be, consistent with multiple frameworks, even when those constructs are derived from entirely different assumptions or frames of reference. Thus different interpretations and stories can be derived from the same evidence. Our purpose here is to illustrate this phenomenon via a case study from Lockyer Creek, southeast Queensland, Australia. Lockyer Creek is fast becoming one of Australia's most studied catchments with a wealth of data emerging following two extreme flood events in 2011 and 2013. Whilst the initial objective of the Big Flood project was to provide information on the frequency and magnitude of these extreme events, in essence the project revealed a rich 'story' of river evolution and adjustment which at first glance did not appear to 'fit' many established conceptual frameworks and theories. This presentation tells the tale of Lockyer Creek as it relates to selected key conceptual frameworks and importantly how this information can then be used for more effective catchment and flood management.

Is Ips grandicollis disrupting the biological control of Sirex noctilio in Australia?

Treesearch

Angus J. Carnegie; Andrew D. Loch

2011-01-01

Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) is considered one of the most serious threats to exotic Pinus radiata plantations in Australia. This exotic wasp has been established in Australia for more than six decades. The most significant outbreak occurred in the Green Triangle region of southeastern South Australia-western Victoria in the...

Net benefits: assessing the effectiveness of clinical networks in Australia through qualitative methods

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the 21st century, government and industry are supplementing hierarchical, bureaucratic forms of organization with network forms, compatible with principles of devolved governance and decentralization of services. Clinical networks are employed as a key health policy approach to engage clinicians in improving patient care in Australia. With significant investment in such networks in Australia and internationally, it is important to assess their effectiveness and sustainability as implementation mechanisms. Methods In two purposively selected, musculoskeletal clinical networks, members and stakeholders were interviewed to ascertain their perceptions regarding key factors relating to network effectiveness and sustainability. We adopted a three-level approach to evaluating network effectiveness: at the community, network, and member levels, across the network lifecycle. Results Both networks studied are advisory networks displaying characteristics of the ‘enclave’ type of non-hierarchical network. They are hybrids of the mandated and natural network forms. In the short term, at member level, both networks were striving to create connectivity and collaboration of members. Over the short to medium term, at network level, both networks applied multi-disciplinary engagement in successfully developing models of care as key outputs, and disseminating information to stakeholders. In the long term, at both community and network levels, stakeholders would measure effectiveness by the broader statewide influence of the network in changing and improving practice. At community level, in the long term, stakeholders acknowledged both networks had raised the profile, and provided a ‘voice’ for musculoskeletal conditions, evidencing some progress with implementation of the network mission while pursuing additional implementation strategies. Conclusions This research sheds light on stakeholders’ perceptions of assessing clinical network effectiveness at

Socio-demographic, ecological factors and dengue infection trends in Australia.

PubMed

Akter, Rokeya; Naish, Suchithra; Hu, Wenbiao; Tong, Shilu

2017-01-01

Dengue has been a major public health concern in Australia. This study has explored the spatio-temporal trends of dengue and potential socio- demographic and ecological determinants in Australia. Data on dengue cases, socio-demographic, climatic and land use types for the period January 1999 to December 2010 were collected from Australian National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, respectively. Descriptive and linear regression analyses were performed to observe the spatio-temporal trends of dengue, socio-demographic and ecological factors in Australia. A total of 5,853 dengue cases (both local and overseas acquired) were recorded across Australia between January 1999 and December 2010. Most the cases (53.0%) were reported from Queensland, followed by New South Wales (16.5%). Dengue outbreak was highest (54.2%) during 2008-2010. A highest percentage of overseas arrivals (29.9%), households having rainwater tanks (33.9%), Indigenous population (27.2%), separate houses (26.5%), terrace house types (26.9%) and economically advantage people (42.8%) were also observed during 2008-2010. Regression analyses demonstrate that there was an increasing trend of dengue incidence, potential socio-ecological factors such as overseas arrivals, number of households having rainwater tanks, housing types and land use types (e.g. intensive uses and production from dryland agriculture). Spatial variation of socio-demographic factors was also observed in this study. In near future, significant increase of temperature was also projected across Australia. The projected increased temperature as well as increased socio-ecological trend may pose a future threat to the local transmission of dengue in other parts of Australia if Aedes mosquitoes are being established. Therefore, upgraded mosquito and disease surveillance at different ports should

Perspectives of key stakeholders and experts in infant feeding on the implementation of the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015.

