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University graduates have invested significant time, money, and effort into completing their studies, with many discovering that their chosen discipline is not what they were expecting, nor the right fit for their individual values or goals. Transition between disciplines is particularly common in the helping professions, but little is known about the motivation for these transitions. To better understand motivations for transitioning disciplines, we investigated why psychology graduates chose to transition to post-graduate counselling studies. Using semi-structured interviews, we asked the participants (n = 8) to describe their perceptions, motivations, and experiences of studying psychology and counselling. Applying reflexive thematic analysis, we identified a meta-theme that the transition to counselling was facilitated by the participants' desire to have a profession that aligned with their core values; and they viewed counselling as a strength-based, flexible, holistic, and humanistic approach to helping others.

Out-of-field teaching occurs in schools and education systems worldwide. Early career teachers are more likely to be required to teach out-of-field and also to experience adverse effects from this experience, potentially contributing to workforce issues and teacher attrition. This mixed data Australian study reports on the perceptions of preservice teachers--emerging professionals-- regarding issues associated with out-of-field teaching. Survey data were collected from 133 preservice teachers. Data were analysed with an initial layer of sentiment analysis followed by a thematic analysis of their perceptions of consequences for teachers, students, and schools/communities. Findings reveal that preservice teachers are very aware of the mostly negative consequences of out-of-field teaching. The practice has implications for initial teacher education, for policymakers seeking to address teacher workforce issues, and for school and system leaders managing a profession that is high stakes in relation to student outcomes and high stress in relation to professional demands.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the contextual matters of education at all levels, for example, geographic location, community engagement in education and socioeconomic factors, to mention some contextual matters. Awareness of these matters stimulates critical reflections on the depth of preservice teachers' pedagogical content and pedagogical knowledge. This paper examines preservice teachers' pedagogical mobility in periods that rely on disruptive innovation. Preservice teachers' placement settings changed rapidly because of COVID-19 regulations which impacted face-to-face and online teaching and learning environments. This investigation focused on professional learning under the ambit of teacher education, which up to now has been focused on face-to-face teaching pedagogies. The rapidly changing context has made the classroom the pedagogical anchor of education theory and practice. Using a reflective case study approach, we investigated (a) preservice teachers' pedagogical challenges, (b) the meaning of pedagogical flexibility and innovative pedagogical mobility, and (c) the application of teacher performance and teaching standards in a teaching and learning environment affected by COVID-19. The critical self-reflective narratives offer insight into lived experiences and multiple contextual challenges that raise questions about well-prepared preservice teachers.

People's career choices are not necessarily the unfolding of normative experiences. Instead, trauma experienced as cumulate harm throughout childhood affects developmental trajectories and career choices. There is, however, a dearth of research into the influences of cumulative harm on career development. The present research addresses that gap in the literature by an investigation into helping professionals' recollections of their lived experiences of cumulative harm and how they construct its meaningfulness with regard to their work as a helping professional. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was applied to the transcripts of interviews with n = 12 helping professionals. Participants sought to reauthor through the themes of "meaning," "value," "adaptability" and "unintentional motivations." This reflected a journey for all participants from identity conclusions formed through childhood trauma to new territories of identity, achieved through a reconstruction of life narratives by integrating career narratives to reframe and make sense of their cumulative harm experiences.

Introduction: Students increasingly depend on Web search for educational purposes. This causes concerns among education providers as some evidence indicates that in higher education, the disadvantages of Web search and personalised information are not justified by the benefits. Method: One hundred and twenty university students were surveyed about their information-seeking behaviour for educational purposes. We also examined students' information access while using Web search, through twenty-eight one-on-one study sessions. Analysis: Survey participants ranked their preference towards different information resources on a 5-point Likert scale. Given equal exposure to the first five standard pages of the search results during the study sessions, students' explicit and implicit feedback was used to evaluate the relevance of the search results. Results: First, most participating students declared that they use Google search engine as their primary or only information-seeking tool. Second, about 60% of the clicked result links during the study sessions were located in pages 2+ of the search results without personalisation influencing the relevance of the top-ranked search results. In real-life scenarios pages 2+ of the search results receive only ~10% of the clicks. Students also expressed more satisfaction with the relevance of non-personalised over personalised search results. These differences presented a missed information opportunity, an opportunity bias, for students.

