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Purpose: The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to compare the complication rates of discectomy/microdiscectomy, percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD), percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD), microendoscopic discectomy (MED), and tubular discectomy for symptomatic lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: We searched three online databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Overall complication rates, complication rates per general and modifed Clavien-Dindo classifcation schemes, and reoperation rates were considered as primary outcomes. Odds ratio with 95% confdence intervals for direct comparisons and 95% credible intervals for NMA results were reported. Surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to estimate ranks for each discectomy technique based on the complication rates. Results: In total, 18 RCTs with 2273 patients were included in this study. Our results showed that there was no significant diference in any of the pairwise comparisons. PELD (SUCRA: 0.856) ranked the lowest for overall complication rates. Discectomy/microdiscectomy (SUCRA: 0.599) and PELD (SUCRA: 0.939) ranked the lowest for intraoperative and postoperative complication rates, respectively. Concerning modifed Clavien-Dindo classifcation scheme, PELD (SUCRA: 0.803), MED (SUCRA: 0.730), and PLDD (SUCRA: 0.605) ranked the lowest for the occurrence of type I, II, and III complications, respectively. Tubular discectomy (SUCRA: 0.699) ranked the lowest for reoperation rates. Conclusions: The results of this NMA suggest that discectomy/microdiscectomy and PELD are the safest procedures for LDH with minimal intraoperative and post-operative complications, respectively. PELD, MED, and PLDD are the safest procedures for LDH in terms of minimal rates for complications necessitating conservative, pharmacological, and surgical treatment, respectively

There is a need for culturally relevant and appropriate retention pro- grams within a climate of ever-increasing neo-liberalism that is seeking to change the very nature and underlying rationale of higher education. This article is posited alongside the reflections of past and current university students, who highlight various socio-economic and socio- cultural pressures which affect their ability to maintain engagement within tertiary institutions in which they strive to study. Pressures include the neo-liberal ideology of unfettered individualism within a higher education setting, which seeks to make the university a competitive producer of 'consumers' rather than life-long learners who serve and benefit their families and wider communities through knowledge creation and critical application. The article also highlights key factors that may assist in the retention of students from Pacific communities in Australia. This includes the need to create a collective voice, the ability to have staff who exercise culturally appropriate support and under- standing, opportunities to develop greater sense of belonging and connection to University spaces that create an engagement within a cultural context, support to manage conflicting expectations and priorities, ability to inspire and effect change in others through maintaining study commitments, and the need to work to still support educational costs and family.

Background: Program attrition is a major problem in substance use treatment. It is not clear which client and treatment variables are related to successful completion. This study aimed to identify client variables associated with Therapeutic Community (TC) completion. A secondary aim was to investigate changes in entry and exit scores on psychosocial outcome measures. Methods: Retrospective quantitative analysis of data collected from 193 Australian TC residents, over 3.5 years. Variables measured included: demographics; Depression, Anxiety, Stress Score (DASS-21) and World Health Organisation Quality of Life 8 questions (WHOQOL-8). Results: Completion rates were 30.6%. High Money WHOQOL-8 scores, suggestive of minimal financial stressors, positively predicted completion. Multivariate analyses showed that negative predictors of completion were: amphetamine being primary substance of concern, aggression, high Relationship WHOQOL-8 scores, suggestive of positive relationships, and younger or older age. Those in the program demonstrated clinically significant psychological improvement and significant improvement in all quality of life scores over time. The degree of psychometric improvement was most pronounced in those who completed the course, with the exception of depression, stress, and money problems. Conclusion: The findings provide an understanding of specific predictors of program completion which may help to identify high-risk clients and inform program improvement. Early attrition rates may be reduced by monitoring and supporting high-risk clients. Overall, psychometric improvement occurred amongst both completers and noncompleters overtime but is most prominent amongst course completers, with the exception of depression, stress, and money problems. Future research could potentially focus on amphetamine users and shortened TC programs, focusing on acute psychosocial intervention.

Rupture associated with the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake highlighted our incomplete understanding of the structural architecture and seismic cycle processes that lead to Himalayan mountain building in Central Nepal. In this paper we investigate the style and kinematics of active mountain building in the Himalayan hinterland of Northwest India, approximately 400 km to the west of the hypocenter of the Nepal earthquake, via a combination of landscape metrics and long- (Ma) and short-term (ka) erosion rate estimates (from low temperature thermochronometry and basin-wide denudation rate estimates from 10Be concentrations). We focus our analysis on the area straddling the PT2, the physiographic transition between the Lesser and High Himalaya that has yielded important insights into the nature of hinterland deformation across much of the Himalaya. Our results from Northwest India reveal a distinctive PT2 that separates a Lesser Himalaya region with moderate relief (∼1000 m) and relatively slow erosion ( < 1 mm/yr) from a High Himalaya with extreme relief (∼2500 m), steep channels, and erosion rates that approach or exceed 1 mm/yr. The close spatial similarity in relative rates of long- and short-term erosion suggests that the gradient in rock uplift rates inferred from the landscape metrics across the PT2 has persisted in the same relative position since at least the past 1.5 Ma. We interpret these observations to suggest that strain accumulation in this hinterland region throughout at least the past 1.5 Ma has been accomplished both by crustal thickening via duplexing and overthrusting along transient emergent faults. Despite the > 400 km distance between them, similar spatiotemporal patterns of erosion and deformation observed in Northwest India and Central Nepal suggest both regions experience similar styles of active strain accumulation and both are susceptible to large seismic events.

