19325 research outputs found
Sort by
Men of Yulgilbar
No full textA new exhibition opened last week at the Grafton Regional Gallery celebrating the men of the country we now know as Yulgilbar Station on the upper reaches of the Clarence River.The voices you will hear are:Rod Williams the great great great grandson of Toolbillibam who lived on this country before it was colonised.William Ogilvie the great grandson of Edward Ogilvie who established Yulgilbar station.Sydney Baillieu Myer who is the current co-owner of Yulgilbar Station
Prevalence and profile of Australian osteopaths treating older people
No full textObjectives:To explore the characteristics of the Australian osteopathy workforce who participate in the man-agement of older patients with musculoskeletal complaints.Design:Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey of osteopaths.Setting:The Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION), an Australian practice-based researchnetwork.Main outcome measures:The demographic, practice and treatment characteristics of osteopaths who identify as‘always’or‘often’treating patients aged 65 years or over.Results:Over half (58%) of total participants (n = 992) indicated often treating older people and this was as-sociated with referral patterns with other health professionals and a non-urban practice location. Osteopathsproviding care to older people were more likely to discuss diet/nutrition and medications, and provide paincounselling. Osteopaths who treated older adults were more likely to treat shoulder musculoskeletal disorders,degenerative spine disorders, chronic or persistent pain, and tendinopathies.Conclusions:A substantial proportion of Australian osteopaths treat older adults frequently. The potential valueand impact of osteopathy in managing the health needs of an ageing population warrants close examination fromboth researchers and policy makers
Comparison of population-based algorithms for optimizing thinnings and rotation using a process-based growth model
No full textStand management optimization has long been computationally demanding as increasingly detailed growth and yield models have been developed. Process-based growth models are useful tools for predicting forest dynamics. However, the difficulty of classic optimization algorithms limited its applications in forest planning. This study assessed alternative approaches to optimizing thinning regimes and rotation length using a process-based growth model. We considered (1) population-based algorithms proposed for stand management optimization, including differential evolution (DE), particle swarm optimization (PSO), evolution strategy (ES), and (2) derivative-free search algorithms, including the Nelder–Mead method (NM) and Osyczka’s direct and random search algorithm (DRS). We incorporated population-based algorithms into the simulation-optimization system OptiFor in which the process-based model PipeQual was the simulator. The results showed that DE was the most reliable algorithm among those tested. Meanwhile, DRS was also an effective algorithm for sparse stands with fewer decision variables. PSO resulted in some higher objective function values, however, the computational time of PSO was the longest. In general, of the population-based algorithms, DE is superior to the competing ones. The effectiveness of DE for stand management optimization is promising and manifested
A review of rice starch digestibility: effect of composition and heat-moisture processing
No full textRice grain as the staple food for more than half the global population provides 20% of global human calorie requirements. Starch digestion rate is an important consideration for rice consumers who are concerned about health, particularly those with diabetes. Understanding the effect of rice grain composition on starch digestion may assist the growing and processing of rice for preferred eating quality and starch digestibility. Amylose content is regarded as the key determinant of rice starch digestibility, however, starch digestibility differs between rice varieties with similar amylose content indicating the possible role of non‐starch components in determining rice starch digestibility. The current understanding of the role of starch and non‐starch compounds in determining rice starch digestion has been reviewed here. Starch digestion rate is dependent upon starch granule size, starch crystallinity, amylose content and amylopectin chain length and non‐starch components such as fibre, protein, lipid and polyphenols. Non‐starch components may complex with starch and inhibit starch digestion by affecting starch properties or by producing a protective layer around starch or by having antagonistic effects on digestive enzymes. Hydrothermal processing of rice can alter the effects of starch and non‐starch components on starch digestion
Sorption of phosphate and silicate alters dissolution kinetics of poorly crystalline iron (oxyhydr)oxide
No full textIron (oxyhydr)oxides (FeOx) control retention of dissolved nutrients and contaminants in aquatic systems. However, FeOx structure and reactivity is dependent on adsorption and incorporation of such dissolved species, particularly oxyanions such as phosphate and silicate. These interactions affect the fate of nutrients and metal(loids), especially in perturbed aquatic environments such as eutrophic coastal systems and environments impacted by acid mine drainage. Altered FeOx reactivity impacts sedimentary nutrient retention capacity and, eventually, ecosystem trophic state. Here, we explore the influence of phosphate (P) and silicate (Si) on FeOx structure and reactivity. Synthetic, poorly crystalline FeOx with adsorbed and coprecipitated phosphate or silicate at low but environmentally relevant P/Fe or Si/Fe ratios (0.02–0.1 mol mol−1) was prepared by base titration of Fe(III) solutions. Structural characteristics of FeOx were investigated by X-ray diffraction, synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-energy X-ray scattering. Reactivity of FeOx was assessed by kinetic dissolution experiments under acidic (dilute HCl, pH 2) and circum-neutral reducing (bicarbonate-buffered ascorbic acid, pH 7.8, Eh ∼ −300 mV) conditions. At these loadings, phosphate and silicate coprecipitation had only slight impact on local and intermediate-ranged FeOx structure, but significantly enhanced the dissolution rate of FeOx. Conversely, phosphate and silicate adsorption at similar loadings resulted in particle surface passivation and decreased FeOx dissolution rates. These findings indicate that varying nutrient loadings and different interaction mechanisms between anions and FeOx (adsorption versus coprecipitation) can influence the broader biogeochemical functioning of aquatic ecosystems by impacting the structure and reactivity of FeOx
