According to the available data and field research, based on the diwa theory, the authors have studied the geotectonic evolution history and the associated minerlization in the Victoria area. It has been shown that th...According to the available data and field research, based on the diwa theory, the authors have studied the geotectonic evolution history and the associated minerlization in the Victoria area. It has been shown that this area is in fact a part of the Lachlan diwa region. The Victoria area can be divided into geodome fault fold zone and subsidence zone. The former can be subdivided into three zones, from west to east, which are western uplift zone, central depression zone and eastern uplift zone. The evolution history of the Victoria area can be divided into four stages——Pregeosyncline, geosyncline, plateform and diwa. Each stage has distinct sedimentary, magmatic and structural features. Of the four stages, diwa stage is the most important for minerlization. Diwa stage started in the Devonian. During the development of diwa, a number of granites, which are characterized by high SiO 2 and Na 2O+K 2O, were formed. The granites were abundance with mineral forming material. On the other hand, diwa geotectonism reformed and enriched the geosynclinal or platform ore deposits. Therefore, most of the ore deposits that occurred in the Victoria area are, more or less, related with diwa tectonism.展开更多
Background:Shared decision-making(SDM)implementation is a priority for Australian health systems,including general practices but it remains complex for specific groups like older rural Australians.We initiated a quali...Background:Shared decision-making(SDM)implementation is a priority for Australian health systems,including general practices but it remains complex for specific groups like older rural Australians.We initiated a qualitative study with older rural Australians to explore barriers to and facilitators of SDM in local general practices.Methods:We conducted a patient-oriented research,partnering with older rural Australians,families,and health service providers in research design.Participants who visited general practices were purposively sampled from five small rural towns in South Australia.A semi-structured interview guide was used for interviews and reflexive thematic coding was conducted.Results:Telephone interviews were held with 27 participants.Four themes were identified around older rural adults’involvement in SDM:(1)Understanding of"patient involvement";(2)Positive and negative outcomes;(3)Barriers to SDM;and(4)Facilitators to SDM.Understanding of patient involvement in SDM considerably varied among participants,with some reporting their involvement was contingent on the“opportunity to ask questions”and the“treatment choices”offered to them.Alongside the opportunity for involvement,barriers such as avoidance of cultural care and a lack of continuity of care are new findings.Challenges encountered in SDM implementation also included resource constraints and time limitations in general practices.Rural knowledge of general practitioners and technology integration in consultations were viewed as potential enablers..Conclusion:Adequate resources and well-defined guidelines about the process should accompany the implementation of SDM in rural general practices of South Australia.Innovative strategies by general practitioners promoting health literacy and culturally-tailored communication approaches could increase older rural Australians'involvement in general.展开更多
This paper reports on the major cations(Ca, Mg, Na and K) and arsenic(As) compositions of surface waters collected from major creeks, rivers and lakes in Central Victoria (Australia). The surface waters were fou...This paper reports on the major cations(Ca, Mg, Na and K) and arsenic(As) compositions of surface waters collected from major creeks, rivers and lakes in Central Victoria (Australia). The surface waters were found to be neutral to alkaline (pH 6.7-9.4), oxidised (average redox potential (Eh) about 130 mV) and showed variable concentrations of dissolved ions (EC, about 51-4386 /μS/cm). The concen- trations of dissolved major cations in surface waters were found to be in the order of Na〉〉Mg〉Ca〉K and in soils the contents of metals followed an order of abundance as: Ca〉Mg〉〉K〉Na. While Na was the least abundant in soils, it registered the highest dissolved cation in surface waters. Of the four major cations, the average concentration ofNa(98.7 mg/L) was attributed to the weathering of feldspars and atmospheric input. Relatively highly dissolved concentrations of Na and Mg compared with the world average values of rivers reflected the weathering of rock and soil minerals within the catchments. The As soil level is naturally high(linked to lithology) as reflected by high background soil values and mining operations are also considered to be a contributory factor. Under relatively alkaline-oxidative conditions low mobility of dissolved As (average about 7.9 μg/L) was observed in most of the surface waters with a few higher values(〉15 μg/L) around a sewage disposal site and mine railings. Arsenic in soils is slowly released into water under alkaline and/or lower Eh conditions. The efficient sink of Fe, AI and Mn oxides acts as a barrier against the As release under near neutral-oxidising conditions. High As content (average about 28.3 mg/kg) in soils was found to be associated with Fe-hydroxides as revealed by XRD and SEM analysis. The dissolved As concentration was found to be below the recommended maximum levels for recreational water in all surface waters(lakes and rivers) in the study area. Catchment lithology exerted the fundamental control on surface water chemistry. Sites impacted by mining waste dumps showed a decline in water quality.展开更多
Objective: Australia has relatively high multiple myeloma(MM) incidence and mortality rates. Advancements in MM treatment over recent decades have driven improvements in MM survival in high-income countries;however, r...Objective: Australia has relatively high multiple myeloma(MM) incidence and mortality rates. Advancements in MM treatment over recent decades have driven improvements in MM survival in high-income countries;however, reporting in Australia is limited. We investigated temporal trends in population-wide MM survival across 3 periods of treatment advancements in New South Wales(NSW), Australia.Methods: Individuals with an MM diagnosis in the NSW Cancer Registry between 1985 and 2015 with vital follow-up to 2020, were categorized into 3 previously defined treatment eras according to their diagnosis date(1985±1995, chemotherapy only;1996±2007, autologous stem cell transplantation;and 2008±2015, novel agents including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs). Both relative survival and cause-specific survival according to Fine and Gray's competing risks cumulative incidence function were calculated by treatment era and age at diagnosis.Results: Overall, 11,591 individuals were included in the study, with a median age of 70 years at diagnosis. Five-year relative survival improved over the 36-year(1985±2020) study period(31.0% in 1985±1995;41.9% in 1996±2007;and 56.1% in 2008±2015). For individuals diagnosed before 70 years of age, the 5-year relative survival nearly doubled, from 36.5% in 1985±1995 to 68.5% in 2008±2015. Improvements for those > 70 years of age were less pronounced between 1985±1995 and 1996±2007;however, significant improvements were observed for those diagnosed in 2008±2015. Similar overall and age-specific patterns were observed for causespecific survival. After adjustment for gender and age at diagnosis, treatment era was strongly associated with both relative and cause-specific survival(P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Survival of individuals with MM is improving in Australia with treatment advances. However, older age groups continue to experience poor survival outcomes with only modest improvements over time. Given the increasing prevalence of MM in Australia, the effects of MM treatment on quality of life, particularly in older age, warrant further attention.展开更多
