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Asylum seekers are generally excluded from welfare provisions, social support, and higher education (HE) in their host countries. The depth and impact of these exclusions is barely known, as this population remains invisible and underserved. This article aims to deepen understanding of the challenges asylum seekers face in accessing HE in Western countries and present potential solutions. Existing literature highlights (1) socioeconomic challenges such as poverty, unrecognition of qualifications, low language proficiency, and mental health issues; (2) institutional barriers; and (3) good practices such as policy advocacy, scholarships, alternative admission paths, staff and faculty training, community collaboration, and asylum seeker involvement in policy and decision-making. We pose critical questions on the role of higher education institutions in addressing migration challenges and facilitating integration through access to education. An ongoing student-run initiative at a private U.S. university serves as a case example to offer further directions for research and practice.

Context: Ankle sprains are common among adolescent ballet dancers and may be attributed to inadequate ankle proprioception. Thus, a short period of training utilizing proprioceptive activities requires evaluation. Objective: To assess training conducted for 3 or 6 weeks on a textured-surface balance board using ankle proprioception scores for ballet dancers with and without chronic ankle instability, and with and without previous ankle sprain (PAS). Design: Intervention study. Setting: The Australian Ballet School. Participants: Forty-two ballet dancers, aged 14-18 years. Interventions: Dancers randomized into 2 groups: group 1 undertook 1 minute of balance board training daily for 3 weeks; group 2 undertook the same training for 6 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Preintervention, Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool questionnaire data were collected, and PAS during the last 2 years was reported. Active ankle inversion movement discrimination ability was tested immediately pre and post intervention and at 3 and 4 weeks. Results: Ankle discrimination acuity scores improved over time for both groups, with a performance decline associated with the early cessation of training for group 1 ( P = .04). While dancers with PAS had significantly worse scores at the first test, before balance board training began (P< .01), no significant differences in scores at any test occasion were found between dancers with and without chronic ankle instability. A significantly faster rate of improvement in ankle discrimination ability score over the 4 test occasions was found for dancers with PAS (P = .002). Conclusions: Three weeks of textured balance board training improved the ankle discrimination ability of ballet dancers regardless of their reported level of chronic ankle instability and at a faster rate for dancers with PAS. Previous ankle sprain was associated with a lower level of ankle discrimination ability; however, following 3 weeks of balance board training, previously injured dancers had significantly improved their ankle discrimination acuity scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous small-scale studies have shown an association between the COL5A1 gene and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. In this larger study, the genotype and allele frequency distributions of the COL5A1 rs12722 C/T and rs10628678 AGGG/deletion (AGGG/-) indel variants were compared between participants: (i) with ACL injury in independent and combined cohorts from South-Africa (SA) and Australia (AUS) vs controls (CON), and (ii) with any ligament (ALL) or only ACL injury in a Japanese (JPN) cohort vs CON. Samples were collected from SA (235 cases; 232 controls), AUS (362 cases; 80 controls) and JPN (500 cases; 1,403 controls). Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped. Distributions were compared, and inferred haplotype analyses performed. No independent associations were noted for rs12722 or rs10628678 when the combined SA + AUS cohort was analysed. However, the C-deletion (rs12722-rs10628678) inferred haplotype was under-represented (p = 0.040, OR = 0.15, CI = 0.04-0.56), while the T-deletion inferred haplotype was over-represented in the female SA + AUS ACL participants versus controls (p < 0.001, OR = 4.74, CI = 1.66-13.55). Additionally, the rs12722 C/C genotype was under-represented in JPN CON vs ACL (p = 0.039, OR = 0.52, 0.27-1.00), while the rs10628678 −/− genotype was associated with increased risk of any ligament injuries (p = 0.035, OR = 1.31, CI = 1.02-1.68) in the JPN cohort. Collectively, these results highlight that a region within the COL5A1 3'-UTR is associated with ligament injury risk. This must be evaluated in larger cohorts and its functional relevance to the structure and capacity of ligaments and joint biomechanics be explored. Highlights The COL5A1 T-deletion inferred haplotype (rs12722-rs10628678) was associated with an increased risk of ACL rupture in the combined SA and AUS female participants. The COL5A1 C-deletion inferred haplotype (rs12722-rs10628678) was associated with a decreased risk of ACL rupture in the combined SA and AUS female participants. The COL5A1 rs12722 C/C and rs10628678 −/− genotypes were associated with increased risk of ACL rupture and of ligament injuries in JPN, respectively. A region within the COL5A1 3'-UTR is associated with risk of ligament injury, including ACL rupture, and therefore the functional significance of this region on ligament capacity and joint biomechanics requires further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of determining both the acute and the chronic effects of textured insoles on the ankle discrimination and performance ability of dancers, 60 ballet dancers from the