Introduction: The influence of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation on health outcomes has been studied extensively with randomized controlled trials (RCT). In many research fields, difficulties with recruitment, adherence and high drop-out rates have been reported. However, what is unknown is how common these problems are in n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents. Therefore, this paper will review n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents with regard to recruitment, adherence and drop-out rates. Methods: The Web of Science, PubMed and Ovid databases were searched for papers reporting on RCT supplementing children and adolescents (2¿18 years) with a form of n-3 LCPUFA (or placebo) for at least four weeks. As a proxy for abiding to CONSORT guidelines, we noted whether manuscripts provided a flow-chart and provided dates defining the period of recruitment and follow-up. Results: Ninety manuscripts (reporting on 75 studies) met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies did not abide by the CONSORT guidelines: 55% did not provide a flow-chart, while 70% did not provide dates. The majority of studies provided minimal details about the recruitment process. Only 25 of the 75 studies reported an adherence rate which was on average 85%. Sixty-five of the 75 studies included drop-out rates which were on average 17%. Conclusion: Less than half of the included studies abided by the CONSORT guidelines (45% included a flow chart, while 30% reported dates). Problems with recruitment and drop-out seem to be common in n-3 LCPUFA supplementation trials in children and adolescents. However, reporting about recruitment, adherence and dropout rates was very heterogeneous and minimal in the included studies. Some techniques to improve recruitment, adherence and dropout rates were identified from the literature, however these techniques may need to be tailored to n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in

Review question/objective: The objective of this review is to identify the effects of educational and supportive interventions provided by health professionals on long-term breastfeeding rates at six months and up to two years post partum among primiparous women who intend to breastfeed.

Background Indigenous peoples experience worse health and die at younger ages than their non-indigenous counterparts. Ethnicity data enables health services to identify inequalities experienced by minority populations and to implement and monitor services specifically targeting them. Despite significant Government intervention, Australia's Indigenous peoples, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, continue to be under identified in data sets. We explored the barriers to Indigenous status identification in urban general practice in two areas in Sydney. Methods A mixed-methods multiple-site case study was used, set in urban general practice. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and self-complete questionnaires with 31 general practice staff and practitioners, interviews with three Medicare Local staff, and focus groups with the two local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the study areas. These data were combined with clinical record audit data and Aboriginal unannounced standardised patient visits to participating practices to determine the current barriers to Indigenous status identification in urban general practice. Results Findings can be broadly grouped into three themes: a lack of practitioner/staff understanding on the need to identify Indigenous status or that a problem with identification exists; suboptimal practice systems to identify and/or record patients' Indigenous status; and practice environments that do not promote Indigenous status identification. Conclusion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remain under-identified in general practice. There is a need to address the lack of practitioner and staff recognition that a problem with Indigenous status identification exists, along with entrenched attitudes and beliefs and limitations to practice software capabilities. Guidelines recommending Indigenous status identification and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific Practice Incentive Payment

Rupture associated with the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake highlighted our incomplete understanding of the structural architecture and seismic cycle processes that lead to Himalayan mountain building in Central Nepal. In this paper we investigate the style and kinematics of active mountain building in the Himalayan hinterland of Northwest India, approximately 400 km to the west of the hypocenter of the Nepal earthquake, via a combination of landscape metrics and long- (Ma) and short-term (ka) erosion rate estimates (from low temperature thermochronometry and basin-wide denudation rate estimates from 10Be concentrations). We focus our analysis on the area straddling the PT2, the physiographic transition between the Lesser and High Himalaya that has yielded important insights into the nature of hinterland deformation across much of the Himalaya. Our results from Northwest India reveal a distinctive PT2 that separates a Lesser Himalaya region with moderate relief (∼1000 m) and relatively slow erosion ( < 1 mm/yr) from a High Himalaya with extreme relief (∼2500 m), steep channels, and erosion rates that approach or exceed 1 mm/yr. The close spatial similarity in relative rates of long- and short-term erosion suggests that the gradient in rock uplift rates inferred from the landscape metrics across the PT2 has persisted in the same relative position since at least the past 1.5 Ma. We interpret these observations to suggest that strain accumulation in this hinterland region throughout at least the past 1.5 Ma has been accomplished both by crustal thickening via duplexing and overthrusting along transient emergent faults. Despite the > 400 km distance between them, similar spatiotemporal patterns of erosion and deformation observed in Northwest India and Central Nepal suggest both regions experience similar styles of active strain accumulation and both are susceptible to large seismic events.

Introduction: The influence of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation on health outcomes has been studied extensively with randomized controlled trials (RCT). In many research fields, difficulties with recruitment, adherence and high drop-out rates have been reported. However, what is unknown is how common these problems are in n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents. Therefore, this paper will review n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents with regard to recruitment, adherence and drop-out rates. Methods: The Web of Science, PubMed and Ovid databases were searched for papers reporting on RCT supplementing children and adolescents (2¿18 years) with a form of n-3 LCPUFA (or placebo) for at least four weeks. As a proxy for abiding to CONSORT guidelines, we noted whether manuscripts provided a flow-chart and provided dates defining the period of recruitment and follow-up. Results: Ninety manuscripts (reporting on 75 studies) met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies did not abide by the CONSORT guidelines: 55% did not provide a flow-chart, while 70% did not provide dates. The majority of studies provided minimal details about the recruitment process. Only 25 of the 75 studies reported an adherence rate which was on average 85%. Sixty-five of the 75 studies included drop-out rates which were on average 17%. Conclusion: Less than half of the included studies abided by the CONSORT guidelines (45% included a flow chart, while 30% reported dates). Problems with recruitment and drop-out seem to be common in n-3 LCPUFA supplementation trials in children and adolescents. However, reporting about recruitment, adherence and dropout rates was very heterogeneous and minimal in the included studies. Some techniques to improve recruitment, adherence and dropout rates were identified from the literature, however these techniques may need to be tailored to n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in

Review question/objective: The objective of this review is to identify the effects of educational and supportive interventions provided by health professionals on long-term breastfeeding rates at six months and up to two years post partum among primiparous women who intend to breastfeed.