Introduction: This paper reports the first stage of an ongoing information behaviour research project undertaken with a rural Indigenous community in South Australia. Method: Twenty-one Ngarrindjeri volunteers participated in the field study. Permission was granted and extensive community consultations were conducted. Analysis: Questionnaires and interview transcriptions were analysed using the open coding method. Results: Ngarrindjeri people's everyday information needs included the gathering of information on weather, jobs, entertainment, culture, education, and health services. The Internet (37.6%) was the most frequently used source of information where participants obtained information from social media, specialised Websites and search engines. However, non-Internet resources accounted for 62.4% of overall information sources and these included local sources such as families and relatives, Elders, and local TV channels. Ngarrindjeri participants were distressed by a lack of computer literacy, costs of maintaining a network, and inadequate facilities in the rural area. Despite this, their attitudes towards the Internet were still positive: they recognised the value of technologies and would like to distribute their culture online, with caution and in an appropriate manner. Conclusion: The study provides insights into indigenous Australians' information behaviour and Internet use in their daily lives. Future research directions are also discussed.

This paper explores the lived experiences of a diverse student cohort enrolled in a master's degree educational-leadership program. The program's global focus was on the quality of teacher education, prospective teachers' workplace preparedness and leaders in the workforce in higher education. Internationalization, real-life experiences and student voice served as an enacted intervention curriculum for an educational leadership course designed to reveal the gap between theory and practice. An epistemological diversity lens stimulated critical reflection on students' participation in the course design and its connection to realities in the field. Diverse higher-education classrooms pose specific challenges for educational leadership programs in including effective internationalization, workplace relevance and improving the generalizability and content validity of the educational leadership course. This small qualitative exploratory investigation provides an in-depth understanding of the value of student voice in informing course and program design. Interviews, observations, two surveys and a document analysis triangulated the data and provided information on the complexities in higher-education classrooms. The findings focus on teacher-educators and higher-education classroom management as well as on the value of critical inquiry, reflection and intervention for existing course designs and transformation.

Developed in concert with twelve special schools (Prep to Year 12) in Queensland, this paper regarding reasonable adjustments that promote quality differentiated teaching practice in special education math classrooms represents the knowledge and expertise of fifty teachers in special education. Survey responses and empirical evidence suggest that three conclusions are warranted: 1) That a focus on reasonable adjustments which is highly individualised, comprehensive and ongoing, needs to be strengthened to positively affect student learning and progression; 2) Neither assessment of student learning in mathematics or failure to respond to the results is sufficient for making judgements about students' learning; and 3) special education teachers do require strong knowledge and skill with differentiating their teaching practice to ensure that students access the curriculum at appropriate year levels.

The study objectives were to develop, trial and evaluate a cross-cultural adaptation of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition Teacher Form (ABAS-II TF) ages 5-21 for use with Indigenous Australian students ages 5-14. This study introduced a multiphase mixed-method design with semi-structured and informal interviews, school observations, and psychometric analyses of existing and new Northern Territory student data. It trained teachers to undertake psychological testing of Indigenous students. The cross-cultural adaptation was performed according to the internationally recommended methodology, using forward translation, back-translation, revision by an expert committee, and a pilot trial. The reliability was estimated through internal consistency and standard error of measurement. The validity was assessed through test content, response process, internal structure, internal consistency, age group differences, inter-correlations among adaptive domains, and correlations with other variables. A clinical validity study tested students' performance with and without special education needs. The results indicated good internal consistency for the adaptive domains and composite score (Social Adaptive Domain, alpha = 0.92; Conceptual Adaptive Domain, alpha = 0.94; Personal Adaptive Domain, alpha = 0.78; General Adaptive Composite, alpha = 0.94). The standard error of measurement indicated high test accuracy. Content-, construct-, and concurrent validity were measured. Concurrent validity evaluated the mean scores of students with and without special education needs, indicated significant variance (p<0.001). The data showed that the cross-cultural adaptation process was successful, and the adapted instrument demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, making it valid and reliable to use in the Indigenous context

