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Australia's new government is committed to delivering the next defence white paper in 2015. The two previous white papers took a predominantly risk-management approach to Southeast Asia, generally ignored the strategic opportunities in the region, treated it as a stand-alone region largely unrelated to developments in East Asia and failed to link Australia's policies in Southeast Asia with the broader goal of helping to ensure greater strategic stability in Asia by putting constraints on Chinese assertiveness and encouraging its peaceful rise. After offering a summary of recent Australian defence thinking on Southeast Asia, this paper outlines why managing China is the key variable when it comes to strategic stability in the region. It then examines how China's strategy and behaviour can be shaped and influenced by events and relationships in Southeast Asia, and offers some suggestions as to the role Australia can seek to play in Southeast Asia that relates to Canberra's China-focused objectives and strategic stability in Asia more broadly If that can be achieved in the 2015 defence white paper, Australia - which is often criticized for being preoccupied primarily with managing the relationship with its superpower ally the United States - will demonstrate to itself and Asia that its heavy reliance on the ANZUS treaty is no barrier to strategic creativity in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of COVID-19 policies on the mobility of elderly individuals in Australia and China. It highlights the digital exclusion faced by older people as smartphone use became mandatory for accessing public spaces and services. The article discusses how this digital exclusion deepened social isolation and exacerbated feelings of loneliness among older individuals. It also examines the gender inequalities and the increased burden on women as unpaid caregivers during the pandemic. The paper emphasizes the need for age-inclusive policies that address intersecting factors and promote equitable access to technology and public spaces. [Extracted from the article]

This study aims to analyse the work done in the field of Night Vision Robots using IR and Object Detection from 2011 to 2021, using the bibliometric methods. This paper presents a Scopus database review on "Night Vision Bot using Dynamic IR and Object Detection". The necessity for doing this bibliometric survey is that to know how the technology in the field of mobile robotics and night vision, as well as to object detection, has evolved over the years. This paper shows the importance of Night Vision Robot from the year 2011 and continued up to 2021 April. The database analysis for the robot is done through Scopus and VOSviewer Version 1.6.16. Through this database survey, it is revealed that the maximum number of publications are Conference Paper and most of them are from the field of Engineering and Computer Science, India has the greatest number of publications followed by China. Methods: The Scopus database was used to obtain the articles for the above topic. The research papers were considered from the year 2011 to 2021. The Scopus analyzer can be used for the analysis of the database with different categories like Source, Subject Area, Country, etc. The analysis such as co-authorship, co-occurrences, citation analysis etc. is done by using VOSviewer Version 1.6.16. Results: In the study, a total of 69 articles on Night Vision Robot were obtained between the years 2011 and 2021. The statistical analysis and network analysis shows that the maximum number of papers were published in the year 2020. India is the highest contributor followed by China and Australia. Conclusion: The outcome of the Scopus database is 69 articles with the English Language having the largest number of articles. The Statistic Analysis helps to understand the potential of topic. It is done for Authors, Documents, Country, affiliations, funding sponsors. The Network Analysis indicates the interconnections between different parameters such as Coauthor, sources. It indicates that this is a new concept, and the research has been done mostly in the last year, so there is lot of future potential and scope for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is a long-term key partner of China in coal trading, which is famous for high-quality coal and its price advantage. However, affected by the evolution of international political and economic situation, China has issued a coal ban on Australian coal since the end of 2020. The potential environmental consequences of this coal ban remain unclear. So, this paper quantifies the ban's impact on air pollution, human health and climate change by simulating the emission difference between the port scenario (simulating the emissions due to Australian coal import under business as usual) and the mine scenario (simulating the emissions due to domestic coal mining that converted from import share of Australian coal), and monetizes the losses into economic costs for direct comparison. The results illustrate the emission of SO 2 , VOCs and GHG in mine scenario grows up to 102, 12 and 6 times the amount of that in port scenario, mainly deriving from coal mining process in the North China Plain and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It shows that the potential alternative of replacing import with mining leads to PM 2.5 pollution exacerbation and O 3 pollution abatement, which causes 148 (95 % CI: 101–183) non-communicable diseases and respiratory disease-related deaths in total. As for GHG, the emission of BC in transportation process and fugitive methane in coal mining process contribute to an impressive effect on warming potential with few quantities, which is worth noting in control process. In total, the environmental deterioration resulted in an economic loss of approximately 934 million yuan. The undiminished demand for high-quality industrial coal as well as growing carbon tax could make the economic value of the coal ban's environmental consequences more considerable in the near future. This research emphasizes the contradiction between economic development and environmental improvement caused by excessive dependence on coal and addresses a critical knowledge gap in assessing the ban's environmental impact by economic value. The result directly demonstrates the environmental consequences of the potential mining-replacing-import alternative and helps better understand environmental influences on the Chinese government's decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short‐term load forecasting is essential to power systems management. However, most existing forecasting methods fail to fully consider how to rationally integrate the intrinsic time‐related dimensions of electric load data and the decomposition methods into machine learning models so that their prediction accuracy and robustness still have much room for improvement. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a decomposition‐based multi‐time dimension long short‐term memory (DB‐MTD‐LSTM) model for short‐term electric load forecasting (STELF). In DB‐MTD‐LSTM, empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) is first introduced to smooth non‐linear non‐stationary electric load data and constrain the modal aliasing or noise of decomposed electric load data in the traditional decomposed method. A joint relevant time dimensions method (JRTDM) is then developed using autocorrelation analysis to rationally extract the temporal characteristics of decomposed data in multiple time dimensions. An improved LSTM called MTD‐LSTM is developed by combining JRTDM with LSTM, which can effectively apply multi‐dimensional time characteristics of the decomposed load to improve the predictive accuracy and robustness. Several datasets from Australia and China are performed to check the predictive performance of DB‐MTD‐LSTM. Experimental results verify that DB‐MTD‐LSTM has better predictive accuracy and satisfactory robustness compared with state‐of‐the‐art and conventional predictive models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the evolution of the ethics committees for health research, their history, membership, and function in China and Australia is described. Investigators in each country compared the history and governance of their ethical systems based on the published evidence rather than personal opinions. Similarly, examples of challenges were selected from the literature. In both countries, the aim was to maximize the social benefits of research and minimize the risk imposed on the participants. Common challenges include maintaining independence, funding and delivering timely ethical reviews of the research projects. These challenges can be difficult where research ethics committees rely on voluntary contributions and lack a strong resource base. They must adapt to the increasingly rapid pace of research as well as the technological sophistication. Population health research can challenge the conventional views of consent and privacy. The principles of the sound ethical review are common in both countries; governance arrangements and operational procedures, however, can differ, reflecting the cultural values and norms of their host countries and in respect of legal environments. By studying the evolution and function of ethics committees in the two countries, we established the differences in the governance and health systems, while similar ethical objectives helped sustain collaborative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for most soil functions. Changes in land use from natural land to cropland disrupt long-established SOC balances and reduce SOC levels. The intensive use of chemical fertilisers in modern agriculture accelerates the rate of SOC depletion. Domestic organic residues (DOR) are a valuable source of SOC replenishment with high carbon content. However, there is still a lack of knowledge and data regarding whether and to what extent DOR can contribute to replenishing SOC. This paper aims to unpack the potential of DOR as a SOC source. Total SOC demand and annual SOC loss are defined and calculated. The carbon flow within different DOR management systems is investigated in three countries (China, Australia, and The Netherlands). The results show that the total SOC demand is too large to be fulfilled by DOR in a short time. However, DOR still has a high potential as a source of SOC as it can mitigate the annual SOC loss by up to 100%. Achieving this 100% mitigation requires a shift to more circular management of DOR, in particular, more composting, and direct land application instead of landfilling and incineration (Australia and China), or a higher rate of source separation of DOR (The Netherlands). These findings form the basis for future research on DOR recycling as a SOC source. [Display omitted] • Carbon in domestic organic residues is not enough to replenish carbon in soils. • More than half of domestic organic residues are not recycled to soils. • In China and Australia, landfill is the main cause of carbon loss in the system. • In the Netherlands, incineration causes the major carbon losses. • Transition to composting of organic residues could mitigate soil carbon loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor safety is a perennial problem for the construction industry worldwide. The concept of safety climate has been strongly linked to safety performance, yet inconsistent methodologies make international comparisons problematic. In addressing this gap in research, a comparative safety climate survey of 515 construction operatives and managers in Australia, Indonesia, and China is presented using a standardized tool. The results highlight interesting similarities and differences between safety climate in each country and question taken–for–granted assumptions that safety climate in countries with relatively mature regulatory structures like Australia are more positive than in less developed countries like Indonesia and China. Results also highlight the intermediating effects of factors such as management commitment and cultural differences in shaping safety climate. Highlighting the potential value of theories of new institutionalism and cultural and ethical relativism, the paper concludes by raising important new practical, theoretical, and methodological questions about the merits and challenges of making international comparisons of safety climate, even when using standardized measurement tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and