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This is a longitudinal study to investigate whether there is a correlation between the methods for completion of homework and the incentive levels with academic achievement. The method adopted in this study is the t-test statistical analysis to assess the relationship between the use of compulsory homework on achievement and the influence of intervening and moderating variables. The findings are as follows -- Cohort 1 which completed homework in the traditional pen and paper style (with a mean of 13.278) performed better than the Cohort 2 which completed homework online They also performed better than Cohort 2 which completed homework online (with a mean of 11.851). Cohort 3 that had no incentive and subsequently no compulsion to do the homework (with a mean of 11.851) performed better than Cohort 2 which completed homework online (with a mean of 9.658).

The use of an investment portfolio simulation as an assessment task is intended to reinforce learning by involving students in practical application of theoretical principles in a real-time actual financial market. Simulation as a teaching pedagogy promotes individual involvement and provides students with a deeper understanding of the issues, and skills involved. The simulation is designed to engage students in learn by actually applying theory to actual events occurring on the Australian Stock Exchange.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that considers the role that the sense of isolation and alienation play in contributing to attrition in online courses in the higher education sector. The approach adopted in this paper is a theoretical study aimed at synthesizing existing theories. The ultimate contribution of this paper is to assist future research explore attrition in online courses as well as identify appropriate methods to engage and motivate students.

Seven oxygenated sesquiterpenes 1 to 7 each with a drimane framework were isolated from an organic extract of the nudibranch Ardeadoris rubroannulata collected from Eastern Australia. The structure of pu’ulenal 2 was revised by 1D NOESY, providing a 9Z configuration, while isopu’ulenal 3 has the 9E configuration previously ascribed to pu’ulenal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women who have had hypertension in pregnancy, both pre‐eclampsia and gestational hypertension, have a two‐ to three‐fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. It is unclear whether this is an unmasking of latent risk, the result of damage to the vascular tree during pregnancy, or both. Irrespective of the underlying pathophysiology, these women are uniquely identified sufficiently early in their lives for lifestyle interventions, if adopted, to improve their long‐term health. Currently, follow‐up of these women is inadequate and implementation of a coordinated follow‐up program, and further research into how best to provide it, is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the course‐related and other costs involved in obtaining a veterinary education in Australia and how these costs are met. The study also aimed to identify sociodemographic and course‐related factors associated with increased financial stress. Methods: Students from seven Australian veterinary schools were surveyed using an online questionnaire. A total of 443 students participated (response rate 17%). Responses to survey items relating to finances, employment and course‐related costs were compared with sociodemographic factors and prior research in the area of student financial stress. Results: Respondents reported spending a median of A$300 per week on living costs and a median of A$2,000 per year on course‐related expenses. Over half of respondents received the majority of their income from their parents or Youth Allowance (56%). A similar proportion (55%) reported that they needed to work to meet basic living expenses. Circumstances and sociodemographic factors linked to perceived financial stress included requiring additional finances to meet unexpected costs during the course; sourcing additional finances from external loans; an expected tuition debt at graduation over A$40,000; being 22 years or older; working more than 12 hours per week; living costs above A$300 per week; and being female. Conclusion: The costs involved in obtaining a veterinary education in Australia are high and over half of respondents are reliant on parental or Government income support. Respondents with certain sociodemographic profiles are more prone to financial stress. These findings may have implications for the psychological health, diversity and career plans of veterinary students in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study objective was to determine the event-free survival (EFS) of Australian patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) who met eligibility criteria for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in previously published randomized controlled trials but were not treated with ASCT., Methods: Patients who met inclusion criteria for the Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma (ASTIS) and Scleroderma: Cyclophosphamide Or Transplantation (SCOT) trials were identified from the multicenter Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study (ASCS). EFS (survival without cardiac, renal, or pulmonary failure or death) at 4 years was assessed. ASCS patients who had already undergone transplantation were excluded from analysis., Results: Of the 492 patients with dcSSc in the ASCS, 56 met ASTIS inclusion criteria for ASCT (56 of 492 [11.4%]) and 30 met SCOT inclusion criteria (30 of 492 [6.1%]). An additional 11 patients met ASTIS or SCOT inclusion criteria, but they were excluded due to severe organ manifestations. EFS at 4 years in ASCS patients meeting ASTIS inclusion criteria was 83.3% and in ASCS patients meeting SCOT inclusion criteria was 81.2%. EFS at 4 years in ASCS patients who met ASTIS and SCOT inclusion but also exclusion criteria was 46.7% and 45.7%, respectively., Conclusion: ASCS patients meeting ASTIS and/or SCOT inclusion criteria who were not treated with ASCT have similar EFS at 4 years as patients receiving ASCT and better EFS than those receiving cyclophosphamide in the ASTIS and SCOT trials. This may reflect confounders unable to be controlled for, including survivor bias, but may also reflect improved standard of care for dcSSc over time., (© 2024 The Authors. Arthritis & Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.)