Purpose: The study aims to review the entrepreneurial and educational innovations in technology-enabled distance education in practical legal education (PLE) accomplished by a unit "on the periphery" of a strong research-led university. It also aims to examine the learning organisation (LO) attributes associated with this initiative. Design/methodology/approach: This is a longitudinal case study based on interviews and reflective analysis, and reviewed using three "models" drawn from the literature: breaking the "iron triangle" (containing costs; widening access; enhancing quality); a tailored version of distance education appropriate for research-intensive universities; a strategy for successful adoption of disruptive technologies in higher education. Findings: Entrepreneurialism yielded growth (PLE student numbers went from 150 to 2,000 in 15 years) and diversification (two new programmes established). The PLE programme advanced in two "waves": the first centred on widening access and the second, on enhancing quality. Costs were contained. Both the presence and absence of LO attributes are identified at three different organisational levels. Research limitations/implications: Challenges to academic identity may act to inhibit educational change, especially in research-strong settings. Practical/implications: Business logic, and the creation and institutionalisation of educational development support--an "internal networking" group, were keys to success. "Organisational learning" in complex institutional environments such as universities involves understandably lengthy timescales (e.g. decades or more). Practical/implications Technology-enabled disruption in higher education appears relentless. While institutional and individual performance metrics favour research, proven cases of "how to do things differently" in education may well not get exploited, thus opening the market to alternative providers. Originality/value: This is the only empirical example of a tailored version of distance education appropriate for research-intensive universities that we know about.

Previous research indicates that beginning teachers are not fully prepared for what awaits them in the workforce. This study highlights the value of partnerships among higher education providers, schools and employers and links the experiences of beginning teachers to initial teacher education (ITE). Real-life experiences from the field provide information regarding beginning teachers' complex teaching positions that is beneficial to prospective teachers and teacher educators. This transnational qualitative study, completed in Norway, South Africa and Australia, adopted a Vygotskian social constructivist theoretical stance. Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy was applied to offer an in-depth understanding of the effects of classroom experiences on beginning teachers' professional identities and feelings of "belonging" and "at homeness" in their positions. The results of this study highlight the school leaders' perceptions of how well graduate teachers are prepared to meet the demands of the workforce. The study concludes by demonstrating the value of linking beginning teachers' experiences to interventions and the development of ITE programmes. This study's evidence-based findings support its recommendations for policy-makers and its reflections on the link between ITE and employment.

Assigning teachers to a position for which they are not suitably qualified influences effective educational leadership. The paper reveals assumptions and misconceptions about the lived experiences of teachers in out-of-field positions and what it means for effective educational leadership. The multilayered meaning of out-of-field teaching for quality education is an international concern which includes countries such as Australia, USA, UK, Korea, Europe, Turkey and South Africa. The paper reports on a transnational qualitative investigation conducted in Australia and South Africa at seven schools in different educational environments. The meaning of lived experiences in relation to out-of-field teaching and educational leadership is explored through the lenses of educational directors, principals, specialist and out-of-field teachers and parents. An in-depth discussion of the practical and social implications unveils taken-for-granted traditions and cultures in relation to out-of-field teaching. The paper concludes with an in-depth discussion of the meaning out-of-field teaching has for educational leadership, while it underlines specific complexities for decision-making and policy development. The need for further research in relation to educational leadership training and professional development in relation to the out-of-field situation is revealed.

Research into study abroad students' intercultural learning has demonstrated a need to provide pedagogical support before, during and after the study abroad experience. This article reports on the authors' efforts to support the in-country learning of Australian study abroad students through an online guided reflection exercise (blog) with a peer-learning component. Our findings suggest that exposing students to theories of intercultural learning prior to the study abroad experience opens them to the possibility of such learning occurring. However, the unanticipated discovery that the students' most significant intercultural learning stemmed from the processes of social drinking rather than online interaction emphasizes that participation in an unfamiliar culture is an embodied and social experience, and suggests that concentration of pedagogical efforts in familiar and disembodied online spaces may disconnect students from the very experiences on which we wish them to reflect. We therefore recommend that instructors design opportunities for peer learning through embodied social interactions between outgoing and incoming study abroad students, framed by explicit discussion of concepts in intercultural learning. Such scaffolding is likely to be more sustainable in the current Australian fiscal environment than the intensive in-country instructor intervention that is common in the North American context.