In 2012, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) practitioners in Australia became nationally-registered allied health professionals in three categories: acupuncturist, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and Chinese herb...In 2012, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) practitioners in Australia became nationally-registered allied health professionals in three categories: acupuncturist, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and Chinese herbal medicine dispenser. Australia was the first Western country to introduce national registration for Chinese medicine, followed by Portugal and, recently, New Zealand. The practice of TCM in Australia can be traced back to the beginning of Chinese immigration to Australia during the Victorian Gold Rush which began in the 1850s. The process which led to national registration commenced in the early 1970s with the establishment of the first acupuncture courses. Decades of gradual development of courses from unaccredited part-time diplomas to accredited bachelor degrees, and the development, by the profession, of national consensus on educational standards were essential elements in the process which led to registration. Professional associations, such as the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd.(AACMA), also developed a framework of professional selfregulation, including Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, ongoing professional development requirements and Infection Control Guidelines, and provided leadership in the development of the profession. After decades of tribalism and division within the TCM profession, the National Academic Standards Committee brought almost all stakeholders together to reach a consensus on the Australian Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Education which were published by AACMA in 2001. Professional associations also collaborated on joint submissions to the government in support of registration, which was introduced first in the state of Victoria in 2000, and subsequently became national in 2012. Despite national registration, some barriers still remain, and professional associations continue to lobby the federal government for inclusion in Medicare, chronic disease management scheme, and Veterans Affairs.展开更多
BACKGROUND Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening syndrome with varying aetiologies requiring complex care and multidisciplinary management. Its changing incidence, aetiology and outcomes over the last 16 yea...BACKGROUND Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening syndrome with varying aetiologies requiring complex care and multidisciplinary management. Its changing incidence, aetiology and outcomes over the last 16 years in the Australian context remain uncertain. AIM To describe the changing incidence, aetiology and outcomes of ALF in South Eastern Australia. METHODS The database of the Victorian Liver Transplant Unit was interrogated to identify all cases of ALF in adults (> 16 years) in adults hospitalised between January 2002 and December 2017. Overall, 169 patients meeting criteria for ALF were identified. Demographics, aetiology of ALF, rates of transplantation and outcomes were collected for all patients. Transplant free survival and overall survival (OS) were assessed based on survival to discharge from hospital. Results were compared to data from a historical cohort from the same unit from 1988- 2001. RESULTS Paracetamol was the most common aetiology of acute liver failure, accounting for 50% of cases, with an increased incidence compared with the historical cohort (P = 0.046). Viral hepatitis and non-paracetamol drug or toxin induced liver injury accounted for 15% and 10% of cases respectively. Transplant free survival (TFS) improved significantly compared to the historical cohort (52% vs 38%, P = 0.032). TFS was highest in paracetamol toxicity with spontaneous recovery in 72% of cases compared to 31% of non-paracetamol ALF (P < 0.001). Fifty-nine patients were waitlisted for emergency liver transplantation. Nine of these died while waiting for an organ to become available. Forty-two patients (25%) underwent emergency liver transplantation with a 1, 3 and 5 year survival of 81%, 78% and 72% respectively. CONCLUSION Paracetamol toxicity is the most common aetiology of ALF in South-Eastern Australia with a rising incidence over 30 years. TFS has improved, however it remains low in non-paracetamol ALF.展开更多
During the Cambrian and Ordovician, widespread magmatic activity occurred in the Ross Orogen of central Antarctica, forming the Granite Harbor Intrusives and Terra Nova Intrusive Complex. In the Terra Nova Intrusive C...During the Cambrian and Ordovician, widespread magmatic activity occurred in the Ross Orogen of central Antarctica, forming the Granite Harbor Intrusives and Terra Nova Intrusive Complex. In the Terra Nova Intrusive Complex, the latest magmatic activity comprised the emplacement of the Abbott Unit(508 Ma) and the Vegetation Unit(~475 Ma), which were formed in different tectonic settings. Owing to their similar lithological features, the tectonic transformation that occurred between the formation of these two units has not been well studied. Through a detailed geological field investigation and geochemical and geochronological analyses, four types of magmatic rock—basalt, syenite, mafic veins, and granite veins—were identified on Inexpressible Island, Northern Victoria Land. Our SHRIMP(Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe) zircon U–Pb ages of the basalt and the granite veins are 504.7 ± 3.1 and 495.5 ± 4.9 Ma, respectively. Major-and trace-element data indicate a continental-margin island-arc setting for the formation of these two rock types. The zircon U–Pb ages of the syenite and the monzodiorite veins are 485.8 ± 5.7 and 478.5 ± 4.0 Ma, respectively. Major-and trace-element compositions suggest a collisional setting for the former and an intracontinental extensional setting for the latter. These results elucidate the evolution from subduction to collision and intracontinental extension in Northern Victoria Land during the 20 Ma spanning the late Cambrian–Early Ordovician and improve our understanding of the tectonics and evolution of the Ross Orogen in the Transantarctic Mountains.展开更多