The microbiome has emerged as a key determinant of human health and reproduction, with recent evidence suggesting a dysbiotic microbiome is implicated in adverse perinatal health outcomes. The existing research has been limited by the sample collection and timing, cohort design, sample design, and lack of data on the preconception microbiome. This prospective, longitudinal cohort study will recruit 2000 Australian women, in order to fully explore the role of the microbiome in the development of adverse perinatal outcomes. Participants are enrolled for a maximum of 7 years, from 1 year preconception, through to 5 years postpartum. Assessment occurs every three months until pregnancy occurs, then during Trimester 1 (5 + 0-12 + 6 weeks gestation), Trimester 2 (20 + 0-24 + 6 weeks gestation), Trimester 3 (32 + 0-36 + 6 weeks gestation), and postpartum at 1 week, 2 months, 6 months, and then annually from 1 to 5 years. At each assessment, maternal participants self-collect oral, skin, vaginal, urine, and stool samples. Oral, skin, urine, and stool samples will be collected from children. Blood samples will be obtained from maternal participants who can access a study collection center. The measurements taken will include anthropometric, blood pressure, heart rate, and serum hormonal and metabolic parameters. Validated self-report questionnaires will be administered to assess diet, physical activity, mental health, and child developmental milestones. Medications, medical, surgical, obstetric history, the impact of COVID-19, living environments, and pregnancy and child health outcomes will be recorded. Multiomic bioinformatic and statistical analyses will assess the association between participants who developed high-risk and low-risk pregnancies, adverse postnatal conditions, and/or childhood disease, and their microbiome for the different sample types.

Howickia Richards, 1951, the largest genus of Sphaeroceridae in Australia, is revised to include 43 species, including all wingless Australian species of the family. The following new species are described: H. acicula (TAS), H. auricoma (VIC), H. biantenna (TAS), H. cruspica (VIC), H. erythrocephala (NSW), H. flagella (TAS), H. grandisterna (TAS), H. holti (NSW), H. irwini (NSW), H. loligo (TAS), H. notechis (TAS), H. nuda (NSW), H. pertusa (TAS), H. pinnula (TAS), H. pseudovittata (NSW, QLD), H. robustaseta (NSW), H. tricolor (NSW), H. truemani (TAS), H. wamini (NSW, QLD, TAS, WA), and H. xanthocephala (QLD, NSW). The genera Apterobiroina Papp, 1979, Australimosina Papp, 2008, Bentrovata Richards, 1973, Monteithiana Richards, 1973, Popondetta Richards, 1973, and Otwayia Richards, 1973 are treated as new synonyms of Howickia. Howickia is redefined and placed in the context of a key to genera of Sphaeroceridae in Australia, the Australian species of Howickia are keyed, and a morphological phylogeny is given for the Australian species. The following new combinations are given: Howickia australis (Papp, 1979) comb. nov., Howickia cynthia (Richards, 1973) comb. nov., Howickia dealata (Richards, 1973) comb. nov., Howickia flavipes (Papp, 2021) comb. nov., Howickia flaviterga (Richards, 1973) comb. nov., Howickia flavithorax (Papp, 2021) comb. nov., Howickia regalis (Richards, 1973) comb. nov., Howickia sabina (Richards, 1973) comb. nov., Howickia truncata (Papp, 2021) comb. nov., Paralimosina nasalis (Richards, 1973) comb. nov. (formerly in Pseudocollinella Duda, 1924), Pseudopterogramma fenestrata (Richards, 1973) comb. nov. (originally as Leptocera (Limosina) Macquart, 1835, transferred to Biroina Richards, 1973 by Marshall in Roháček et al. (2001)), and Pleuroseta dorrigonis (Richards, 1973) comb. nov. (formerly in Biroina). A new name, Howickia neoregalis nom. nov. is proposed for H. regalis Marshall, 2014, junior homonym of H. regalis (Richards, 1973). The following genera are newly recorded from Australia: Chaetopodella Duda, 1920, Paralimosina Papp, 1973, Pachytarsella Richards, 1963, Parapterogramma Papp, 2008, Philocoprella Richards, 1929, Piliterga Papp, 2008, Pterogrammoides Papp, 1972, Spelobia Spuler, 1924, and Spinilimosina Roháček, 1983.