Objectives To examine how general practitioners (GPs) in the UK and GPs in Australia explain their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing practices and to illuminate how these explanations are similar and how they are different. Design A grounded theory study. Setting Primary care practices in Australia and the UK. Participants 69 GPs in Australia (n=40) and the UK (n=29). We included GPs of varying ages, sex, clinical experience and patient populations. All GPs interested in participating in the study were included. Results GPs' accounts revealed fundamental differences in whether and how prostate cancer screening occurred in their practice and in the broader context within which they operate. The history of prostate screening policy, organisational structures and funding models appeared to drive more prostate screening in Australia and less in the UK. In Australia, screening processes and decisions were mostly at the discretion of individual clinicians, and varied considerably, whereas the accounts of UK GPs clearly reflected a consistent, organisationally embedded approach based on local evidence-based recommendations to discourage screening. Conclusions The GP accounts suggested that healthcare systems, including historical and current organisational and funding structures and rules, collectively contribute to how and why clinicians use the PSA test and play a significant role in creating the mindlines that GPs employ in their clinic. Australia's recently released consensus guidelines may support more streamlined and consistent care. However, if GP mindlines and thus routine practice in Australia are to shift, to ultimately reduce unnecessary or harmful prostate screening, it is likely that other important drivers at all levels of the screening process will need to be addressed.

Background Cervical cancer disproportionately burdens disadvantaged women. Organised cervical screening aims to make cancer prevention available to all women in a population, yet screening uptake and cancer incidence and mortality are strongly correlated with socioeconomic status (SES). Reaching underscreened populations is a stated priority in many screening programs, usually with an emphasis on something like 'equity'. Equity is a poorly defined and understood concept. We aimed to explain experts' perspectives on how cervical screening programs might justifiably respond to 'the underscreened'. Methods This paper reports on a grounded theory study of cervical screening experts involved in program organisation. Participants were 23 experts from several countries and a range of backgrounds: gynecology; epidemiology; public health; pathology; general practice; policy making. Data were gathered via semi-structured interview and concepts developed through transcript coding and memo writing. Results Most experts expressed an intuitive commitment to reducing systematic differences in screening participation or cancer outcomes. They took three different implicit positions, however, on what made organised programs justifiable with respect to underscreened populations. These were: 1) accepting that population screening is likely to miss certain disenfranchised groups for practical and cultural reasons, and focusing on maximising mainstream reach; 2) identifying and removing barriers to screening; and 3) providing parallel tailored screening services that attended to different cultural needs. Positions tended to fall along country of practice lines. Conclusions Experts emphasised the provision of opportunity for underscreened populations to take up screening. A focus on opportunity appeared to rely on tacit premises not supported by evidence: that provision of meaningful opportunity leads to increased uptake, and that increased uptake of an initial screening test by disadvant

Poster presentation at The 18th International Conference of International Society for Respiratory Protection, 7-11 November 2016, Yokohama, Japan.

presented at The 18th International Conference of International Society for Respiratory Protection, 7-11 November 2016, Yokohama, Japan.

Professionals who are exposed to trauma through work may indirectly experience distress and traumatisation of their own, often referred to as vicarious traumatisation (VT). Little research has been directed toward the experience of VT among lawyers, especially in terms of how it compares with the VT experienced by mental health professionals (MHPs). This study compares the extent to which exposure to traumatic information affects professionals of different disciplinary backgrounds. Additionally, personality traits that might theoretically influence an individual's vulnerability or resilience to VT are evaluated. Self-report measures were used to investigate symptoms of VT and personality traits in 36 lawyers and 30 MHPs. The results indicate that lawyers and individuals low on the Emotional Stability domain are significantly more susceptible to experiencing symptoms of VT. Exposure to trauma may be better managed by professionals in the mental health field, who have the advantage of having received trauma-specific training and access to informed peer support.

Non-completion or shm completion of doctoral degrees has been a matter of concem to Austmlian Uni1•ersities f(w 11wny years, as goremment funding for research sttulents is contingent upon on-time completion. Part-time students are of particular concem as it can be difficult for them to maintain motiwttion m•er se1•eral years. This chapter discusses the approaches adopted by one A ustrafian uni1•ersity to address tit is prohi em in a pro(l!ssional doctorate part-time program. Our program applies the conceprs of Self~Delermination Thecn~r (Ryan & Deci. 2002), addressing social reltt1edness {addressed through students raking cmtrse1rork suhi<•cts a.\' a co/tort), competence (students team ho11· to ll'rite a literature rel'il'H', !tmr to develop a conceptual .fi'wlleH'orf'. to design mtdjust(/~1' a research desig11, 10 conduct and analy::e quanritati\le

Non-completion or shm completion of doctoral degrees has been a matter of concem to Austmlian Uni1•ersities f(w 11wny years, as goremment funding for research sttulents is contingent upon on-time completion. Part-time students are of particular concem as it can be difficult for them to maintain motiwttion m•er se1•eral years. This chapter discusses the approaches adopted by one A ustrafian uni1•ersity to address tit is prohi em in a pro(l!ssional doctorate part-time program. Our program applies the conceprs of Self~Delermination Thecn~r (Ryan & Deci. 2002), addressing social reltt1edness {addressed through students raking cmtrse1rork suhi<•cts a.\' a co/tort), competence (students team ho11· to ll'rite a literature rel'il'H', !tmr to develop a conceptual .fi'wlleH'orf'. to design mtdjust(/~1' a research desig11, 10 conduct and analy::e quanritati\le

We have developed a visual marker for the investigation of hydrogen bonding (HB) effects. The decoloration rate of a photochromic dye that incorporates a latent intra-molecular HB feature can be linked to the HB character of the media. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of this simple decoloration approach for HB sensing are investigated both experimentally and by high level theoretical studies. This principle has been applied for the detection of changes in the HB character of stationary and fluidic systems. A major finding is the observation of a shear-related perturbation of the balance between intra- and inter-molecular HB within a dynamic thin film.