Changing markets and evolving consumer demand present new challenges for the beef and sheep industries. In response, the industry has been investing in innovations to deliver new products and management systems to con...Changing markets and evolving consumer demand present new challenges for the beef and sheep industries. In response, the industry has been investing in innovations to deliver new products and management systems to consumers. One such innovation is the Meat Standards Australia(MSA) system. This system is a Total Quality Management System, aimed at delivering an eating quality guarantee to consumers, and through this adding value to the entire supply chain. At present, it is well developed for beef and still evolving for sheepmeat. MSA has identified Critical Control Points(CCPs) in the production, pre-slaughter, processing and value-adding aspects of the supply chain that impact on consumer palatability through the large-scale taste testing of meat by untrained consumers. These CCPs are used as either(1) mandatory criteria determining eligibility for grading, and(2) inputs in a model predicting the palatability of individual combinations of muscle and different cooking methods. Through the prediction of palatability, MSA increases consumer satisfaction and is used to provide assurance for branded products and new marketing innovations in Australia and internationally. This has added significant value to the Australian beef industry, with several retail examples demonstrating consumer willingness to pay more for premium quality beef and sheepmeat products based on the MSA grading scores. This price differential at retail allows the value of the carcass to be calculated based on the eating quality as well as the volume produced, thereby delivering a financial reward for farmers producing high quality carcasses. The continuous quality scale of MSA allows producers to realise the financial gain of incremental improvements in quality, as well as the precise economic weights associated with traits such as marbling, ossification score, or breed. The use of MSA in this fashion has underpinned a new and innovative supply chain where the pricing is transparent and allows producers to make informed decisions to modify both quality and yield traits. To date, the MSA system for beef has proved to be effective in predicting beef palatability not only in Australia but also in many other countries(France, Poland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Japan, South Korea, New-Zealand, the USA and South Africa). In Europe, results of the Pro Safe Beef and Pro Opti Beef projects as well as other national projects demonstrate the potential to develop an MSA-like international grading system for the supply chain in the EU, despite thediverse cultures and complex beef production systems within the member states. International testing in lamb has only just begun and preliminary results are discussed here.展开更多
Harvesting of papyrus biomass plays a significant role in regulating ecosystem services of which one of them is nutrient uptake and cycling. Despite Lake Victoria’s wetlands being important, little is understood abou...Harvesting of papyrus biomass plays a significant role in regulating ecosystem services of which one of them is nutrient uptake and cycling. Despite Lake Victoria’s wetlands being important, little is understood about its role in nutrient uptake and removal. Although there have been studies done in these wetlands, there is inadequate understanding on the implication of unselective biomass harvesting on the water quality of Lake Vitoria. At the same time, these wetlands are threatened by livelihood-related pressures which are driven by extreme hydrological regimes. This study focused on Nyando floodplain wetland located in the Eastern part of the shores of Lake Victoria which is a lifeline to many rural communities living around the lake. Papyrus biomass harvesting was assessed in two study sites of Nyando wetland and at different seasons in order to determine its implication on nutrient regulating services. Participatory tools, field survey, observation, field measurements and laboratory analysis were used. Harvesting of papyrus removed 530.6 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 97 Kg P/g DM/ha/day in Ogenya while 771.2 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 109.2 Kg P/g DM/ha/day were removed in Wasare. However, addition of nutrients to the wetland may lead to the problem of eutrophication especially at the site where interaction of wetland and lake water occurs. Understanding the role of papyrus harvesting patterns is crucial for better planning and management of this complex resource in a changing environment.展开更多
The need for effective and efficient monitoring, evaluation and control of water quality in Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) has become more demanding in this era of urbanization, population growth and climate change and var...The need for effective and efficient monitoring, evaluation and control of water quality in Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) has become more demanding in this era of urbanization, population growth and climate change and variability. Traditional methods that rely on collecting water samples, testing and analyses in water laboratories are not only costly but also lack capability for real-time data capture, analyses and fast dissemination of information to relevant stakeholders for making timely and informed decisions. In this paper, a Water Sensor Network (WSN) system prototype developed for water quality monitoring in LVB is presented. The development was preceded by evaluation of prevailing environment including availability of cellular network coverage at the site of operation. The system consists of an Arduino microcontroller, water quality sensors, and a wireless network connection module. It detects water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and electrical conductivity in real-time and disseminates the information in graphical and tabular formats to relevant stakeholders through a web-based portal and mobile phone platforms. The experimental results show that the system has great prospect and can be used to operate in real world environment for optimum control and protection of water resources by providing key actors with relevant and timely information to facilitate quick action taking.展开更多
Microsatellite loci and mtDNA-RFLPs were surveyed in four spatially separated populations of Haliotis rubra and two populations of putative Haliotis conicorpora from South Australia. A high level of microsatellite gen...Microsatellite loci and mtDNA-RFLPs were surveyed in four spatially separated populations of Haliotis rubra and two populations of putative Haliotis conicorpora from South Australia. A high level of microsatellite genetic diversity was observed in all populations although several loci were characterized by homozygote excesses, probably due to null alleles. MtDNA variation was also moderate with an average of 80% haplotype variation across the six populations. Despite the high levels of genetic variation, significant pair-wise spatial differentiation is not detected among the populations. Hierarchical AMOVA analysis revealed very low levels of genetic partitioning on either a spatial or putative species level. Both molecular techniques revealed little genetic differentiation across the six populations, suggesting a panmictic population model for these South Australian abalone populations. Furthermore, no molecular evidence suggests that the putative H. conicorpora individuals sampled from South Australia belong to a separate species.展开更多
