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To effectively manage a crisis, most decisions made by governments, organizations, communities, and individuals are based on "shared situational awareness" (SSA) derived from multiple information sources. Developing SSA depends on the alignment of mental models, which "represent our shared version of truth and reality on which we can act." Social media has facilitated public sensemaking during a crisis; however, it has also encouraged mental model dissonance, resulting in the digital destruction of mental models and undermining adequate SSA. The study is concerned with the challenges of creating SSA during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. This paper documents a netnography of Australian public health agencies' Facebook communication, exploring the initial impact of COVID‐19 on SSA creation. Chaos theory is used as a theoretical lens to examine information perception, meaning, and assumptions relating to SSA from pre to post‐pandemic periods. Our study highlights how the initial COVID‐19 "butterfly effect" swamped the public health communication channel, leaving little space for other important health issues. This research contributes to information systems, information science, and communications by illustrating how the emergence of a crisis impacts social media communication, the creation of SSA, and what this means for social media adoption for crisis communication purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of long‐acting injectable buprenorphine preparations for opioid use disorder has been widely heralded as a breakthrough treatment, with several studies indicating positive results when using these medications. In many locations, nurse practitioners prescribe, administer, and monitor long‐acting injectable preparations. The objective of this paper is to explore whether a reduction in dispensed needles and syringes is attributable to increased nurse practitioner prescribing of LAIB. We used a retrospective audit of needles dispensed through the health service needle and syringe program vending machine, and individuals treated with long‐acting injectable buprenorphine by the nurse practitioner led model. In addition, we examined potential factors that may influence changes in the number of needles dispensed. Linear regression found that each individual with opioid dependence treated with long‐acting injectable buprenorphine was associated with 90 fewer needles dispensed each month (p < 0.001). The nurse practitioner led model of care for individuals with opioid dependence appears to have influenced the number of needles dispensed at the needle and syringe program. Although all confounding factors could not be discounted entirely, such as substance availability, affordability, and individuals obtaining injecting equipment elsewhere, our research indicates that a nurse practitioner led model of treating individuals with opioid use disorder influenced needle and syringe dispensing in the study setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe post‐neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in terms of temporal trends in prevalence, clinical and sociodemographic profiles, known causes and associations between causes, and sociodemographic variables. Method: Numerator data, a count of children with PNN‐CP confirmed at 5 years of age (n = 523), was drawn from two Australian state CP registers (birth years 1973–2012). Poisson regression was used to investigate temporal trends in the prevalence of PNN‐CP by 5‐year intervals, calculated per 10 000 live births. Using data from all state and territory Australian CP registers (n = 469), distributions of clinical characteristics, PNN‐CP causes, and sociodemographic factors were tabulated (birth years 1995–2012). χ2 and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between sociodemographic profile, Australian reference data, and known causes. Results: A significant temporal decline in PNN‐CP in Victoria (p = 0.047) and Western Australia (p = 0.033) was observed. The most common proximal causes of PNN‐CP were cerebrovascular accidents (34%, n = 158), infection (25%, n = 117), and non‐accidental injuries (12%, n = 58). Children born to teenage mothers, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander mothers, or children born in remote areas were over‐represented in this cohort compared with reference data (all p ≤ 0.001). Infectious causes were strongly associated with teenage motherhood (odds ratio 3.0 [95% confidence interval 1.1–8.2], p = 0.028) and remote living (odds ratio 4.5 [95% confidence interval 2.0–10.2], p < 0.001). Interpretation: Although prevalence of PNN‐CP has declined, the over‐representation of priority populations, and the relative severity of a condition that is largely preventable, suggest the need for more specific primary preventive measures and support. What this paper adds: Prevalence of post‐neonatally acquired (PNN) cerebral palsy (CP) in Australia significantly declined between 1973 and 2012.Cerebrovascular accidents are the most common proximal cause of PNN‐CP.Children born in remote areas are at greater risk of PNN‐CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is a rapidly expanding renewable technology with massive global investments; however, operating turbines are associated with bat strikes globally, and evidence suggests that without intervention, wind farm collisions could drive some common species to extinction. One widely regarded method for reducing strike mortality is operational mitigation, or curtailment, where