In serial recall tasks, presenting items in alternating female and male voices impairs performance relative to the single-voice presentation. This phenomenon, termed the talker-variability effect (TVE), was recently reexamined by Hughes, Marsh, and Jones (2009, 2011), who used the effect as confirmatory evidence for their perceptual-gestural account of serial recall performance. Despite the authors' claim of generalisability, the serial recall paradigm employed did not reflect the standard parameters more generally adopted in verbal short-term memory research. Specifically, the presentation rate of the stimuli was almost 3 times that typically used. We sought to determine if the TVE, as observed by Hughes et al., was generalisable to the standard serial recall task by directly comparing recall performance in talker-variable conditions at fast and slow stimulus presentation rates. Experiment 1 employed a systematic replication of the foundational study undertaken by Hughes et al. (2009). Utilising a novel stimulus set, Experiment 2 provided a subsequent test of the generalisability of the TVE, examining the influence of item properties. Both experiments showed a robust TVE at the atypical fast presentation rate; however, for the slower item presentation, the TVE was unreliable. Furthermore, error analysis suggests that item recall also contributes to the TVE, contrary to the current explanation proposed by Hughes et al. (2009, 2011). The challenge of the present data to the perceptual-gestural account of the TVE is explored. Alternative accounts that focus on the resource cost of categorical speech perception in the context of talker variability are posited.

We have developed a visual marker for the investigation of hydrogen bonding (HB) effects. The decoloration rate of a photochromic dye that incorporates a latent intra-molecular HB feature can be linked to the HB character of the media. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of this simple decoloration approach for HB sensing are investigated both experimentally and by high level theoretical studies. This principle has been applied for the detection of changes in the HB character of stationary and fluidic systems. A major finding is the observation of a shear-related perturbation of the balance between intra- and inter-molecular HB within a dynamic thin film.

Most government policies give rise to a stream of costs and benefits over time. To evaluate them requires us to compare costs and benefits received in different time periods. That requires choosing a discount rate, which determines the value of future costs and benefits relative to current ones. The choice of discount rate can make a significant difference to whether the present value of a project is positive, and to the relative desirability of alternative projects, especially when costs and benefits accrue at different times and over long periods.

Most government policies give rise to a stream of costs and benefits over time. To evaluate them requires us to compare costs and benefits received in different time periods. That requires choosing a discount rate, which determines the value of future costs and benefits relative to current ones. The choice of discount rate can make a significant difference to whether the present value of a project is positive, and to the relative desirability of alternative projects, especially when costs and benefits accrue at different times and over long periods.

The paper reviews the extant Australian literature on sexual orientation (SO) discrimination within the Australian workplace. In the research, there is variation in organisational workplace and a bias towards health and educational sectors as a research setting, which raises some methodological considerations such as poor generalisability to other organisational contexts. The small body of Australian research into SO discrimination encompasses; (i) varied methodological and theoretical approaches, (ii) disparate authors selecting a varied range of aspects of discrimination thus absenting a unifying framework to guide research and lacking as yet seminal authorship providing focus, iii) limited sampling of participants making comparisons difficult and further indicating the absence of a unifying framework with which to focus the research and iv) limited studies exclusively investigating workplace discrimination. In this paper, the Australian literature is presented chronologically, and where possible, it has linked studies together to indicate the commensurate nature of the studies to illustrate the incidence rates of SO discrimination in the Australian labour market as a rationale for GLBTIQ employees remaining in the corporate closet.

The paper reviews the extant Australian literature on sexual orientation (SO) discrimination within the Australian workplace. In the research, there is variation in organisational workplace and a bias towards health and educational sectors as a research setting, which raises some methodological considerations such as poor generalisability to other organisational contexts. The small body of Australian research into SO discrimination encompasses; (i) varied methodological and theoretical approaches, (ii) disparate authors selecting a varied range of aspects of discrimination thus absenting a unifying framework to guide research and lacking as yet seminal authorship providing focus, iii) limited sampling of participants making comparisons difficult and further indicating the absence of a unifying framework with which to focus the research and iv) limited studies exclusively investigating workplace discrimination. In this paper, the Australian literature is presented chronologically, and where possible, it has linked studies together to indicate the commensurate nature of the studies to illustrate the incidence rates of SO discrimination in the Australian labour market as a rationale for GLBTIQ employees remaining in the corporate closet.

The paper reviews the extant Australian literature on sexual orientation (SO) discrimination within the Australian workplace. In the research, there is variation in organisational workplace and a bias towards health and educational sectors as a research setting, which raises some methodological considerations such as poor generalisability to other organisational contexts. The small body of Australian research into SO discrimination encompasses; (i) varied methodological and theoretical approaches, (ii) disparate authors selecting a varied range of aspects of discrimination thus absenting a unifying framework to guide research and lacking as yet seminal authorship providing focus, iii) limited sampling of participants making comparisons difficult and further indicating the absence of a unifying framework with which to focus the research and iv) limited studies exclusively investigating workplace discrimination. In this paper, the Australian literature is presented chronologically, and where possible, it has linked studies together to indicate the commensurate nature of the studies to illustrate the incidence rates of SO discrimination in the Australian labour market as a rationale for GLBTIQ employees remaining in the corporate closet.

