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As a result of market liberalisation, a large number of electricity retailers have emerged in the electricity market. Acting as the intermediaries between the electricity producers and the customers, the electricity retailers aim to balance the supply and demand and shoulder substantial risks generated from both sides. Due to the randomness of the electricity load, it is difficult for electricity retailers to make an accurate electricity purchasing plan in advance to meet customer demand. This deviation leads to a proportion of spot electricity purchases that require a higher purchase cost. As a result, one of the most serious concerns facing electricity retailers is how to improve their balancing abilities and reduce power purchase deviation. In contrast to previous research, which has generally recommended that electricity retailers invest in energy storage systems or develop optimised purchasing strategies, this paper proposes a new strategy for the electricity retailers, which is renting external flexible resources to solve the market uncertainty of the electricity retailers, thereby lowering purchase costs and increasing profits. The proposed business model makes use of the cloud energy storage to solve the supply-demand imbalance issue of electricity retailers. The cost calculation model and decision optimisation model have been established in the process of renting cloud energy storage. Charging and discharging cloud energy storage have been separately rented to deal with different positive and negative load deviations, which can simplify the optimisation model. As an experimental paper, the proposed model has been tested in the PJM power market in the United States and the New South Wales power market in Australia. The findings confirm that renting the cloud energy storage capacities can significantly reduce costs and maximise profits for the electricity retailers when compared to the situation without the cloud energy storage. The biggest saving can reach 24.5% in the PJM market. With the rapid fall of battery prices, the advantage of the proposed strategy will be more obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong First Nations health workforce is necessary to meet community needs, health rights, and health equity. This paper reports the findings from a national survey of Australia's First Nations people employed in health services to identify enablers and barriers to career development, including variations by geographic location and organisation type. A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken across professions, roles, and jurisdictions. The survey was developed collaboratively by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal academics and Aboriginal leaders. To recruit participants, the survey was promoted by key professional organisations, First Nations peak bodies and affiliates, and national forums. In addition to descriptive statistics, logistic regression was used to identify predictors of satisfaction with career development and whether this varied by geographic location or organisation type. Of the 332 participants currently employed in health services, 50% worked in regional and remote areas and 15% in Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) with the remainder in government and private health services. All enablers identified were associated with satisfaction with career development and did not vary by location or organisation type. "Racism from colleagues" and "lack of cultural awareness," "not feeling supported by their manager," "not having role models or mentors," and "inflexible human resource policies" predicted lower satisfaction with career development only for those employed in government/other services. First Nations people leading career development were strongly supported. The implications for all workplaces are that offering even a few career development opportunities, together with supporting leadership by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, can make a major difference to satisfaction and retention. Concurrently, attention should be given to building managerial cultural capabilities and skills in supporting First Nations' staff career development, building cultural safety, providing formal mentors and addressing discriminatory and inflexible human resources policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-nearest neighbours (kNN) is a very popular instance-based classifier due to its simplicity and good empirical performance. However, large-scale datasets are a big problem for building fast and compact neighbourhood-based classifiers. This work presents the design and implementation of a classification algorithm with index data structures, which would allow us to build fast and scalable solutions for large multidimensional datasets. We propose a novel approach that uses navigable small-world (NSW) proximity graph representation of large-scale datasets. Our approach shows 2–4 times classification speedup for both average and 99th percentile time with asymptotically close classification accuracy compared to the 1-NN method. We observe two orders of magnitude better classification time in cases when method uses swap memory. We show that NSW graph used in our method outperforms other proximity graphs in classification accuracy. Our results suggest that the algorithm can be used in large-scale applications for fast and robust classification, especially when the search index is already constructed for the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery of acute health care has changed with the adoption of new technologies to meet changing community needs. In response to this, hospital systems and governments have invested in alternative models of care, including hospital in the home (HITH), where acute care that would typically require inpatient treatment is provided in the patient's home. The academic literature presents evidence for comparable or improved patient outcomes associated with HITH interventions. However, it is currently unknown how consumers and providers view the