PubMed

Hull, Naomi S; Schubert, Lisa C; Smith, Julie P

2017-03-01

Breastfeeding is widely accepted as an important public health issue for babies and their mothers. Yet, despite this, Australia continues to struggle with reaching global targets for breastfeeding indicators. In 2007, the Best Start Parliamentary Inquiry Report was released and set the stage for the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy [2010-2015), which was announced in November 2009, with the vision to increase Australia's breastfeeding rates of infants at 6 months of age and beyond. The aim of this research project was to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders in the field of infant feeding in Australia on the implementation of the strategy, barriers and enablers to its successful implementation and actions that were still needed. Using qualitative research methods of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, this study identifies main themes of these perceptions about the strategy implementation and some recommendations for future strategies and further research. The main themes identified were initial opinions of the strategy as a blueprint for action, the strategy as a driver for action, lessons learned and recommendations for the future. For success in improving implementation of national breastfeeding strategies, it is recommended that Australia establish an independent breastfeeding/infant feeding committee, increase the political prioritisation of issues surrounding infant feeding and strengthen the regulation of the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

Wilderness in Australia: what's happening in a world context

Treesearch

Ralf Buckley

2000-01-01

Wilderness in Australia has no formal legal designation at a national level as it does in the United States. In addition, new federal environmental legislation abdicates responsibility almost entirely to the States. A national wilderness inventory has recently been completed, but abandoned by the current federal government. Almost all wilderness recreation in Australia...

"Unhelpfully Complex and Exceedingly Opaque": Australia's School Funding System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowling, Andrew

2008-01-01

Australia's system of school funding is notoriously complex and difficult to understand. This article shines some light on this issue by describing clearly the processes of school funding that currently exist in Australia. It describes the steps taken by federal and state governments to provide over $30 billion each year to government and…

Assumptions Underlying Curriculum Decisions in Australia: An American Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, George

An analysis of the cultural and historical context in which curriculum decisions are made in Australia and a comparison with educational assumptions in the United States is the purpose of this paper. Methodology is based on personal teaching experience and observation in Australia. Seven factors are identified upon which curricular decisions in…

A tale of CIN--the Cannabis infringement notice scheme in Western Australia.

PubMed

Lenton, Simon; Allsop, Steve

2010-05-01

To describe the development and enactment of the Western Australian (WA) Cannabis Infringement Notice scheme and reflect on the lessons for researchers and policy-makers interested in the translation of policy research to policy practice. An insiders' description of the background research, knowledge transfer strategies and political and legislative processes leading to the enactment and implementation of the WA Cannabis Control Act 2003. Lenton and Allsop were involved centrally in the process as policy-researcher and policy-bureaucrat. In March 2004, Western Australia became the fourth Australian jurisdiction to adopt a 'prohibition with civil penalties' scheme for possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis. We reflect upon: the role of research evidence in the policy process; windows for policy change; disseminating findings when apparently no one is listening; the risks and benefits of the researcher as advocate; the differences between working on the inside and outside of government; and the importance of relationships, trust and track record. There was a window of opportunity and change was influenced by research that was communicated by a reliable and trusted source. Those who want to conduct research that informs policy need to understand the policy process more clearly, look for and help create emerging windows that occur in the problem and political spheres, and make partnerships with key stakeholders in the policy arena. The flipside of the process is that, when governments change, policy born in windows of opportunity can be a casualty.

Patient satisfaction with musculoskeletal physiotherapy care in Australia: an international comparison.