The sustainability of soil resources is determined by the balance between the rates of production and removal of soils. Samples from four weathering profiles at Frogs Hollow in the upper catchment area of the Murrumbidgee River (southeastern Australia) were analyzed for their uranium-series (U-series) isotopic composition to estimate soil production rates. Sequential leaching was conducted on sample aliquots to assess how U-series nuclides are distributed between primary and secondary minerals. Soil is increasingly weathered from bottom to top which is evident from the decrease in (234U/238U) ratios and increase in relative quartz content with decreasing soil depth. One soil profile shows little variation in mineralogy and U-series geochemistry with depth, explained by the occurrence of already extensively weathered saprolite, so that further weathering has minimal effect on mineralogy and geochemistry. Al2O3 is mobilized from these soils, and hence a silicon-based weathering index treating Al2O3 as mobile is introduced, which increases with decreasing soil depth, in all profiles. Leached and unleached aliquots show similar mineralogy with slight variation in relative concentrations, whereas the elemental and isotopic composition of uranium and thorium show notable differences between leached and unleached samples. Unleached samples show systematic variations in uranium-series isotopic compositions with depth compared to leached samples. This is most likely explained by the mobilization of U and Th from the samples during leaching. Soil residence times are calculated by modeling U-series activity ratios for each profile separately. Inferred timescales vary up to 30 kyr for unleached aliquots from profile F1 to up to 12 kyr for both leached and unleached aliquots from profile F2. Muscovite content shows a linear relationship with U-series derived soil residence times. This relationship provides an alternative method to estimate residence timescales for profiles with

Bangladesh, at the confluence of the sediment-laden Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, supports an enormous and rapidly growing population (>140 million in 2011), across low-lying alluvial and delta plains that have accumulated over the past few thousand years. It has been identified as one of the most vulnerable places in the world to the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise. Although abundant sediment supply has resulted in accretion on some parts of the coast of Bangladesh, others are experiencing rapid erosion. We report a systematic assessment of rates of shoreline change over a 20-year period from 1989 to 2009, using Landsat satellite images with pixel resolution of 30 m on the ground. A Band ratio approach, using Band-5 divided by Band-2, discriminated the water line on images that were largely cloud-free, adequately registered, and at comparable tidal stages. Rates of shoreline change were calculated for >16,000 transects generated at 50 m intervals along the entire mainland coastline (>1,100 km) and major islands, using the End Point Rate (EPR) method in the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) extension in ArcGIS®. Erosion characterises most of the seaward margin of the Sundarbans in western Bangladesh. Retreat rates of up to 20 m/yr are typical, with little evidence that local devastation of the mangrove fringe by Cyclone Sidr in November 2007 had resulted in uncharacteristic long-term rates of retreat where it made landfall. Erosion exceeded accretion in the Barguna Patuakhali coastal zone, most of which eroded at up to 20 m/yr, but with truncation of the southern tip of the Patharghata Upazila at up to 100 m/yr. In Bhola, erosion at rates of up to 120 m/yr were observed along much of the coast, but in the Noakhali Feni coastal zone, similar rates of erosion were balanced by rapid accretion of the main promontory by more than 600 m/yr. Rates of change were more subdued in the Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar coastal zones of southeast Bangladesh. Islan

Humic substances (HS) in naturally acidic waterways have been suggested to provide protection to aquatic organisms exposed to low pH conditions. Despite this, little is known about the ability of HS to increase survivorship of freshwater organisms as pH decreases in waters of varying hardness. This study explored the ability of HS in the form of Aldrich humic acid (AHA) to increase survivorship of the freshwater shrimp (Caridina sp. D) at low pH in artificial soft (represent-ative of naturally acidic environments) and hard waters (artificial and natural Dee River water). Freshwater shrimp were exposed to pH treatments ranging from pH 7 to pH 3.5, with and without 10 or 20 mg/L HS treatments. In low pH water, shrimp mortality was higher in artificial hard water (LC50 at pH 4.95) and natural hard water (LC50 at pH 4.74), compared with soft water (LC50 at pH 4.27). HS substantially decreased the threshold at which pH caused 50% mortality to the freshwater shrimp, with that threshold shifting from 4.95 to 4.47 in artificial hard water, from 4.74 to 4.50 in natural hard water and from 4.27 to 4.18 in soft water. The results of this study are valuable in contributing to an improved understanding of the influence HS and water hardness has on the toxicity of low pH to freshwater biota and may have important implications for the management of acidified waterways.

Objective To inform smoking interventions by clinicians, particularly doctors, in primary healthcare settings in remote Aboriginal communities, we describe the results of tobacco surveys in remote Northern Territory communities. Methods During 2008–09 in three remote communities in the Northern Territory, 400 people (aged ≥16 years) were asked about their tobacco use. Results Extremely high rates of smoking persist: 71%, 78% and 82% of those interviewed in the three communities. More than half the smokers were either thinking about or actively trying to quit, despite limited access to appropriate support. Among former smokers, the most common motivator for quitting was ‘health concerns’. Of those citing ‘health concerns’, 22% specifically mentioned receiving advice from a clinician, usually a ‘doctor’. Conclusion General practitioners, and their colleagues in similar primary healthcare settings, are well placed and are strongly encouraged to take every opportunity to make what could be a significant impact on reducing harms related to smoking and environmental smoke.

Literature from the past 168 years has been filtered to provide a unified summary of the regional distribution of cutaneous water and electrolyte losses. The former occurs via transepidermal water vapour diffusion and secretion from the eccrine sweat glands. Daily insensible water losses for a standardised individual (surface area 1.8 m2) will be 0.6–2.3 L, with the hands (80–160 g.h−1) and feet (50–150 g.h−1) losing the most, the head and neck losing intermediate amounts (40–75 g.h−1) and all remaining sites losing 15–60 g.h−1. Whilst sweat gland densities vary widely across the skin surface, this same individual would possess some 2.03 million functional glands, with the highest density on the volar surfaces of the fingers (530 glands.cm−2) and the lowest on the upper lip (16 glands.cm−2). During passive heating that results in a resting whole-body sweat rate of approximately 0.4 L.min−1, the forehead (0.99 mg.cm−2.min−1), dorsal fingers (0.62 mg.cm−2.min−1) and upper back (0.59 mg.cm−2.min−1) would display the highest sweat flows, whilst the medial thighs and anterior legs will secrete the least (both 0.12 mg.cm−2.min−1). Since sweat glands selectively reabsorb electrolytes, the sodium and chloride composition of discharged sweat varies with secretion rate. Across whole-body sweat rates from 0.72 to 3.65 mg.cm−2.min−1, sodium losses of 26.5–49.7 mmol.L−1 could be expected, with the corresponding chloride loss being 26.8–36.7 mmol.L−1. Nevertheless, there can be threefold differences in electrolyte losses across skin regions. When exercising in the heat, local sweat rates increase dramatically, with regional glandular flows becoming more homogeneous. However, intra-regional evaporative potential remains proportional to each local surface area. Thus, there is little evidence that regional sudomotor variations reflect an hierarchical distribution of sweating either at rest or during exercise.

