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Ankle proprioception and functional performance in patients with Achilles tendinopathy
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to investigate differences in ankle plantar flexion proprioception and lower extremity function between Achilles tendinopathy (AT) patients and healthy controls. 17 patients with midportion AT (age 22.0 ± 3.0, 7 females, and 10 males) and 17 healthy controls (age 21.5 ± 2.1, 7 females, and 10 males) were recruited. The following tests were performed randomly: the ankle plantar flexion active movement extent discrimination assessment (AMEDA), weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT), single leg hop test, figure-of-eight hop test, Y Balance Test (YBT), and lower extremity functional test (LEFT). Group comparisons were made between the AT and healthy groups, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the ability of tests to differentiate between participants with and without AT. Results showed that the AT group performed significantly worse in the ankle proprioception test (p = 0.016), single leg hop test (p = 0.001), figure-of-eight hop test (p < 0.001), unilateral LEFT (p = 0.001), and LEFT injury risk score (p = 0.001) than healthy controls. No significant between group difference was found in WBLT and YBT. Diagnostic analysis showed that the AMEDA (p = 0.018), single leg hop test (p = 0.003), figure-of-eight hop test (p = 0.002), and LEFT (p = 0.001) could differentiate between patients with AT and the healthy individuals. The current study demonstrated that ankle proprioception and functional performance involving explosive jump are impaired in patients with AT, suggesting poorer dynamic neuromuscular function and a higher risk of lower limb injury in this population, and furthermore, these tests should be considered in the assessment for AT.</p
Particle filtration efficiency of respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textBackground: Respirators are an essential medical device vital to prevent the transmission of airborne illness between persons. This study presents an investigation conducted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) into the particle filtration efficiency (PFE) performance of respirators supplied in Australia that were included as medical devices in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic or supplied to the TGA from other jurisdictions for compliance testing. Methods: A total of 400 real-world batches of respirators were tested against a rapid-screen PFE method developed by the TGA. The TGA analysed a respirator's ability to meet its claimed filtration efficiency with a statistical power analysis differentiated by the claimed PFE standard, country of manufacture, time of inclusion into the ARTG and respirators with surgical against non-surgical claims. Findings: Of the tested batches of respirators (n = 400), 70 % were compliant with the pre-set compliance criteria. The results indicate statistically significant PFE differences (p < 0.05) between respirators claiming the standards 42 CFR Part 84, AS 1716:2012, GB 19083: 2010 and EN 149:2001+ A1:2009 when tested against respirators claiming GB 2626:2006. There were no observed significant differences between the PFE of surgical and non-surgical respirators (p > 0.05). Interpretation: The findings of this study highlight the importance of ensuring respirators meet their claimed PFE level based on their claimed standard prior to manufacturer release. Further studies should be focussed on investigating the effect of respiratory protection devices and their claimed efficiency in clinical settings such as hospitals against aerosolised particulates using a range of respiratory protection devices.</p
Reducing plastic in single-use central line insertion packs:A mixed methods observational study
Get PDFCentral venous catheter (CVC) line insertion packs contain single-use plastic and metal items that are disposed of after the pack is opened, regardless of whether the item was used. This study aimed to collect data on the experiences and views of Australian clinicians who use CVC line insertion packs in paediatric critical care, elicit possible solutions to reduce waste associated with these packs, and to estimate the potential for financial and carbon footprint savings from a refined pack. This study was performed in two large paediatric tertiary referral hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Clinicians were invited to a survey and an interview to determine if and what items from a CVC line insertion pack could be excluded. Outcome measures included financial costs and embodied carbon emissions (CO 2e). Of approximately 200 eligible clinicians who were invited, 25 (12.5%) completed the survey and 18 (9%) were interviewed (five did both). All survey respondents were willing to use a new pack that had less waste. They identified five items within the existing CVC pack as commonly non-essential. Interview data identified additional strategies for waste minimisation, including use of a trolley that allowed choice of items to use. Many clinicians expressed moral distress concerning healthcare's impact on the environment. We calculated that a refined CVC pack without these five items would save the two participating hospitals approximately A$1400 and 230 kg CO 2e per year. Financial and carbon savings may be achieved through removing items that are infrequently used and/or through use of a trolley. </p
Rapid climate action will come at a cost, according to the Business Council. But experts say the benefits are far larger
No full textInfluence diagnostics for generalized CP tensor regression models