Purpose: While the global education debate remains focused on graduate skills and employability, the absence of a shared language between student, academic and industry stakeholder groups means that defining industry skills requirements is both essential and difficult. The purpose of this paper is to assess graduate skills requirements in a knowledge-intensive industry from a demand perspective as distinct from a curriculum (supply) viewpoint. Design/methodology/approach: Skills items were derived from a breadth of disciplines across academic, policy and industry literature. CEOs and senior managers in the innovation and commercialisation industry were surveyed regarding perceptions of skills in graduates and skills in demand by the firm. Two rounds of exploratory factor analyses were undertaken to examine employers' perceptions of the skills gap. Findings: First-order analysis resolved ten broad constructs that represent cognitive, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills domains as applied in this industry. Knowledge, leadership and interprofessional collaboration feature as prominent skills. Second-order analysis revealed employers' perceptions of graduate skills specifically centre on organisational fit and organisational success. An over-arching theme relates to performance of the individual in organisations. Research limitations/implications: The findings suggest that the discourse on employability and the design of curriculum need to shift from instilling lists of skills towards enabling graduates to perform in a diversity of workplace contexts and expectations centred on organisational purpose. Originality/value: In contrast to the heterogeneous nature of industry surveys, the authors targeted a homogenous sector that is representative of knowledge-intensive industries. This study contributes to the broader stakeholder dialogue of the value and application of graduate skills in this and other industry sectors.

The lived experiences of novice teachers in out-of-field positions influence future career decisions and impact on their journey towards being competent and experienced practitioners, conversely their "life-world" is often misunderstood. The purpose of the study reported in this article is to investigate the lived experiences of these teachers, how principals' understanding and leadership styles influence the lived experiences of novice out-of-field teachers, and what these lived experiences mean for school leaders. The article highlights perceptions of school leaders and novice out-of-field teachers about out-of-field teaching. It argues that the strategies implemented by school leaders based on their understanding of novice out-of-field teachers' lived experience greatly influence the development of these teachers. It draws on Gadamer's theories to investigate the lived experiences and perceptions of four principals and four novice out-of-field teachers through the different lenses of these participants. It concludes with a discussion on the interrelationships between school leaders' understanding, novice teachers' lived experience and what it means for the teaching environment. Participants' interpretation of specific lived experiences connected to out-of-field teaching shapes meaning in their attempt to understand and to "belong," for example, confidence issues, self-esteem concerns, and disconnectedness. The investigation of these units of meaning provides an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship between leadership and the lived experiences of novice out-of-field teachers.

This paper reports on an investigation into the representation of teachers in newspapers in five countries. An innovative methodology was used to develop a method of inquiry that supports a deeper understanding of media representations of teachers which can also be used by other researchers in comparative education. The paper explores relevant literature on teachers' work and media studies, and describes the decisions made about the selection of newspapers from the five countries and the analytical framework. Central to the project was the development of an analytic framework which we applied to our analysis of the media data collected from the five countries. The process revealed the construction of four categories of teacher identity: the caring practitioner; the transparent (un)professional; the moral and social role model; and the transformative intellectual. The aim was not to generalise categories but to offer them as they were found in newspapers during this time frame. The data analysis demonstrates the applicability of the innovative methodology while the project also contributes to locally translated understandings of teacher representations. The paper concludes with a reflection on the effectiveness of the methodology for comparative research.

A financial awareness education program was implemented with construction industry apprentices in Victoria, Australia. The program included face-to-face delivery of education around a range of financial management issues that apprentices face as they begin their apprenticeship. The paper reports on an evaluation of the program, which included surveys at completion of the presentation, as well as focus group follow-up two months later. Both intended behaviour change and actual behaviour change, including knowledge retention, are noted in the results. The program evaluation highlights factors such as relevance and immediacy of need as crucial to determining appropriate content and successful implementation. The paper concludes by recommending inclusion of financial awareness in vocational education curricula on an ongoing basis, rather than as ad hoc delivered programs, to ensure sustainable knowledge gains and behaviour change outcomes.