The rollercoaster ride of our Australian dollar reminds us how crucial it is to our export competitiveness. Our dollar is inextricably linked to commodity prices as well as the interest rate differentials between Australia and other countries.

Bangladesh, at the confluence of the sediment-laden Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, supports an enormous and rapidly growing population (>140 million in 2011), across low-lying alluvial and delta plains that have accumulated over the past few thousand years. It has been identified as one of the most vulnerable places in the world to the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise. Although abundant sediment supply has resulted in accretion on some parts of the coast of Bangladesh, others are experiencing rapid erosion. We report a systematic assessment of rates of shoreline change over a 20-year period from 1989 to 2009, using Landsat satellite images with pixel resolution of 30 m on the ground. A Band ratio approach, using Band-5 divided by Band-2, discriminated the water line on images that were largely cloud-free, adequately registered, and at comparable tidal stages. Rates of shoreline change were calculated for >16,000 transects generated at 50 m intervals along the entire mainland coastline (>1,100 km) and major islands, using the End Point Rate (EPR) method in the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) extension in ArcGIS®. Erosion characterises most of the seaward margin of the Sundarbans in western Bangladesh. Retreat rates of up to 20 m/yr are typical, with little evidence that local devastation of the mangrove fringe by Cyclone Sidr in November 2007 had resulted in uncharacteristic long-term rates of retreat where it made landfall. Erosion exceeded accretion in the Barguna Patuakhali coastal zone, most of which eroded at up to 20 m/yr, but with truncation of the southern tip of the Patharghata Upazila at up to 100 m/yr. In Bhola, erosion at rates of up to 120 m/yr were observed along much of the coast, but in the Noakhali Feni coastal zone, similar rates of erosion were balanced by rapid accretion of the main promontory by more than 600 m/yr. Rates of change were more subdued in the Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar coastal zones of southeast Bangladesh. Islan

The sustainability of soil resources is determined by the balance between the rates of production and removal of soils. Samples from four weathering profiles at Frogs Hollow in the upper catchment area of the Murrumbidgee River (southeastern Australia) were analyzed for their uranium-series (U-series) isotopic composition to estimate soil production rates. Sequential leaching was conducted on sample aliquots to assess how U-series nuclides are distributed between primary and secondary minerals. Soil is increasingly weathered from bottom to top which is evident from the decrease in (234U/238U) ratios and increase in relative quartz content with decreasing soil depth. One soil profile shows little variation in mineralogy and U-series geochemistry with depth, explained by the occurrence of already extensively weathered saprolite, so that further weathering has minimal effect on mineralogy and geochemistry. Al2O3 is mobilized from these soils, and hence a silicon-based weathering index treating Al2O3 as mobile is introduced, which increases with decreasing soil depth, in all profiles. Leached and unleached aliquots show similar mineralogy with slight variation in relative concentrations, whereas the elemental and isotopic composition of uranium and thorium show notable differences between leached and unleached samples. Unleached samples show systematic variations in uranium-series isotopic compositions with depth compared to leached samples. This is most likely explained by the mobilization of U and Th from the samples during leaching. Soil residence times are calculated by modeling U-series activity ratios for each profile separately. Inferred timescales vary up to 30 kyr for unleached aliquots from profile F1 to up to 12 kyr for both leached and unleached aliquots from profile F2. Muscovite content shows a linear relationship with U-series derived soil residence times. This relationship provides an alternative method to estimate residence timescales for profiles with

Humic substances (HS) in naturally acidic waterways have been suggested to provide protection to aquatic organisms exposed to low pH conditions. Despite this, little is known about the ability of HS to increase survivorship of freshwater organisms as pH decreases in waters of varying hardness. This study explored the ability of HS in the form of Aldrich humic acid (AHA) to increase survivorship of the freshwater shrimp (Caridina sp. D) at low pH in artificial soft (represent-ative of naturally acidic environments) and hard waters (artificial and natural Dee River water). Freshwater shrimp were exposed to pH treatments ranging from pH 7 to pH 3.5, with and without 10 or 20 mg/L HS treatments. In low pH water, shrimp mortality was higher in artificial hard water (LC50 at pH 4.95) and natural hard water (LC50 at pH 4.74), compared with soft water (LC50 at pH 4.27). HS substantially decreased the threshold at which pH caused 50% mortality to the freshwater shrimp, with that threshold shifting from 4.95 to 4.47 in artificial hard water, from 4.74 to 4.50 in natural hard water and from 4.27 to 4.18 in soft water. The results of this study are valuable in contributing to an improved understanding of the influence HS and water hardness has on the toxicity of low pH to freshwater biota and may have important implications for the management of acidified waterways.