PubMed

Hush, Julia M; Yung, Vivian; Mackey, Martin; Adams, Roger; Wand, Benedict M; Nelson, Roger; Beattie, Paul

2012-11-01

(1) To attain a quantitative estimate of patient satisfaction with physiotherapy care for musculoskeletal conditions in Australia; (2) to compare the observed level of patient satisfaction with care in Australia with those from other countries; and (3) to compare factors contributing to patient satisfaction between Australia and the United States (US). We conducted a prospective study of 274 patients presenting for physiotherapy treatment of a musculoskeletal disorder in Australian clinics. Patient satisfaction was measured using the 20-item MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care (MRPS) and satisfaction scores were compared with those from Northern Europe, North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. To investigate factors contributing to patient satisfaction between Australia and the US, we compared 20-item MRPS data from Australian and Spanish-speaking US cohorts. Mean Australian MRPS satisfaction score was 4.55 (95% confidence interval: 4.51-4.59) on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 indicates high dissatisfaction and 5 indicates high satisfaction. This high level of patient satisfaction is consistent with international data. Australian respondents specifically valued interpersonal aspects of care, including advice and information about their condition and an explanation about self-management. The correlation between treatment outcomes and global patient satisfaction was low (r = -0.22). A comparison of data collected from Australia and the US showed that MRPS items regarding interpersonal aspects of care, such as the therapists' communication skills, correlated strongly with global satisfaction in both countries. However, there were other questionnaire items for which the correlation with global satisfaction was significantly different between Australia and the US. Patient satisfaction with musculoskeletal physiotherapy care in Australia is high and comparable with Northern Europe, North America, the United Kingdom and

Planning, implementing, and evaluating a program to address the oral health needs of aboriginal children in port augusta, australia.

PubMed

Parker, E J; Misan, G; Shearer, M; Richards, L; Russell, A; Mills, H; Jamieson, L M

2012-01-01

Aboriginal Australian children experience profound oral health disparities relative to their non-Aboriginal counterparts. In response to community concerns regarding Aboriginal child oral health in the regional town of Port Augusta, South Australia, a child dental health service was established within a Community Controlled Aboriginal Health Service. A partnership approach was employed with the key aims of (1) quantifying rates of dental service utilisation, (2) identifying factors influencing participation, and (3) planning and establishing a program for delivery of Aboriginal children's dental services that would increase participation and adapt to community needs. In planning the program, levels of participation were quantified and key issues identified through semistructured interviews. After 3.5 years, the participation rate for dental care among the target population increased from 53 to 70 percent. Key areas were identified to encourage further improvements and ensure sustainability in Aboriginal child oral health in this regional location.

Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Program to Address the Oral Health Needs of Aboriginal Children in Port Augusta, Australia

PubMed Central

Parker, E. J.; Misan, G.; Shearer, M.; Richards, L.; Russell, A.; Mills, H.; Jamieson, L. M.

2012-01-01

Aboriginal Australian children experience profound oral health disparities relative to their non-Aboriginal counterparts. In response to community concerns regarding Aboriginal child oral health in the regional town of Port Augusta, South Australia, a child dental health service was established within a Community Controlled Aboriginal Health Service. A partnership approach was employed with the key aims of (1) quantifying rates of dental service utilisation, (2) identifying factors influencing participation, and (3) planning and establishing a program for delivery of Aboriginal children's dental services that would increase participation and adapt to community needs. In planning the program, levels of participation were quantified and key issues identified through semistructured interviews. After 3.5 years, the participation rate for dental care among the target population increased from 53 to 70 percent. Key areas were identified to encourage further improvements and ensure sustainability in Aboriginal child oral health in this regional location. PMID:22577401

Agricultural Education in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farquhar, R. N.

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a comprehensive survey of education and training for agriculture in Australia. The present facilities are described, and then set against estimates of present and future needs. Constructive proposals are made as to how these needs can best be met by agricultural…

Quantifying the population effects of vaccination and migration on hepatitis A seroepidemiology in Australia.

