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Morphological and molecular characterisation of a new genus and species of acanthocephalan, Tenuisoma tarapungi n. g., n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) infecting red-billed gulls in New Zealand, with a key to the genera of the Polymorphidae Meyer, 1931
No full textWarner, LR ORCiD: 0000-0002-1587-8129Acanthocephalans of the family Polymorphidae Meyer, 1931 are cosmopolitan parasites that infect the intestines of fish-eating birds and mammals. Polymorphid acanthocephalans recovered from the intestines of red-billed gulls (Chroicocephalus scopulinus (Forster)) from the Otago coast, New Zealand, although morphologically similar to the genus Arhythmorhynchus Lühe, 1911 nevertheless have a unique molecular profile showing considerable genetic differentation, and are here diagnosed and described as Tenuisoma tarapungi n. g., n. sp. Characters which distinguish T. tarapungi include a very elongate, cylindrical hindtrunk, swollen anterior trunk with a spinose region, a secondary swelling in males only containing the testes, and hypodermal nuclei distributed throughout the length of the trunk. Molecular data (cox1, 18S, 28S) confirm that the representative of the new genus is closest to, but nonetheless strongly divergent from species of Pseudocorynosoma Aznar, Pérez-Ponce de León & Raga, 2006. Immature specimens are described and illustrated, demonstrating the extreme degree of hindtrunk inversion occurring in immature individuals of this species. We provide a key to the genera of the family Polymorphidae. © 2020, Springer Nature B.V
Sea-level playing fields: an exploration of the histories of beach soccer and its practices within one specific context, the Australian beach
No full textEllison, ER ORCiD: 0000-0002-0865-950X; Lastella, AM ORCiD: 0000-0003-1793-3811Football, or soccer, is a simple game. It requires very little in the way of practical resources. Markers for a goal, a ball-shaped object. This simplicity enables the sport to be undertaken almost anywhere. Yet the beach is one place the game requires a substantial rethink in approach and participation. The best players do not necessarily make the best beach soccer players. For many Australians, the coastal edge of their continent is more than a key location for leisure and pleasure. The beach is an integral part of their culture, a symbol of their egalitarian nature, with a history of iconic sporting competitions, including the Sydney 2000 Olympics beach volleyball. Where beach soccer draws on notions of literal and figurative level-playing fields, this paper examines histories, practices, and myths and offers the first academic insight and discussion of Australian beach soccer
Comparing the household solar system installation patterns between Brisbane metropolitan region and regional Queensland
No full textAkbar, DH ORCiD: 0000-0002-2269-5056; Hossain, M ORCiD: 0000-0002-6835-8274More than 30 percent of Queensland houses have rooftop solar system (photovoltaic i.e., PV). However, it is yet to know the factors affecting the solar power installations between Brisbane Metropolitan region and regional Queensland’ residents. This study examines the PV installations trend and patterns between Brisbane Metropolitan region and regional Queensland. The study also identifies key factors affecting the variation of PV installations between metropolitan and regional households. A quantitative methodology supported by secondary data and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model has been adopted in this study. This study predicted that PV installations in the Brisbane metropolitan area would be increased after 2020. On the other hand, PV installations in regional Queensland is on the peak now and it would decline in 2020 and then a regular trend would appear. In addition, the study found a positive relationship between PV installations and the separate houses with three or more bedrooms. Therefore, these findings can help in future PV expansion planning in Queensland
Numerical modelling of rectangular footing on a sand embankment over mine tailings
No full textUllah, S ORCiD: 0000-0002-5522-53413D finite element simulations are conducted to better understand the soil-structure interaction of rectangular foundations resting on a sand embankment over soft mine tailings. To account for large strains, an updated Lagrangian formulation is used in which the stiffness matrix is updated with the non-linear change of the soil geometry. The sand is modelled using a modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) soil model where the friction and dilation angles are varied with deviatoric plastic strains. It is shown that failure over a moderate slope angle of 22° and normalised sand embankment height (H/B) of 0.26 (H is the embankment height and B is the footing width) involves a deep seated circular slip plane, involving the sand and clay layers, where the foundation was close to the crest of the embankment. The failure pattern turns gradually to typical punch-through with an inclined sand shear plane as the distance of the footing edge exceeds 1.13B from the crest. The results of this study agree well with those from model centrifuge experiments, and can be utilised in developing better analytical models and equipment capable of live monitoring of slope deformation. © 2020, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd
The regulation of financial planning in Australia: Current practice, issues and empirical analysis
No full textMcinnes, AN ORCiD: 0000-0001-5526-7501This book investigates the legitimacy of the current Australian Financial Services Licensee-Authorised Representative (AFSL-AR) licensing model, as specified in the Commonwealth Corporations Act 2001.