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to locate the role of social and emotional support during the school-to-work transitions of apprentices, within the Australian vocational education and training context. Design/methodology/approach: The research reported here is based on an independent evaluation of an apprentice suicide prevention and support program. This program has been implemented in rural and regional Australia, and findings highlight the program's retention of key messages in the long-term (i.e. 6 months to 2 years post completion). The work is based on both quantitative questionnaires from 119 apprentices as well as 18 face-to-face interviews. Findings: The research showed that apprentices' resilience to face school-to-work transitional challenges can be enhanced by increasing knowledge of suicide risk factors and sources of social and emotional support had increased. Findings indicate that a number of apprentices had made significant changes in their lives as a result of participating in the program. While 10 per cent of apprentices identify as "socially isolated", it was encouraging to note that peer support, as a result of the program, can be considered an informal referral point to formal help-provision and support. Research limitations/implications: While the program has been successfully applied to building and construction industry apprentices, there is overlap in school-to-work transition issues of other types of apprenticeships/traineeships; this merits consideration of wider application of apprentice support programs within the Australian vocational education sector. Originality/value: This paper draws together a focus on school-to-work vulnerabilities and social-emotional support (similar to that found in youth development programs) as it can be applied to the vocational education and training sector. (Contains 1 note.)

Prevalence rates and reasons for substance use were studied in a sample of 172 male construction industry apprentices who had a mean age of 20 years. Results were compared with those of men in similar age groups in Victoria, and regional and age differences were explored. Findings indicate that more metropolitan apprentices had experimented with cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine than their rural/regional counterparts. However, more rural apprentices indicated consuming alcohol than their metropolitan counterparts. Apart from alcohol use, older apprentices (aged 20 years and over) were also more likely to have used cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine than younger apprentices (aged 15-19 years). The majority of apprentices used substances for enjoyment ("It is fun/I like it") or social reasons ("Friends use it"). The findings are discussed in the context of the literature, and suggestions for future research are made. (Contains 5 tables.)

This project investigated how academic users search for information on their real-life research tasks. This article presents the findings of the first of two studies. The study data were collected in the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. Eleven PhD students' searching behaviors on personal research topics were observed as they interacted with information retrieval (IR) systems. The analysis of search logs uncovered the characteristics of research tasks and the corresponding search strategies. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

This study investigated the use of a university library academic service to assist in research information seeking, and the role and value of the academic services in support of research from the viewpoints of both academic users and librarians. Ten Ph.D. students completed questionnaires followed by face-to-face discussions and four academic librarians participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings include library online databases and interlibrary loans and document delivery as the services most familiar to, and utilised by, academic users. Assistance in searching for resources in and out of the library, subscribing to the databases and maintaining access, as well as providing training on research skills were major roles and values of the university library as perceived by academic users in research support. Academic librarians believed that users' research-related service needs varied for different stages of the research process and disciplines and they reported perceiving their role as that of a "mediator" and an "information broker". Recommendations for further research are also provided. (Contains 3 tables.)

A sample of 146 male construction industry apprentices (predominantly young men) in Australia self-reported on their significant relationships, as well as the key attributes of these relationships. The findings indicated that the young men shared events, disclosed confidences and looked for help and support from family, romantic partners and close friends. The key attributes of these relationships were trust, respect and friendship. Of concern are the 10 per cent of apprentices who are at risk of social isolation and who did not have anyone to turn to for support. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

A study of 106 male apprentices working in the building and construction industry examined the occurrence of mentoring relationships. The results indicate that apprentices identify a range of mentors in their lives, predominantly in their personal lives, and that the majority of these relationships develop organically. In particular, apprentices value the psychosocial support that these mentoring relationships provide. Findings from the study support an expanded definition of mentoring to include significant others. Recommendations include encouraging the development of young working men's social networks as a key factor in promoting social support and increasing apprentice retention. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)