PubMed

Jayasundara, Duleepa; Hui, Ben B; Regan, David G; Heywood, Anita E; MacIntyre, C Raina; Wood, James G

2017-09-18

Since licensure of hepatitis A vaccine in Australia in 1994, infection rates have declined to record lows. Cross-sectional serosurveys conducted over this period meanwhile have shown rising population immunity, particularly in young to middle-aged Australians. In this study, we performed a retrospective birth cohort analysis to estimate the contributions of infection, migration and vaccination towards increased levels of age specific hepatitis A seroprevalence in Australia. When aggregated across age, we find that two-thirds of the increase in population seropositivity (67.04%) between 1994 and 2008 was due to vaccination, just under one-third due to migration, with a negligible contribution from infection (<1%). Comparisons with other data sources reflecting vaccine uptake suggest the magnitude of this effect is realistic. We suggest that these results primarily relate to opportunistic vaccination and indicate the level of population immunity achievable through opportunistic programs providing further evidence for policy considerations around universal hepatitis A vaccine recommendations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2010 Australia plate and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benz, Harley M.; Herman, Matthew; Tarr, Arthur C.; Hayes, Gavin P.; Furlong, Kevin P.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Dart, Richard L.; Rhea, Susan

2011-01-01

This map shows details of the Australia plate and vicinity not presented in Tarr and others (2010). The boundary of the Australia plate includes all fundamental plate boundary components: mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones, arc-continent collisions, and large-offset transform faults. Along the southern edge of the plate the mid-ocean ridge separates the Australia and Antarctica plates and its behavior is straightforward. In contrast, the other boundary segments that ring the Australia plate represent some of the most seismically active elements of the global plate boundary system, and some of the most rapidly evolving plate interactions. As a result, there are some very complex structures which host many large and great earthquakes

Status of Women In Physics in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, C. P.

2009-04-01

The status of women in physics is Australia has remained mostly steady until recently, with the appointment of several eminent women in major government of public roles. Australia seems to maintain the same gender ratio for those studying and working in physics. There is no overall coordination of programs to assist women into the workplace but there is generally goodwill. Success in attracting and retaining women in the physics workforce appears to depend on the local culture, initiatives, and attitude of the most senior person in the organization.

Climate change and rising heat: population health implications for working people in Australia.

PubMed

Hanna, Elizabeth G; Kjellstrom, Tord; Bennett, Charmian; Dear, Keith

2011-03-01

The rapid rise in extreme heat events in Australia recently is already taking a health toll. Climate change scenarios predict increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in the future, and population health may be significantly compromised for people who cannot reduce their heat exposure. Exposure to extreme heat presents a health hazard to all who are physically active, particularly outdoor workers and indoor workers with minimal access to cooling systems while working. At air temperatures close to (or beyond) the core body temperature of 37°C, body cooling via sweating is essential, and this mechanism is hampered by high air humidity. Heat exposure among elite athletes and the military has been investigated, whereas the impacts on workers remain largely unexplored, particularly in relation to future climate change. Workers span all age groups and diverse levels of fitness and health status, including people with higher than "normal" sensitivity to heat. In a hotter world, workers are likely to experience more heat stress and find it increasingly difficult to maintain productivity. Modeling of future climate change in Australia shows a substantial increase in the number of very hot days (>35°C) across the country. In this article, the authors characterize the health risks associated with heat exposure on working people and discuss future exposure risks as temperatures rise. Progress toward developing occupational health and safety guidelines for heat in Australia are summarized.

The paleoclimate context and future trajectory of extreme summer hydroclimate in eastern Australia.

PubMed

Cook, Benjamin I; Palmer, Jonathan G; Cook, Edward R; Turney, Chris S M; Allen, Kathryn; Fenwick, Pavla; O'Donnell, Alison; Lough, Janice M; Grierson, Pauline F; Ho, Michelle; Baker, Patrick J