turbine operation is restricted at low wind speeds. Despite an increasing number of studies in the Northern Hemisphere demonstrating curtailment effectiveness, no empirical studies have yet been conducted in Australia. This paper reports the findings of a curtailment study implemented at the Cape Nelson North wind farm in southwest Victoria, Australia. Conservation detection dog teams conducted mortality surveys between January and April in 2018 (before; pre‐curtailment) and 2019 (after; during curtailment). Results were consistent with similar studies in the USA and Europe, as curtailment significantly reduced pooled species mortality by 54%. Bat calls did not decline during the study period, and thus were not an explanation for the reduction in fatalities. This study demonstrates that curtailment is a valid method for reducing bat turbine collision in south‐eastern Australia. Consideration should be given to curtailment as a means to reduce bat turbine impacts in Australia, particularly at sites with known endangered and threatened populations, as we act to reduce anthropogenic climate change and its time‐sensitive negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of digital dermatitis (DD) in Victoria, Australia, and to investigate which organisms are consistent with typical DD lesions. The prevalence and causative pathogens of DD are not clear yet in Australia and this paper is one of the first to explore these questions in this country. Methods: Examination and sampling of limbs was undertaken at three knackeries in Victoria, Australia. Limbs were classified as normal (N), active DD‐lesion (A), dried or chronic DD‐lesion (D) or suspected case of DD (S). A total of 823 cows were examined. Six skin biopsies were taken at each knackery, from which DNA was extracted for diversity profiling. Histochemical staining of samples was performed on eight of the skin biopsies. Results: DD was detected in 29.8% of all cows. The prevalence of DD was significantly higher in dairy cows (32.2%) than in beef cows (10.8%). The differential abundance of Treponema‐species was significantly increased in dried lesions, compared with the normal skin biopsies. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Tenericutes were found to be significantly different in abundance in the DD lesions compared with normal skin biopsies. Silver staining of samples showed only mild inflammation and in two samples organisms with morphology consistent with Spirochaetes were detected. Conclusions: The calculated prevalence indicates that DD is present in Victoria, Australia. The results of diversity profiling showed that the presence of Treponema‐species was significantly different between the samples of DD lesions and normal skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggs are a largely neglected life stage in most ecological studies of aquatic insects, despite the importance of oviposition behaviour and fecundity estimates for many research questions. Incorporating egg stages into ecological research requires that ecologists can identify and quantify eggs, but descriptions of eggs and egg masses are scarce for many groups and particularly for Australian taxa. This paper focusses on stream‐dwelling caddisflies in the family Hydrobiosidae and provides species‐level identifications, morphological descriptions and images of egg masses of some species that commonly occur in south‐eastern Australia. All the species we identified laid plaque‐shaped egg masses attached to the underside of river rocks that protrude above the water surface. These egg masses can be identified in the field with the naked eye or the aid of a low‐magnification hand lens. Interspecific variations in egg mass morphology were primarily thickness and firmness of the spumaline layer, egg mass size and arrangement of eggs within the mass. We also provide some ecological information on clutch sizes and the physical characteristics of oviposition sites, and we discuss various ways in which these taxa could be exploited as model systems for ecological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients' perceptions about the functional impact of amblyopia and strabismus in daily life have not been explored extensively. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experiences of adults with these conditions and understand the functional limitations they face in their day‐to‐day life. Methods: A qualitative study design was adopted. Participants over 18 years of age, with a primary diagnosis of amblyopia (with or without strabismus) were recruited from the community and various eye care practices in South Australia and Victoria, Australia. Participants took part in either focus group discussions or individual interviews and described the functional limitations they experienced in their daily life due to their eye condition. These sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded inductively, and analysed iteratively to form emergent themes. Results: Thirty‐seven adult participants took part in the study: 23 (62%) had strabismic amblyopia; 5 (14%) anisometropic amblyopia;, 7 (19%) combined‐mechanism amblyopia; and 2 (5%) deprivational amblyopia. Their median age was 54 years (range: 21–82 years) and 19 (51%) were female. Participants reported several challenges in performing everyday tasks such as driving (e.g. judging distances, changing lanes), reading (e.g. fine print, reading for prolonged time) and sports (e.g. catching a ball). They also articulated trouble in navigating safely (e.g. using stairs, bumping into objects), performing work‐tasks (e.g. taking longer than peers to complete tasks) and other routine tasks (e.g. chopping vegetables with care). Conclusions: Several functional limitations were encountered by adults living with amblyopia and strabismus. Participants recognised these limitations in their normal day‐to‐day life and related the challenges they faced to symptoms associated with their eye condition. By presenting rich in‐depth qualitative data, the paper demonstrates qualitative evidence of the functional impacts associated with amblyopia and strabismus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper documents a study that aimed to discover the meaning of leisure experiences for an ageing Italian community in a large regional centre in Victoria, Australia. Methods: This qualitative investigation used a phenomenological study design, and data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 well-elderly Australian Italians. Results: Participants engaged in numerous leisure occupations that were meaningful to them and directly impacted on positive subjective experiences and health outcomes. Conclusion: This paper adds to an understanding of how leisure impacts on the health of well-elderly Australians and how occupational therapists can use leisure effectively in interventions for successful ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water fluoridation has become the centrepiece in dental caries prevention for the Australian population since its introduction in 1953 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania. With the notable exception until recently of Brisbane, residents of the state and territory capital cities have enjoyed the dental health benefits of this important public health initiative for at least 33 years. For many communities in rural and regional Australia, however, the introduction of water fluoridation has only commenced in relative recent years - if at all. These efforts in recent years have been greatly assisted by the research of Professor John Spencer and his colleagues at the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health ( ARCPOH). This paper highlights some major pieces of research conducted by ARCPOH and demonstrates the application of that research to the extension of water fluoridation in Victoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims. In Australia, people who inject drugs (PWID) commonly report the use of benzodiazepines (BZDs). This paper explores the emerging use of alprazolam among PWID in Melbourne, Australia. Design and Methods. This study reports on 3 years of data collected through the Victorian Illicit Drug Reporting System (2008-2010). Structured interviews were conducted with 451 PWID and analysed using odds ratios and χ2-tests for trends over time. Results. While the proportion of PWID reporting recent BZD use remained stable over time, the proportion reporting alprazolam to be their most commonly used BZD fluctuated, peaking in 2009. Alprazolam users were significantly more likely to report using illicit BZDs and to report recent BZD injection compared with users of other BZDs. Alprazolam use was associated with the sale of drugs for cash, but not with other criminal activities. Discussion and Conclusion. The fluctuations in alprazolam use over time may be reflective of medical practitioners ceasing to prescribe alprazolam in response to reports of associated harms; however, this may in turn be driving the illicit alprazolam market. While the data do not indicate a clear association between alprazolam use and harms, considering the potential severity of associated harms and the association between alprazolam use and anterograde amnesia, patterns of alprazolam use among PWID should be closely monitored. Potential changes to prescribing practice should consider unintended consequences, such as replacement with other BZD types, or illicitly obtained BZDs.[Horyniak D, Reddel S, Quinn B, Dietze P. The use of alprazolam by people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:585-590] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During every Australian summer fires are common in the south-eastern region of the continent. The combined forces of climate, topography and vegetation make Victoria in particular, one of the most fire prone regions on earth ( DSE 2003 ). Throughout its history, Victoria has seen a number of devastating bushfires, including Black Friday 1939, Ash Wednesday 1983, and more recently in the northeast of the State in 2003. The loss of life combined with the damage caused to land and property results in a heavy cost to the community. In Victoria, two of the organizations involved in fire management are the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA). Both use fire ‘meters’ to determine potential fire behaviour given certain conditions. Values for temperature, wind speed, fuel load and vegetation type are input and a numerical estimate of fire danger given. There are a number of different meters used for different locations and environmental types. The most common meter used in Victoria is the McArthur Meter ( CSIR0 2001b ). The output data from this meter is numerical, and provides no spatial representation of fire danger. This paper looks at a variety of techniques used to visualise the numerical output from the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Meter. The article outlines the different models used by fire managers to simulate a fire situation, to assess future scenarios and for decision making involving fire management. Particular emphasis is placed on the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Meter