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Background: Knowledge of developmental trends in meeting age-specific 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines is lacking. This study describes developmental trends in device-measured physical activity and sedentary time over a three-year period among Western Australian children aged two to seven years, including differences between boys and girls. The proportion of children meeting age-specific physical activity guidelines before and after they transition to full-time school was also examined. Methods: Data from waves 1 and 2 of the Play Spaces and Environments for Children's Physical Activity (PLAYCE) cohort study were used (analysis n = 1217). Physical activity and sedentary time were measured by accelerometry at ages two to five (preschool, wave 1) and ages five to seven (commenced full-time school, wave 2). Accelerometer data were processed using a validated machine-learning physical activity classification model. Daily time spent in sedentary behaviour, energetic play (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)), total physical activity, and meeting physical activity guidelines were analysed using linear and generalised linear mixed-effects models with age by sex interaction terms. Results: All movement behaviours changed significantly with increasing age, and trends were similar in boys and girls. Total daily physical activity increased from age two to five then declined to age seven. Mean daily total physical activity exceeded 180 min/day from ages two to five. Daily energetic play increased significantly from age two to seven, however, was below 60 min/day at all ages except for seven-year-old boys. Daily sedentary time decreased to age five then increased to age seven but remained lower than at age two. All two-year-olds met their age-specific physical activity guideline, decreasing to 5% of girls and 6% of boys at age four. At age seven, 46% of boys and 35% of girls met their age-specific physical activity guideline. Conclusions: Young children's energetic play and total physical activity increased with age, but few children aged three to seven met the energetic play (MVPA) guideline. Interventions should focus on increasing children's energetic play in early childhood. Clearer guidance and strategies are needed to support young children as they change developmentally and as they transition from one age-specific movement guideline to the next. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety disorders is ranked as the most common class of mental illness disorders globally, affecting hundreds of millions of people and significantly impacting daily life. Developing reliable predictive models for anxiety treatment outcomes holds immense potential to help guide the development of personalised care, optimise resource allocation and improve patient outcomes. This research investigates whether community mental health treatment for anxiety disorder is associated with reliable changes in Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) scores and whether pre-treatment K10 scores and past health service interactions can accurately predict reliable change (improvement). The K10 assessment was administered to 46,938 public patients in a community setting within the Western Australia dataset in 2005–2022; of whom 3794 in 4067 episodes of care were reassessed at least twice for anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, or reaction to severe stress and adjustment disorders (ICD-10 codes F40–F43). Reliable change on the K10 was calculated and used with the post-treatment score as the outcome variables. Machine learning models were developed using features from a large health service administrative linked dataset that includes the pre-treatment K10 assessment as well as community mental health episodes of care, emergency department presentations, and inpatient admissions for prediction. The classification model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.76 as well as an F1 score, precision and recall of 0.69, and the regression model achieved an R2 of 0.37 with mean absolute error of 5.58 on the test dataset. While the prediction models achieved moderate performance, they also underscore the necessity for regular patient monitoring and the collection of more clinically relevant and contextual patient data to further improve prediction of treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare pregnancy outcomes between IA and non IA lupus patients. Background: Pregnancy in lupus patients confers an increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity. There are no data on pregnancy outcomes for indigenous Australian (IA) patients with lupus. Methods: Using state‐wide longitudinal hospital morbidity data, we studied 702 pregnancies in IA (n = 31) and non‐indigenous (NI) patients with lupus (n = 357) in Western Australia and compared rates for live birth (LB), preterm birth (PB) and gestational complications in the period 1985–2015. Results are presented as medians or frequency. Results: IA patients had proportionally more pre‐existing renal disease (35 vs 13%, P < 0.01) and lower socio‐economic status (P = 0.02). Age at first pregnancy was lower in IA patients (27 vs 30 years, P < 0.001), recorded gravidity was similar (2 vs 2, P > 0.6) and elective termination (n = 138) was more frequent in NI than IA pregnancies (21.1 vs 4.8%, P < 0.01). For continued pregnancies (59 in IA and 505 in NI), respective outcomes were as follows: LB 84.7% versus 91.5% (P = 0.15), spontaneous abortion 13.5% versus 6.9% (P = 0.13), (pre‐)eclampsia 8% versus 9.9% (P = 0.89), PB 12% versus 13.4% (P = 0.98) and caesarean delivery 30% versus 47.2% (P = 0.02). Gestational diabetes (26% vs 6.1%), renal flares (20% vs 5.6%) and infections (22% vs 6.3%) were all more frequent in IA lupus pregnancies (all P < 0.001). Conclusions: The burden of comorbidities was higher in IA patients with lupus due to renal flares, gestational DM and infections. Although PB rates were overall high, they were, however, similar for IA and NI lupus pregnancies, as were LB rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In older people with a chronic respiratory disease, we explored (i) usual Smartphone application (App) use, (ii) the time taken to download and use an App, and (iii) changes in self-efficacy for downloading an App after a single practice session. Methods: Participants were invited to attend one or two separate assessment sessions (Part A and B). Those who attended Part A had data pertaining to their App usage over the previous week extracted from their Smartphone. Those who attended Part B were asked to download and use a pedometer App and "think out loud" during the task. Before and after the task, participants rated their self-efficacy for downloading an App using a Visual Analogue Scale (0–10). Results: Twenty-seven participants (mean ± SD 74 ± 5 years) completed Part A. Commonly used Apps related to communication (e.g., texting; median [interquartile range] 15 [9–25] min/day) and interest (e.g., news; 14 [4–50] min/day). Fifteen participants completed Part B (mean ± SD 73 ± 7 years). The median time taken to download and use the App was 24 (22–37) min. The "think out loud" data converged into four domains: (i) low self-efficacy for using and learning Apps; (ii) reliance on others for help; (iii) unpleasant emotional responses; and (iv) challenges due to changes associated with longevity. Self-efficacy increased by 4 (95% confidence interval: 3–6). Conclusion: This population used Apps mainly to facilitate social connection. It took participants almost half an hour to download and use an App, but a single practice session improved self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Western Australian (WA) film industry as a case study, this article revisits the framework proposed by Susan Dermody and Elizabeth Jacka in their anatomy of a film industry project. Acknowledging the power of Dermody and Jacka’s work, the article highlights a lack of detail surrounding the WA case. Drawing on the idea of an ‘imaginary’ industry as a key construct, it argues that a modified version of the framework is needed to account for the WA case, especially at the organizational level. The article proposes that the period 1969/70 to the present can be analysed in terms of three distinct eras and focuses on the first two (1969–1983; 1983–1993). It discusses the organization of film industry policy according to a logic of industry development, and a persistent tension between constructions of industry as production and culture. It gathers the extant scholarly resources for an anatomy of the WA industry (including works by Brian Shoesmith, Tom O’Regan, Tim Fetherstonhaugh, Vincent O’Donnell and others). Drawing on this writing, this article represents a belated contribution to the anatomy of a film industry project and a call to action in relation to the analysis of contemporary industry discourse in WA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the health beliefs and health behaviours of older Vietnam‐born people living with chronic disease in Western Australia. Design: This study was designed as a focused ethnography guided by the interpretative research paradigm and Leininger's Theory of Culture Care. Methods: Data were collected through participant observation and interviews undertaken at participants' homes in Western Australia over 7 months in 2019. Data were analysed using Wolcott's approach for transferring qualitative data, comprising three phases: description, thematic analysis and interpretation. Results: This study included 12 participants. The health perspectives and practices of older Vietnam‐born Australians significantly reflected the traditional Vietnamese values. These included the stigma towards chronic disease as an inevitable consequence of ageing; self‐blame thoughts about chronic disease causations and maintained traditional dietary practices. However, some aspects of their health behaviours such as beliefs and practices in traditional medicine, Western medicine and physical exercise reflected a blended approach combining both Vietnamese‐oriented and Westernized‐orientated practices. Individual factors were also identified as contributing to chronic disease self‐care among participants. Conclusion: This study emphasizes culture played a significant role in shaping the way that older Vietnam‐born Australians believed and behaved while living with chronic conditions. However, it also indicates that culture is not a stationary concept, it evolves gradually and is socially constructed. Implications: A better understanding of the health beliefs and practices of older Vietnam‐born Australians is expected to contribute to the delivery of culturally safe and effective support for this population. The achievement of culturally safe care requires a systemic approach and collaboration of strategies across sectors. Patient and public contribution: This study encompassed the contribution of 12 older Vietnam‐born Australians who offered the researcher the privilege to enter their world and the staff of social care organization who opened the gate for the researcher to approach participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore paramedics' experiences and perspectives about attending and managing older adults who had fallen. This qualitative, exploratory study used a purposive sample of paramedics in Western Australia. Participants had at least one year of clinical experience. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken. Data were analysed via an inductive thematic approach. Fourteen paramedics were interviewed (Median age: 38 years, n = 5 females). The main theme identified that experiences were positive when attending patients with high-acuity medical problems or injuries following falls because binary decision-making (transport vs non-transport) was appropriate. Themes highlighted that decision-making for low-acuity falls attendances was a complex balance between 1) patient context, 2) risk management, 3) paramedic reactions, and 4) the lack of alternate referral pathways available. Experiences could be stressful and frustrating when attending falls call-outs for older adults with no injuries or medical problems. Participants concurred that when transport to hospital was not required there were no available, alternative pathways to refer onwards for appropriate health or social care. Attending low-acuity call-outs for falls was often frustrating and required complex decision-making, with gaps in services identified. Further exploration of alternative referral pathways for health care for pre-hospital management of adults who fall is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to compare shear wave elastography (SWE) of benign and malignant breast lesions, evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of previously suggested thresholds for identifying malignant breast lesions, and compare SWE measures across histopathological type and grade. Methods: This single‐centre study included 303 patients, and 405 solid breast lesions were biopsied and evaluated by mammography, which may have included contrast‐enhanced mammography, conventional B‐mode ultrasound, and SWE. Following this, elastography mean (Emean), maximum (Emax), and ratio (Eratio) variables were calculated for elasticity in kilopascals (kPa) and speed in metres per second (m/s). Results: Malignant (n = 113) samples were significantly higher than benign (n = 267) across all SWE variables [median (interquartile range)]; Emean (kPa) [132.8 (34), vs. 41.9 (53.6), p <.001], Emean (m/s) [6.9 (1), vs. 3.7 (2.2), p <.001]. The highest combined sensitivity and specificity were for Emax (97%, 73%) at >80 kPa, and Emean (96%, 76%) at >5.2 m/s. Histopathological grade 3 (kPa), Emean [145.8 (22.5), p =.012], Emax [147.8 (19.4), p =.009], and Eratio [11.7 (6.6), p =.006] were significantly higher than grades 1 [129.2 (37.3), 133.2 (35.9), 7.53 (4.7)] and 2 [127.3 (36.4), 133.3 (34.2), 8.3 (6.1)]. Conclusion: Breast elastography is a sensitive complementary technique that can distinguish between malignant and benign lesions and help characterise histological profile and grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore how health professionals provide information to informal carers during inpatient stroke rehabilitation and whether these practices align with adult learning principles. Methods: Informal carers and survivors of stroke who had completed inpatient rehabilitation, and health professionals working in inpatient stroke rehabilitation were interviewed. Directed qualitative content analysis was conducted using an adult learning model, to determine how closely reported practices aligned to adult learning principles. Results: 14 carers, 6 survivors of stroke and 17 health professionals participated. Carers (79% female, 57% spouse/partner) reported having incomplete knowledge during rehabilitation, lacking information about mechanisms of stroke recovery, rehabilitation processes, long-term effects of stroke, and navigating post-discharge services. Health professionals supported carers to address their learning needs related to safety of caring for stroke survivors. Carers indicated they were responsible for their own non-safety related learning. Health professionals tended not to check carers' understanding of information provided nor offer learning opportunities beyond written or verbal information. Conclusions: Health professionals consistently provide certain information to carers during inpatient rehabilitation, but adult learning principles are not routinely applied when information is provided. Fostering adult learning among informal carers may improve preparedness of carers to support stroke survivors after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Carers reported often being in a state of shock in the early post-stroke period, and may need extra support to remember, understand, and apply information. Carers are often highly motivated to acquire immediate and relevant information tailored to their situation. Interactions between health professionals and carers are learning opportunities that can assist the carer to commence their unexpected and significant learning journey. Health professionals should apply adult learning principles when communicating with carers on all topics, not just topics important to the healthcare team such as patient safety and requirements for discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves offer many important ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, serving as nursery grounds to many organisms, and acting as barriers where land and sea converge. Mangroves exhibit environmental flexibility and resilience and frequently occur in nutrient-limited systems. Despite existing research on mangrove microbiomes, the effects of nutrient additions on microbial community structure, composition, and function in intertidal and landward zones of mangrove ecosystems remain unclear. We utilized a long-term nutrient amendment study in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia conducted in two zones, the intertidal fringe and supralittoral scrub forests, dominated by Avicennia marina. Root samples were fractionated into rhizosphere, rhizoplane and endosphere compartments and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to determine the effects of nutrient stress on community structure and function. Our data showed species richness and evenness were significantly higher in the scrub forest zone. PERMANOVA analysis revealed a significant effect of nutrient enrichment on beta diversity (p = 0.022, R2 = 0.012) in the fringe forest zone only. Cylindrospermopsis, which has been associated with harmful algal blooms, was found to be significantly enriched in fringe phosphatefertilized plots and nitrogen-fixing Hyphomicrobiales were significantly depleted in the scrub nitrogen-fertilized plots. Meanwhile, root compartments and forest zone had a greater effect on beta diversity (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.186; p = 0.001, R2 = 0.055, respectively) than nutrient enrichment, with a significant interaction between forest zone and root compartment (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.025). This interaction was further observed in the distinct divergence identified in degradative processes of the rhizosphere compartment between the two forest zones. Degradation of aromatic compounds were significantly enriched in the fringe rhizosphere, in contrast to the scrub rhizosphere, where degradation of carbohydrates was most significant. Despite the highly significant effect of forest zone and root compartments, the long-term effect of nutrient enrichment impacted community structure and function, and potentially compromised overall mangrove health and ecosystem stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year, malignant melanoma accounts for 57 000 deaths globally. If current rates continue, there will be an estimated 510 000 new cases annually and 96 000 deaths by 2040. Melanoma and keratinocyte cancers (KCs) incur a large societal burden. Using a mathematical population model, we performed an economic evaluation of the SunSmart program in the state of Western Australia (WA), a primary prevention program to reduce the incidence of skin cancer, versus no program. A societal perspective was taken combining costs to the health system, patients and lost productivity. The model combined data from pragmatic trial evidence of sun protection, epidemiological studies and national cost reports. The main outcomes modelled were societal and government costs, skin cancer counts, melanoma deaths, life years and quality-adjusted life years. Over the next 20 years, the model predicted that implementing the WA SunSmart program would prevent 13 728 KCs, 636 melanomas and 46 melanoma deaths per 100 000 population. Furthermore, 251 life years would be saved, 358 quality-adjusted life years gained and AU$2.95 million in cost savings to society per 100 000 population would be achieved. Key drivers of the model were the rate reduction of benign lesions from sunscreen use, the costs of purchasing sunscreen and the effectiveness of reducing KCs in sunscreen users. The likelihood of WA SunSmart being cost-effective was 90.1%. For the WA Government, the estimated return on investment was $8.70 gained for every $1 invested. Primary prevention of skin cancer is a cost-effective strategy for preventing skin cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the clinical profile of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) presentations to paediatric cardiology tertiary services in Western Australia (WA). Methods: A retrospective clinical audit of individuals with confirmed ARF referred to the only paediatric tertiary cardiac service in WA (1 January 1987 to 31 December 2020). Comparisons between inpatient, outpatient, remote and non‐remote groups were assessed. Results: Four hundred seventy‐one episodes of ARF in 457 individuals (235 male; median age = 8 years) met clinical criteria. The majority were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (91.2%), with 62.1% living in remote areas. The number of ARF and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) diagnoses per year increased from 1987 to 2017 with notable peaks in 2013 and 2017. The average annual incidence of tertiary‐referred ARF in WA of 4–15‐year‐olds from 1987 to 2020 was 4.96 per 100 000. ARF features included carditis (59.9%), chorea (31%), polyarthritis (30%) and polyarthralgia (24.2%). RHD was evident in 61.8% of cases and predominantly manifested as mitral regurgitation (55.7%). Thirty‐four children (7.4%) with severe RHD underwent valvular surgery. 