A new picrotoxane terpenoid glycoside, austrobuxusin N ( 1 ), together with four known compounds, austrobuxusin A-D ( 2 - 5 ), were isolated from the leaves of the Australian endemic plant Austrobuxus swainii (Beuzev. & C.T. White) Airy Shaw. The chemical structure of 1 was elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, along with MS data. The sugar moiety in 1 was determined to be β -D-glucose by acid hydrolysis and subsequent comparison of its specific rotation with that of standard. The relative configuration of the aglycone was assigned by ROESY NMR experiment and density functional theory (DFT) calculation of NMR data coupled with DP4 analysis. Cytotoxicity test revealed that compound 1 exhibited 71% inhibition against Caco-2 cell line at the concentration of 166 µM.[Formula: see text].

Background: Mental health is an integral part of overall health. Mental health disorders following childbirth are common and poor maternal mental health has consequences for both the mother and her infant. Preeclampsia is also relatively common in pregnancy but there is little known about the intersection between these two important conditions. Gaining a better understanding of the psychological consequences following preeclampsia is important, especially the link with depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. If women who experience preeclampsia are recognised as being at increased risk of poor mental health, targeted screening in the postpartum period should be implemented., Aims: To describe the prevalence and symptom severity of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder at six months postpartum in women, who had a diagnosis of preeclampsia, compared to those who had normal blood pressure in pregnancy., Methods: The mental health component of the prospective cohort study, the Postpartum, Physiology, Psychology and Paediatric follow-up study (P4 Study) was used. Women diagnosed with preeclampsia (n = 90) and those who were normotensive during pregnancy (n = 302) completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, General Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale or Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Sclae-5 at six months postpartum., Results: At six months postpartum, depressive scores were similar in both groups but a higher proportion of women from the preeclampsia group scored above the threshold for depression (2% v 7% p = 0.04). There were no differences between the groups in the prevalence or severity of anxiety or PTSD. However, more women in the preeclampsia group reported their birth experience as a traumatic event (1% vs 7%, p = 0.01). On correlation testing and modelling, booking Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score, any mental health history, experiencing birth as traumatic and the General Anxiety Disorder Scale score were independent predictors of postpartum Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores., Conclusion: The postpartum clinical care of women with preeclampsia often focusses on the immediate physical health issues, but these women may also benefit from mental health screening. Targeted screening of preeclamptic women in the postpartum period may lead to more timely referral and initiation of treatment., Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered on 18/11/2013 with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Registration Number: ACTRN12613001260718 ., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Preterm infants routinely require enteral feeding via nasogastric or orogastric tubes as an alternative to oral feeding to meet their nutritional needs. Anecdotal evidence suggests variations in practice related to correct tube placement and assessment of feed intolerance., Purpose: To determine the current practices of enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and gastric residual (GR) aspiration of neonatal clinicians in Australia., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey comprising 24 questions was distributed to nursing and medical health professionals working in Australian neonatal care units through 2 e-mail listservs made available by professional organizations., Findings: The survey was completed by 129 clinicians. A single method was practiced by 50% of the clinicians in confirming tube placement, and most common practice was assessing the pH of GR aspirate. The majority of respondents (96%) reported that they relied on GR aspiration and clinical signs to determine feeding tolerance and subsequent decisions such as ceasing or decreasing feeds. However, the frequency of aspiration, the amount and color of aspirate considered to be normal/abnormal, and decisions on whether to replace gastric aspirate or whether aspiration should be performed during continuous tube feeding varied., Implication for Practice: This study demonstrated considerable variability in clinical practice for enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and GR aspiration despite most respondents reporting using a unit-based clinical practice guideline. Our study findings highlight the need for not only developing evidence-based practice guidelines for safe and consistent clinical practice but also ensuring that these guidelines are followed by all clinicians., Implication for Research: Further research is needed to establish evidence-based methods both for enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and for the assessment of feeding intolerance during tube feeding. In addition, the reasons why evidence-based methods are not followed must be investigated., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2021 by The National Association of Neonatal Nurses.)