The sustainability of soil resources is determined by the balance between the rates of production and removal of soils. Samples from four weathering profiles at Frogs Hollow in the upper catchment area of the Murrumbidgee River (southeastern Australia) were analyzed for their uranium-series (U-series) isotopic composition to estimate soil production rates. Sequential leaching was conducted on sample aliquots to assess how U-series nuclides are distributed between primary and secondary minerals. Soil is increasingly weathered from bottom to top which is evident from the decrease in (234U/238U) ratios and increase in relative quartz content with decreasing soil depth. One soil profile shows little variation in mineralogy and U-series geochemistry with depth, explained by the occurrence of already extensively weathered saprolite, so that further weathering has minimal effect on mineralogy and geochemistry. Al2O3 is mobilized from these soils, and hence a silicon-based weathering index treating Al2O3 as mobile is introduced, which increases with decreasing soil depth, in all profiles. Leached and unleached aliquots show similar mineralogy with slight variation in relative concentrations, whereas the elemental and isotopic composition of uranium and thorium show notable differences between leached and unleached samples. Unleached samples show systematic variations in uranium-series isotopic compositions with depth compared to leached samples. This is most likely explained by the mobilization of U and Th from the samples during leaching. Soil residence times are calculated by modeling U-series activity ratios for each profile separately. Inferred timescales vary up to 30 kyr for unleached aliquots from profile F1 to up to 12 kyr for both leached and unleached aliquots from profile F2. Muscovite content shows a linear relationship with U-series derived soil residence times. This relationship provides an alternative method to estimate residence timescales for profiles with

Bangladesh, at the confluence of the sediment-laden Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, supports an enormous and rapidly growing population (>140 million in 2011), across low-lying alluvial and delta plains that have accumulated over the past few thousand years. It has been identified as one of the most vulnerable places in the world to the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise. Although abundant sediment supply has resulted in accretion on some parts of the coast of Bangladesh, others are experiencing rapid erosion. We report a systematic assessment of rates of shoreline change over a 20-year period from 1989 to 2009, using Landsat satellite images with pixel resolution of 30 m on the ground. A Band ratio approach, using Band-5 divided by Band-2, discriminated the water line on images that were largely cloud-free, adequately registered, and at comparable tidal stages. Rates of shoreline change were calculated for >16,000 transects generated at 50 m intervals along the entire mainland coastline (>1,100 km) and major islands, using the End Point Rate (EPR) method in the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) extension in ArcGIS®. Erosion characterises most of the seaward margin of the Sundarbans in western Bangladesh. Retreat rates of up to 20 m/yr are typical, with little evidence that local devastation of the mangrove fringe by Cyclone Sidr in November 2007 had resulted in uncharacteristic long-term rates of retreat where it made landfall. Erosion exceeded accretion in the Barguna Patuakhali coastal zone, most of which eroded at up to 20 m/yr, but with truncation of the southern tip of the Patharghata Upazila at up to 100 m/yr. In Bhola, erosion at rates of up to 120 m/yr were observed along much of the coast, but in the Noakhali Feni coastal zone, similar rates of erosion were balanced by rapid accretion of the main promontory by more than 600 m/yr. Rates of change were more subdued in the Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar coastal zones of southeast Bangladesh. Islan

Purpose To examine the estimated rates of mental disorders and associated situational characteristics in people involved in nonfatal use of force incidents with police in VIC, Australia. Methods A random sample of 4,267 cases between 1995 and 2008 from a dedicated police Use of Force Register were linked with the state-wide public mental health database and a police contacts database. Rates of ICD 9 and ICD 10 mental disorders recorded on the public mental health database were examined, as well as rates of criminal offending and the characteristics of force used by both parties. Results More than a third of people on whom the police resorted to using force (n = 1,621, 38 %) had a history of mental disorder. Significant overrepresentations of the estimated prevalence of psychosis [12.5 %, OR = 9.03, 95 % CI (7.41, 11.01), p < 0.001] and schizophrenia [9.1 %, OR = 9.73, 95 % CI (7.59, 12.47) p < 0.001] were found. Those diagnosed with mental disorders were 1.52 times more likely to use or threaten to use weapons on police, even after taking into account age, sex, substances intoxication and violent behaviour [95 % CI (1.23, 1.91), p < 0.001]; however, they were no more likely to injure or be injured by police than those without a recorded history of mental disorder. There was a noted trend for police to use, or threaten to use, weapons on people with a history of psychosis (other than schizophrenia) [OR = 1.40, 95 % CI (1.11, 1.78), p = 0.005]. Conclusions Psychoses and schizophrenia are dramatically overrepresented in cases where police resort to using force. Situational characteristics evident in the encounters are suggestive of a sub-group of people with mental disorders presenting with aggressive and otherwise problematic behaviours coupled with histories of criminal offending; this presents significant ongoing challenges for the police.

Objective To inform smoking interventions by clinicians, particularly doctors, in primary healthcare settings in remote Aboriginal communities, we describe the results of tobacco surveys in remote Northern Territory communities. Methods During 2008–09 in three remote communities in the Northern Territory, 400 people (aged ≥16 years) were asked about their tobacco use. Results Extremely high rates of smoking persist: 71%, 78% and 82% of those interviewed in the three communities. More than half the smokers were either thinking about or actively trying to quit, despite limited access to appropriate support. Among former smokers, the most common motivator for quitting was ‘health concerns’. Of those citing ‘health concerns’, 22% specifically mentioned receiving advice from a clinician, usually a ‘doctor’. Conclusion General practitioners, and their colleagues in similar primary healthcare settings, are well placed and are strongly encouraged to take every opportunity to make what could be a significant impact on reducing harms related to smoking and environmental smoke.

