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Recent perspectives in clinical development of malaria vaccines
No full textMalaria vaccine research has progressed significantly, with RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M receiving WHO endorsement in 2021 / 2023. These vaccines show promise, but challenges like vaccine adherence, strain variation, and resistance persist, highlighting the need for more effective, broad-reaching interventions.</p
Global surge of Legionnaires' disease in 2024: urgent call for heightened awareness and preparedness
No full textNo description supplied</p
Super-invisibility: ‘older’ care workers in home care and residential long-term care
No full textThe poor conditions within which care work for older adults is performed produce worse health, safety and
financial security outcomes for older care workers, a group of care workers who are among the least visible. Further, the overarching invisibility of care workers’ working and retirement conditions – in policy, planning and practice – positions older care workers as ‘super- invisible’.
We outline four ‘invisibility traps’ that render older care
workers super- invisible. First, precarious work, from poor pay and job
insecurity, leaves too little income for retirement, leading to pension precarity
that makes older workers, and, in particular, older women, vulnerable in
their own older age and subject to working too long for too little. Second,
work overload, signaled by weak retention or too early retirement, pushes
people out of jobs before they would otherwise stop working and into
positions of income precarity. Third, unacceptable health and safety protections
produce sickness, injury and disability. Finally, weak, unclear, and hidden data
that are specific to the LTC sector, particularly, about the ‘age’, ‘race’ and site
of care make workforce</p
And We Thought Nobody Was Watching: Independent Australian Typographic Publishing 1988–2018
No full textThe early 1990s saw an international flurry of independent publishing within the field of graphic design. Enabled by emerging digital technologies and catalysed by a design profession seeking to expand its creative control, many of these publications, such as Emigré and Eye, prompted vigorous debate with the design community. In parallel with a global fascination with cultural ‘vernaculars’, the repositioning of ‘designer as author’ also had impacts and influences upon the Australian graphic design community of practice. Those specifically engaged in typographic practice embraced this opportunity to open channels of discourse, many of which broke through the familiar design community of practice and out into a wider, public discussion. In addition to broadly mapping the many independent graphic design publications produced between 1988 and 2018, this paper will specifically focus upon the typographically-focussed publications from this era, uncovering the underlying eco-system between the national and the international communities of practice by shedding light upon their context, influence, intent and ultimate legacy.</p
Recent sustainability trends in composting textiles: Process, factors, benefits and challenges
No full textComposting of textiles presents a viable solution for managing textile waste in an ecofriendly manner. Textile composting, specifically designed for natural fibres such as cotton, flax, wool, and silk, can transform waste into nutrient-rich compost, benefiting soil health and reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. Overall, textile composting emerges as a sustainable and practical solution for managing end-of-life (EOL) textiles that aligns with circular economy principles. This paper has highlighted the principles of textile composting; various inputs needed for effective composting, in addition to the outputs. The degradation process of natural textiles such as cotton, wool and silk is discussed in detail. It has been found that cellulosic fibres like cotton and flax are easy to decompose compared to protein fibres such as wool and silk. However, the presence of various chemical finishes on textiles, hinder the composting process. Among the two widely used animal fibres, silk and wool, silk degrades faster compared to wool due to simpler chemical structure of silk. Further, various factors such as aeration, moisture, ambient temperature, pH, carbon to nitrogen (C: N) ratio and particle size influencing the composting rate are covered in this paper. Benefits and challenges associated with composting of textiles are also covered. Finally, there are future recommendations for the practitioners and policymakers in the field of textile composting.</p
Machine learning in the Australian equity market
No full textThis study explores the application of advanced machine learning techniques to enhance understanding of Australian equity markets. We assess the predictive power of ten models, including traditional linear approaches and sophisticated machine learning methods such as random forests, gradient boosting, and neural networks with varying layers. Our findings demonstrate the superior performance of tree-based methods and neural networks in capturing the complex dynamics of stock returns in Australia, consistently outperforming linear models in both forecasting accuracy and economic gains. By analysing a diverse set of predictors collectively, including firm-specific characteristics and macroeconomic variables, we uncover that factors such as firm size, volatility, and trading frictions are crucial in influencing Australian stock returns. Contrary to expectations, these models often perform well across various market segments, including large, liquid stocks, challenging conventional assumptions about machine learning's efficacy in different market contexts.</p
Determining the Efficacy of Fire as a Management Tool in Grasslands Invaded by Exotic Plant Species
No full textFire has long been used to manage the environment. In recent times, the use of fire for management requires additional consideration of the impacts of the changing climate and habitat disruption. Additionally, the effect of fire management is greatly altered by the invasion of exotic plant species. Much of the research to date has focused on the effects of fire and exotic species on the plant communities. Few studies have considered their individual and combined effects on the plant community and the soil microbial community.
