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The purpose of this research was to explore and open dialogue about possible connections between the scientific realities of extreme freshwater events (EFWE), a lack of EFWE-related curricular content in schools, and future teachers' awareness and perceptions of EFWE. In phase one, an analysis of existing weather data demonstrated ongoing moderate to severe EFWE in the two regions under investigation, Queensland, Australia and Saskatchewan, Canada, at the time of data collection. In phase two, a content analysis of school curricula in the two regions shows a dearth of mandatory content related to EFWE, though Queensland, Australia had slightly more mandated content than did Saskatchewan, Canada. In phase 3, a survey of pre-service teachers in the two regions showed a demonstrable lack of recognition of undergoing moderate to severe EFWE at time of data collection, along with a general satisfaction with the current level of curricular coverage of the topic. While respondents' overall concern was low, there were consistent regional differences. Queenslanders were more likely to recognize their lived experience with EFWE and perceived it to be a more important inclusion in school curricula than their Saskatchewanian counterparts. Taken together, results suggested that learned cultural truths were reflected in and perpetuated by school curricula. Results highlighted cultural denial of EFWE severity and a need to change false truths by increasing visibility of EFWE in mandated school curricula. The authors propose that results warrant further research and discussion as it relates to public policy and prioritizing EFWE in formal school curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. How people think and talk about weight is important because it can influence their behavior toward people who are overweight. One study has shown that physical therapists have negative attitudes toward people who are overweight. However, how this finding translates into clinical practice is not well understood. Investigating physical therapists' ways of thinking and speaking about overweight and obesity in the context of their work can provide insight into this underresearched area. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate physical therapists' ways of talking about overweight individuals and discuss clinical implications. Design. An interpretive qualitative design was used. Methods. The research team used discourse analysis, a type of inductive qualitative methodology, to guide data collection and analysis. The data came from 6 focus groups of 4 to 6 physical therapists in Queensland, Australia, who discussed weight in a physical therapy environment. Participants (N=27) represented a variety of physical therapy subdisciplines. Results. Data analysis identified 4 main weight discourses (ways of thinking and speaking about weight). Participants described patients who are overweight as little affected by stigma and difficult to treat. Furthermore, participants portrayed weight as having simple causes and being important in physical therapy. Alternate weight discourses were less frequent in these data. Conclusions. The results indicated that some physical therapists' understandings of weight might lead to negative interactions with patients who are overweight. The findings suggest physical therapists require more nuanced understandings of: how patients who are overweight might feel in a physical therapy setting, the complexity' of causes of weight, and possible benefits and disadvantages of introducing weight-management discussions with patients. Therefore, education should encourage complex understandings of working with patients of all sizes, including knowledge of weight stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1995 to 1997, the larval habitats, seasonal abundance and behaviour of Aedes notoscriptus (Skuse) were studied in five western suburbs of Brisbane, south-east Queensland. At one suburb, Ae. notoscriptus immatures were found in 61.1% and 47.3% of premises, during winter and summer, respectively. Natural habitats, mainly bromeliad axils, garden accoutrements and discarded items accounted for 86% and 81% of infested containers in summer and winter, respectively. However, when larval productivity was accounted for, discarded household items and garden accoutrements were the most important container types. The Premise Condition Index (house condition, garden condition, shade cover) did not positively relate to the presence of Ae. notoscriptus larvae, nor to numbers of infested containers per premise. Similarly, the presence of inbuilt garden sprinkler systems could not be used as an indicator to predict premises that would be positive for Ae. notoscriptus immatures. The number of adult Ae. notoscriptus (21.3% of total) collected using light traps was second to the number of Culex annulirostris (Skuse) (48.9%) collected. These traps were unsuitable for monitoring Ae. notoscriptus during autumn and winter when Ae. notoscriptis activity shifted to the afternoon, and when traps were not operating. In terms of targeted approaches to control Ae. notoscriptus immatures, rubbish collection campaigns undertaken before the wet season should be focused on the removal of discarded household items, rubbish and tyres. Specific health education messages should be used to inform householders of the need to regularly clean or remove pot plant bases and bird baths. If effective, these methods could reduce Ae. notoscriptus larval densities by 70% and 80% during summer and winter months, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversational Analysis CA is increasingly being used to examine the conversations of people with neurogenic language disorders because it allows for the description of how trouble in a conversation is signalled, how it is repaired and to what extent these conversational repairs are successful. The present study has used CA to investigate the frequency and nature of trouble and repair in conversations between persons with Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer s Type SDAT and their communication partners. The study recorded spontaneous conversations between 10 subjects with SDAT and 10 control subjects all unfamiliar to the SDAT subject . The conversations were audiotaped and later transcribed and analysed according to type of Trouble Indicating Behaviour (12), pattern of Repair Trajectory (6), specific Repair Types (7), and whether or not the repair was successful. The results of the study revealed that the normal partners used a high proportionof interactive trouble indicating behaviours to signal a breakdown in the conversation. Whereas indicating trouble in a conversationwas more an interactive enterprise between the two conversational partners, the normal partner assumed a greater burden when negotiating the repair sequence. Paraphrasing was an e ective repair strategy used by the normal partners. The subjects with SDAT, however, used more non interactive trouble indicating behaviours reflecting topic main tenance and elaboration difficulty that contributed to conversational dysfluency and discontinuity. There were more instances of inappropriate repair by the SDAT subjects that were sometimes accepted by the normal partner in an attempt to preserve the self esteem of the subject with SDAT and or to maintain the flow of conversation. The study's findings highlighted the potential usefulness of CA in recommending communication strategies to the partners of individuals with SDAT that are e ective in signalling and repairing conversational breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]