Two new oxygenated terpenes ( 1 and 2 ) have been characterized from the Australian nudibranch Goniobranchus coi . Broadened 1 H NMR signals, together with the absence of individual carbon NMR signals, complicated analysis of 5,9-epoxydendrillolide A ( 1 ); increasing the temperature to 323 K revealed the missing NMR signals. Low-temperature 1 H NMR experiments provided an activation barrier of ∼15 kcal mol -1 and, together with DFT calculations, supported interconversion of a twist chair conformer with two different chair conformers. X-ray crystallographic analysis coupled with biosynthetic reasoning suggested a (5 R , 8 S , 9 R , 13 R , 14 R , 15 R , 16 R ) configuration. Ketone 2 demonstrated similar dynamic conformational processes to 1 .

Chemical investigations of an Australian sponge, Clathria hirsuta, from the Great Barrier Reef, have resulted in the isolation of two known anthraquinones, rhodocomatulin 5,7-dimethyl ether (1) and rhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether (2). Additionally, four new anthraquinone metabolites, 6-methoxyrhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether, 3-bromo-6-methoxy-12-desethylrhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether, 3-bromo-6-methoxyrhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether, and 3-bromorhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether (3-6), were also isolated and characterized. This is the first report of the rhodocomatulin-type anthraquinones from a marine sponge, as 1 and 2 were previously isolated from the marine crinoid genus Comatula. An additional chemical investigation of the marine crinoid Comatula rotalaria enabled the isolation of further quantities of 1 and 2, as well as two additional new crinoid metabolites, 12-desethylrhodocomatulin 5,7-dimethyl ether and 12-desethylrhodocomatulin 7-methyl ether (7 and 8). An NMR spectroscopic analysis of compounds 7 and 8 provided further insight into the rhodocomatulin planar structure and, together with the successful implementation of DFT-NMR calculations, confirmed that the rhodocomatulin metabolites existed as para rather than ortho quinones.

Three new norditerpenes (1, 6, and 7) and four diterpenes (2-5) with extensively rearranged carbon skeletons have been characterized from Australian nudibranchs. The relative configuration of the cyclopropyl-containing verrielactone (1) from Goniobranchus verrieri was suggested by spectroscopic analysis at 500 MHz informed by a combination of molecular modeling and DFT calculations. The nudibranchs G. splendidus and G. cf. splendidus provided 2-7, for which the structures and stereochemistry were deduced by 2D NMR studies at either 500 or 700 MHz. Each of the seven terpenoids exhibited a carbon skeleton modified from one of the tetrahydroaplysulphurin, spongionellin, or gracilane series of terpenes. A biosynthetic pathway to terpenes 1-7 from spongialactone is proposed.