A survey in isolated areas of Australia examined education-related attitudes of 122 parents of children with mild or moderate disabilities. The survey covered demographic data on respondent and child, degree and type of disability, location and providers of educational program, distance from school, resources at home, support needed, impact of isolation, and parent satisfaction. Survey questionnaire is included. (SV)

Inclusion is both a philosophy based on social justice and a practice requiring significant adaptations by the school community. This article presents qualitative data on over 200 Queensland (Australia) principals toward inclusion. Responses suggest the majority are "qualified" inclusionists. Although mindful of social-justice imperatives and recognizing disabled students' rights, principals were also concerned about resource implications. (21 references) (MLH)

The authors of this article strongly advocate for a change to the current Australian model of primary education in order to, among other things, establish the concrete practicalities of systematic mathematics thinking thereby limiting the "re-teaching" time required of secondary school mathematics teachers; bring a clear focus to the continuum of learning associated with mathematical capabilities; create a culture in which students are ready for, and receptive to, the cognitive challenges of deep learning; and minimize "mistake anxiety" associated with the lack of foundational skills, therefore increasing the motivation to attempt conceptually difficult subject matter. To support this position, the authors look more closely at the introduction of coding, a global trend that recognizes the increased demand for task automation and accuracy, into the curriculum across key learning areas. They also assert that both teachers and students need to embrace failure and recognize that in these moments there are invaluable opportunities to learn. They conclude that ultimately, improving education in mathematics is multifaceted (and not without challenges), and necessitates the skills of specialist teachers to work with students from a much younger age than is currently occurring. Simply, the commencement of secondary school is often too late for specialist intervention.