12% had at least one recurrent ARF episode. Remote individuals had more than double the rate of recurrence compared to non‐remote individuals (P = 0.0058). Compared to non‐remote episodes, remote presentations had less polyarthritis (P = 0.0022) but greater proportions of raised ESR (P = 0.01), ASOT titres (P = 0.0073), erythema marginatum (P = 0.0218) and severe RHD (P = 0.0133). Conclusion: The high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians affected by ARF/RHD in WA reflects the significant burden of disease within this population. Children from remote communities were more likely to present with concurrent severe RHD. Our study reinforces the persisting need to improve primary and secondary ARF initiatives in rural and remote communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Urmia in the northwest of Iran is one of the largest vanishing lakes in the world. Several water-saving strategies have been implemented in the lake basin over the last decade, but they are not producing efficient results. This study employed a modified version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), an agrohydrological model, to investigate the basin-scale effectiveness of some water-saving plans implemented at the farm scale. Data collected from 301 monitoring sites in the Lake Urmia basin were applied to the modified SWAT model. The modified SWAT model was used to estimate water balance components and was coupled with the Water Accounting Plus framework (WA+). Six discharge stations, crop yields, evapotranspiration, and groundwater level tables were calibrated and validated from 1987 to 2015 within the Zarrineh Rud Basin (ZRB), the most crucial subbasin in the Lake Urmia basin. Next, four individual water-saving plans—changes in irrigation management and developments in irrigation systems, changes in fertilizer type and regime, changes in the type and method of cultivation, and farm size and shape adjustments—as well as seven combinations of the water-saving plans, were applied to the agrohydrological model. The results reveal that assessing restoration plans for Lake Urmia without considering both farm and basin scales provides no reliable results. With changes in management and the development of irrigation systems, considerable differences in water withdrawal were observed. Developing irrigation systems leads to enhanced water consumption and evapotranspiration, which is expected to improve water yield and crop productivity. However, individual plans such as developments in irrigation systems cannot increase the inflow to Urmia Lake, and combined water-saving strategies can help restore the lake only to a limited extent, because the changes in inflow are not substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant variability in the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among young autistic persons worldwide and this is under-studied in Australia. Apart from risperidone, approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration to manage challenging behaviour, the appropriateness of other psychotropic medications prescribed to young autistic persons warrants scrutiny. This retrospective study aims to gain initial insight into the magnitude, types and indications of psychotropic medication use in autistic children and adolescents in Western Australia. We analysed de-identified data from 239 autistic children and adolescents (⩽21 years) who participated in the Western Australian Autism Biological Registry between 2011 and 2015 and who completed a questionnaire regarding medication use. One-quarter (n = 66, 28%) of young autistic people reported using a total of 137 medications. Most (n = 46, 70%) of those medicated were under 12 years of age; half (n = 33) were 6–12 years and a fifth (n = 13) were under 6 years. The most used medications were stimulants (n = 35, 53.0%), followed by antidepressants (n = 24, 36.4%), antiepileptics (n = 21, 31.8%), sedatives (n = 15, 22.7%) and antipsychotics (n = 14, 21.2%). These medications were mainly to manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, challenging behaviours, seizures, insomnia, undefined anxiety, depression and mood instability. While most autistic young people in the Western Australian Autism Biological Registry did not report using psychotropic medication, over a quarter were prescribed medications, primarily stimulants, to manage symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Various medications, including risperidone, were used to help manage challenging behaviours. Medication use should be studied more comprehensively in a larger cohort of autistic persons to confirm our current preliminary observations. Further, future studies should monitor the effectiveness and safety outcomes of such medications due to a limited understanding of their effectiveness in managing the atypical presentation of co-occurring disorders in young autistic persons. Prescriptions and use of medications to treat mental health conditions in young autistic populations are inconsistent worldwide. This makes it hard to compare findings from international studies to the Australian autistic population, where there are limited relevant studies. Apart from risperidone, there are no other medications specified for direct use in autistic persons. This study aims to gain initial broad understanding of the use of medications, commonly prescribed for mental health conditions, specifically by autistics under the age of 21 years. We analysed data that were previously collected as part of the Western Australian Autism Biological Registry between 2011 and 2015 which amounted to 239 surveys completed on young persons with diagnosed autism. The questionnaires included information on co-occurring conditions, current or previous use of medications and reasons for use of the medications. Only one-quarter of the participants in this study reported using at least one mental health–related medication in their lifetime. The most reported medications were stimulants, antidepressants and antiepileptics. The reasons for using medication included managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, challenging behaviours, seizures, sleep difficulties and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The number of individuals reporting medication use in this study was lower compared to other developed countries. Nevertheless, these medications should be monitored due to limited understanding of their use to manage co-occurring symptoms in young autistic persons. The findings highlight the importance of ongoing research to better understand mental health–related medications and inform best practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cushing's syndrome (CS) encompasses various causes of hypercortisolism including adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secreting pituitary adenoma with or without bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, an adrenal adenoma or carcinoma, ectopic ACTH or corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH) secretion by a neoplasm or exogenous corticosteroid therapy. The diagnosis of CS in pregnancy presents a challenge due to overlapping clinical features of pregnancy (weight gain, striae, acne). If untreated, CS in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal complications. Aims: With fewer than 250 cases currently published, we aim to review the clinical presentations, diagnostic methods, management, and outcomes of patients with CS in pregnancy to help optimise our clinical practice. Materials and methods: This is a single‐centre, retrospective review of woman with documented hypercortisolism receiving antenatal care at a tertiary maternity hospital in Perth between 2006 to 2022. Data were collated from electronic and chart reviews. OMNI calculator was used for birthweight calculations. Local ethics and patient consent were obtained. Results: Five women and seven pregnancies were identified. Four women had a pituitary source of ACTH‐dependent CS as confirmed by brain magnetic resonance imaging. One woman had an ectopic source of ACTH. Two women were diagnosed during pregnancy. All pregnancies occurring prior to treatment of the Cushing's disease were complicated by secondary hypertension and diabetes. Conclusion: CS represents a rare and difficult to diagnose condition in pregnancy. When untreated, maternal and fetal outcomes are compromised. Close monitoring of the associated complications with involvement of a multidisciplinary team are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark paintings represent a unique artform that originated in Australia and continues to this day. This paper presents a scientific investigation into both the pigments and binders used by Aboriginal artists from across the Northern Territory (NT) and the Kimberley region in Western Australia (WA) and represents the first major study dedicated to identifying these materials in samples taken from paintings. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify the pigments in the four colors commonly associated with works by Aboriginal artists: red, yellow, black, and white. Iron oxides are used for red and yellow. Typically, kaolin is used for white and carbon or natural manganese ores are used for black, although the use of other pigments such as huntite (white) and battery black were seen in paintings from specific locations. Evidence of trade could not be established during this study; however, analysis shows that artists may use different pigments based on location and availability. A combination of FTIR and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (pyrolysis-GC-MS) was utilized to investigate the presence of a binder in the paint. Plant-based materials were identified as the binder in the majority of the paintings. The use of orchid juice was common, both as a preparatory layer on the bark substrate and as a paint binder. The presence of synthetic resins was more widespread than anticipated, attributed to both conservation efforts and more modern painting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition of the importance of soil moisture information to the optimisation of water-limited dryland cereal production has led to Australian growers being encouraged to make use of soil moisture sensors. However, irrespective of the merits of different sensing technologies, only a small soil volume is sensed, raising questions as to the utility of such sensors in broadacre cropping, especially given spatial variability in soil water holding capacity. Here, using data collected from contrasting sites in South Australia and Western Australia over two seasons, during which either wheat or barley were grown, we describe a method for extrapolating soil moisture information away from the location of a probe using freely-available NDVI time series and weather data as covariates. Relationships between soil moisture probe data, cumulative NDVI (ΣNDVI), cumulative net precipitation (ΣNP) and seasonal growing degree days (GDD) were significant (P < 0.0001). In turn, these could be used to predict soil moisture status for any location within a field on any date following crop emergence. However, differences in ΣNDVI between different within-field zones did not fully explain differences in the soil moisture from multiple sensors located in these zones, resulting in different calibrations being required for each sensor or zone and a relatively low accuracy of prediction of measured soil moisture (R2adj ~ 0.4–0.7) which may not be sufficient to support targeted agronomic decision-making. The results also suggest that at any location within a field, the range of variation in soil moisture status down the soil profile on any given date will present as greater than the spatial variation in soil moisture across the field on that date. Accordingly, we conclude that, in dryland cereal cropping, the major value in soil moisture sensors arises from an enhanced ability to compare seasons and to relate similarities and differences between seasons as a guide to decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypermetabolic response after a burn predisposes patients to hypothermia due to dysfunction of thermoregulation. Traditionally, hypothermia is avoided actively in burn care due to reported complications associated with low body temperature. The likelihood of hypothermia with acute burn surgery is compounded by general anesthesia, exposure of wound areas and prolonged operation times. However, we find limited studies exploring the effects of perioperative hypothermia on length of stay in the adult burn population. To determine associations between postoperative hypothermia and hospital length of stay in adult burns patients. This retrospective cohort study involved patients admitted to the State Adult Burn Unit in Western Australia between 1st January 2015 to 28th February 2021. All adults who underwent surgery for acute burn, and had postoperative recovery room body temperature recorded, were included in the study. In this study, we defined normothermia as >36.5C and hypothermia as < 36.0 °C with mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia being 35.0–35.9 °C, 34.0–34.9 °C and < 34.0 °C, respectively. Patients with hyperthermia were excluded. Multivariable general linear models explored if hypothermia was independently associated with length of stay. Among 1486 adult patients, 1338 (90%) were normothermic postoperatively, with temperatures >36.0C. We included 148 (10%) patients with hypothermia (temperature <36.0 °C) postoperatively. Most burns in the study population were minor: 96% had burns < 15% TBSA. Data modelling demonstrated that hypothermia was associated with a shorter length of hospital stay (coefficient = −0.129, p = 0.041). In adult acute burn patients, postoperative hypothermia was associated with reduced length of stay after surgery. The positive results of this study indicate that a review of the core temperature targets with acute burn surgery, and timing of burn patient cooling practices in general is warranted. • Postoperative hypothermia was associated with reduced length of stay in adult acute burn patients. • These findings suggest possible benefit from mild hypothermia in burns surgery. • A review of body temperature maintenance strategies for acute burn is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of regolith-hosted REE occurrences have recently been discovered in the Esperance region in southern Western Australia. This paper summarizes major characteristics of REE mineralization and discusses contributing factors and potential controls. The main aim is to explain why there is a lack of highly sought-after ion-adsorption-clay-type REE deposits across the region despite the presence of the regolith-hosted REE mineralization on a regional scale. Local mineralization mostly occurs as continuous flat-lying enrichment "blankets" within the residual regolith developed over Archaean–Proterozoic granite gneisses and granitoids with elevated REE content. The enriched horizon is commonly located in the lower saprolite and saprock and is accompanied by an overlying REE-depleted zone. This distribution pattern, together with the data on HREE fractionation and the presence of the supergene REE minerals, indicates chemogenic type enrichment formed by supergene REE mobilization into groundwater, downward transport, and accumulation in the lower part of the weathering profile. Residual REE accumulation processes due to bulk rock volume and mass reduction during weathering also contribute to mineralization. It is proposed that climate and groundwater chemistry are the critical regional controls on the distribution of REEs in the weathering profile and on their speciation in the enrichment zone. Cenozoic aridification of climate in southwest Australia heavily overprinted pre-existing REE distributions in the weathering profile. Acidic (pH < 4), highly saline groundwaters intensely leached away any relatively weakly bound, adsorbed or colloidal REE forms, moving them downward. Dissolved REEs precipitated as secondary phosphates in neutral to alkaline environment at lower Eh near the base of the weathering profile forming the supergene enrichment zone. Low denudation rates, characteristic of areas of low relief under the arid climate, are favourable for the preservation of the existing weathering profiles with REE mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Telehealth plays an integral part in healthcare delivery. The impact of telehealth and the COVID‐19 pandemic on medication prescribing and patient satisfaction with telehealth in cardiology clinics remains unknown. Methods: A retrospective study of cardiology clinic patients at an Australian tertiary hospital was conducted; 630 patients seen before the COVID‐19 pandemic (0.6% telehealth) and 678 during the pandemic (91.2% telehealth) were included. Medication changes, new prescriptions and time to obtaining prescriptions after clinic were compared. To evaluate patients' experiences, cardiology clinic patients reviewed during the pandemic were prospectively invited to participate in an electronic survey sent to their mobile phones. Results: The overall rates of medication changes made in the clinic between the prepandemic and the pandemic periods did not differ significantly (26.9% vs 25.8%). Compared with prepandemic, new cardiac medication prescriptions during clinic were significantly less (9.3% vs 2.5%; P < 0.0001) and recommendations to general practitioners (GP) to initiate cardiac medications were significantly more (2.6% vs 9.1%; P < 0.0001). Time to obtaining new prescriptions was significantly longer in the pandemic cohort (median 0 days (range: 0–32) vs 10.5 days (range: 0–231); P < 0.0001). Two hundred forty‐three (32.7%) patients participated in the survey; 50% reported that telehealth was at least as good as face‐to‐face consultations. Most patients (61.5%) were satisfied with telehealth and most (62.9%) wished to see telehealth continued postpandemic. Conclusion: Telehealth during the COVID‐19 pandemic was associated with greater reliance on GP to prescribe cardiac medications and delays in obtaining prescriptions among cardiology clinic patients. Although most patients were satisfied with telehealth services, nearly half of the cardiac patients expressed preference towards traditional face‐to‐face consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who engage in violence and other problematic behaviours, in Australia and other international jurisdictions, can be banned by police from entering certain locations. Bans are expected to deter recipients from further inappropriate behaviours, reduce crime, and increase community safety. This paper examines the operation of two banning mechanisms in Western Australia from the perspective of those charged with their imposition and enforcement. Interviews were conducted with 54 key informants, including police officers, licensees, and venue staff. Interviewees supported police bans as an appropriate way to address disorderly behaviours, and there was consensus regarding key policy objectives and desired outcomes. However, specific policy refinements were identified – including more effective data sharing to improve identification of recipients, more flexible breach provisions, and the introduction of temporary bans – to increase the enforceability and effectiveness of the provisions. Police banning powers in other jurisdictions may benefit from consideration of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pneumothorax can cause distressing breathlessness, however the effect of the accumulated air in the pleural space and its association with diaphragmatic function and symptoms of breathlessness is not well understood. Bendopnoea is an evolving clinical symptom that has been demonstrated as clinically useful in some heart and lung conditions. Whether bendopnoea is present in patients with pneumothorax, and its potential clinical usefulness has not yet been investigated. The PASE study is a pilot study to explore the incidence and clinical relevance of bendopnoea in patients with pneumothorax and may provide better understanding of pneumothorax related dyspnoea. Methods: PASE is a prospective study. Eligible patients are assessed at baseline (pre air drainage/lung reinflation) and in patients whose pneumothorax resolves once the lung has re‐expanded (post conservative management or air drainage procedure). Outcome measures include the incidence of bendopnoea, correlation of the associated symptoms (pain and breathlessness) to the severity of bendopnoea and the size of pneumothorax; and correlation with clinical outcome (i.e., response to air