To better understand the use of fire as a management tool for habitats invaded by exotic plants, two field experiments focusing on Victorian grasslands that have been invaded by exotic plant species were implemented. Several of the exotic grasses from this research appear in both sites, such as the Avena spp., Bromus spp., and Lolium rigidum, however there is limited overlap in the native plant communities. Each offered a unique insight into the some of the factors which influence changes in native plant species metrics after fire. In the semi-arid Torrumberry grassland, the influence of invasion extent (i.e., the abundance of exotic plants) and of fire on the post-fire recovery of the native and exotic plant communities were measured directly, through changes in plant species diversity and abundance, and, indirectly, through changes in the soil seed bank, soil chemistry, the soil microbial community, and fire characteristics (Chapters 2 and 3). In the temperate Nicola Davis Conservation Grassland, the direct effects of fire frequency in conjunction with herbicide management were measured by determining native and exotic species diversity and abundance, and the indirect effects of fire frequency were measured through analysis of soil chemistry and the soil microbial community (Chapters 4 and 5). By measuring plant community, soil chemistry, and microbial community components within these grasslands, a holistic view of the role of fire in contributing to community shifts was created.
In Torrumberry, the effect of fire management across two contrasting soil types within a grassland that differed in their invasion extent was tested. The effects of fire on the plant community were highly context dependant. In the less productive, nutrient-poor red soil, fire benefitted natives and inhibited exotic plants recovery and their seed germination. In the nutrient-rich grey soil, fire facilitated exotic species invasion and negatively affected native species. Finally, fire temperature increased with exotic species biomass, however, this did not impact the native plant community. The effect of fire on the soil microbial community, the richness, diversity, evenness, and community composition of both bacteria and fungi were minimally influenced by fire. Instead, soil type (red versus grey) was a strong determinant of the community composition of both bacteria and fungi in these soils. Combined, these results showed that the delivery of fire management should take into consideration the soil environment and extent of invasion to gauge its efficacy.
In Nicola Davis, the effect of fire frequencies on plant and soil microbial communities across a habitat moderately invaded by exotic plant species was tested. Annual fire was shown to have a stronger impact on both the native and the exotic plant communities than one fire event. Additionally, increases in the abundance of exotics did not impede on the recovery of natives after fire. Fire in general, irrespective of its frequency, altered the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities. For fungal communities, changes to the community composition also varied through time. Results from Chapters 4 and 5 show that increasing the frequency of fire management can positively affect the plant community, but that additional weed management, and the ongoing effects that high fire frequency might have on the microbial community need to be considered.
Together these results show that 1) fire benefits native species when invasion by exotic plant species is low, 2) fire has little impact on soil chemistry, but soil characteristics (such as soil type in Torrumberry) strongly influence plant and microbial communities, and subsequently influence how plant communities respond to fire, and 3) soil microbial communities are resilient to fire impacts. As such, fire can be used by managers to the benefit of the native plant community despite the positive effects fire may have on exotic species, and because the resilient microbial community can persist alongside fire management.</p
Unearthing Cultural Volcanic Landscapes Using Remote Sensing
No full textLava rise and tumuli features known as stony rises are volcanic landforms that can be found on younger basaltic lava flows (Remote sensing datasets such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), aerial and satellite imagery, and airborne geophysical data sets such as radiometrics and geomagnetics provide an opportunity to detect and map stony rises over large areas from an aerial perspective. This thesis seeks to map stony rise landforms at a landscape scale using multi-source remote sensing data and machine learning. Additionally, the land use of stony rises by Indigenous Australians is explored. To address this aim, four research questions (RQ) have been developed.The first research question, presented at Victorian Archaeology Colloquium and published in Excavations, Surveys and Heritage Management in Victoria, defines metrics for characterising stony rises at a landscape scale. An extensive literature review on stony rises was conducted by analysing academic papers and archaeological reports to understand how stony rises and their physical characteristics have previously been described, often limited in detail. Then, the utility of the characteristics was measured in remotely sensed and geospatial data, where a typology of data categories was created encompassing: geology, topography, vegetation, thermal, heritage, airborne radiometric, and spectral signature and indices. This research question successfully identified metrics for characterising stony rises at a landscape scale in open-sourced remotely sensed datasets and additional spatial data. The second research question, published in Geomorphology, aimed to use remotely sensed data and machine learning to map older (weathered) stony rises (~800,000 years old) from a subsection of the Mt Fraser lava flow that is experiencing rapid land development (Victoria, Australia). The metrics identified in RQ1 were used as predictor variables in a machine learning classification. An Object-based Random Forest model was implemented. First Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) was used for image segmentation on the aerial imagery to create training data segments. Then, a Random Forest classifier was used to detect stony rise landforms in the landscape. This approach detected stony rises to an accuracy of 89.97% and found an additional 314 potential new stony rise sites. The results achieved highlight the success of using an ensemble of predictor variables to map volcanic landforms such as stony rises at a case study level using a remote sensing and machine learning approach. Additionally, it has resulted in a dataset that captures a volcanic landscape