Literature from the past 168 years has been filtered to provide a unified summary of the regional distribution of cutaneous water and electrolyte losses. The former occurs via transepidermal water vapour diffusion and secretion from the eccrine sweat glands. Daily insensible water losses for a standardised individual (surface area 1.8 m2) will be 0.6–2.3 L, with the hands (80–160 g.h−1) and feet (50–150 g.h−1) losing the most, the head and neck losing intermediate amounts (40–75 g.h−1) and all remaining sites losing 15–60 g.h−1. Whilst sweat gland densities vary widely across the skin surface, this same individual would possess some 2.03 million functional glands, with the highest density on the volar surfaces of the fingers (530 glands.cm−2) and the lowest on the upper lip (16 glands.cm−2). During passive heating that results in a resting whole-body sweat rate of approximately 0.4 L.min−1, the forehead (0.99 mg.cm−2.min−1), dorsal fingers (0.62 mg.cm−2.min−1) and upper back (0.59 mg.cm−2.min−1) would display the highest sweat flows, whilst the medial thighs and anterior legs will secrete the least (both 0.12 mg.cm−2.min−1). Since sweat glands selectively reabsorb electrolytes, the sodium and chloride composition of discharged sweat varies with secretion rate. Across whole-body sweat rates from 0.72 to 3.65 mg.cm−2.min−1, sodium losses of 26.5–49.7 mmol.L−1 could be expected, with the corresponding chloride loss being 26.8–36.7 mmol.L−1. Nevertheless, there can be threefold differences in electrolyte losses across skin regions. When exercising in the heat, local sweat rates increase dramatically, with regional glandular flows becoming more homogeneous. However, intra-regional evaporative potential remains proportional to each local surface area. Thus, there is little evidence that regional sudomotor variations reflect an hierarchical distribution of sweating either at rest or during exercise.

This paper examines the forecasting performance of Bayesian model averaging (BMA) for a set of single factor models of short-term interest rates. Using weekly and high frequency data for the one-month Eurodollar rate, BMA produces predictive likelihoods that are considerably better than those associated with the majority of the short-rate models, but marginally worse than those of the best model in each dataset. We also find that BMA forecasts based on recent predictive likelihoods are preferred to those based on the marginal likelihood of the entire dataset.

The rollercoaster ride of our Australian dollar reminds us how crucial it is to our export competitiveness. Our dollar is inextricably linked to commodity prices as well as the interest rate differentials between Australia and other countries.

The paper reviews the extant Australian literature on sexual orientation (SO) discrimination within the Australian workplace. In the research, there is variation in organisational workplace and a bias towards health and educational sectors as a research setting, which raises some methodological considerations such as poor generalisability to other organisational contexts. The small body of Australian research into SO discrimination encompasses; (i) varied methodological and theoretical approaches, (ii) disparate authors selecting a varied range of aspects of discrimination thus absenting a unifying framework to guide research and lacking as yet seminal authorship providing focus, iii) limited sampling of participants making comparisons difficult and further indicating the absence of a unifying framework with which to focus the research and iv) limited studies exclusively investigating workplace discrimination. In this paper, the Australian literature is presented chronologically, and where possible, it has linked studies together to indicate the commensurate nature of the studies to illustrate the incidence rates of SO discrimination in the Australian labour market as a rationale for GLBTIQ employees remaining in the corporate closet.

Sedimentation rates over the last 100 years within two lagoons on the southeast coast of Australia, Lake Illawarra and St Georges Basin, have been quantified to determine the effects of catchment land use change and native vegetation clearance on infill rates, and spatial variations in the rate at which the estuaries have filled. Both catchments have similar lake and catchment area but have experience different degrees of modification due to land clearing for agriculture practices, urbanisation and industrialisation. Results indicate that in the heavily modified catchment of Lake Illawarra sedimentation rates close to fluvial deltas can be in excess of 16 mm/year, and between 2 and 4 mm/year in the adjacent central basin. This is approximately an order of magnitude greater than the pre-European rates. In contrast, at St Georges Basin, where the catchment has experienced much less modification, sedimentation rates in the central basin appear to have remained close to those prior to European settlement. However, sedimentation rates in the urbanized margin of St Georges Basin are relatively high (up to 4. 4 mm/year). This rapid modern sedimentation in the margin of the estuarine embayments has been detected in several other estuaries in the region. However the degree of sedimentation within the bay-head deltas, and more significantly in the central basin appears proportional to the degree clearance of native vegetation (forest) in the catchment, urban expansion and development of heavy industry in the respective catchment areas. 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Increases in Fume Formation Rates (FFR) of welding wires have been attributed to the fact that wires are copper coated. Instability during the welding process can have an influence on the FFR. The University of Wollongong has developed an auto control mechanism that will minimise the influence of the instability and this could be applied to more accurately determine the FFR of welding wires in the "drop-spray" mode of transfer.

Incorporating Sustainable Practice in Mechanics of Structures and Materials covers a wide range of topics, from composite structures, via fire engineering and masonry structures, to timber engineering. Valuable reference for academics, researchers and practicing engineers working in structural engineering and structural mechanics. Summary Incorporating Sustainable Practice in Mechanics of Structures and Materials is a collection of peer-reviewed papers presented at the 21st Australasian Conference on the Mechanics of Structures and Materials (ACMSM21, Victoria, University, Melbourne, Australia, 7th – 10th of December 2010). The contributions from academics, researchers and practicing engineers from 17 countries, mainly from Australasia and the Asia-pacific region, cover a wide range of topics, including: • Composite structures • Computational mechanics • Concrete structures • Dynamic analysis of structures • Earthquake and wind engineering • Fibre composites • Fire engineering • Geomechanics and foundation engineering • Masonry structures • Mechanics of materials • Shock and impact loading • Steel and aluminum structures • Structural health monitoring • Structural optimisation • Sustainable materials • Timber engineering

Increases in Fume Formation Rates (FFR) of welding wires have been attributed to the fact that wires are copper coated. Instability during the welding process can have an influence on the FFR. The University of Wollongong has developed an auto control mechanism that will minimise the influence of the instability and this could be applied to more accurately determine the FFR of welding wires in the "drop-spray" mode of transfer.