drainage/lung reinflation). The study will recruit 50 participants. Discussion: This is the first study to explore bendopnoea in patients with pneumothorax. The presence and significance of bendopnoea in relation to clinical and physiological parameters in patients with pneumothorax requires investigation. The findings of this study may further current understanding of dyspnoea related pneumothorax. Trial Registration: Name of the registry: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry Trial registration number: ACTRN12623001109695p. URL of the trial registry record for this trial: https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=386631&isReview=true Date of registration: Registered on 24 October 2023. Funding of the trial: This study has not received grant support. The study is sponsored by the Institute for Respiratory Health, a not‐for‐profit organisation. Name and contact information for the trial sponsor: Mr Bi Lam; Finance manager. Level 2, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009. Role of sponsor: The funder is not involved in the planning of the study, gathering, analysing, and interpreting the data, or in preparing the manuscript. Protocol version: 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses how food cooked by Japanese first-generation migrants, both its making and meaning, is remembered and re-interpreted by their descendants in the remote coastal town of Broome, northern Western Australia. From the 1880s to the 1960s Japanese migrants flowed into Broome for its pearl-shelling industry and related businesses. Some, mostly men, intermarried with local Indigenous people, resulting in mixed heritage descendants who now live dispersed among their non-Japanese family members, seemingly assimilated into the multicultural society that constitutes Broome. In conversations with these Japanese descendants, memories related to food cooked at home by their Japanese first-generation ancestors often surfaced despite these foods being rarely eaten. Though these memories are not of the food itself, but of the family meals and social relations accompanying them, mentioning "food" helps them express their diverse relationships with their Japanese ancestors, support their nuanced identification with Japanese heritage, as well as respond to various images of "Japanese-ness" they encounter in the globalized world. A key finding of the research is that these Japanese descendants utilized food-related memories to articulate and position themselves in different contexts, despite not exhibiting strong Japanese cultural traits, including eating or cooking the aforementioned "food." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies report conflicting results regarding the relationship between labour epidural analgesia (LEA) in mothers and neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring. We evaluated behavioural and neuropsychological test scores in children of mothers who used LEA. Children enrolled in the Raine Study from Western Australia and delivered vaginally from a singleton pregnancy between 1989 and 1992 were evaluated. Children exposed to LEA were compared with unexposed children. The primary outcome was the parent-reported Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) reporting total, internalising, and externalising behavioural problem scores at age 10 yr. Score differences, an increased risk of clinical deficit, and a dose-response based on the duration of LEA exposure were assessed. Secondary outcomes included language, motor function, cognition, and autistic traits. Of 2180 children, 850 (39.0%) were exposed to LEA. After adjustment for covariates, exposed children had minimally increased CBCL total scores (+1.41 points; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09 to 2.73; P =0.037), but not internalising (+1.13 points; 95% CI –0.08 to 2.34; P =0.066) or externalising (+1.08 points; 95% CI –0.08 to 2.24; P =0.068) subscale subscores. Increased risk of clinical deficit was not observed for any CBCL score. For secondary outcomes, score differences were inconsistently observed in motor function and cognition. Increased exposure duration was not associated with worse scores in any outcomes. Although LEA exposure was associated with slightly higher total behavioural scores, there was no difference in subscores, increased risk of clinical deficits, or dose–response relationship. These results argue against LEA exposure being associated with consistent, clinically significant neurodevelopmental deficits in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assimilation and prolonged suspension of crust-derived sulfide liquid in komatiites are essential to form Ni-rich mineralisation. Evaluating the spatial relationship between komatiite-hosted Ni mineralisation and crustal S sources may thus provide insights into mechanisms of transport, metal enrichment and deposition of assimilated sulfide liquid. This study applied facies analysis and S isotopes to sulfides in Ni-mineralised komatiites and stratigraphically underlying bimodal volcanic-volcaniclastic and sedimentary rocks, which formed during rifting in the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt, Western Australia. The results revealed a lateral variation from rift-distal sedimentary sulfides, through sulfidic BIF, to rift-proximal VMS-style sulfides, the latter of which was predominantly assimilated by komatiites. Both crustal and komatiite-hosted sulfides were overprinted by granite-related skarn alteration during later basin inversion. Spatial S isotopes correlation revealed that Ni mineralisation in komatiites predominantly formed < 5 km from their crustal S sources, excluding long lateral transport as the main metal enrichment mechanism. Rather, metal enrichment likely happened through multiple cycles of sulfide entrapment and entrainment in lava flow vortices that formed in the wake of topographic steps represented by syn-rift faults. These faults were the main loci for pre-existing crustal weaknesses, hydrothermal fluid circulation, and VMS-style sulfide deposition, which were subsequently utilised by komatiites for enhanced thermo-mechanical erosion and crustal sulfide assimilation. This study shows that proximity to the syn-rift faults was the dominant control on the formation of komatiite-hosted Ni–sulfide mineralisation, regardless of substrate lithology. The S isotope signatures of crustal sulfides may be used as a proxy to identify syn-rift faults in highly deformed terranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the dental staff knowledge of simulated patient methodology and support for its use to investigate dental staffs' triaging ability. Material and Methods: Staff at dental practices in Western Australia were invited to participate in a cross‐sectional online questionnaire, consisting of demographic questions, questions on triaging, and knowledge of simulated patient methodology. Descriptive and parametric tests were undertaken for quantitative data; qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Results: Of the 100 participants, most were female (71%), aged 25−39 years (57%), dentists (46%), and worked in private practices (60%). While 82% of participants triaged dental appointment enquiries, only 26% had heard of simulated patient studies. The majority (66%) of participants spent 1−5 min when triaging appointments and less than half (29%) asked about medical history, aggravating or alleviating factors. Although there was a general positive attitude toward use of simulated patient methodology to investigate practice, some concerns were identified. Conclusions: The findings of our exploratory study suggests that there may be a potential for utilizing simulated patient studies to improve the care of patients by dental receptionists in general dental practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal stress triggers the breakdown of the obligate symbiosis between the cnidarian coral host and its autotrophic dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae. This diverse family exhibits pronounced functional variation that has large implications for the survival of their coral host. In this study, we explored patterns of symbiont community composition and diversity in the coral Turbinaria reniformis, a turbid reef specialist, along a latitudinal and environmental gradient in Western Australia. Using metabarcoding of the internal transcribed spacer region 2, we explored symbiont community patterns, their environmental drivers, and potential associations with host genetic structure. Our findings reveal a predominance of Cladocopium across our study area, with distinct regional composition influenced primarily by sea surface temperature. Geographical distance and host genetic data did not align with symbiont community divergence, suggesting a complex interplay of environmental and genetic factors t shaping the community structure. This study underscores Cladocopium stability in Western Australia across large distances and strong environmental gradients. It also highlights the highly diversified lineage community that may explain T. reniformis ability to thrive in a wide range of environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Method Results Discussion and Conclusions Police‐issued barring notices are currently used in Western Australia in response to alcohol‐related disorderly and anti‐social behaviour. This paper examines the type, severity and trajectory of the offending behaviours associated with served barring notices.WA Police Force de‐identified the data for 3815 individuals who had received one or more police‐imposed barring notice/s between 2011 and 2020. The offence category associated with each barring notice was examined to explore the overall breakdown and whether/how offending categories change for recipients of subsequent barring notices.For single and multiple barring notice recipients, the most common offence categories were fighting/physical violence and public order offences. Within a subset of the data, non‐anti‐social offences also spiked. Aggressive behaviours predominate for recipients in metropolitan areas, compared with public order offences in regional locations.For recipients of multiple barring notices, behaviours do not become more serious but neither do they moderate to any notable extent. The low number of repeat barring notices (5%) may suggest an overall beneficial effect on recipient behaviours but more analysis is needed to examine the potential confounding effects of factors, such as fly‐in/fly‐out workers, policing and locational differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesMethodResultsConclusions\nKey PointsTo produce national clinical norms for WASC-Y, examine the internal consistency of the WASC-Y scales, compare scores from a clinical sample with previously published community sample data, and test the degree to which other scales predict the Suicide Scale.We analysed WASC-Y data from 1226 Aboriginal youth who had presented to mental health services between 2007 and 2022 and compared their scores to the original community norms.Our sample shows a higher level of mental health risk than does the normative sample that varied according to gender. We found high levels of suicidal behaviour in the clinical sample: 41.5% admitted to thoughts of suicide and 25.0% reported one or more suicide attempts. One in 23 reported a high likelihood that they would attempt suicide again. Knowing someone who has suicided was associated with higher Suicide Risk. Linear modelling showed that Suicide Risk is predicted by a combination of all other WASC-Y scales and gender, with females at higher risk than males. There is emerging evidence that Cultural Resilience provides some mitigation of Suicide Risk.Our data provide the first culturally and psychometrically valid national mental health profile of Aboriginal youth accessing mental health services, including separate clinical norms for males and females. Aboriginal youth present with serious levels of suicide and mental health risk that urgently require improved access to clinically and culturally competent services. Our findings provide evidence of construct validity, in that scale scores showed meaningful associations with each other and with other variables in expected ways.What is already known about this topic: The WASC-Y stands alone as a culturally valid, psychometrically sound, and clinically valid screening tool to assess Aboriginal youths’ suicide risk, mental health risk, and cultural resilience.WASC-Y norms were derived from a non-clinical sample of 13- to 17-year-old school students in Western Australia.Clinical norms for WASC-Y are needed.The WASC-Y stands alone as a culturally valid, psychometrically sound, and clinically valid screening tool to assess Aboriginal youths’ suicide risk, mental health risk, and cultural resilience.WASC-Y norms were derived from a non-clinical sample of 13- to 17-year-old school students in Western Australia.Clinical norms for WASC-Y are needed.What this paper adds: We now have separate clinical norms for male and female Aboriginal youth that show high rates of suicidal ideation and behaviour.Suicidal ideation and behaviour are significantly higher among Aboriginal youth who know someone close to them who has suicided than among those who do not.Linear modelling indicates that scores on the Suicide Scale are best predicted by a combination of all other WASC-Y scales and gender.We now have separate clinical norms for male and female Aboriginal youth that show high rates of suicidal ideation and behaviour.Suicidal ideation and behaviour are significantly higher among Aboriginal youth who know someone close to them who has suicided than among those who do not.Linear modelling indicates that scores on the Suicide Scale are best predicted by a combination of all other WASC-Y scales and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Computerised static visual field testing using dedicated machines such as the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) can assess and track changes in visual field sensitivity. The use of retrospective visual field databases is a novel undertaking, with no studies published utilising large scale population‐level data. This study phase developed a method to extract HFA data into a large standardised population‐based database including point sensitivity data with additional derived variables.Retrospective, longitudinal, population study of visual field data from people who attended an ophthalmology service and had a HFA field test, in Western Australia, between 1988 and 2022. Raw test data included patient demographic fields, sensitivity readings and test parameters. Calculated fields included reliability scores, and a novel combined reliability score.There were 606 230 tests for 92 215 study individuals, from 22 ophthalmology practices in metropolitan Perth and three public hospital eye clinics, representing around 85% of the field tests performed by ophthalmologists each year. Raw sensitivity values were available for all tests, and additional descriptors were available for most tests (97.5%–100% of tests) with the exception of data variables retired by the manufacturer.Visual field data from 606 230 tests were collated into a single dataset, which is highly representative over a long period of time, for a defined population. This dataset has been linked to other administrative datasets to allow for epidemiological investigation of field of vision disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Patients in rural Australia have limited access to intravitreal treatments due to a maldistribution of the ophthalmology workforce. To improve access, a novel outreach service model was implemented whereby junior medical staff administered intravitreal injections under a supervising ophthalmology consultant. This model involves outreach visits in hospitals, mobile clinics and a remote hub with intravitreal injections administered by junior doctors overseen by an ophthalmologist. The article explores the safety of this approach with respect to the rate of post‐injection endophthalmitis.A retrospective audit was conducted by the Lions Outback Vision outreach ophthalmology service from 2017 to mid‐2023. The number of injections, locations, diagnoses, intravitreal agents used, designation of administering doctor and cases of endophthalmitis were reviewed.A 12 632 intravitreal injections were administered across 32 locations throughout rural Western Australia in the 6.5‐year period. Three cases of endophthalmitis occurred representing a rate of 0.0237%.The rate of endophthalmitis in the outreach service is comparable to other centres. The outreach model with supervising ophthalmology consultant support in person or via telehealth and administration of injections by junior medical staff has improved access for underserved or marginalised populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nKEY POINTSPlatinum group elements (PGEs) are commonly hosted by base metal sulfides (BMSs, e.g. chalcopyrite or pentlandite) or platinum group minerals (PGMs). PGE-bearing phases are generally small, ranging from tens of nanometres to a few micrometres. In addition, PGEs can be hosted in PGMs, either intimately associated with BMSs or spatially separated. This poses a difficulty in their detection and analysis, and leads to uncertainty in identification of their mineral hosts. Their erratic occurrence introduces a substantial nugget effect in bulk rock assays, used to evaluate deposit economics on a larger scale. Knowledge of PGE hosts has a direct influence on resource management and extraction efficiency, making the understanding of mineral distribution important for processing. The Eastman Ultramafic Intrusion is a layered mafic–ultramafic intrusive complex in the Eastern Kimberley of Western Australia. Samples from Cu–Co–Ni–PGE exploration drilling at Eastman were bulk-assayed and found to contain up to 2.39 ppm PGEs. The rocks have been strongly altered and no longer represent their primary magmatic mineral assemblage and textures. To better understand the Eastman PGE mineralogy, we applied a multi-method approach of quantitative analytical electron microscopy, 3D scanning and in situ mass spectrometry. We find that Pt is primarily hosted in sperrylite, whereas Pd is mainly associated with kotulskite, pseudomertieite, testibiopalladite, sudburyite and michenerite. Additionally, minor Pt and Pd occur in solid solution within cobaltite, as well as Rh-rich cobaltite (hollingworthite). Spatially, PGMs and cobaltite are mostly clustered on a millimetric scale, and BMSs on a micrometric scale.Three-dimensional computed tomography scanning is a valuable tool for understanding PGM distribution, nugget effect scale and narrowing down interest areas for sample analysis.Guided by 3D scanning, combined quantitative analytical electron microscopy and i mass spectrometry are effective for finding and identifying PGEs.Platinum is overwhelmingly hosted in the arsenide sperrylite, whereas palladium is mostly hosted in various bismuthides and tellurides. Cobaltite contains minor Pt and Pd.The Eastman mineralisation is primarily orthomagmatic, and later reequilibration at low temperature redistributed palladium but not platinum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusions This retrospective study aims to analyse the epidemiology, clinical and neuroimaging features, treatment modalities, and outcomes of paediatric idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in a tertiary care centre in Australia.Using the International Classification of Diseases Diagnostic Criteria for IIH, we identified and analysed a cohort of children diagnosed with IIH over a 5‐year period (2017–2022). Data on patient demographics, symptomatology, examination findings, investigative results, treatments and outcomes were collected from medical records and electronic health records.A total of 45 cases were analysed. The pre‐pubertal group saw a male predominance and the post‐pubertal a female one. Increased body mass index was an associated comorbidity in majority of patients. Headaches (89%) and visual symptoms (56%) were the most common symptoms, with tinnitus also seen in 20% of patients. Papilledema was detected in 91% of the cases examined. The commonest neuroimaging features were optic nerve sheath distention (78%) and empty sella (49%). Acetazolamide was the primary treatment, with most patients responding well. Only a minority required surgical intervention. Long‐term resolution of headaches was achieved in 89% of patients.The incidence of paediatric IIH in the West Australian population appears relatively high. It presents with subtle symptoms, emphasising the need for increased awareness among health‐care providers. Younger children may represent a distinct subgroup with unique clinical features. Timely diagnosis and aggressive medical management lead to favourable outcomes. However, weight loss interventions showed limited effectiveness. This study underscores the importance of early recognition and management of paediatric IIH to optimise patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposition of this article is that it is time to