Increase in population growth and the associated activities have increased the nutrient input to the Lake Victoria through atmosphere and river discharge. Atmospheric input of nutrient is believed to exceed that of ri...Increase in population growth and the associated activities have increased the nutrient input to the Lake Victoria through atmosphere and river discharge. Atmospheric input of nutrient is believed to exceed that of river discharge due to relatively higher contribution of water mass to the Lake from atmosphere. However, precipitation characteristics with respect to nutrients have not been well studied to allow qualification and quantification of atmospheric contribution to the Lake Victoria. This study was conducted to investigate influence of land use activities on spatial and temporal variation of nutrient inputs from atmosphere and to estimate atmospheric loading to the Lake Victoria. The results revealed that there is significant spatial and temporal variation of nutrient deposition in the study area. High concentrations of nutrients were observed during short rains starting from September to December. This was attributed to dissolution of nutrients from soil particals and ash residues due to biomass burning accumulated in the atmosphere during dry season of June to August. Spatial variation of nutrients reflects land use activities. Urban and peri-urban areas showed very high concentration of nitrate nitrogen due to industrial and vehicle emission while rural area showed high concentration of phosphorous species and reduced forms of nitrogen species reflecting agricultural activities and animal keeping. Generally, nutrient deposition load was higher in rural area compared to urban with respective values of 15.5 and 13.9 kg·haˉ1·yˉ1 for total nitrogen and 6.1 and 2.8 kg·haˉ1·yˉ1 for total phosphorous. These results suggest that in order to realize significant reduction of nutrient input to the Lake Victoria, measures should be taken to control agricultural activities through proper land use planning. The measure may be directed to reduce biomass burning, emission from industries and vehicle as well as animal residue.展开更多
Sexual selection by female mating preference for male nuptial coloration has been suggested as a driving force in the rapid speciation of Lake Victoria cichlid fish. This process could have been facilitated or acceler...Sexual selection by female mating preference for male nuptial coloration has been suggested as a driving force in the rapid speciation of Lake Victoria cichlid fish. This process could have been facilitated or accelerated by genetic associations between female preference loci and male coloration loci. Preferences, as well as coloration, are heritable traits and are probably determined by more than one gene. However, little is known about potential genetic associations between these traits. In turbid water, we found a population that is variable in male nuptial coloration from blue to yellow to red. Males at the extreme ends of the phenotype distribution resemble a reproductively isolated species pair in clear water that has diverged into one species with blue-grey males and one species with bright red males. Females of the turbid water population vary in mating preference coinciding with the male phenotype distribution. For the current study, these females were mated to blue males. We measured the coloration of the sires and male offspring. Parents-offspring regression showed that the sires did not affect male offspring coloration, which confirms earlier findings that the blue species breeds true. In contrast, male offspring coloration was determined by the identity of the dams, which suggests that there is heritable variation in male color genes between females. However, we found that mating preferences of the dams were not correlated with male offspring coloration. Thus, there is no evidence for strong genetic linkage between mating preference and the preferred trait in this population [Current Zoology 56 (1): 57-64 2010].展开更多
Gathering the history and emotions of the nation of Australia,the movie Australia not only reflects Australians’exertion to construct an equal harmonious diversified new Australia but also incarnates Australian peopl...Gathering the history and emotions of the nation of Australia,the movie Australia not only reflects Australians’exertion to construct an equal harmonious diversified new Australia but also incarnates Australian people’s nisus to pursue the sense of belonging internally and seek international recognition externally.In order to expand the perspective of researching this movie and give enlightenment on constructing an equal harmonious diversified international community,based on culture identity theories,this paper tries exploring the themes of this movie.展开更多
There is widespread, though by no means universal, recognition of the importance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a carbon mitigation technology. However, the rate of deployment does not match what is required...There is widespread, though by no means universal, recognition of the importance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a carbon mitigation technology. However, the rate of deployment does not match what is required for global temperatures to stay well below 2℃. Although some consider the hurdles to achieving the widespread application of CCS to he almost insurmountable, a more optimistic view is that a great deal is now known about CCS through research, demonstration, and deployment. We know how to do it; we are confident it can be done safely and effectively; we know what it costs; and we know that costs are decreasing and will continue to do so. We also know that the world will need CCS as long as countries, companies, and communities continue to use fossil fuels for energy and industrial processes. What is lacking are the necessary policy drivers, along with a technology-neutral approach to decrease carbon emissions in a cost-effective and timely manner while retaining the undoubted benefits of ready access to reliable and secure electricity and energy-intensive industrial products. In this paper, Australia is used as an example of what has been undertaken in CCS over the past 20 years, particularly in research and demonstration, hut also in international collaboration. Progress in the large-scale deployment of CCS in Australia has been too slow. However, the world's largest storage project will soon be operational in Australia as part of the Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, and investigations are underway into several large-scale CCS Flagship program opportunities. The organization and progress of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) Otway Project, which is currently Australia's only operational storage project, is discussed in some detail because of its relevance to the commercial deployment of CCS. The point is made that there is scope for building on this Otway activity to investigate more broadly (through the proposed Otway Stage 3 and Deep Earth Energy and Environment Programme (AusDEEP)) the role of the subsurface in carbon reduction. There are challenges ahead if CCS is to he deployed as widely as bodies such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) consider to be necessary. Closer international collaboration in CCS will be essential to meeting that challenge.展开更多
文摘According to the available data and field research, based on the diwa theory, the authors have studied the geotectonic evolution history and the associated minerlization in the Victoria area. It has been shown that this area is in fact a part of the Lachlan diwa region. The Victoria area can be divided into geodome fault fold zone and subsidence zone. The former can be subdivided into three zones, from west to east, which are western uplift zone, central depression zone and eastern uplift zone. The evolution history of the Victoria area can be divided into four stages——Pregeosyncline, geosyncline, plateform and diwa. Each stage has distinct sedimentary, magmatic and structural features. Of the four stages, diwa stage is the most important for minerlization. Diwa stage started in the Devonian. During the development of diwa, a number of granites, which are characterized by high SiO 2 and Na 2O+K 2O, were formed. The granites were abundance with mineral forming material. On the other hand, diwa geotectonism reformed and enriched the geosynclinal or platform ore deposits. Therefore, most of the ore deposits that occurred in the Victoria area are, more or less, related with diwa tectonism.