as this is commonly used by fire departments in Australia. The article then focuses on geographical visualisation and a number of techniques employed to convey spatial information are discussed. The article then goes on to describe the fire simulation prototypes created for a study, a visualisation proof-of-concept product for organizations involved in managing bushfires in Australia. Finally, results from the evaluation of the prototype are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian irrigation industry diverts significant volumes of water from our rivers, and as such, may also divert and entrain riverine fish. Although it is widely acknowledged that our native fish fauna have been greatly affected by a variety of anthropogenic changes, little is known about the extent or significance of fish entrainment in irrigation systems. This paper presents results from a preliminary investigation into the diversion of fish into irrigation channels undertaken in the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation Network, Victoria, Australia. The case study and our knowledge of the life-history strategies of the Basin's fish fauna suggest that the loss of native fish into irrigation networks may be a substantial problem, which, up until recently, has been largely ignored. We strongly suggest that the impact of diversions on native fish populations requires urgent further investigation and quantification, through the cooperation of water management authorities and fish biologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All but three universities in Australia have departments or schools of psychology. In the older universities (e.g., the universities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Western Australia), the psychology departments evolved from philosophy departments in the late 1920s and early 1930s. There was a rapid expansion of universities in the 1960s, which led to the establishment of many new psychology departments. In a further expansion in the late 1980s, many former institutes of advanced education were afforded university status or were merged with existing universities. In these newer universities, psychology had been taught primarily to students in nursing and education, but these academic areas later evolved from “service” departments into larger and broader psychology departments. There is a strong system of accreditation of psychology departments, a function that is provided by the Australian Psychological Society. The APS conducts reviews of all departments of psychology on a 5-year cycle. This system of accreditation was significantly strengthened in the mid-1990s. Graduates who wish to become members of the APS must have completed their degrees within an accredited program (or the equivalent for applicants from other counties). Australian psychology programs are of three types. A 3-year degree in psychology, often combined with other subjects such as teaching, is a popular major, but does not prepare psychologists. A 4-year program, with a fourth-year honours program requiring a thesis and study of ethics and practical applications, is required for those who wish to practise psychology. Graduate (postgraduate) degrees are also offered to prepare psychologists. Each university has some autonomy in the structure of the programs, and emphasis varies. Structure of courses also varies somewhat. Distance education and on-line courses, although still controversial in Australia, are rapidly increasing in availability. More typically, courses are taught using lectures, group discussions, papers, presentations, and exams. L'ensemble des universités australiennes, à l'exception de trois, ont un département ou une école de psychologie. Dans les universités les plus anciennes (p. ex., les Universités de Sydney, de Melbourne et d'Australie de l'Ouest), les départements de psychologie sont nés des départements de philosophie à la fin des années 1920 et au début des années 1930. Il y a eu une expansion rapide des universités dans les années 1960, ce qui a mené à l'établissement de plusieurs nouveaux départements de psychologie. Lors d'une autre expansion survenue à la fin des années 1980, plusieurs des anciennes institutions d'éducation avancée se sont vues conférer le statut universitaire ou ont été jointes à des universités existantes. Dans ces nouvelles universités, la psychologie a été enseignée en premier lieu à des étudiants en nursing et en éducation. Cependant, ces domaines académiques se sont plus tard développés en département de «service» à l'intérieur des départements plus larges de psychologie. Il existe un fort système d'accréditation des départements de psychologie, une fonction qui est octroyée par la Société australienne de psychologie (SAP). La SAP effectue des révisions de tous les départements de psychologie à tous les 5 ans. Ce système d'accréditation était significativement robuste vers le milieu des années 1990. Les étudiants gradués qui souhaitaient devenir membre de la SAP devaient avoir obtenu un diplôme dans un program accrédité (ou l'équivalent pour les candidats des autres pays). Les programs australiens de psychologie sont de trois types. Un diplôme de 3 ans en psychologie, souvent combiné avec d'autres matières telles que l'enseignement, ne prépare pas les psychologues. Un program de 4 ans, avec une quatrième année en program d'honneur requérant une thèse et l'étude de l'éthique et des applications pratiques, est requis pour ceux qui veulent pratiquer la psychologie. Des diplômes d'études supérieures sont également