Dissolved dimethylsulfide and its relationship with dimethylsulphfoniopropionate production, phytoplankton pigments, and grazing during the SOLAS-SAGE iron enrichment experiment in subantarctic waters southeast of New Zealand
No full textCarbon dioxide levels continue to rise in the atmosphere with predictions of a 2-3 oC increase in temperature by the end of the century. One possible strategy to prevent a climate catastrophe is to use iron fertilisation of the ocean to stimulate phytoplankton blooms to capture carbon dioxide. Studies have shown that natural iron fertilization during past glacial periods has repeatedly drawn up to 60 billion tons of carbon into the ocean depths. However, most small-scale iron fertilization experiments have not been very successful in capturing carbon. There are many reasons for this but a major one is that it is not easy to stimulate growth of large-cell diatoms, which seem to be needed to fix large amounts of CO2. Another reason is that increasing iron can also increase microzooplankton grazing, so that as soon as the CO2 is fixed by phytoplankton it is released during the grazing of the phytoplankton. Such grazing activities also affect the production and consumption of dimethylsulfide (DMS), a trace sulfur gas produced by phytoplankton and implicated in formation of low levels clouds that lower sea surface temperatures. This communication describes processes that affected dissolved DMS during the SAGE (SOLAS air-sea gas experiment)
Childhoodnature and the Anthropocene: an epoch of cenes
No full textSection Four troubles childhoodnature and the Anthropocene, a scientific and popular term used to described the present human-nature conditions on planet Earth. This section does this through eight contributions which broadly speak to four “cenes,” namely: children in the Anthropocene – child-cene; woman in the Anthropocene – gyno-cene; cities as sites of the Anthropocene, city-cene; and relations with the more than human – kin-cene. The lines though between/within/through these identified cenes are porous and enmeshed as the nonliving, the human, and nonhuman transition between two epochs – the Anthropocene and the Postanthropocene
Differing responses in milk composition from introducing rapeseed and naked oats to conventional and organic dairy diets
No full textDairy products are often considered challenging for health due to their saturated fatty acid content, yet they also provide beneficial nutrients, some unique to ruminants. The degree of fat saturation is influenced by cows’ diets; grazing pasture enhances unsaturated fatty acids in milk compared with conserved forages. These benefits can be partially mimicked by feeding oilseeds and here we consider the impact on milk composition in a 2 × 2 trial, feeding rapeseed to both conventional and organic cows, finding very differing lipid metabolism in the 4 experimental groups. For milk fat, benefits of organic rather than conventional management (+39% PUFA, +24% long chain omega-3 and +12% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)) appear complementary to those from feeding rape (+43% MUFA, +10% PUFA, +40% CLA), combining to produce milk 16% lower SFA and higher in MUFA (43%), PUFA (55%) and CLA (59%). Organic and rape feeding provide less omega-3 PUFA than the conventional and control diets, yet contrary to expectations, together they almost doubled (+94%) the omega-3 concentration in milk, implying a 3.8 fold increase in net transfer from diet into milk. Organic and rape feeding also gave lower trace-elements and antioxidants in milk. Greater understanding of these phenomena might enhance the sustainability of dairying
Emotional intelligence as a mechanism to build resilience and non‐technical skills in undergraduate nurses undertaking clinical placement
No full textThe environments in which nursing work is undertaken can be highly stressful and complex with resultant harmful outcomes for the health of both nurses and patients reported. Undergraduate nursing students are particularly challenged when on clinical placement through having only partially developed work capabilities, with wide claims that these nurses remain underprepared for work even upon graduation. Over time undergraduate nursing education has arguably not prioritized developing resilience and other non‐technical skills required to respond effectively to these challenges. This paper reports findings from a qualitative study of student nurses who received training and coaching in emotional intelligence, a well‐established correlate of resilience, just prior to undertaking a mental health or medical/surgical clinical placement. Of that cohort, 12 agreed to qualitative semi‐structured interviews that sought to better understand how these students used the knowledge and capabilities from the training within clinical placement contexts. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the interviews: (1) greater experiences of resilience; (2) responding positively to mental health consumers; (3) experiences of greater empathy and compassion; and (4) experiences of improved non‐technical work skills. Implications from these findings suggest that student and patient experiences of nursing placement, and mental health nursing placements in particular, would be enhanced by pre‐placement emotional intelligence training and coaching. Such training will support nursing graduates to be work‐ready upon entering the workforce
Refining spent cotton gin trash following essential oil extraction for value added cellulosic sugars
No full textThe effectiveness of high temperature, dilute H2SO4 and NaOH pretreatments for the conversion of a post extracted cotton gin trash (ECGT) biomass was investigated. Whole acidified ECGT slurries were pretreated at various temperatures (180–230 °C) with or without the addition of extra catalyst. Compositional analysis of recovered ECGT fibre revealed xylan removal increased with pretreatment temperature under low pH conditions. Alkaline pretreatment (20 wt% NaOH) selectively delignified the ECGT fibre by as much as 80%. Characterisation of structural features identified an increase in cellulose crystallinity and surface area for all pretreated fibres and positively correlated to increasing pretreatment severity. Pretreatment of acidified ECGT slurries at 230 °C resulted in the highest glucan digestibility (66%) and glucose yields (51%). Glucan digestibility showed a strong positive correlation to xylan removal and surface area but weaker to delignification and total crystallinity for all dilute acid pretreated fibres