and its landforms before it is lost to land development. The third research question, published in Remote Sensing, expanded on the previous RQ by mapping stony rises across a much larger region (an entire basalt lava flow). The stony rises from the Warrion Hill and Red Rock Volcanic Complex were mapped to an accuracy of 78.9%, with an additional 2,716 new stony rise sites being identified. This previously unmapped region is much younger in geological age (~42,000 years old) and highlights that the age of the lava flow needs to be considered when mapping stony rises with remote sensing and machine learning, as younger volcanic landscapes rely more on topographic predictor variables compared to older ones. The final research question, currently under peer review in Australian Archaeology, explored the land use of stony rises by Aboriginal Australians. Here, the spatial association between stony rises and Registered Aboriginal Places was examined through clustering and spatial analysis. The results generated from RQ2 were used to explore the cultural values of stony rises from the Mt Fraser lava flow in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. Here, the distance from stony rises to Registered Aboriginal Places was calculated using buffers of 50 metre increments up to 1 kilometre. Additionally, the spatial distribution of Registered Aboriginal Places within the study area was examined through a Kernel Density map. The results found that 41.4% of Registered Aboriginal Places were found on a stony rise, and an additional 17.7% of Registered Aboriginal Places were found within 50m of a stony rise. The strong spatial association found between stony rises and Registered Aboriginal Places contributes to knowledge regarding the importance of these natural landforms to Indigenous Australians, particularly the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. This thesis investigated mapping volcanic landforms (i.e., stony rises) with multi-sourced remote sensing data and machine learning. Defining stony rise landform metrics and where they are found using remotely sensed data, allowed a definition of stony rises to be developed. Their subsequent examination with regards to places of cultural significance highlights the importance of these landscape features for Indigenous Australians who advocate for their protection. As land (particularly in metropolitan areas) continues to be developed, there is a need for more efficient landform mapping techniques. The methodology implemented in this thesis can be applied at case study and landscape scales to identify volcanic landforms (such as lava rises and tumuli) and enable targeted mapping and landscape analysis. While land development is inevitable, it is important that the geological, ecological, and cultural values of a landscape, such as those studied in this thesis, are recognised, studied, and preserved (where possible) for future generations before they are lost forever.</p
Workplace health and safety performance at the client-contractor interface: Measurement, management and behaviour
No full textAs the initiators of construction projects, clients have the ability to influence work health and safety (WHS) in the projects they procure. One of the ways they seek to do this is through the implementation of measurement regimes to collect data that they then utilise to manage the WHS performance of the contractors they engage to deliver projects. However, the validity of widely utilised WHS performance indicators has been questioned and the effectiveness of measurement and management regimes in influencing WHS performance across the client-contractor boundary is not well understood. There is therefore a need to better understand the characteristics of effective measurement and management activities as implemented by construction clients to influence contractors’ WHS performance. Qualitative interviews were conducted with client and contractor representatives engaged in the delivery of large-scale infrastructure construction projects. It was observed that clients implement performance measurement and management (PMM) approaches in relation to WHS. These were grouped into ideal types, i.e. regimes reliant on autocratic, bureaucratic or collaborative forms of control. It was observed that autocratic and bureaucratic PMM regimes produced counterproductive behaviours, including manipulation of information, the promulgation of safety ‘clutter,’ poor quality client-contractor relationships and low levels of trust. In contrast, collaborative regimes produced higher levels of trust, open and honest reporting and collaborative problem-solving in relation to WHS. The findings suggest that PMM regimes should be carefully designed and implemented to ensure that they are effective.</p
Domestic and Family Violence Among Migrant, Refugee, and Asylum-Seeking Women in Australia: A Scoping Review of Experiences and Support.
No full textPurpose
The topic of women from migrant or refugee backgrounds who experience Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) and have restricted or limited access to public funds, legal and social support services is becoming more prominent in Australia. This scoping review explores, what lessons learned can be found in peer-reviewed literature and grey on the integration of the social support and legal interventions associated with DFV among migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking women in Australia.
Methods
We adhered to the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) framework and PRISMA guidelines to provide evidence on the topic of DFV in Australia between 2000 and 2023 and found 550 articles in the initial search of key data bases such as, PubMed, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar. This was reduced to 200 when cross referenced with duplicates. Further screening against inclusion/exclusion criteria by two authors separately, resulted in 22 relevant articles meeting all criterion.
Results
Findings suggest three key themes including Lived experience of Domestic and Family Violence; Protective and Contributing Factors Supporting Women’s Decision Making; and Lack of an Intersectional Approach in Service Delivery. Results indicate there are multiple barriers preventing women from accessing social and legal support services, and urgent policy changes are required to prevent ongoing abuse to them and their children.
Conclusions
Recommendations include further development of culturally inclusive and holistic approaches in service delivery, research, and policy. It is an urgent requirement to enhance the capacity of service providers and professionals to effectively respond to the needs of migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking women experiencing DFV.</p