reliable low-voltage load forecasting is critical to optimal operation and control of distribution network and smart grid. However, compared to traditional regional load forecasting at high-voltage level, it faces tough challenges due to the inherent high uncertainty of the low-capacity load and distributed renewable energy integrated in the demand side. This paper proposes a novel hybrid ensemble deep learning (HEDL) approach for deterministic and probabilistic low-voltage load forecasting. The deep belief network (DBN) is applied to low-voltage load point prediction with the strong ability of approximating nonlinear mapping. A series of ensemble learning methods including bagging and boosting variants are introduced to improve the regression ability of DBN. In addition, the differencing transformation technique is utilized to ensure the stationarity of load time series for the application bagging and boosting methods. On the basis of the integrated thought of ensemble learning, a new hybrid ensemble algorithm is developed via integrating multiple separate ensemble methods. Considering the diversity in various ensemble algorithms, an effective K nearest neighbor classification method is utilized to adaptively determine the weights of sub-models. Furthermore, HEDL based probabilistic forecasting is proposed by taking advantage of the inherent resample idea in bagging and boosting. The effectiveness of the HEDL method for both deterministic and probabilistic forecasting has been systematically verified based on realistic load data from East China and Australia, indicating its promising prospective for practical applications in distribution networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depositional evidence for glaciation (dropstones, diamictites) is common in Neoproterozoic strata, and often debated, but erosional evidence (e.g., unconformities cut directly by ice) is rare. Only two such unconformities are known to have been well preserved globally from the Ediacaran Period (in western Australia and central China). This paper provides the first full description of a spectacular subglacial landscape carved beneath ice masses in the Shimengou area of central China, with classical subglacial bed forms including general faceted forms, müschelbruche, cavetto, spindle forms, and striations that testify to an abundance of meltwater during subglacial erosion. These features were produced during the southward, somewhat sinuous, flow of a temperate to polythermal ice mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a series of material performance tests undertaken to compare Chinese and Australian 500 MPa reinforcing steel. After providing some background to modern high strength reinforcing steel, this paper compares the chemical and mechanical requirements of the reinforcing steels in Chinese codes with those in Australian standards. The results of tensile strength and ductility tests are reported. From the requirements of the standards and the analysis of the test data, several conclusions are drawn. Small differences in the chemical composition cause some differences in mechanical properties. Because of the higher percentage of carbon, the tensile strength of Chinese reinforcing steel is generally higher than that of Australia's normal ductility (N) reinforcing steel. The ductility of Australia's normal ductility reinforcing steels is somewhat less than that of Chinese reinforcing steels, due to the higher percentages of the chemicals phosphorous and sulphur. However, because of the lower value of Ceq and carbon content, the weldability of Australian steel is higher than Chinese steel. By adding the trace elements V, Nb and Ti into the steels, the seismic ability of Chinese steels has been improved. Both Chinese and Australian reinforcing steels tested had adequate yield stress levels. In each country the test results indicated that the tested steel achieved the requirements of the applicable standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety is a major concern in the construction industry because fatalities and injuries from construction work bring great losses to individuals, organizations, and societies as a whole. This paper aims to understand how construction personnel perceive safety risks in China as compared with those in Australia. Postal questionnaire surveys were used to collect data on safety risk perceptions from the two nations. The safety risk factors were assessed using a risk significance index based on the likelihood of occurrences and the impacts on safety performance. The survey results revealed that in China the main perception of safety risks came from human-and/or procedure-related issues, with “low/no safety education” paramount, followed by “inadequate fire prevention and electrical prevention procedures,” etc. In contrast, the major safety risks perceived in Australia were related to the environment and physical site conditions with “contamination of land, water and air” ranked first, followed by “unforeseen excavation of soil,” etc. To minimize construction safety risks in China, this paper suggests that the government should develop collective legislation and safety protection procedures, and enforce safety education and training to all site participants. Risks related to environmental and site conditions were generally realized by the Australia construction industry, which were not highly acknowledged in China. This may also bring imminent attention in this regard to the Chinese government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis of this paper is that governments of some otherwise enlightened states are increasingly fearful of acknowledging the restraints imposed on them by existing international law. They are also reluctant to enter into new commitments by way of international conventions that would expand the reach of international law. The paper asks whether these fears are based on a true understanding of international law or on some distorted view of it. It will draw comparisons and some contrasts between Australia and the United States in their reactions to a number of recent events as well as to some enduring situations of contemporary relevance. Had time (and the limits of my research) permitted, one