基金financed by the Flinders University College of Business,Government and Law Large Project Grant(Grant number:100031.21).
文摘Background:Shared decision-making(SDM)implementation is a priority for Australian health systems,including general practices but it remains complex for specific groups like older rural Australians.We initiated a qualitative study with older rural Australians to explore barriers to and facilitators of SDM in local general practices.Methods:We conducted a patient-oriented research,partnering with older rural Australians,families,and health service providers in research design.Participants who visited general practices were purposively sampled from five small rural towns in South Australia.A semi-structured interview guide was used for interviews and reflexive thematic coding was conducted.Results:Telephone interviews were held with 27 participants.Four themes were identified around older rural adults’involvement in SDM:(1)Understanding of"patient involvement";(2)Positive and negative outcomes;(3)Barriers to SDM;and(4)Facilitators to SDM.Understanding of patient involvement in SDM considerably varied among participants,with some reporting their involvement was contingent on the“opportunity to ask questions”and the“treatment choices”offered to them.Alongside the opportunity for involvement,barriers such as avoidance of cultural care and a lack of continuity of care are new findings.Challenges encountered in SDM implementation also included resource constraints and time limitations in general practices.Rural knowledge of general practitioners and technology integration in consultations were viewed as potential enablers..Conclusion:Adequate resources and well-defined guidelines about the process should accompany the implementation of SDM in rural general practices of South Australia.Innovative strategies by general practitioners promoting health literacy and culturally-tailored communication approaches could increase older rural Australians'involvement in general.
文摘This paper reports on the major cations(Ca, Mg, Na and K) and arsenic(As) compositions of surface waters collected from major creeks, rivers and lakes in Central Victoria (Australia). The surface waters were found to be neutral to alkaline (pH 6.7-9.4), oxidised (average redox potential (Eh) about 130 mV) and showed variable concentrations of dissolved ions (EC, about 51-4386 /μS/cm). The concen- trations of dissolved major cations in surface waters were found to be in the order of Na〉〉Mg〉Ca〉K and in soils the contents of metals followed an order of abundance as: Ca〉Mg〉〉K〉Na. While Na was the least abundant in soils, it registered the highest dissolved cation in surface waters. Of the four major cations, the average concentration ofNa(98.7 mg/L) was attributed to the weathering of feldspars and atmospheric input. Relatively highly dissolved concentrations of Na and Mg compared with the world average values of rivers reflected the weathering of rock and soil minerals within the catchments. The As soil level is naturally high(linked to lithology) as reflected by high background soil values and mining operations are also considered to be a contributory factor. Under relatively alkaline-oxidative conditions low mobility of dissolved As (average about 7.9 μg/L) was observed in most of the surface waters with a few higher values(〉15 μg/L) around a sewage disposal site and mine railings. Arsenic in soils is slowly released into water under alkaline and/or lower Eh conditions. The efficient sink of Fe, AI and Mn oxides acts as a barrier against the As release under near neutral-oxidising conditions. High As content (average about 28.3 mg/kg) in soils was found to be associated with Fe-hydroxides as revealed by XRD and SEM analysis. The dissolved As concentration was found to be below the recommended maximum levels for recreational water in all surface waters(lakes and rivers) in the study area. Catchment lithology exerted the fundamental control on surface water chemistry. Sites impacted by mining waste dumps showed a decline in water quality.