2016-11-16

Eastern Australia recently experienced an intense drought (Millennium Drought, 2003-2009) and record-breaking rainfall and flooding (austral summer 2010-2011). There is some limited evidence for a climate change contribution to these events, but such analyses are hampered by the paucity of information on long-term natural variability. Analyzing a new reconstruction of summer (December-January-February) Palmer Drought Severity Index (the Australia-New Zealand Drought Atlas; ANZDA, 1500-2012 CE), we find moisture deficits during the Millennium Drought fall within the range of the last 500 years of natural hydroclimate variability. This variability includes periods of multi-decadal drought in the 1500s more persistent than any event in the historical record. However, the severity of the Millennium Drought, which was caused by autumn (March-April-May) precipitation declines, may be underestimated in the ANZDA because the reconstruction is biased towards summer and antecedent spring (September-October-November) precipitation. The pluvial in 2011, however, which was characterized by extreme summer rainfall faithfully captured by the ANZDA, is likely the wettest year in the reconstruction for Coastal Queensland. Climate projections (RCP 8.5 scenario) suggest that eastern Australia will experience long-term drying during the 21 st century. While the contribution of anthropogenic forcing to recent extremes remains an open question, these projections indicate an amplified risk of multi-year drought anomalies matching or exceeding the intensity of the Millennium Drought.

Adult Learners' Week in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, John

2002-01-01

Promotional materials and activities for Australia's Adult Learners Week, which are shaped by a variety of stakeholders , include media strategies and a website. Activities are evaluated using a market research company and website and telephone hotline statistics. (SK)

Livistona palms in Australia: ancient relics or opportunistic immigrants?

PubMed

Crisp, Michael D; Isagi, Yuji; Kato, Yohei; Cook, Lyn G; Bowman, David M J S

2010-02-01

Eighteen of the 34 species of the fan palm genus Livistona (Arecaceae) are restricted to Australia and southern New Guinea, east of Wallace's Line, an ancient biogeographic boundary between the former supercontinents Laurasia and Gondwana. The remaining species extend from SE Asia to Africa, west of Wallace's Line. Competing hypotheses contend that Livistona is (a) ancient, its current distribution a relict of the supercontinents, or (b) a Miocene immigrant from the north into Australia as it drifted towards Asia. We have tested these hypotheses using Bayesian and penalized likelihood molecular dating based on 4Kb of nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences with multiple fossil calibration points. Ancestral areas and biomes were reconstructed using parsimony and maximum likelihood. We found strong support for the second hypothesis, that a single Livistona ancestor colonized Australia from the north about 10-17Ma. Spread and diversification of the genus within Australia was likely favoured by a transition from the aseasonal wet to monsoonal biome, to which it could have been preadapted by fire-tolerance. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A brief history of solar-terrestrial physics in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, B. J.

2016-12-01

Solar-terrestrial physics research in Australia began in 1792 when de Rossel measured the southern hemisphere geomagnetic field at Recherche Bay on the southern tip of Tasmania, proving the field magnitude and direction varied with latitude. This was the time when the French and British were competing to chart and explore the new world. From the early twentieth century Australian solar-terrestrial physics research concentrated on radio wave propagation and communication, which by the 1950s fed into the International Geophysical Year in the areas of atmosphere and ionosphere physics, and geomagnetism, with some concentration on Antarctic research. This was also the era of increased studies of solar activity and the discovery of the magnetosphere and the beginning of the space age. In the 1960s, Australia became a world leader in solar physics which led to radio astronomy discoveries. This paper outlines the historical development of solar-terrestrial physics in Australia and its international connections over the years and concludes with examples of specific research areas where Australia has excelled.

Comparing satisfaction and burnout between caseload and standard care midwives: findings from two cross-sectional surveys conducted in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Newton, Michelle S; McLachlan, Helen L; Willis, Karen F; Forster, Della A