model in the context of a new healthcare facility. This study aimed to elicit consumer and provider views about HITH and how the implementation of a HITH model of care in a new hospital could meet their healthcare needs. We adopted a qualitative approach for this research. Semistructured workshops and interviews were conducted via Zoom, where we presented patient vignettes of different models of care to consumers and providers and recorded their responses using scribes. Qualitative data were independently coded by pairs of researchers to identify themes and subthemes, and demographic data were aggregated. A total of 51 consumers and 35 providers attended the workshops. Consumers and providers frequently described similar themes, particularly accessibility, patient factors, and the health system consequences of HITH. However, the importance and focus of these topics varied across participants. Participants endorsed HITH as a flexible, patient-centred model with potential for wellbeing benefits. However, they noted the potential need for additional resources and increased anxiety among patients with lower health literacy. To address this, participants described the need for clear escalation protocols, communication channels, and expectations around HITH care. In conclusion, HITH is an established model that brings acute care into the homes of patients. The findings of this study support the provision of flexible acute care delivery to meet consumer needs and address the challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a research capacity building exercise with a group of CNCs practicing in the speciality of paediatrics in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It explores the first step in building a research culture, through identifying the research priorities of members of the NSW Child Health Networks Paediatric Clinical Nurse Consultant group, and this forms the major focus of this paper. A nominal group technique (NGT) was utilised with sixteen members to identify research topics for investigation which were considered a priority for improving children's health care. The group reviewed and prioritised 43 research topics in children's health which were identified in the literature. As a result of conducting this research prioritisation exercise, the group chose two research topics to investigate: reasons for children representing to the Emergency Department and a comparison of the use of high-flow and low-flow nasal prongs in children with bronchiolitis. The research team will continue to mentor the nurses throughout their research projects which resulted from the NGT. One bridge to leadership development in enhancing patient care is translating knowledge to practice and policy development. This study leads the way for a group of CNCs in paediatric nursing to combine their research capacity and influence clinical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carers are a large portion of the Australian community. In 2018, 2.65 million Australians identified as carers, and almost one-third (32.6%) of this group were primary carers. There is currently a lack of understanding of the impact of being a carer on a person's health and wellbeing compared to non-carers. This research was undertaken to understand the health status, health risks, and health outcomes for carers in Central and Eastern Sydney, Australia (CES), who are 45 years of age or over. A record linkage study using data from the 45 and Up Study, Medicare Benefit Scheme claims, hospitalisations, and deaths was undertaken on participants in CES (n = 29,489). Characteristics of carers were described and outcomes over an eight-year period were also calculated. Around 12% of the cohort was carers at a given time, though most transitioned in and out of caring roles over a five-year period. Compared with non-carers, carers in CES had higher rates of self-reported smoking, anxiety, psychological distress, heart disease, and self-rated poor quality of life. Carers had higher rates of general practitioner use than non-carers (Adj. HR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.13, 1.30)). However, hospital admissions and mortality were not significantly different. This study confirms that a small proportion of carers remain in carer roles for many years. Caring often starts suddenly, and people need to quickly adapt to their new role. The finding that carers are well-engaged with GPs suggests they may play an important role in identifying carers who are struggling, and delivering interventions for carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate age differences in treatment and survival from acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods. 1053 ALL/566 AML patients diagnosed in 2003–2015 on the New South Wales Cancer Registry were included. Treatment within 12 months from diagnosis was assessed using linked registry, hospital, and health-insurance data. Differences by age at diagnosis in treatment and survival were investigated using socio-demographically adjusted regression analyses, with adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15–24 years) as the reference category. Results. Children were less likely than AYA to start ALL treatment >3 days from diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.27–0.57)) and to have multiple treatment types (aOR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14–0.34). For AML, aOR of treatment start >3 days was 0.16 (95% CI 0.09–0.29) for children compared with AYA, with no age differences in treatment types. Five-year disease-specific survival for ALL was 84%. Children were less likely than AYA to die from ALL (adjusted subhazard ratio (aSHR 0.32, 95% CI 0.22–0.50)). For AML, the corresponding survival was 73% without an age difference. Children having multiple treatment types for ALL had an increased risk of mortality at aSHR 2.67 (95% CI 1.53–4.67), but not adults at 1.26 (95% CI 0.67–2.47) (interaction p = 0.017). Time from diagnosis to initial treatment start and initial treatment type were not associated with mortality outcomes after adjusting for socio-demographic