No full textTensor regression models are widely used in diverse fields, but influence diagnostics for these models remain underdeveloped. This study extends local influence analysis and the case-deletion method to generalized CP tensor regression. We derive one-step approximations of generalized Cook's distance using the Hessian and Fisher information matrices. Three perturbation schemes–case-weighted, single-explanatory-variable, and group-explanatory-variable–are analyzed via the likelihood displacement's largest curvature. Simulations and empirical results confirm that our diagnostic methods accurately identify influential observations, even under higher-than-true rank assumptions.</p
Health benefits of traffic emissions controls in Melbourne, Australia
No full textLong term exposure to traffic related air pollution (TRAP) is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In 2005 and 2013, Australia adopted Euro 4 and Euro 5 emissions standards, respectively, for all new vehicles, leading to gradual decreases in TRAP concentrations and associated ambient NO2 levels. We estimated the health impacts of those emissions standards in Victoria, Australia and assessed the spatial distribution of benefits. We estimated annual mortality attributable to TRAP under pre-2005 conditions and calculated the years of life gained since. Population weighted annual average NO2 exposures were estimated for each of the years 2005–2022 using a spatial linear regression (SLR) model and the share from vehicles was determined using a chemical transport model. Attributable mortality was estimated using the mortality concentration-response coefficient for NO2 (1.023, 95 % CI: 1.008–1.037, per 10 μg/m3 annual average) as recommended by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. Across the state, 2005 population weighted average NO2 exposures were 3.8–40.0 μg/m3, and decreased by −1.4–9.7 μg/m3 over the years to 2022. Prior to 2005, the mortality burden of NO2 from all anthropogenic sources (Mean 20.2 μg/m3) was 685 (95 % CI, 243–1084) premature deaths annually, corresponding with 10,355 [3623–16570] years of life lost (YLL), including 9234 [3230, 14,778] from traffic related NO2. Tailpipe emissions controls have led to 11,889 [4170, 18,979] additional years of life among residents of Victoria, Australia, since 2005. But these benefits are concentrated in urban areas with no industry.</p
Building Legitimacy Inside the IIEP:Balancing Technical Advice with International Politics
No full text© Helen Weir and Will Brehm, 2026 | DOI:10.1163/9789004689121_009This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.chapter 9Building Legitimacy Inside the IIEPBalancing Technical Advice with International PoliticsHelen Weir and Will BrehmAbstractResearch into international organisations in the field of comparative and internationaleducation has frequently focused on large multilaterals. Mostly absent is an explorationof minor international organisations that do not have significant amounts of power,money, or human resources at their disposal. How do such organisations influenceglobal and national education policy? The International Institute of EducationalPlanning (IIEP) is an autonomous institute within the United Nations Educational,Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). With 147 staff, the IIEP accounts forroughly 5 percent of UNESCO’s 2022–2023 budget. Despite its size, the IIEP continuesto be a key player in educational planning. This chapter explores how IIEP impactseducation at the national level despite its financial limitations. Through a desk-reviewof IIEP documents and semi-structured interviews with participants who have beenemployed by IIEP at different strategic levels over the last twenty years, this chapterexamines how IIEP has survived due to its organisational legitimacy. Our analysisuncovers tensions that arise for the IIEP as it navigates maintaining legitimacy withboth donors and beneficiary countries
A systematic review of reviews on comprehensive community initiatives to prevent or reduce alcohol and other drug harms
Get PDFBackground and Aims: Comprehensive community initiatives (CCI) aimed at reducing or preventing alcohol or other drug (AOD) harms incorporate multiple initiatives delivered to whole communities to effect community-level change on sociocultural and environmental factors. CCIs have gained in popularity and have been subject to extensive research; however, CCIs comprise multiple initiatives and evidence for effectiveness by substance type has been mixed. This umbrella review aimed to synthesise information from published reviews to describe the combination of CCIs with the most consistent evidence for impact for each substance type. Method: We searched Embase/Medline, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, two online registries and hand searched references for English language reviews without date restriction and conducted an umbrella review using mixed methods synthesis (PROSPERO CRD42023432567). We considered all types of reviews focused on CCIs and addressing AOD use or harms. Two reviewers independently screened all articles and conducted full text review. Extraction of main results relating to CCI impact and quality assessment using AMSTAR-2 and SANRA was completed by two independent reviewers and corrected covered area analysis conducted. Results: We identified 87 reviews spanning three decades; 14 were rated high quality. Most reviews considered individual substances [alcohol (43 reviews) or tobacco (35 reviews) and rarely illicit drugs (16 reviews)], and some limited scope to ‘at-risk’ community members [young people (26 reviews) and First Nations (8 reviews)]. Although the evidence did not meet criteria for consistent impact, communities should consider implementing school-based (supported by 36 of 50 reviews) and parenting-related (29 of 37 reviews) activities that are supported by media campaign where feasible (29 of 51 reviews). CCIs have the most consistent impact on alcohol (supported by 24 of 32 reviews) and tobacco-related outcomes (22 of 35 reviews), though illicit drugs are yet to be adequately assessed. Conclusions: Although the available evidence regarding comprehensive community initiatives is largely inconsistent, the addition of parenting-related activities to existing school-based education campaigns is likely to improve effectiveness. A media campaign may extend their reach to those outside school settings. Future evaluation of CCIs should measure impact of activities in isolation where possible and incorporate process measures to gauge community engagement and empowerment.</p