The book rectifies the deficiency in scholarly attention to this matter by developing a new conceptualised framework for the financial planning discipline. It takes into account theories in agency, legislation, legitimacy and the independent individual regulatory regimes in other professions; thereafter integrating this framework with the financial planning theory to examine the legitimacy, or what was found to be the illegitimacy of licensing advisers via multiple third party conflicted commercially oriented licensees.
This book makes a very useful reference to understanding financial planning licencing model in Australia
Extreme working hours
No full textLiang, X ORCiD: 0000-0002-5303-2124In recent years the issue of the perfect work-time has been debated. Much has been made of the Swedish experiment to reduce the working day to 6 hours (Savage, 2017) and focusing on the job fitting the person. Nevertheless, even in the face of increasing evidence of occupational health and safety problems associated with extended working hours, more organisations (including multinational corporations [MNCs]) have been pushing for extended working hours. This chapter explores the literature on extended or extreme working hours and why, in the face of the evidence, such practices are being extended. It then examines three case studies across different industries which lacked any pilot study to justify the extension of hours, or assess the fatigue and risk implication in high risk and dangerous industries. In the light of increasing deregulation the cases also highlight the ongoing importance of unions as a countervailing power to stand up to these attempt to challenge key terms and conditions of work
Daily steps and diet, but not sleep, are related to mortality in older Australians
No full textVandelanotte, CL ORCiD: 0000-0002-4445-8094Objectives: Supporting healthy ageing is a key priority worldwide. Physical activity, diet quality and sleep are all associated with health outcomes, but few studies have explored their independent associations with all-cause mortality in an older population in the same model. The study aim was to examine associations between step-count, self-reported diet quality, restless sleep, and all-cause mortality in adults aged 55–85 years. Design: A prospective cohort study of adults in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Method: Data were from 1697 participants (49.3% women; baseline mean age 65.4 ± 7.1 years). Daily steps (measured by pedometer), diet quality (from a modified Australian Recommended Food Score), and frequency of restless sleep (by self-report) were assessed in relation to all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazard regression with adjustment for sex, age, household income and smoking. Baseline data were collected between January 2005 and April 2008, and last follow-up was in March 2017 (median follow-up 9.6 years). Results: Higher step count (HR: 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88–0.98 per 1000-step increment) and higher diet quality (HR: 0.86, 95%CI: 0.74–0.99 per 8-point increment in diet quality score) were associated with reduced mortality risk. Restless sleep for ≥3 nights/week was not associated with mortality risk (HR: 1.03, 95%CI: 0.78–1.39). Sensitivity analyses, adjusting for chronic disease and excluding deaths <1 year after baseline, did not change these estimates. Conclusions: Increased daily steps and consumption of a greater variety of nutrient-dense foods every week would result in substantial health benefits for older people. Future research should include a greater variety of sleep measures. © 2019 Sports Medicine Australi
Technological innovation in aquaculture supply chain: An emerging field of musiness for northern Australia
No full textAkbar, DH ORCiD: 0000-0002-2269-5056; Rolfe, JC ORCiD: 0000-0001-7659-7040Aquaculture has been experiencing rapid growth over the last decade both in Australia and overseas. Australia is not self-sufficient in sea food demand and imports about half of domestic consumption from overseas. Aquaculture development is highly dependent on advanced technologies and sophisticated management of the supply chain systems. This paper aims to analyze the different technological innovations required for aquaculture development in northern Australia through some examples from north and far north Queensland. This study found that most technologies are available for large scale aquaculture development but there is scope of further technological innovations for small and medium scale aquaculture farmers in north and far north Queensland