基金part of the Cancer-Patient Population Projections project funded by a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative:2019 Target Health System and Community Organisation Research Grant Opportunity (Grant No. MRF1200535)supported by National Health and Research Council of Australia Leadership Investigator Grants (NHMRC+3 种基金Grant No. APP1194679)co-PI of an investigator-initiated trial of cervical screening, “Compass,” run by the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC),a government-funded not-for-profit charitythe ACPCC has received equipment and a funding contributions from Roche Molecular Diagnostics, USAco-PI on a major implementation program, Elimination of Cervical Cancer in the Western Pacific, which has received support from the Minderoo Foundation。
文摘Objective: Australia has relatively high multiple myeloma(MM) incidence and mortality rates. Advancements in MM treatment over recent decades have driven improvements in MM survival in high-income countries;however, reporting in Australia is limited. We investigated temporal trends in population-wide MM survival across 3 periods of treatment advancements in New South Wales(NSW), Australia.Methods: Individuals with an MM diagnosis in the NSW Cancer Registry between 1985 and 2015 with vital follow-up to 2020, were categorized into 3 previously defined treatment eras according to their diagnosis date(1985±1995, chemotherapy only;1996±2007, autologous stem cell transplantation;and 2008±2015, novel agents including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs). Both relative survival and cause-specific survival according to Fine and Gray's competing risks cumulative incidence function were calculated by treatment era and age at diagnosis.Results: Overall, 11,591 individuals were included in the study, with a median age of 70 years at diagnosis. Five-year relative survival improved over the 36-year(1985±2020) study period(31.0% in 1985±1995;41.9% in 1996±2007;and 56.1% in 2008±2015). For individuals diagnosed before 70 years of age, the 5-year relative survival nearly doubled, from 36.5% in 1985±1995 to 68.5% in 2008±2015. Improvements for those > 70 years of age were less pronounced between 1985±1995 and 1996±2007;however, significant improvements were observed for those diagnosed in 2008±2015. Similar overall and age-specific patterns were observed for causespecific survival. After adjustment for gender and age at diagnosis, treatment era was strongly associated with both relative and cause-specific survival(P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Survival of individuals with MM is improving in Australia with treatment advances. However, older age groups continue to experience poor survival outcomes with only modest improvements over time. Given the increasing prevalence of MM in Australia, the effects of MM treatment on quality of life, particularly in older age, warrant further attention.
文摘In 2012, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) practitioners in Australia became nationally-registered allied health professionals in three categories: acupuncturist, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and Chinese herbal medicine dispenser. Australia was the first Western country to introduce national registration for Chinese medicine, followed by Portugal and, recently, New Zealand. The practice of TCM in Australia can be traced back to the beginning of Chinese immigration to Australia during the Victorian Gold Rush which began in the 1850s. The process which led to national registration commenced in the early 1970s with the establishment of the first acupuncture courses. Decades of gradual development of courses from unaccredited part-time diplomas to accredited bachelor degrees, and the development, by the profession, of national consensus on educational standards were essential elements in the process which led to registration. Professional associations, such as the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd.(AACMA), also developed a framework of professional selfregulation, including Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, ongoing professional development requirements and Infection Control Guidelines, and provided leadership in the development of the profession. After decades of tribalism and division within the TCM profession, the National Academic Standards Committee brought almost all stakeholders together to reach a consensus on the Australian Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Education which were published by AACMA in 2001. Professional associations also collaborated on joint submissions to the government in support of registration, which was introduced first in the state of Victoria in 2000, and subsequently became national in 2012. Despite national registration, some barriers still remain, and professional associations continue to lobby the federal government for inclusion in Medicare, chronic disease management scheme, and Veterans Affairs.
文摘BACKGROUND Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening syndrome with varying aetiologies requiring complex care and multidisciplinary management. Its changing incidence, aetiology and outcomes over the last 16 years in the Australian context remain uncertain. AIM To describe the changing incidence, aetiology and outcomes of ALF in South Eastern Australia. METHODS The database of the Victorian Liver Transplant Unit was interrogated to identify all cases of ALF in adults (> 16 years) in adults hospitalised between January 2002 and December 2017. Overall, 169 patients meeting criteria for ALF were identified. Demographics, aetiology of ALF, rates of transplantation and outcomes were collected for all patients. Transplant free survival and overall survival (OS) were assessed based on survival to discharge from hospital. Results were compared to data from a historical cohort from the same unit from 1988- 2001. RESULTS Paracetamol was the most common aetiology of acute liver failure, accounting for 50% of cases, with an increased incidence compared with the historical cohort (P = 0.046). Viral hepatitis and non-paracetamol drug or toxin induced liver injury accounted for 15% and 10% of cases respectively. Transplant free survival (TFS) improved significantly compared to the historical cohort (52% vs 38%, P = 0.032). TFS was highest in paracetamol toxicity with spontaneous recovery in 72% of cases compared to 31% of non-paracetamol ALF (P < 0.001). Fifty-nine patients were waitlisted for emergency liver transplantation. Nine of these died while waiting for an organ to become available. Forty-two patients (25%) underwent emergency liver transplantation with a 1, 3 and 5 year survival of 81%, 78% and 72% respectively. CONCLUSION Paracetamol toxicity is the most common aetiology of ALF in South-Eastern Australia with a rising incidence over 30 years. TFS has improved, however it remains low in non-paracetamol ALF.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41530209)the Central Public Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (Grant no. JYYWF201819)the Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation & Assessment Program (Grant no. CHINARE2016-02-05)
文摘During the Cambrian and Ordovician, widespread magmatic activity occurred in the Ross Orogen of central Antarctica, forming the Granite Harbor Intrusives and Terra Nova Intrusive Complex. In the Terra Nova Intrusive Complex, the latest magmatic activity comprised the emplacement of the Abbott Unit(508 Ma) and the Vegetation Unit(~475 Ma), which were formed in different tectonic settings. Owing to their similar lithological features, the tectonic transformation that occurred between the formation of these two units has not been well studied. Through a detailed geological field investigation and geochemical and geochronological analyses, four types of magmatic rock—basalt, syenite, mafic veins, and granite veins—were identified on Inexpressible Island, Northern Victoria Land. Our SHRIMP(Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe) zircon U–Pb ages of the basalt and the granite veins are 504.7 ± 3.1 and 495.5 ± 4.9 Ma, respectively. Major-and trace-element data indicate a continental-margin island-arc setting for the formation of these two rock types. The zircon U–Pb ages of the syenite and the monzodiorite veins are 485.8 ± 5.7 and 478.5 ± 4.0 Ma, respectively. Major-and trace-element compositions suggest a collisional setting for the former and an intracontinental extensional setting for the latter. These results elucidate the evolution from subduction to collision and intracontinental extension in Northern Victoria Land during the 20 Ma spanning the late Cambrian–Early Ordovician and improve our understanding of the tectonics and evolution of the Ross Orogen in the Transantarctic Mountains.