Five new isocyano/isothiocyanato sesquiterpenes (1-5) with tri- or bicyclic carbon skeletons have been characterized from Australian specimens of the nudibranch Phyllidia ocellata. Spectroscopic analyses at 900 MHz were informed by DFT calculations. The 1S, 5S, 8R configuration of 2-isocyanoclovene (1) was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of formamide 6. A biosynthetic pathway to clovanes 1 and 2 from epicaryolane precursors is proposed. Isocyanides 1, 2, and 4 showed activity against Plasmodium falciparum (IC50 0.26-0.30 μM), while isothiocyanate 3 and formamide 6 had IC50 values of >10 μM.

This first chemical study of the sacoglossan mollusk Thuridilla splendens from Mooloolaba, South East Queensland, has resulted in the isolation of three new metabolites, thuridillins D-F (1-3), and one known metabolite, thuridillin A (4). Thuridillin D (1) was isolated by conventional flash chromatography on silica gel, while a mixture of thuridillins E (2) and F (3) was obtained by PTLC on AgNO(3)-impregnated silica gel. Thuridillins D-F were determined to be structurally related to thuridillin B (5); 1 possessed a hydroxy group at C-11, and 2 and 3 were Δ(10,11)- and Δ(11,12)-isomers, respectively. HSQC-HECADE NMR data, together with conformational analysis, NOESY experiments, and (1)H-(1)H coupling studies enabled assignment of the individual relative configurations of the epoxylactone, the 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran, and cyclohexyl moieties within thuridillin D (1).

Objective: To determine whether outcomes differed for women with pre-eclampsia according to the presence of proteinuria and whether non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia is similar to gestational hypertension., Design: From 1987 to 2005, at three hospitals in Sydney, Australia, women referred to the obstetric medicine team were recruited. Outcomes for three groups were compared: proteinuric pre-eclampsia, non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension., Results: Women with proteinuric pre-eclampsia were more likely to have severe hypertension (39 versus 30%, P = 0.003), deliver preterm infants (39 versus 30%, P = 0.007) and had a higher perinatal mortality rate (25.2 versus 5.7 per 1000, P = 0.02) than those with non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia, who were more likely to have thrombocytopenia and liver disease. Women with non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia were more likely to have multiple pregnancies (3.9 versus 9.9%, P < 0.001), experience severe hypertension (8.9 versus 29.7%, P < 0.001), and deliver preterm infants (11.3 versus 30.2%, P < 0.001) who were small for gestational age (12.7 versus 20.9%, P < 0.001) than those with gestational hypertension., Conclusion: This study highlights differences between non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. The subclassification of 'non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia' should be added to existing classification systems to alert clinicians to potential risks.

