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This article explores relationships between media power and older people in Western and non-Western settings, utilising the examples of Australia and Malaysia. Drawing on Fairclough's three-dimensional critical discourse analysis and a dataset of articles from Australian and Malaysian newspapers, it reveals that despite differences in journalistic practices in the two countries there is a common thread of disparate representation of voices of older people and elites in news about older people. This demonstrates the exercise of power by journalists – and the influence of broader media and socio-political environments – in sustaining and reproducing social inequalities, including opportunities for people to have their stories and issues portrayed fairly and accurately. While the lack of critical engagement by Malaysian journalists can be linked to social norms and ideas of Asian-based development journalism, the absence of critical engagement from the Australian news media can be seen as conflicting with their Fourth Estate watchdog role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing resource efficiency and decreasing waste by 2030 through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse is one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Australia is predicted to have up to 145,000 t of solar panel waste by 2030 and many large-scale solar systems are proposed to be built across Northern Australia. Research suggests that solar panel consumption and waste patterns are not dissimilar to other forms of e-waste such as mobile phones. Consequently, there is a need to rethink how the end of life of solar panels is managed. In this paper we raise the question of how Northern Australia should plan for managing solar panel waste arising from these huge installations in the future. This paper draws on the multi-level perspective, as a framework for conceptualising the transition challenges associated with promoting a circular solar energy system in the region. Adopting this approach facilitates consideration of social, technical and political drivers of solar panel waste and their implications for governance and planning in regional Australia. It is suggested that planning activities aimed at strategic, tactical and operational levels can help Northern Australia transition into a sustainable regional future. Practitioner pointers Need to develop planning system/framework/process for waste arising from solar farms. Usefulness of the multi-level perspective for identifying the range of stakeholders, barriers and drivers. Rethinking regional development of Northern Australia through a new industry space between the solar and waste sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is the gold standard method for surveillance of acute cardiac allograft rejection (ACAR) despite its invasive nature. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-based myocardial tissue characterization allows detection of myocarditis. The feasibility of CMR-based surveillance for ACAR-induced myocarditis in the first year after heart transplantation is currently undescribed.Methods: CMR-based multiparametric mapping was initially assessed in a prospective cross-sectional fashion to establish agreement between CMR- and EMB-based ACAR and to determine CMR cutoff values between rejection grades. A prospective randomized noninferiority pilot study was then undertaken in adult orthotopic heart transplant recipients who were randomized at 4 weeks after orthotopic heart transplantation to either CMR- or EMB-based rejection surveillance. Clinical end points were assessed at 52 weeks.Results: Four hundred one CMR studies and 354 EMB procedures were performed in 106 participants. Forty heart transplant recipients were randomized. CMR-based multiparametric assessment was highly reproducible and reliable at detecting ACAR (area under the curve, 0.92; sensitivity, 93%; specificity, 92%; negative predictive value, 99%) with greater specificity and negative predictive value than either T1 or T2 parametric CMR mapping alone. High-grade rejection occurred in similar numbers of patients in each randomized group (CMR, n=7; EMB, n=8; P=0.74). Despite similarities in immunosuppression requirements, kidney function, and mortality between groups, the rates of hospitalization (9 of 20 [45%] versus 18 of 20 [90%]; odds ratio, 0.091; P=0.006) and infection (7 of 20 [35%] versus 14 of 20 [70%]; odds ratio, 0.192; P=0,019) were lower in the CMR group. On 15 occasions (6%), patients who were randomized to the CMR arm underwent EMB for clarification or logistic reasons, representing a 94% reduction in the requirement for EMB-based surveillance.Conclusions: A noninvasive CMR-based surveillance strategy for ACAR in the first year after orthotopic heart transplantation is feasible compared with EMB-based surveillance.Registration: HREC/13/SVH/66 and HREC/17/SVH/80.Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12618000672257. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart transplantation is an effective treatment for end-stage congestive heart failure, however, achieving the right balance of immunosuppression to maintain graft function while minimising adverse effects is challenging. Serial endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) are currently the standard for rejection surveillance, despite being invasive. Replacing EMB-based surveillance with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-based surveillance for acute cardiac allograft rejection has shown feasibility. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of CMR-based surveillance in the first year after heart transplantation., Method: A prospective clinical trial was conducted with 40 orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients. Participants were randomly allocated into two surveillance groups: EMB-based, and CMR-based. The trial included economic evaluations, comparing the frequency and cost of surveillance modalities in relation to quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) within the first year post-transplantation. Sensitivity analysis encompassed modelled data from observed EMB and CMR arms, integrating two hypothetical models of expedited CMR-based surveillance., Results: In the CMR cohort, 238 CMR scans and 15 EMBs were conducted, versus (vs) 235 EMBs in the EMB group. CMR surveillance yielded comparable rejection rates (CMR 74 vs EMB 94 events, p=0.10) and did not increase hospitalisation risk (CMR 32 vs EMB 46 events, p=0.031). It significantly reduced the necessity for invasive EMBs by 94%, lowered costs by an average of AUD$32,878.61, and enhanced cumulative QALY by 0.588 compared with EMB. Sensitivity analysis showed that increased surveillance with expedited CMR Models 1 and 2 were more cost-effective than EMB (all p<0.01), with CMR Model 1 achieving the greatest cost savings (AUD$34,091.12±AUD$23,271.86 less) and utility increase (+0.62±1.49 QALYs, p=0.011), signifying an optimal cost-utility ratio. Model 2 showed comparable utility to the base CMR model (p=0.900) while offering the benefit of heightened surveillance frequency during periods of elevated rejection risk., Conclusions: CMR-based rejection surveillance in orthotopic heart transplant recipients provides a cost-effective alternative to EMB-based surveillance. Furthermore, it reduces the need for invasive procedures, without increased risk of rejection or hospitalisation for patients, and can be incorporated economically for expedited surveillance. These findings have important implications for improving patient care and optimising resource allocation in post-transplant management., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest There are no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). All rights reserved.)

This study delves into the intricate relationship between financial inclusion (FIC) and economic development (ED) within the context of QUAD nations, including the USA, Australia, India, and Japan. Using panel data spanning from 2000 to 2021, the research investigates this relationship by employing various statistical techniques. Initially, the Jarque-Bera (JB) normality test highlights the non-normal distribution of the data. Furthermore, the findings reveal varying slopes and cross-sectional interdependence among the variables, while the panel unit root test confirms their non-stationarity. Consequently, the adoption of the method of moment quantile regression is deemed appropriate for the analysis. The study's results uncover a negative association between FIC and total natural resource rent (TNRR), while renewable-energy usage (REU), ED, and foreign direct investment (FDI) exhibit a positive relationship with FIC. Notably, the impact of TNRR on FIC diminishes at higher quantiles, indicating a diminishing effect. Similarly, the influence of REU and ED on FIC also decreases at higher quantiles, suggesting a reduced contribution as other sectors gain prominence. Conversely, FDI positively affects FIC, with a more pronounced impact observed at higher quantiles. Policy recommendations for QUAD nations include enhancing FIC initiatives, promoting REU, fostering balanced ED, attracting FDI, and encouraging collaborative efforts among the nations. Furthermore, it is imperative for developing nations to implement widespread financial literacy programs specifically targeting vulnerable and marginalized populations, equipping individuals with essential knowledge to make informed financial decisions and gain access to formal financial services., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)