variables. Conclusion. Children with ALL had better survival. ALL Mortality were negatively associated with multiple treatment types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four adult, client owned dogs with diagnosed bilateral elbow dysplasia undergoing elbow arthroscopy for removal of fragmented medial coronoid process were identified via a retrospective database search, who also received intra-articular administration of pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) (Cartrophen Vet, Biopharm Australia Pty Ltd., Bondi Junction, New South Wales). Dogs had postoperative administration of 5 ml PPS injected into each elbow joint following elbow arthroscopy. Within 1-3 hours of administration, each dog experienced hemorrhage from arthroscopy incisions that was determined to be independent of surgical trauma given lack of hemorrhage intraoperatively. Pressure bandages were placed, and the hemorrhage and elevated coagulation parameters resolved 12-18 hours following intra-articular injection. No further intervention was required, and the dogs were discharged 20-26 hours postoperatively. The purpose of this case series is to describe 4 dogs who experienced transient and focal hemorrhage following off-label intra-articular administration of pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS). While this case series is limited due to small number of cases, results following bilateral, intra-articular injection of PPS support a transient systemic coagulopathy. Though this report represents administration of PSS via a route and at doses beyond that recommended on the label, results suggest that administration of PSS in the manner described in this report should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily electricity price forecasting plays an essential role in electrical power system operation and planning. The accuracy of forecasting electricity price can ensure that consumers minimize their electricity costs and make producers maximize their profits and avoid volatility. However, the fluctuation of electricity price depends on other commodities and there is a very complicated randomization in its evolution process. Therefore, in recent years, although large number of forecasting methods have been proposed and researched in this domain, it is very difficult to forecast electricity price with only one traditional model for different behaviors of electricity price. In this paper, we propose an optimized combined forecasting model by ant colony optimization algorithm (ACO) based on the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model and support vector machine (SVM) to improve the forecasting accuracy. First, both GARCH model and SVM are developed to forecast short-term electricity price of New South Wales in Australia. Then, ACO algorithm is applied to determine the weight coefficients. Finally, the forecasting errors by three models are analyzed and compared. The experiment results demonstrate that the combined model makes accuracy higher than the single models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Previous surveys found CAM use during menopause to be popular. This paper compares the results from two surveys (Sydney and Bologna) to examine factors that determine the extent and pattern of CAM use to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Methods. Women, aged 45-65 years, who were symptomatic when transitioning through menopause or asymptomatic but taking menopause-specific treatments, were recruited in Sydney (n = 1,296) and Bologna (n = 1,106) to complete the same voluntary, anonymous, and self-administered questionnaire. The results were reanalysed using stratified analyses to determine similarities and differences. Results. Demographics of the two cohorts differed significantly. CAM was more popular in Sydney. The most significant determinants of CAM use were the use of CAM for other conditions besides menopause and the severity of vasomotor symptoms. Occupational status was a determinant of CAM use amongst Bologna respondents only. In order to relieve symptoms, Australian and Italian women used different CAM modalities whose effectiveness was generally perceived as good. Conclusion. CAM use is popular amongst menopausal women from Sydney and Bologna. Differences in the patterns of CAM use seem to depend on CAM availability and on the educational level and professional status of users. The complex interaction between market, social, and cultural factors of CAM use seems to be more influential on women's choice of CAM than the available evidence of their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have shown previously that near-infrared light (NIr) treatment or photobiomodulation neuroprotects dopaminergic cells in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) from degeneration induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in mice. The present study explores whether NIr treatment changes the patterns of Fos expression in the subthalamic region, namely, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and zona incerta (ZI); both cell groups have abnormally overactive cells in parkinsonian cases. BALB/c mice were treated with MPTP (100-250 mg/kg) or saline either over 30 hours followed by either a two-hour or six-day survival period (acute model) or over five weeks followed by a three-week survival period (chronic model). NIr and MPTP were applied simultaneously. Brains were processed for Fos immunochemistry, and cell number was estimated using stereology. Our major finding was that NIr treatment reduced (30-45%) the increase in Fos+ cell number evident in the STN and ZI after MPTP insult. This reduction was concurrent with the neuroprotection of dopaminergic SNc cells shown previously and was evident in both MPTP models (except for the 2 hours survival period which showed no changes in cell number). In summary, our results indicated that NIr had long lasting effects on the activity of cells located deep in the brain and had repaired partially the abnormal activity generated by the parkinsonian toxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]