re-think Aboriginal self-determination. A process should be allowed to develop that is perhaps less grandiose than the failed Voice, which was rejected in October 2023, but more practical and reflective of Aboriginal social, linguistic, and cultural organisation. A process of self-determination that starts at the bottom and then, if necessary, works its way to the state and federal levels. The post-Voice world of Australia is uncertain. The rejection by public referendum of the Aboriginal Voice has left a void that will take a long time to fill. It is contended in the article that life after the Voice is best to be found by empowerment of local Aboriginal communities; by encouraging hundreds of local voices; by enabling those voices to become a keystone for local community affairs; and for those local Aboriginal voices to cooperate as advocates at the state and federal levels. It is suggested that a bottom-up, rather than a top-down model, would be consistent with Aboriginal social and cultural organisation, and ultimately would endow greater credibility and legitimacy for Aboriginal self-determination initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of propolis samples from various regions across Western Australia and identifies some phenolic constituents using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using a modified Folin–Ciocalteu assay, and antioxidant activity was investigated with the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay and also visualised and semi-quantified by HPTLC-DPPH analysis. TPC values ranged from 9.26 to 59.3 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of raw propolis and FRAP assay data from 4.34 to 53.8 mmol Fe2+ mmol/kg of raw propolis, although some of these variations might be related to differences in extraction yields obtained with 70% ethanol. The presence of luteolin, taxifolin, naringenin, and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid was confirmed based on a comprehensive, validated matching approach against an HPTLC-derived database. The findings of the study highlight the importance of future research on the chemical composition and bioactivity of Western Australian propolis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed Methods Results Conclusions So What? The oral glucose tolerance test is the ‘gold standard’ for detecting gestational diabetes in Australian and International guidelines. Test completion in regional, rural and remote regions may be as low as 50%. We explored challenges and enablers for regional, rural and remote antenatal clinicians providing gestational diabetes screening to better understand low oral glucose tolerance test completion.We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi‐structured interviews. Participants eligible for the study were doctors or midwives providing antenatal care in regional, rural and remote Western Australia, between August 2019 and November 2020. Interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed into a Word document. We conducted a thematic analysis after initial categorisation and deduction of themes through workshops involving the research team.We found a diversity of viewpoints on oral glucose tolerance test reliability for detecting gestational diabetes. Themes that emerged were; good collaboration between antenatal clinicians is required for successful screening; screening occurs throughout pregnancy using various tests; clinicians make significant efforts to address barriers; clinicians prioritise therapeutic relationships.Effective universal screening for gestational diabetes in regional, rural and remote Western Australia is difficult and more complex in practice than guidelines imply. Detecting gestational diabetes requires creative solutions, early identification of at risk women and trust and collaboration between clinicians and women.Detection of gestational diabetes in regional, rural and remote Western Australia remains poorly completed. New strategies are required to adequately identify women at risk of adverse birth outcomes relating to hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The geographic distribution of Rhipicephalus linnaei is much wider than previously known. • Rhipicephalus linnaei was recorded on a dingo. • The record of R. linnaei on a dingo suggest that dingoes might aid the spread of Ehrlichia canis in Australia. • We discuss possible incursion routes and how E. canis has apparently spread rapidly in Australia. The tropical brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus linnaei , is a tick of much medical, veterinary, and zoonotic importance. This tick has a nearly world-wide distribution due to its ability to survive and propagate in kennels and houses. Rhipicephalus linnaei is the vector of Ehrlichia canis , the causative agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, an often debilitating disease of canids and, occasionally, humans. To prevent incursion of E. canis into Australia, dogs entering Australia have been required to have a negative immunofluorescence antibody test for E. canis. In May 2020 however, E. canis was detected in Western Australia. The detection of E. canis in Australia prompted disease investigation and concerted surveillance for R. linnaei and E. canis in regions across Australia. These investigations revealed that R. linnaei was established far beyond the previously recognised geographic range limits of this tick. In the present paper, using records from various collections, published data, and data from our network of veterinarian collaborators and colleagues, we update the current geographic range of R. linnaei in Australia. Our analyses revealed that the geographic range of R. linnaei in Australia is much wider than was previously supposed, particularly in Western Australia, and in South Australia. We also map, for the first time, where E. canis has been detected in Australia. Last, we discuss the possible routes of incursion and subsequently the factors which may have aided the spread of E. canis in Australia which led to the establishment of this pathogen in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: This study explored trends in public support for obesity prevention policies in Western Australia (WA). Methods: A series of cross‐sectional surveys of a representative sample of WA adults aged 25–49 years (N = 11 534) were undertaken between 2012 and 2020 as part of an evaluation of the LiveLighter® mass media campaign, a component of a statewide healthy lifestyle education and promotion programme. Computer‐assisted telephone interviews were used to gauge support for a range of obesity prevention initiatives that could be implemented by government. Results: A majority of respondents supported a range of obesity prevention policies, including taxes on sugary drinks, urban planning regulations, food labelling and packaging regulations, restrictions on advertising and sponsorship, bans on the sale and marketing of unhealthy food and drink in retail environments and support for education and campaigns. Obesity prevention policies were highly supported by women, people with a healthy weight, and those who had completed secondary school. Support for regulation was high compared to other studies. Notably, there were significant increases in support between baseline and 2020 for 'taxing soft drinks and using the money to reduce the cost of healthy food' (72% cf. 80%) and 'restricting junk food promotions/advertisements on public transport' (73% cf. 83%). Conclusions: There is substantial public support for regulatory action on obesity prevention in WA, providing strong rationale for government interventions to improve nutrition and reduce obesity. The LiveLighter® programme may have contributed to increases in support for obesity prevention policies in WA. So What?: There is potential to implement robust obesity prevention policies in WA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the correlation between serum levels of YKL-40, LXRs, PPM1A, and TGF-β1 and airway remodeling and lung function in bronchial asthma patients. The study involved 80 bronchial asthma patients and 92 healthy individuals. Serum cytokines, airway remodeling, and lung function markers were compared across mild, moderate, and severe asthma cases using high-resolution CT, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. Asthmatic patients exhibited higher levels of serum YKL-40, LXRα, LXRβ, TGF-β1, airway wall thickness (T)/outer diameter (D), and WA% of total cross-sectional area compared to controls. Conversely, their serum PPM1A, Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1) were lower. Serum YKL-40 and TGF-β1 levels were positively correlated with T/D and WA%, and negatively correlated with PEF and FEV1. PPM1A levels were strongly associated with T/D, WA%, PEF, and FEV1. The severity of bronchial asthma is associated with increased serum levels of YKL-40, LXRα, LXRβ, and TGF-β1 and decreased PPM1A. The levels of YKL-40, PPM1A, and TGF-β1 have a significant correlation with airway remodeling and lung function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Quaternary to Recent sedimentary dolomite in groundwater calcrete and saltmarsh sediments of Lake Way and Lake Maitland, Western Australia, provide new information about the formation of low‐temperature dolomite. Dolomite can form through numerous pathways depending on the depositional and diagenetic environment. Many pathways involve microbial processes and/or the presence of a nucleation substrate which help overcome kinetic barriers preventing precipitation in the laboratory. Petrographic, mineralogical, hydrogeochemical and stable isotopic data in this study reveal the importance of Mg‐clays as nucleation sites for dolomite precipitation in a range of aquifer environments. There is also a close association between authigenic Mg‐clays, dolomite and the potassium–uranyl–vanadate ore mineral carnotite in channel and playa uranium deposits. It is interpreted that evaporation‐driven precipitation of dolomite establishes a positive feedback loop promoting the dissociation of aqueous uranyl–carbonate complexes and concomitant increase in carnotite saturation. Critical to this model is the presence of authigenic Mg‐clays because they facilitate dolomite precipitation and promote carnotite nucleation by concentrating potassium ions on clay surfaces via adsorption. This Mg‐clay–dolomite–carnotite relationship is widespread throughout Western Australian channel and playa uranium deposits and has been observed in similar deposits in Namibia and Botswana. In addition to this economic implication, Mg‐clay