The ethics of using biocontrol:understanding public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, biocontrol in principle and dung beetles in particular
No full textBiocontrol can be an effective tool in managing unwanted species and for environmental management. In-depth understanding of public perceptions and attitudes of biocontrol is critical to securing constructive public engagement in biocontrol initiatives. This study used mixed methods survey research with 155 Australian participants to identify key drivers of attitudes and perceptions and their associated impacts on acceptance of biocontrol. In addition, the study assesses if there were differences between public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, biocontrol in principle and the specific case of dung beetles introduced into Australia to mitigate issues arising from dung accumulation. The results indicate that while participants believe dung beetles are safer and more effective than biocontrol in principle, they consider them less necessary. Identification of biocontrol as an ethical approach to environmental management was the only shared driver of acceptance and positive attitude towards both biocontrol in general and dung beetles in particular. Positive perceptions of dung beetles were also motivated by identifying them as effective and useful. On the other hand, acceptance of biocontrol in principle was also driven by the perception that introducing an agent would pose limited threats to biodiversity, higher confidence in governance, and respondents being older. This study identifies the need for further research exploring the ethical positions of diverse publics to strengthen understanding of the factors driving acceptance or rejection of biocontrol in specific contexts. We conclude that a more nuanced and detailed approach to ethics could improve communication strategies, strengthen public-science trust and enhance scientific practices and outcomes.</p
Un viaje para realizar investigación comparada acerca de la educación para la ciudadanía mundial: caminos hermenéuticos para la comprensión a través de la interpretación, el diálogo, la experiencia y la reflexión:A journey in conducting comparative research on education for global citizenship: hermeneutic pathways for understanding through interpretation, dialogue, experience, and reflection
No full textEsta nota expone una investigación comparada acerca de la educación para la ciudadanía mundial (ecm), que forma parte de un proyecto más amplio, financiado por el Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PaPiit) de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. La investigación se propuso examinar cómo se entiende y cómo se aborda la ecm en tres países: Australia (del norte global), México y Colombia (del sur global). La discusión toma la forma de una reflexión sobre los procesos de investigación y las percepciones enmarcadas desde una perspectiva teórica hermenéutica, que pone en primer plano la experiencia, el diálogo, la interpretación y la reflexión como elementos clave. El estudio se centró en explorar enfoques alternativos al paradigma neoliberal dominante en el norte global: a saber, perspectivas críticas, decoloniales e interculturales. Las fuentes de información para la investigación provinieron de documentos de políticas y curriculares, de las comunidades escolares locales, así como de conversaciones con el equipo latinoamericano de investigación. Se presenta el argumento de que una forma de pedagogía crítica puede permitir que docentes y estudiantes se comprometan de manera significativa con temas que tienen relevancia para sus comunidades desde la ciudadanía, como la preservación del medio ambiente natural, la situación de las personas migrantes y refugiadas, así como y la integración del conocimiento y la cultura de las comunidades originarias. This research note discusses a comparative education investigation on global citizenship education (gce), which is part of a larger project, funded by the Program to Support Projects for Research and Technological Innovation (PaPiit) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The research sought to examine how global citizenship education (gce) is understood and addressed in three countries: Australia (representing the global north) and Mexico and Colombia (representing the global south). The discussion takes the form of a reflection on the research processes and perceptions framed by a hermeneutic theoretical perspective, which foregrounds experience, dialogue, interpretation and reflection as key elements of the research. The study focused on exploring alternative approaches to the dominant neoliberal paradigm of the global north, namely critical, decolonial and intercultural perspectives. The source of information for the research came from policy and curriculum documents and from conversations with Latin American co-researchers, and those in local school communities. The argument is made that a form of critical pedagogy can enable teachers and students to meaningfully engage with issues that have relevance to their communities as citizens, such as the preservation of the natural environment, the situation of migrants and refugees, and the integration of first nations knowledge and culture