Australian Ballet School, aged 14-19 years, were divided into three groups (two intervention groups and a control group), ageand level-matched. In the first 5 weeks (weeks 1 to 5), the first intervention group (GRP1) was asked to wear textured insoles in their ballet shoes and the second intervention group (GRP2) was not given textured insoles to wear. In the next 5 weeks (weeks 6 to 10), GRP2 was asked to wear the same type of textured insoles and GRP1 did not wear the textured insoles. The control group (CTRL) did not wear textured insoles during the whole 10 weeks. All participants were tested preintervention, after 5 weeks and after 10 weeks for ankle discrimination score (AUC scores). Dance performance was assessed by 5-7 dance teachers. Pre-to-post change in AUC scores was significantly greater for the groups wearing insoles than for the controls (P = .046) and the size of pre-to-post changes did not differ between the two intervention groups (P = .834). Significant correlation was found between ankle discrimination score and performance scores, using the textured insoles (r = .412; P = .024). In conclusion, the stimulation to the proprioceptive system arising from textured insoles worn for five weeks was sufficient to improve the proprioceptive ability and performance ability of ballet dancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan fell further into the grip of religious extremists when Salmaan Taseer was shot by his bodyguard in the most high-profile political assassination since the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. The Punjab governor was killed for condemning a blasphemy law used to persecute minorities and settle scores. Revelations in 250,000 classified US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks spawned diplomatic crises and shocking revelations across the world, including allegations of dirty tricks by the US drug firm Pfizer and espionage by Shell in Nigeria; Rahul Gandhi in India saying Hindu fundamentalists were a bigger threat than militant Islamists, and fears about the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. The International Criminal Court indicted some of Kenya's most powerful men over the post-election violence that saw 1,500 people killed. An area the size of France and Germany in Queensland was inundated in Australia's worst floods in half a century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To document the demographics, mechanisms and outcome of traumatic pancreatitis in children at a single large tertiary referral centre in Australia.Methods: We undertook a 10-year retrospective audit of children admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia with a hospital coded diagnosis which included pancreatic injury between 1993 and 2002. Data included patient demographics, source of admission, mechanism of injury, pancreatic complications, associated injuries, intensive care unit admission, results of any operative findings, results of any acute computed tomography and/or ultrasound imaging of pancreas, selected laboratory findings and length of stay.Results: We identified two distinct groups of patients in the 91 documented cases of pancreatic trauma (median age 8.0 years, range 0.6-15.8 years; M:F 2.5:1.0): 59 had a history of abdominal trauma and elevated serum lipase but no CT or ultrasound evidence of pancreatic injury (Group A); 32 had a history of abdominal trauma, elevated serum lipase but also had CT scan and/or ultrasound evidence of pancreatic injury (Group B). Patients with "less severe" injury based on normal imaging had a lower initial lipase level [Group A, median 651 U/L (interquartile range 520-1,324) vs. Group B, 1,608 U/L (interquartile range 680-3,526); p = 0.005] and shorter admission time [Group A, 9.0 days (interquartile range 5.5-15.5) vs. Group B, 13.4 days (interquartile range 6.8-23.8); p = 0.04]. There were no differences with respect to mortality (Group A, 13.5% vs. Group B, 12.5%), but patients with evidence of injury on imaging were more likely to have surgical intervention (p = 0.0001). The single most important overall cause of pancreatic trauma was involvement in a motor vehicle accident as a passenger or pedestrian. However, in children with high-grade ductal injury, bicycle handlebar injuries were most common. Associated injuries were common in both groups.Conclusion: Significant pancreatic injury can occur in the absence of abnormality on medical imaging. Pancreatic trauma commonly occurs in the context of multiple injuries after motor vehicle accidents in children and bicycle handlebar injuries, especially in boys. Most children can be treated conservatively, with surgical intervention being limited to high-grade ductal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan was hit by the worst natural disaster in its history-five million people lost their homes in the floods. Paul Kagame was re-elected with 93% of the vote in Rwanda's presidential election but there were concerns about his increasingly authoritarian government. Australia's close elections led to Julia Gillard remaining prime minister at the head of a minority government. Kenyans celebrated the introduction of their new constitution. New Zealand was rocked by an earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the experiences of national exclusion through the creation of race suffered by visible race minorities in settler society nation-states Australia and Canada. The origins of race creation in both countries can be found in the history of racialism. Racialism consists of three ideas namely humans are divided into races, human capabilities are determined by race and one race can rule over another race because of their superiority. An important step in raising the issue is for all levels of governance to acknowledge the shortcomings of the state in granting equal rights to all citizens and the causes for these inequalities.