mediated nucleation of dolomite potentially has global relevance as a precipitation mechanism for low temperature dolomite in sedimentary deposits where detrital and/or authigenic Mg‐clays are present. Maturation of sedimentary dolomite from disordered high‐calcian dolomite to ordered low‐calcian dolomite occurs very early in the meteoric realm making it resistant to alteration during burial diagenesis. Diagenetic resistance may be further increased by early meteoric silicification related to the degradation of associated Mg‐clays. These findings indicate that Mg‐clay associated sedimentary dolomite has potential to retain a primary isotopic signature indicative of its origin, making it a useful recorder of palaeoenvironmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying stroke incidence and mortality is crucial for disease surveillance and health system planning. Administrative data offer a cost-effective alternative to "gold standard" population-based studies. However, the optimal methodology for establishing stroke deaths from administrative data remains unclear. We aimed to determine the optimal method for identifying stroke-related deaths in administrative datasets as the fatal component of stroke incidence, comparing counts derived using underlying and all causes of death (CoD). Using whole-population multijurisdictional person-level linked data from hospital and death datasets from South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia, we identified first-ever stroke events between 2012 and 2015, using underlying CoD and all CoD to identify fatal stroke counts. We determined the 28-day case fatality for both counts and compared results with gold standard Australian population-based stroke incidence studies. The total number of incident stroke events was 16,150 using underlying CoD and 18,074 using all CoD. Case fatality was 24.7% and 32.7% using underlying and all CoD, respectively. Case fatality using underlying CoD was similar to that observed in four Australian "gold standard" population-based studies (20%–24%). Underlying CoD generates fatal incident stroke estimates more consistent with population-based studies than estimates based on stroke deaths identified from all-cause fields in death registers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare frequency, incidence rates (IR), risk factors and outcomes of a first venous thromboembolic event (VTE) between patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and controls. Methods: Using state-wide longitudinal hospital data from Western Australia (WA), we recorded venous thrombosis (VT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with SLE (n = 1854, median age 40, 86% female) and matched hospitalised controls (n = 12,107, median age 40 years, females 88.6%) in the period 1985–2015. Results presented are medians, frequency, IR per 1000 person years (PY) and odds, rate, or adjusted hazard ratios (OR/RR/a-HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Patients with SLE had significantly higher odds (12.8 vs 3.3%; OR 4.26, CI 3.60–5.05) and IR for a first VTE (10.09 vs 1.52; RR 6.64; CI 5.56–7.79). Over the three study decades, the IR for PE declined in patients with SLE from 7.74 to 3.75/1000 PY (p <.01) with no changes observed for VT or in controls. VTE recurred more frequently in patients with SLE (24.1% vs 10.2 %) (p <.01). Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (a-HR 4.24, CI 2.50–7.19), serositis (a-HR 2.70, CI 1.86–3.91), lupus nephritis (a-HR 1.75 CI 1.25–2.33) and thrombocytopenia (a-HR 1.65 (1.10–2.49) were the strongest disease risk factors for VTE only in patients with SLE, while arterial hypertension, smoking and obesity were independent VTE risk factors for both groups. VTE was not associated with an increased risk for arterial events, but PE increased the risk for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in both patients with SLE (a-HR 6.47, CI 3.73–11.23) and controls (a-HR 9.09, CI 3.50–23.63). VTE increased the risk of death in both patients with SLE (a-HR 2.02, CI 1.50–2.70) and controls (a-HR 6.63, CI 5.21–8.42) after 10 years of follow-up. Conclusions: VTE affected 12.8% of patients with SLE at six times the VTE rate in controls with aPL as the strongest, but not the only risk factor in SLE. The risk of PH was increased in both groups following PE, but VTE did not associate with an increased risk of arterial events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commitment to culturally sensitive practice is an ethical obligation that requires knowledge and skills specific to the practice context. Research shows that incorporating religion and spirituality into mental health practice is central to working effectively with Muslim communities. Practitioners need to consider the unique positionality and intersectionality when promoting mental health among Muslim women living in Western countries. This paper explores the trauma-informed, counseling approach and the integration of spirituality and religion when working with Muslim women living in Western Australia. Using the critical reflection approach, the research focuses on the concept of guilt about mental health and summarizes the main points considered in the counseling framework such as the centrality of spirituality and religion in perceiving guilt. The paper presents some practical strategies to incorporate cultural, religious, and spiritual concepts into the counseling relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study analyzes morphological differences in the pelvis of Japanese and Western Australian individuals and investigates the feasibility of population affinity classification based on computed tomography (CT) data. The Japanese and Western Australian samples comprise CT scans of 207 (103 females; 104 males) and 158 (78 females; 80 males) adult individuals, respectively. Following volumetric reconstruction, a total of 19 pelvic landmarks were obtained on each sample, and 11 measurements, including two angles, were calculated. Machine learning methods (random forest modeling [RFM] and support vector machine [SVM]) were used to classify population affinity. Classification accuracy of the two-way models was approximately 80% for RFM: the two-way sex-specific and sex-mixed models for SVM achieved > 90% and > 85%, respectively. The sex-specific models had higher accurate classification rates than the sex-mixed models, except for the Japanese male sample. The classification accuracy of the four-way sex and population affinity model had an overall classification accuracy of 76.71% for RFM and 87.67% for SVM. All the correct classification rates were higher in the Japanese relative to the Western Australian sample. Our data suggest that pelvic morphology is sufficiently distinct between Japanese and Western Australian individuals to facilitate the accurate classification of population affinity based on measurements acquired in CT images. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the feasibility of population affinity estimation based on CT images of the pelvis, which appears as a viable supplement to traditional approaches based on cranio-facial morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of diverse self‐sustaining ecosystems requires re‐establishment of functional interactions among species. For plant communities, pollinators are usually essential for pollination, seed set and seed quality. A common assumption in ecological restoration for plants pollinated by animals is one of 'build it and they will come', which is rarely tested. Beyond seed set, there may be negative genetic consequences for seed quality if pollinators and their behaviour do not reflect those in reference populations.Here, we conduct an ecological genetic assessment of seed quality via mating system parameters in Lambertia multiflora (Proteaceae), a species dependent on nectar‐feeding birds for pollination. Four populations of L. multiflora in disturbed sites that were rehabilitated following mineral sands mining were compared with four native reference populations, near Eneabba, Western Australia. In each population, approximately 10 offspring from each of 10 maternal plants were genotyped with 11 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers.From these data, genetic diversity and mating system parameters were assessed, and found to be equivalent across all populations. Mean allelic diversity and heterozygosity across loci were very high. All populations were completely outcrossing with no bi‐parental inbreeding. Mean correlated paternity, sibship and effective population size estimates for restored and natural populations were not significantly different and reflected uniformly high paternal diversity and wide outcrossing. Equivalent genetic results for restored and natural reference populations indicate successful restitution of bird‐pollinator services for L. multiflora in these post‐mining rehabilitation sites.Synthesis and applications. Reviewing our results with other published studies to date suggests a resilience of bird‐pollinator services in restored plant communities. These findings provide some reassurance to restoration practitioners working in these global south systems where bird pollination is a feature, at least for similar landscape scenarios. Our study also highlights the global contribution of ecological genetics to the objective assessment of functional species interactions in ecological restoration, an increasingly important goal of land managers and regulators seeking to improve restoration standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a maintenance scheduling model for digester banks. Digester banks are network-connected assets that lie on the critical path of the Bayer process, a chemical refinement process that converts bauxite ore into alumina. The banks require different maintenance activities at different due times. Furthermore, the maintenance schedule is subject to production-related constraints and resource limitations. Given the complexity of scheduling maintenance for large fleets of digester banks, a continuous-time, mixed-integer linear program is formulated to find the cost-minimising maintenance schedule that satisfies all required constraints. A solution approach that employs lazy constraints and Benders decomposition is proposed to solve the model. Unlike generic implementations of Benders decomposition, we show that the subproblems can be solved explicitly using a specialist algorithm. We solve the scheduling model for realistic scenarios involving two Bayer refineries based in Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]