might also have examined public attitudes toward international law in China, Japan, and Russia in this context, where similar fears appear to be entertained. France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, also enlightened states, appear by contrast to belong to a group more dedicated to international law. As Robert Kagan has recently remarked, the experience of two world wars at close quarters, and the formation of the European Union, have made the European countries more dedicated to process, where the United States is more interested in results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mainland Chinese grow up in a nation with Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism as their cultural heritage, and are educated with atheism, materialism, and scientism in contemporary China. However, the high rate of conversion to Christianity among Chinese immigrants in Anglo-Saxon countries constitutes a distinctive feature in studies of migration. This paper aims to investigate the reasons for becoming Christian and the development of spirituality of a group of first-generation Chinese Australians from mainland China. All the seven participants are highly educated women who migrated to Australia as adults and had young children at the time of conversion. Data were collected mainly through open-ended in-depth interviews, and triangulated with private conversations, observations, and WeChat messaging. This ethnographic qualitative research found that these immigrants' Christian attempts were prominently triggered by settlement crisis as new immigrants and as immigrant parents. They see Christianity and church community as a strong vehicle to resolve integration difficulties in a new society, such as economic and career insecurities, social isolation, language barriers, marital crises, and parenting dilemmas. Their Christian movement is facilitated by identified ideological congruence but hindered by cultural conflicts between their newly acquired Christian doctrines and their previously instructed values. The findings have implications for immigrant families, secular institutions, and religious organizations, as to the psychosocial well-being of new migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a deep learning long-short-term memory (LSTM) method is applied to the forecasting of the critical frequency of the ionosphere F2 layer (foF2). Hourly values of foF2 from 10 ionospheric stations in China and Australia (based on availability) from 2006 to 2019 are used for training and verifying. While 2015 and 2019 are exclusive for verifying the forecasting accuracy. The inputs of the LSTM model are sequential data for the previous values, which include local time (LT), day number, solar zenith angle, the sunspot number (SSN), the daily F10.7 solar flux, geomagnetic the Ap and Kp indices, geographic coordinates, neutral winds, and the observed value of foF2 at the previous moment. To evaluate the forecasting ability of the deep learning LSTM model, two different neural network forecasting models: a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and a genetic algorithm optimized backpropagation neural network (GABP) were established for comparative analysis. The foF2 parameters were forecasted under geomagnetic quiet and geomagnetic disturbed conditions during solar activity maximum (2015) and minimum (2019), respectively. The forecasting results of these models are compared with those of the international reference ionosphere model (IRI2016) and the measurements. The diurnal and seasonal variations of foF2 for the 4 models were compared and analyzed from 8 selected verification stations. The forecasting results reveal that the deep learning LSTM model presents the optimal performance of all models in forecasting the time series of foF2, while the IRI2016 model has the poorest forecasting performance, and the BPNN model and GABP model are between two of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small Shelly Fossils (SSFs) from the Cambrian are widely distributed and well known across different paleocontinents of the world. However, middle Cambrian SSFs from North China Platform have only rarely been documented until now. In this paper, we presented the first report on SSFs from bioclastic and oolitic limestones of the Zhangxia and Hsuzhuang formations of Henan province, North China. The carbonate-hosted fauna includes brachiopods (Micromitra sp., M. modesta, Eoobolus sp., and Schizopholis sp.), helcionellids (Oelandiellaaccordionata and O. aliciae), hyolithids, Hyolithellus sp., Chancelloriaeros, sponge spicules, echinoderm ossicles, and chancelloriid sclerites. In terms of preservation, the brachiopod shell valves of M. modesta appeared to be homogeneous, consisting of tightly packed phosphate grains. Eoobolus sp. is composed of primary layer and secondary baculate, both of which consist of tightly compacted phosphate grains. Schizopholis sp. has multiple-lamellar phosphatized microstructures that distinctly differ from the other brachiopods recovered from the Longwanggou section. A similar multiple-lamellar microstructure was also revealed in conchs of Hyolithellus, with tightly compacted phosphate grains. The argillaceous shell of Oelandiellaaccordionata and O. aliciae, and the calcitic inner molds of hyolith did not preserve any shell structure. The helcionellids O. accordionata and O. aliciae and the brachiopod M. modesta were reported for the first time from North China. The fauna is most similar to the middle Cambrian faunas of Australia, in the brachiopod and mollusk components; it is also similar in composition of brachiopods and mollusks to coeval faunas from South China. The new fauna of SSFs in the Yiyang Longwanggou Section indicated that the Hsuzhuang and Zhangxia formations are late Drumian to middle Guzhuangian in age, most likely correlating with the Murrawong Creek Formation of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the information literacy (IL) development of international higher degree research (HDR) students from China as they undertook their research studies in an Australian university. International HDR students need advanced IL skills to complete their research degree. However, IL research and training in western countries has