Few studies have explored the role of social capital in migrant well-being. This is important to examine, as changes in social capital are often expected following migration. The present study, using standardised measures, investigated the relationships of two components of social capital – generalised trust and network resources – with two dimensions of well-being – flourishing and psychological distress – among 1036 Australian migrants. Participants completed a national online survey and were from four different cultural backgrounds (Anglo, Other European, Indian, Chinese). Compared to the Anglo group, the Indian group was found to have lower levels of both generalised trust and network resources. The Chinese group had lower levels of generalised trust but similar levels of network resources. Multiple regression analyses found higher generalised trust was linked to higher flourishing and lower psychological distress for all groups. For network resources, however, all groups had an association with higher flourishing, except for the Other European group, while the only group with an association with lower psychological distress and network resources was the Chinese group. These results suggest that generalised trust has some positive implications for migrant well-being, consistent with previous research. This study also suggests that the role of network resources in psychological well-being and its development may vary across different groups of migrants and requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of pyrethroid and neonicotinoid insecticides has increased in Australia over the last decade, and as a consequence, increased concentrations of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid have been measured in Australian rivers. Previous studies have shown that non-target crustaceans, including commercially important species, can be extremely sensitive to these pesticides. Most shrimp farms in Australia are predominantly located adjacent to estuaries so they can obtain their required saline water, which support multiple land uses upstream (e.g. sugar-cane farming, banana farming, beef cattle and urbanisation). Larval and post-larval shrimp may be most susceptible to the impacts of these pesticides because of their high surface area to volume ratio and rapid growth requirements. However, given the uncertainties in the levels of insecticides in farm intake water and regarding the impacts of insecticide exposure on shrimp larvae, the risks that the increased use of new classes of pesticide pose towards survival of post-larval phase shrimp cannot be adequately predicted. To assess the potential for risk, toxicity in 20 day past hatch post-larval Black Tiger shrimp ( Penaeus monodon ) to modern use insecticides, imidacloprid, bifenthin, and fipronil was measured as decreased survival and feeding inhibition. Post-larval phase shrimp were sensitive to fipronil, bifenthrin, and imidacloprid, in that order, at concentrations that were comparable to those that cause mortality other crustaceans. Bifenthrin and imidacloprid exposure reduced the ability of post-larval shrimp to capture live prey at environmentally realistic concentrations. Concentrations of a broad suite of pesticides were also measured in shrimp farm intake waters. Some pesticides were detected in every sample. Most of the pesticides detected were measured below concentrations that are toxic to post-larval shrimp as used in this study, although pesticides exceed guideline values, suggesting the possibility of indirect or mixture-related impacts. However, at two study sites, the concentrations of insecticides were sufficient to cause toxicity in shrimp post larvae, based on the risk assessment undertaken in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical interventions save lives and are important focus for health services research worldwide. Investigating variation in postoperative mortality may improve understanding of unwarranted variations and promote safety and quality in surgical care. We aimed to evaluate trends of in-hospital mortality rates among adult inpatients receiving major elective surgeries and determine the variation in mortality among New South Wales (NSW) public hospitals.Materials and Methods: In this study, we used the all-inclusive population-based NSW Admitted Patient Data from July 2001 to June 2014. We retrospectively included adult patients aged 18+ years receiving Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair, Peripheral bypass, Colorectal surgeries, Joint replacement, Spinal surgeries, or Cardiac surgeries. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality for selected surgeries. Changes in mortality rates over time and hospital standardised mortality rates were modelled using multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for case-mix factors.Results: Over 13-year study period, the in-hospital mortality rates declined annually by 6.4% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.3, 8.4) for Colorectal surgery by 5.7% (95%CI: 2.0, 9.3) for Joint replacement and by 4.2% (95%CI: 1.9, 6.4) for Cardiac surgery. After controlling for patient-level factors, little variation was observed among hospitals for in-hospital mortality. There was a greater variability for cardiac surgery compared with the other surgical groups but no outlier hospital was consistently associated with significantly higher than expected mortality rate.Conclusions: Mortality has declined for major surgeries in the past 15 years. There was some variation among hospitals regarding in-hospital mortality that was mostly explained by patients demographic and admission characteristics. Our findings are reassuring for patients and contribute to knowledge that can help further improve surgical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Waste transnational recycling is examined from the perspective of waste exporting country. • Australia's exported waste is not fully recycled by the importing countries. • The quantity of waste exported from Australia is not related to the distance to the export destination. • Waste export destinations vary according to types of waste. • Environmental factors did not significantly influence the destination of Australian export waste. Transnational recycling of waste is a common phenomenon and can have significant environmental and economic impacts on both exporting and importing countries. However, current studies mainly focused on the management of transnational waste recycling in waste-importing countries, and less attention has been paid to issues related to waste-exporting countries. Using Australian export waste data as an example, combining geospatial analysis methods, this study innovatively analyzes the transnational recycling of waste from the perspective of waste exporting countries. The results show that exported waste, assumed to be recycled in the Australian waste statistics, is not fully recycled by waste-importing countries. This study also combines regression analysis to identify factors associated with the destination of waste exports. The results indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between environmental factors and the location of the destination when exporting waste. Besides, due to the lack of data, waste-exporting countries do not understand the fate of their exported waste and therefore cannot make choices based on the associated environmental impacts. It is recommended that waste-exporting and -importing countries work together to track data so that environmental impacts of exported waste can be better understood. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-based guidelines recommend strategies for reducing risk factors for secondary prevention of acute coronary syndromes, yet referral to and completion of programs to deliver this advice are poor. Purpose: In this article we describe the complexity of factors that influence referral and delivery of evidence-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs through an Australian context and provide direction for solutions for clinicians and policy makers to consider. The Ecological Approach is used as a framework to synthesize evidence. The approach has 5 categories, the characteristics of which may act as barriers and enablers to the promotion and adoption of health behaviors and includes (a) interpersonal factors, (b) interpersonal factors, (c) institutional factors, (d) community networks, and (e) public policy. Conclusions: Despite the context of strong evidence for efficacy, this review highlights systematic flaws in the implementation of CR, an important intervention that has been shown to improve patient outcomes and prevent cardiac events. Recommendations from this review include standardization of program delivery, improvement of data capture, use of technological innovations and social networks to facilitate delivery of information and support, and establishment of a cohesive, consistent message through interorganizational collaboration involved in CR. Clinical Implications: These avenues provide direction for potential solutions to improve the uptake of CR and secondary prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries have attempted to manage the local solid waste via policies as one of the main means to improve the recycling rate. However, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of policies due to complex social environment or high requirements of data collection. The repeated measures analysis of variance method is innovatively employed in this study to analyze the effectiveness of Australia's solid waste policy. This study revealed that repeated measures analysis of variance can effectively assess the effectiveness of policies with different start times. This method has low data requirements and is beneficial for assessing policies with complex conditions. Using Australia as an example, the effectiveness of four waste recycling policies was analyzed in this study. The results showed that regions with combination policies outperform in improving solid waste recycling rates. By contrast, regions without any policy implementation showed a declining trajectory in recycling rates. • Repeated measures analysis of variance was adopted to analyze policy effectiveness. • Australia's waste recycling rate increased, however not statistically significant. • Combination of policies may show better effectiveness due to complementary effects. • Effects of socio-economic factors on recycling rate varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a legal perspective on the testamentary rescue of formally irregular wills by exercising judicial dispensing powers in Australia and judicial condonation power in South Africa. It analyses judicial engagement with testamentary rescue of instructions for the preparation of wills; draft wills; and suicide letters. It discusses several court cases including New South Wales Supreme Court Alexander Costa v. The Public Trustee in the Estate of Robert Costa.