基金the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre(CRC)for Sheep Industry Innovation,and associated organisations for funding and data collection support
文摘Changing markets and evolving consumer demand present new challenges for the beef and sheep industries. In response, the industry has been investing in innovations to deliver new products and management systems to consumers. One such innovation is the Meat Standards Australia(MSA) system. This system is a Total Quality Management System, aimed at delivering an eating quality guarantee to consumers, and through this adding value to the entire supply chain. At present, it is well developed for beef and still evolving for sheepmeat. MSA has identified Critical Control Points(CCPs) in the production, pre-slaughter, processing and value-adding aspects of the supply chain that impact on consumer palatability through the large-scale taste testing of meat by untrained consumers. These CCPs are used as either(1) mandatory criteria determining eligibility for grading, and(2) inputs in a model predicting the palatability of individual combinations of muscle and different cooking methods. Through the prediction of palatability, MSA increases consumer satisfaction and is used to provide assurance for branded products and new marketing innovations in Australia and internationally. This has added significant value to the Australian beef industry, with several retail examples demonstrating consumer willingness to pay more for premium quality beef and sheepmeat products based on the MSA grading scores. This price differential at retail allows the value of the carcass to be calculated based on the eating quality as well as the volume produced, thereby delivering a financial reward for farmers producing high quality carcasses. The continuous quality scale of MSA allows producers to realise the financial gain of incremental improvements in quality, as well as the precise economic weights associated with traits such as marbling, ossification score, or breed. The use of MSA in this fashion has underpinned a new and innovative supply chain where the pricing is transparent and allows producers to make informed decisions to modify both quality and yield traits. To date, the MSA system for beef has proved to be effective in predicting beef palatability not only in Australia but also in many other countries(France, Poland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Japan, South Korea, New-Zealand, the USA and South Africa). In Europe, results of the Pro Safe Beef and Pro Opti Beef projects as well as other national projects demonstrate the potential to develop an MSA-like international grading system for the supply chain in the EU, despite thediverse cultures and complex beef production systems within the member states. International testing in lamb has only just begun and preliminary results are discussed here.
文摘Harvesting of papyrus biomass plays a significant role in regulating ecosystem services of which one of them is nutrient uptake and cycling. Despite Lake Victoria’s wetlands being important, little is understood about its role in nutrient uptake and removal. Although there have been studies done in these wetlands, there is inadequate understanding on the implication of unselective biomass harvesting on the water quality of Lake Vitoria. At the same time, these wetlands are threatened by livelihood-related pressures which are driven by extreme hydrological regimes. This study focused on Nyando floodplain wetland located in the Eastern part of the shores of Lake Victoria which is a lifeline to many rural communities living around the lake. Papyrus biomass harvesting was assessed in two study sites of Nyando wetland and at different seasons in order to determine its implication on nutrient regulating services. Participatory tools, field survey, observation, field measurements and laboratory analysis were used. Harvesting of papyrus removed 530.6 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 97 Kg P/g DM/ha/day in Ogenya while 771.2 Kg N/g DM/ha/day and 109.2 Kg P/g DM/ha/day were removed in Wasare. However, addition of nutrients to the wetland may lead to the problem of eutrophication especially at the site where interaction of wetland and lake water occurs. Understanding the role of papyrus harvesting patterns is crucial for better planning and management of this complex resource in a changing environment.
文摘The need for effective and efficient monitoring, evaluation and control of water quality in Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) has become more demanding in this era of urbanization, population growth and climate change and variability. Traditional methods that rely on collecting water samples, testing and analyses in water laboratories are not only costly but also lack capability for real-time data capture, analyses and fast dissemination of information to relevant stakeholders for making timely and informed decisions. In this paper, a Water Sensor Network (WSN) system prototype developed for water quality monitoring in LVB is presented. The development was preceded by evaluation of prevailing environment including availability of cellular network coverage at the site of operation. The system consists of an Arduino microcontroller, water quality sensors, and a wireless network connection module. It detects water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and electrical conductivity in real-time and disseminates the information in graphical and tabular formats to relevant stakeholders through a web-based portal and mobile phone platforms. The experimental results show that the system has great prospect and can be used to operate in real world environment for optimum control and protection of water resources by providing key actors with relevant and timely information to facilitate quick action taking.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.30271013the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province under contract No.B0110036the Returned Scholars Project of the Ministry of Education of China.