tended to regard international HDR students no differently from their undergraduate counterparts. That is, there has been a focus on basic information skills rather than considering the more complicated and advanced IL needs within a research context. The project presented in this paper aimed to explore this gap. Three international PhD students from China participated in this research. A biographical approach was used to collect the data, and a total of 222 reflective accounts were collected from the participants over a period of fifteen months. In these reflections, they recorded significant life and study experiences at the University of Western Sydney. This approach allowed the participants freedom to express their thoughts and feelings without interruption and enabled them to speak frankly and freely without prejudice. The approach to data analysis underpinning this study was based on Bruce's (1997) relational model of IL. The findings indicate that these international HDR students experience significant difficulties in developing their IL skills during their research studies in their western university. The complex nature of research study, which demands high levels of IL, significantly contributes to these difficulties, as do the different language and culture of international students which pose additional challenges to their information use. This article concludes with recommendations for research supervisors and librarians to consider in the provision of IL education for international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The increasing global distribution of automobiles necessitates that the design of In-vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) is appropriate for the regions to which they are being exported. Differences between regions such as culture, environment and traffic context can influence the needs, usability and acceptance of IVIS. This paper describes two studies aimed at identifying regional differences in IVIS design needs and preferences across drivers from Australia and China to determine the impact of any differences on IVIS design. Using a questionnaire and interaction clinics, the influence of cultural values and driving patterns on drivers'' preferences for, and comprehension of, surface- and interaction-level aspects of IVIS interfaces was explored. Similarities and differences were found between the two regional groups in terms of preferences for IVIS input control types and labels and in the comprehension of IVIS functions. Specifically, Chinese drivers preferred symbols and Chinese characters over English words and were less successful (compared to Australians) at comprehending English abbreviations, particularly for complex IVIS functions. Implications in terms of the current trend to introduce Western-styled interfaces into other regions with little or no adaptation are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A rare species, Doryphoribius zyxiglobus, was found in mosses in New Zealand. So far, it has been cited only three times; from Australia, New Zealand and central China. The original description is very brief and is insufficient by today's taxonomic standards and seems not to be based on the holotype. A photograph of the slide mounted holotype (obtained from The Museum of New Zealand) showed it to be so poorly preserved and oriented that it was deemed probable that little would be gained by its further examination. Consequently, the redescription was based on a few limited measurements from the photograph of the holotype with a complete set of measurements of a paratype and supported by morphometric analysis of a set of topotypes—all borrowed from The Museum of New Zealand. A comparison between sets of specimens from three countries (New Zealand, Australia and China) and a single specimen from South Africa permitted an evaluation of the geographic variation of this species. This paper thus redescribes D. zyxiglobus, reports on populations from widely separated locales and extends its geographical range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the hypothesis that there is a single economic market for the international steam coal industry and investigates the degree of steam coal market integration over time. A regression test of convergence is employed to test for group convergence within a panel of steam coal exporting countries. The long-run relations between international steam coal prices are tested through cointegration analysis and the Kalman Filter analysis is employed to examine the convergence path of the price series. Monthly Free on Board (F.O.B.) prices for Australia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Poland and South Africa between January 1995 and July 2007 are used. Considering the outcomes of the three econometric techniques as a whole, we conclude that the international steam coal market is generally integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hong Kong has been one of the early jurisdictions to adopt Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for delivering large public infrastructure projects. T he development of this procurement approach in Hong Kong has followed an intricate path . As such, it is believed that there are a number of areas which are interesting to unveil . As part of a comprehensive research study looking at implementing PPPs, interviews with experienced local industrial practitioners from the public sector were conducted to realize their perspective on the topic of procuring public works projects . Amongst these interviews, fourteen were launched government officials and advisers . The interview findings show that the majority of the Hong Kong and Australian interviewees had previously conducted some kind of research in the field of PPP. Both groups of interviewees agreed that "PPPs gain private sector's added efficiency/expertise/management skills" when compared to projects procured traditionally. Also, both groups of interviewees felt that projects best suited to use PPP are those that have an "Economic business case". The interviewees believed that "Contractor's performance" could be used as key performance indicators for PPP projects. A large number of critical success factors were identified by the interviewees for PPP projects; two