The article suggests ways for correct implementation of traffic calming based on the document "National Guidelines for Traffic Calming" compiled by the Department of Transport of South Australia. It discusses the impact of traffic calming measures on a road network if not correctly implemented and outlines steps to be taken before the implementation of traffic calming measures. Alternatives to traffic calming include traffic circles, traffic funnels and lifted intersections.

Evidence about the adverse effects of methamphetamine (METH) on invertebrates is scarce. Hence, C. elegans , a representative invertebrate model, was exposed to METH at environmental levels to estimate chronic and transgenerational toxicity. The results of chronic exposure were integrated into an underlying toxicity framework of METH in invertebrates (e.g., benthos) at environmentally relevant concentrations. The induction of cellular oxidative damage-induced apoptosis and fluctuation of ecologically important traits (i.e., feeding and locomotion) might be attributed by the activation of the longevity regulating pathway regulated by DAF-16/FOXO, and detoxification by CYP family enzymes. The adverse effects to the organism level included impaired viability and decreased fecundity. The results from transgenerational exposure elucidated the cumulative METH-induced damage in invertebrates. Finally, a new risk assessment method named toxicity indicator sensitivity distribution (TISD) analysis was proposed by combining multiple toxicity indicator test data (EC x) to derive the hazardous concentration for 10% indicators (C 10) of one species. The risk quotient (RQ) values calculated by measured environmental concentrations and C 10 in southern China, southeastern Australia, and the western US crossed the alarm line (RQ = 5), suggesting a need for long-term monitoring. [Display omitted] • Low dose methamphetamine induced cumulative damage on generations of C. elegans. • Underlying toxicity mechanisms of methamphetamine to invertebrates were elucidated. • Toxicity indicator sensitivity distribution was confirmed as new risk assessment tool. • The risk levels in south China, south Australia, and west US crossed alarm line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the benefits of a recorded maternal voice intervention on weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit., Methods: A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted in this study. Preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (N = 109) were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Both groups received routine nursing care, while preterm infants in the intervention group received a recorded maternal voice program of 20 min, twice daily for 21 days. Preterm infants' daily weight, recumbent length, head circumference, and heart rate were collected during the 21-day intervention. Participants' heart rate in the intervention group was also recorded once a day pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program., Results: Preterm infants in the intervention group showed a significant increase in weight (-75.94, 95% CI -108.04, -43.85, P < 0.001), recumbent length (-0.54, 95% CI -0.76, -0.32, P < 0.001), and head circumference (-0.37, 95%CI -0.56, -0.18, P < 0.001) compared with the control group. Preterm infants in the intervention group also showed significant changes in heart rate pre-during-after the recorded maternal voice program. However, no significant differences were found in the heart rate scores between the two groups., Discussion: The changes in heart rate pre-during-after the intervention may help explain participants' more significant increase in weight, recumbent length, and head circumference., Practice Implications: The recorded maternal voice intervention could be incorporated into clinical practice to promote growth and development in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit., Study Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Register, https://www.anzctr.org.au/; (registration number: ACTRN12622000019707)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge., (© 2021. The Author(s).)