文摘Microsatellite loci and mtDNA-RFLPs were surveyed in four spatially separated populations of Haliotis rubra and two populations of putative Haliotis conicorpora from South Australia. A high level of microsatellite genetic diversity was observed in all populations although several loci were characterized by homozygote excesses, probably due to null alleles. MtDNA variation was also moderate with an average of 80% haplotype variation across the six populations. Despite the high levels of genetic variation, significant pair-wise spatial differentiation is not detected among the populations. Hierarchical AMOVA analysis revealed very low levels of genetic partitioning on either a spatial or putative species level. Both molecular techniques revealed little genetic differentiation across the six populations, suggesting a panmictic population model for these South Australian abalone populations. Furthermore, no molecular evidence suggests that the putative H. conicorpora individuals sampled from South Australia belong to a separate species.
文摘Increase in population growth and the associated activities have increased the nutrient input to the Lake Victoria through atmosphere and river discharge. Atmospheric input of nutrient is believed to exceed that of river discharge due to relatively higher contribution of water mass to the Lake from atmosphere. However, precipitation characteristics with respect to nutrients have not been well studied to allow qualification and quantification of atmospheric contribution to the Lake Victoria. This study was conducted to investigate influence of land use activities on spatial and temporal variation of nutrient inputs from atmosphere and to estimate atmospheric loading to the Lake Victoria. The results revealed that there is significant spatial and temporal variation of nutrient deposition in the study area. High concentrations of nutrients were observed during short rains starting from September to December. This was attributed to dissolution of nutrients from soil particals and ash residues due to biomass burning accumulated in the atmosphere during dry season of June to August. Spatial variation of nutrients reflects land use activities. Urban and peri-urban areas showed very high concentration of nitrate nitrogen due to industrial and vehicle emission while rural area showed high concentration of phosphorous species and reduced forms of nitrogen species reflecting agricultural activities and animal keeping. Generally, nutrient deposition load was higher in rural area compared to urban with respective values of 15.5 and 13.9 kg·haˉ1·yˉ1 for total nitrogen and 6.1 and 2.8 kg·haˉ1·yˉ1 for total phosphorous. These results suggest that in order to realize significant reduction of nutrient input to the Lake Victoria, measures should be taken to control agricultural activities through proper land use planning. The measure may be directed to reduce biomass burning, emission from industries and vehicle as well as animal residue.
基金supported by the Netherlands Science Fotmdation (NWO-ALW 810.64.011)research grants from Leiden University Fundthe Schure-Beijerinck-Popping Foundation
文摘Sexual selection by female mating preference for male nuptial coloration has been suggested as a driving force in the rapid speciation of Lake Victoria cichlid fish. This process could have been facilitated or accelerated by genetic associations between female preference loci and male coloration loci. Preferences, as well as coloration, are heritable traits and are probably determined by more than one gene. However, little is known about potential genetic associations between these traits. In turbid water, we found a population that is variable in male nuptial coloration from blue to yellow to red. Males at the extreme ends of the phenotype distribution resemble a reproductively isolated species pair in clear water that has diverged into one species with blue-grey males and one species with bright red males. Females of the turbid water population vary in mating preference coinciding with the male phenotype distribution. For the current study, these females were mated to blue males. We measured the coloration of the sires and male offspring. Parents-offspring regression showed that the sires did not affect male offspring coloration, which confirms earlier findings that the blue species breeds true. In contrast, male offspring coloration was determined by the identity of the dams, which suggests that there is heritable variation in male color genes between females. However, we found that mating preferences of the dams were not correlated with male offspring coloration. Thus, there is no evidence for strong genetic linkage between mating preference and the preferred trait in this population [Current Zoology 56 (1): 57-64 2010].
文摘Gathering the history and emotions of the nation of Australia,the movie Australia not only reflects Australians’exertion to construct an equal harmonious diversified new Australia but also incarnates Australian people’s nisus to pursue the sense of belonging internally and seek international recognition externally.In order to expand the perspective of researching this movie and give enlightenment on constructing an equal harmonious diversified international community,based on culture identity theories,this paper tries exploring the themes of this movie.
文摘There is widespread, though by no means universal, recognition of the importance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a carbon mitigation technology. However, the rate of deployment does not match what is required for global temperatures to stay well below 2℃. Although some consider the hurdles to achieving the widespread application of CCS to he almost insurmountable, a more optimistic view is that a great deal is now known about CCS through research, demonstration, and deployment. We know how to do it; we are confident it can be done safely and effectively; we know what it costs; and we know that costs are decreasing and will continue to do so. We also know that the world will need CCS as long as countries, companies, and communities continue to use fossil fuels for energy and industrial processes. What is lacking are the necessary policy drivers, along with a technology-neutral approach to decrease carbon emissions in a cost-effective and timely manner while retaining the undoubted benefits of ready access to reliable and secure electricity and energy-intensive industrial products. In this paper, Australia is used as an example of what has been undertaken in CCS over the past 20 years, particularly in research and demonstration, hut also in international collaboration. Progress in the large-scale deployment of CCS in Australia has been too slow. However, the world's largest storage project will soon be operational in Australia as part of the Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, and investigations are underway into several large-scale CCS Flagship program opportunities. The organization and progress of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) Otway Project, which is currently Australia's only operational storage project, is discussed in some detail because of its relevance to the commercial deployment of CCS. The point is made that there is scope for building on this Otway activity to investigate more broadly (through the proposed Otway Stage 3 and Deep Earth Energy and Environment Programme (AusDEEP)) the role of the subsurface in carbon reduction. There are challenges ahead if CCS is to he deployed as widely as bodies such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) consider to be necessary. Closer international collaboration in CCS will be essential to meeting that challenge.