Assessing Google reviews to monitor student experience
No full textPabel, A ORCiD: 0000-0003-1409-5496; Sardesai, AV ORCiD: 0000-0001-6794-4549Purpose: The emergence of social media has provided an alternative mechanism for students to provide and access online reviews about universities. These forms of feedback are often not systematically monitored and interpreted by universities. The purpose of this paper is to analyse quantitative ratings and qualitative comments provided by students via Google reviews of 40 Australian universities. The qualitative comments were analysed via thematic coding which identified four key themes including quality of teaching, course design, learning environment and administrative support. The data were also subjected to automated content analysis using the text analytics software Leximancer to enhance the objectivity and reliability of findings. Design/methodology/approach: The study involved the extraction of quantitative ratings as well as qualitative comments from Google reviews of 40 Australian universities. Each university was searched on Google and their rating and comments were collected as of August 2019. The qualitative data were included in an Excel spreadsheet along with the name of the universities, and their quantitative ratings. Using thematic coding techniques, the qualitative data were manually coded into four themes: quality of teaching, course design, learning environment and administrative support. Furthermore, the qualitative comments were grouped into two categories: positive comments and negative comments. Findings: The paper argues the need for universities to actively monitor these new forms of student feedback which have provided autonomy and freedom for students and other stakeholders to access and provide 24/7 feedback. The study found common themes emerging from the positive and negative student comments related to: quality of teaching, course design, learning environments and administrative support. These aspects contributed to the students’ satisfaction levels when they reflected on their educational experience on Google reviews. The study also found that institutions with high numbers of negative comments tend to have lower ratings compared to those with positive comments. Research limitations/implications: The study did not use other learning analytic tools to measure and assess the feedback from students using social media and other forms of feedback. Originality/value: Many studies have been undertaken on student experience. Studies have focussed on the experience of home and international students, on-campus and online students, and students from various underrepresented backgrounds. So far no study has been undertaken on the reviews provided by students using Google reviews
Gamble with your head and not your heart: A conceptual model for how thinking-style promotes irrational gambling beliefs
No full textArmstrong, TA ORCiD: 0000-0001-9683-7371; Browne, M ORCiD: 0000-0002-2668-6229; Rockloff, M ORCiD: 0000-0002-0080-2690Dual process theory suggests that people use two processing systems to filter information and form judgments that direct a course of action: an intuitive and an analytic system. While the intuitive system is necessary for efficient and effective daily functioning, reliance on fast, intuitive thinking when gambling is likely to result in biased or flawed decision-making. Those who gamble tend to endorse an array of fallacious or irrational beliefs that contribute to risky decision-making and excessive gambling. This paper argues that gambling beliefs may be developed and reinforced through underlying cognitive mechanisms described by dual process theory. More specifically, gamblers tend to apply assumptions and theories developed based on their understanding of the natural world to artificial gambling contexts where such rules do not apply. As a result, gamblers develop biased interpretations and understandings for how gambling works, which tend to align with personal schemas, experiences and gambling motivations. These beliefs are used in future gambling contexts to inform decision-making. Gamblers are often unlikely or unwilling to reflect on the veracity of beliefs as they are often used to justify gambling behaviours. Educating gamblers on how they make decisions and encouraging them to think more analytically may help to reduce the strength with which erroneous beliefs about gambling are endorsed, resulting in safer gambling decisions