Objective: To determine prospectively in hypertensive pregnant women 1) the accuracy of dipstick testing for proteinuria using automated urinalysis, 2) factors that might affect such accuracy, and 3) the potential impact of automated dipstick testing on the accuracy of diagnosis of preeclampsia according to acceptance of proteinuria at either 1 + or 2 + level., Design: Prospective study., Setting: Antenatal day assessment unit and antenatal ward of St George Hospital, a teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia., Population: 170 hypertensive pregnant women attending as outpatients or inpatients., Methods: 503 midstream urine samples were collected prospectively on separate occasions from 170 women. Full urinalysis was recorded using the Bayer Clinitek 50 automated urinalysis device and Multistix 10SG urinalysis strips (Bayer Diagnostics, Victoria, Australia). Each MSU was analysed for spot protein/creatinine ratio and also for culture and sensitivity if symptoms of a urinary tract infection were present or dipstick included positive nitrites. Urinalysis protein results were compared with spot urinary protein/creatinine ratio (previously shown to correlate with 24-hr urine protein excretion) to determine the accuracy of urinalysis. True proteinuria was defined as a ratio >/= 30 mg protein/mmol creatinine., Results: False positive dipstick tests ranged from 7% at 3 + level to 71% at 1 + proteinuria level while false negative rates were 7% for "nil" and 14% for "trace" proteinuria, 9% overall. Accepting the dipstick proteinuria result at face value led to an incorrect diagnosis of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension in 85 (50%) women. Dipstick proteinuria was significantly more likely to be correct (true positive/true negative) if diastolic blood pressure was elevated > 90 mmHg (p = 0.032) and in the absence of ketonuria (p = 0.001). Accepting a diagnosis of preeclampsia on the basis of de novo hypertension and dipstick testing alone was accurate less often (70%) when > 1 + was used as a discriminant value than at the 82% of presentations when > 2 + was used (p = 0.001)., Conclusion: Accepting "nil" or "trace" proteinuria as a true negative dipstick results fails to identify approximately 1 in 11 hypertensive pregnant women with true proteinuria, a false negative rate that may be acceptable provided these women are subject to ongoing vigilant clinical review. Even with automated urinalysis the false positive rate for dipstick levels >/= 1 + is very high, particularly in the presence of ketonuria and relying on this alone to diagnose preeclampsia leads to significant errors in diagnosis. Accepting >/= 2 + dipstick proteinuria improves overall diagnostic accuracy for preeclampsia at the expense of a higher false negative rate. This study emphasizes the need to confirm dipstick proteinuria with a further test such as a spot urine protein/creatinine ratio in all hypertensive pregnant women, particularly in research studies.

Objectives: (i) To document variation in management of hypertension in pregnancy; (ii) to determine whether this variation falls within current management guidelines; and (iii) to make recommendations for developing future guidelines., Design: Questionnaire-based survey., Setting: Australia and New Zealand., Population: All specialist obstetricians., Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 1198 obstetricians in Australia and New Zealand. Those returned by respondents currently in obstetric practice were analysed. Information was obtained on their current clinical practices relating to the diagnosis and management of hypertension in pregnancy., Results: Of 1198 obstetricians surveyed, 973 (81%) replied. Of these, 686 (71%) were responsible for obstetric care. Considerable variation in practice was found, particularly in relation to the measurement of blood pressure, the determination of hypertension and significant proteinuria, and the decision to institute antihypertensive drug treatment. The recommendations of the Australasian 1993 Consensus Statement appeared to have had little influence on practice. There has been a striking increase in the use of magnesium sulphate for the prevention of convulsions in preeclampsia., Conclusions: There is significant variation in management of hypertensive pregnancies that differs from current guidelines. It is not known whether this diversity adversely affects clinical outcomes. Until further outcome evidence is available, consensus statements may be better confined to basic aspects of management for which there is high level evidence.

Objective: to compare the experiences of women who received a new model of continuity of midwifery care with those who received standard hospital care during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period., Design: a randomised controlled trial was conducted. One thousand and eighty-nine women were randomly allocated to either the new model of care, the St George Outreach Maternity Project (STOMP), or standard care. Women completed a postal questionnaire eight to ten weeks after the birth., Participants: women in the trial were of mixed obstetric risk status and more than half the sample were born in a non-English speaking country., Findings: questionnaires were returned from 69% of consenting women. STOMP women were significantly more likely to have talked with their midwives and doctors about their personal preferences for childbirth and more likely to report that they knew enough about aspects of labour and birth, particularly induction of labour, pain relief and caesarean section. Almost 80% of women in the STOMP group experienced continuity of care, that is, one of their team midwives was present, during labour and birth. STOMP women reported a significantly higher 'sense of control during labour and birth'. Sixty-three per cent of STOMP women reported that they 'knew' the midwife who cared for them during labour compared with 21% of control women. In a secondary analysis, women who had a midwife during labour who they felt that they knew, had a significantly higher sense of 'control' and a more positive birth experience compared with women who reported an unknown midwife. Postnatal care elicited the greatest number of negative comments from women in both the STOMP and the control group., Conclusion: The reorganisation of maternity services to enable women to receive continuity of care has benefits for women. The benefits of a known labour midwife needs further research., (Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.)