offerts pour préparer les psychologues. Chaque université jouit d'une autonomie dans la structure de ses programs et les emphases sont variées. La structure des cours varie aussi grandement. Les cours par correspondance et les cours en ligne, quoique toujours controversés en Australie, sont de plus en plus disponibles. De façon plus typique, les cours sont enseignés sous formes magistrale, de groupes de discussion, de travaux, de présentations et d'examens. Todas excepto tres universidades en Australia tienen departamentos o escuelas de psicología. En las universidades más antiguas (por ejemplo, las universidades de Sydney, Melbourne y de Australia Occidental), los departamentos de psicología evolucionaron de los departamentos de filosofía a fines de los años veinte y principio de los treinta. Hubo una expansión rápida de las universidades en la década de 1960 que condujo al establecimiento de muchos departamentos de psicología nuevos. Durante otra expansión hacia el final de los años 80, se concedió el estatus de universidad a muchos ex-institutos de educación avanzada, o bien se incorporaron a universidades existentes. En estas universidades más nuevas, se había enseñado psicología principalmente a estudiantes de enfermería y educación, pero esas áreas académicas después se convirtieron de departamentos de “servicio” en departamentos de psicología más grandes. Existe un sistema poderoso de acreditación de departamentos de psicología, función que desempeña la Sociedad Australiana de Psicología (SAP). La SAP evalúa todos los departamentos de psicología cada cinco años. Este sistema de acreditación se fortaleció de manera importante hacia la mitad de la década de 1990. Los graduados que desean convertirse en miembros de la SAP deben haber obtenido sus grados de un programa acreditado (o el equivalente para solicitantes de otros países). Los programas de psicología australianos son a menudo de tres tipos. Un grado de tres años en psicología, a menudo combinado con otros temas, tales como enseñanza, no prepara psicólogos. Un programa de cuatro años, con un programa de alta exigencia en el cuarto año que requiere una tesis y el estudio de la ética y de las aplicaciones prácticas es necesario para aquéllos que desean practicar la psicología. Se ofrecen postgrados también para preparar psicólogos. Cada universidad tiene cierta autonomía y la estructura de los programas y énfasis varía. La estructura de los cursos también varía de alguna manera. La disponibilidad de la educación a distancia y los cursos en-línea, aunque controvertidos en Australia, aumenta rápidamente. Es más frecuente que los cursos se enseñen por medio de conferencia, discusión de grupo, trabajos, presentaciones y exámenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The surgical management of trauma within Australia and New Zealand has recently been undergoing major organizational changes. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the attitudes and experience of Australian and New Zealand advanced surgical trainees in this changing climate and to identify problems with trauma training. Methods: A survey assessing important areas of trauma management and training was sent to all advanced surgical trainees of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Results: Two hundred and seventy-two of 587 trainees responded (46%). Overall 85% of trainees believed they would be involved in trauma management in the future. The majority of trainees reported low rates of involvement and consultant supervision in trauma resuscitations. Only 32% of general surgical trainees believed that their exposure to major trauma operations was very adequate despite an average of 12.3 trauma operations per year. Seventy per cent of general surgical trainees reported a very adequate level of consultant supervision at trauma operations. In contrast 86% of orthopaedic trainees reported a very adequate exposure to trauma operations with an average of 221 orthopaedic trauma operations per year. Only 46% of orthopaedic trainees reported a very adequate level of consultant supervision at trauma operations. Conclusions: Regional rotations may need to be developed to even out trainees’ experience in trauma management. The low level of supervision in trauma resuscitations and orthopaedic surgical training requires attention. This survey warrants repeating in a prospective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papers appearing in the journal 'Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology' are based on presentations at a symposium entitled Muscle Mechanics and Energetics: A Comparative View. The symposium was held in Melbourne, Australia, to celebrate the retirement of college teacher Colin Gibbs from Monash University in Gippsland, Victoria. Gibbs is a graduate of the Sydney, New South Wales-based University of Sydney in pharmacology and biochemistry, completing a PhD in 1964 in the area of cardiac electrophysiology. Colin was awarded one of the first Overseas Research Fellowships by the National Heart Foundation of Australia and this supported his post-doctoral training at the Heart Research Laboratory at the University of California at Los Angeles. Although Colin's primary focus has been on the energetics of mammalian cardiac muscle and extending the knowledge gained through research in this area to understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of the human heart, his interests span all muscle types. During his career, Colin has also published several important papers on aspects of the energetics of both skeletal and smooth muscle.