2014-12-24

Caseload midwifery reduces childbirth interventions and increases women's satisfaction with care. It is therefore important to understand the impact of caseload midwifery on midwives working in and alongside the model. While some studies have reported higher satisfaction for caseload compared with standard care midwives, others have suggested a need to explore midwives' work-life balance as well as potential for stress and burnout. This study explored midwives' attitudes to their professional role, and also measured burnout in caseload midwives compared to standard care midwives at two sites in Victoria, Australia with newly introduced caseload midwifery models. All midwives providing maternity care at the study sites were sent questionnaires at the commencement of the caseload midwifery model and two years later. Data items included the Midwifery Process Questionnaire (MPQ) to examine midwives' attitude to their professional role, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to measure burnout, and questions about midwives' views of caseload work. Data were pooled for the two sites and comparisons made between caseload and standard care midwives. The MPQ and CBI data were summarised as individual and group means. Twenty caseload midwives (88%) and 130 standard care midwives (41%) responded at baseline and 22 caseload midwives (95%) and 133 standard care midwives (45%) at two years. Caseload and standard care midwives were initially similar across all measures except client-related burnout, which was lower for caseload midwives (12.3 vs 22.4, p = 0.02). After two years, compared to midwives in standard care, caseload midwives had higher mean scores in professional satisfaction (1.08 vs 0.76, p = 0.01), professional support (1.06 vs 0.11, p <0.01) and client interaction (1.4 vs 0.09, p <0.01) and lower scores for personal burnout (35.7 vs 47.7, p < 0.01), work-related burnout (27.3 vs 42.7, p <0.01), and client-related burnout (11.3 vs 21.4, p < 0.01). Caseload midwifery

The unexpected survival of an ancient lineage of anseriform birds into the Neogene of Australia: the youngest record of Presbyornithidae

PubMed Central

Zelenkov, Nikita; Boles, Walter E.; Worthy, Trevor H.

2016-01-01

Presbyornithids were the dominant birds in Palaeogene lacustrine assemblages, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, but are thought to have disappeared worldwide by the mid-Eocene. Now classified within Anseriformes (screamers, ducks, swans and geese), their relationships have long been obscured by their strange wader-like skeletal morphology. Reassessment of the late Oligocene South Australian material attributed to Wilaru tedfordi, long considered to be of a stone-curlew (Burhinidae, Charadriiformes), reveals that this taxon represents the first record of a presbyornithid in Australia. We also describe the larger Wilaru prideauxi sp. nov. from the early Miocene of South Australia, showing that presbyornithids survived in Australia at least until ca 22 Ma. Unlike on other continents, where presbyornithids were replaced by aquatic crown-group anatids (ducks, swans and geese), species of Wilaru lived alongside these waterfowl in Australia. The morphology of the tarsometatarsus of these species indicates that, contrary to other presbyornithids, they were predominantly terrestrial birds, which probably contributed to their long-term survival in Australia. The morphological similarity between species of Wilaru and the Eocene South American presbyornithid Telmabates antiquus supports our hypothesis of a Gondwanan radiation during the evolutionary history of the Presbyornithidae. Teviornis gobiensis from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia is here also reassessed and confirmed as a presbyornithid. These findings underscore the temporal continuance of Australia’s vertebrates and provide a new context in which the phylogeny and evolutionary history of presbyornithids can be examined. PMID:26998335

Melville Island, Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Melville Island, just off the coast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia (11.5S, 131.0E) is a sparsely inhabited tropical island with heavy woodland concentrations. The widespread and prominant smoke plumes were most likely set to renew pasture under open canopy woodland. Soil erosion is almost non- existant as can be seen by the clear and clean river flow. The offshore sediments are coastal current borne deposits from King Sound to the west.

Climate change and Australia's healthcare system - risks, research and responses.

PubMed

Weaver, Haylee J; Blashki, Grant A; Capon, Anthony G; McMichael, Anthony J

2010-11-01

Climate change will affect human health, mostly adversely, resulting in a greater burden on the health care system, in addition to any other coexistent increases in demand (e.g. from Australia's increasingly ageing population). Understanding the extent to which health is likely to be affected by climate change will enable policy makers and practitioners to prepare for changing demands on the health care system. This will require prioritisation of key research questions and building research capacity in the field. There is an urgent need to better understand the implications of climate change for the distribution and prevalence of diseases, disaster preparedness and multidisciplinary service planning. Research is needed to understand the relationship of climate change to health promotion, policy evaluation and strategic financing of health services. Training of health care professionals about climate change and its effects will also be important in meeting long-term workforce demands.