of these were similar for both groups of interviewees. These included "Project objectives well defined" and "Partnership spirit/commitment/trust". Finally it was found that in-house guidance materials were more common in the organizations of the Australian interviewees compared to the Hong Kong ones. This paper studies the views of the public sector towards the topic of PPPs in Hong Kong and Australia, which helps to answer some of the queries that both academics and the private sector in these jurisdictions are keen to know. As a result the private sector can be more prepared when negotiating with the public sector and realise their needs better, academics on the other hand are provided a wider perspective of this topic benefiting the research industry at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using recently declassified archival material pertaining to the Chartered Bank of India Australia and China, this article foregrounds quantitative evidence that sheds new light on the history of British banks in Asia. It shows that Hong Kong came to play a critical role in the bank's note issue strategy after the Straits Settlements had moved off the silver standard in 1906. Locally denominated notes issued on mainland China complemented the Hong Kong issue. However, their circulation volume dropped dramatically during the anti-British boycott that followed the May Thirtieth Incident (1925). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the perceived parental influence (PPI) on mathematics learning among over 700 students across three year levels (Years 5, 7, 9) in China and Australia. It was found that the PPI of students was less strong as year levels increased in both countries. Students in China had stronger perceived parental encouragement and higher perceived parental educational expectation than students in Australia. The PPI of students from different home language backgrounds was also investigated. Students in China demonstrated stronger perceived parental encouragement and parental expectation than English speaking students and other language speaking students in Australia, and they also demonstrated stronger perceived parental expectation than Chinese speaking students in Australia, and similar perceived parental encouragement. Within the three groups of students in Australia, Chinese speaking students and other language speaking students demonstrated similar levels of perceived parental encouragement and expectation, but they both demonstrated a higher level of perceived parental encouragement and expectation than English speaking students. Possible reasons for the similarities and differences between the different groups of students were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the changing nature of Australian-American relations in the aftermath of the Iraq imbroglio and China's rise. While many observers see differences in Australian and US approaches toward China as a reflection of different interests, it is the contention of this paper that these different Australian-US perspectives on China are, in fact, premised more on some highly skewed assumptions and fallacious beliefs, misconceptions and myths that have lately come to underlie Australia's China policy than on divergent Australian-US interests. This article looks at the proposition that China's rise has the potential to divide Australia and America but concludes that Beijing is unlikely to succeed in driving a wedge between Washington and Canberra. The shared values and shared strategic interests ensure broad support for the Australia-US alliance in Australia which has now expanded into a global partnership encompassing the transnational security issues as well as the traditional geopolitical issues of managing the rise of new powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) is being developed for the cross-cultural measurement of subjective wellbeing (SWB). This paper reports the findings of its utility with the Hong Kong Chinese and Australian populations. An item on affect, ‘satisfaction with own happiness’ was also investigated to determine whether it should be added to the index. Three-hundred and sixty participants (180 per country), with equal representation from groups aged 18–35, 35–64 and 65 years and above, were recruited from each country. The PWI demonstrated good psychometric performance in terms of its reliability, validity and sensitivity, which are comparable in both countries. The item ‘satisfaction with own happiness’ was found to contribute significantly to the scale’s psychometric performance in Australia but not in Hong Kong. Cultural differences in the perception of the concepts ‘satisfaction’ and ‘happiness’ were suggested as an explanation for this finding. The PWI data are also consistent with homeostasis theory, which proposes that each person’s SWB level is maintained within a limited positive range. For the Australian population, their mean SWB level fell within the established Western range of 70–80, on a scale from 0 to 100. The Hong Kong population, however, fell below this range. Cultural response bias was identified as a plausible explanation for the differences between the Hong Kong and Australian samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The LURR theory is a new approach for earthquake prediction, which achieves a good result within China mainland and some regions in America, Japan, and Australia. However, the expansion of the prediction region leads to the refinement of its longitude and latitude and the increase of the time period. This requires more and more computations and volume of data reaching the order of GB, which will be very difficult for a single CPU. In this paper, adopting the technology of domain decomposition and parallelizing using MPI, we developed a new parallel tempospatial scanning program [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

News and information related to publications in Catholic history are presented including a collection of papers based on the colloquium "Les destinées de l'Illyricum méridional pendant le haut Moyen Age," held in Lezha, Albania in March 2008, a collection of 10 papers that examines Christianity in China and the contents of the January 2010 issue of the "Australian Catholic Record."