19683 research outputs found
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Enhancing growth and transpiration efficiency of corn plants with compost addition and potential beneficial microbes under well-watered and water-stressed conditions
No full textBackground and aims: Water scarcity due to increasing climate variability means improved drought tolerance in crop plants is more urgent. Addition of organic wastes could enhance crop drought tolerance through improved nutrition or increased soil water holding capacity. However, their effect on crop water relations, mediated by plant beneficial soil microbes, remains less well-studied. This study aims to understand how applications of nutrient-rich composts affect the growth and transpiration use efficiency (TE), the ratio of shoot biomass to total transpiration, of corn plants under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Methods: The study used a factorial combination of four amendment treatments (surface applied fertilizer, surface-and deep-banded compost, and deep-banded compost with biochar) with two water regimes. Results: All compost treatments, irrespective of whether they were applied to the topsoil or subsoil, alone or with biochar, increased TE of corn plants by ~ 10%, relative to surface fertilizer. Compost addition reduced average stomatal conductance and transpiration rate by > 30%, which could be attributed to elevated leaf hormone concentrations of abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate. Furthermore, compost addition increased the abundance of soil fungi and bacteria in the Bacillus and Streptomyces genera, which are known to increase the biosynthesis of leaf hormones. In the deep compost treatments, corn plants exhibited significantly higher root length densities in subsoil layers, resulting in increased subsoil water extraction. Conclusion: Greater biomass production following deep compost addition under water stress was mainly attributed to microbially mediated increase in TE, followed by improved deep root growth and water uptake from the subsoil layer.</p
The ‘Informed Matter’ of Gay and Bisexual Men's (Potential) Use of HIV Antiretrovirals to Prevent COVID-19
No full textIn 2020, there were reports that HIV antiretrovirals, specifically the combination tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), had therapeutic potential for COVID-19. In the context of scant empirical evidence at the time to confirm such an effect, we sought to understand the ways that gay and bisexual men (GBM) made sense of—and embodied—information about HIV antiretrovirals in relation to preventing and/or treating COVID-19. We conducted interviews with 26 participants between August and November 2020. To understand how information about, and experiences of, consuming antiretrovirals might form part of assemblages of COVID-19 prevention for GBM in Australia, we draw on Marsha Rosengarten's (2009) concept of ‘informed matter’. ‘Informed matter’ conceptualises the subject (of disease prevention) as involved in a co-constitutive relationship with the contextual dynamics in which it is situated. Participants drew on their understandings of virology, immunology and pharmaceuticals and experiences with antiretrovirals to form perceptions about their function as therapeutics for COVID-19. By looking beyond biotechnologies as causal of behaviour, we can avoid unintended moralism in contexts of potentially different use. We argue that using ‘informed matter’ is useful to interrogate, often neglected, complex changes in sex-associated biotechnologies in complicated informational contexts, such as a global pandemic.</p
Recommendations - Enhancing Mental Health Clinical Placements for Students
No full textThese recommendations were generated from research and interviews conducted with stakeholders across several disciplines as part of the Mental Health Student Clinical Placement Enhancement Project at La Trobe University in collaboration with the Department of Health and five other universities.This report specifically focuses on optimising student experiences and outcomes. Recommendations for preceptors are forthcoming and will complement this report.A key outcome of these recommendations is the completion of a student module designed to address the challenges identified. This will be published soon as part of the forthcoming Mental Health Essentials open educational resource and shared widely. This resource will be adaptable and can be localised for different education and clinical practice contexts.</p
QSOX Queer Women's Substance Use Over Time: Briefing Paper 1 - LBQ Women and Alcohol
No full textLesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women consistently report higher rates of alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine use than heterosexual women, yet there has been limited qualitative research exploring why these patterns exist, how they evolve, and what they mean in women’s lives. Most existing studies focus on risk, often framing LBQ women’s substance use through a lens of harm or deficit. These narratives frequently draw on the concept of minority stress, the chronic stress experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people due to discrimination and stigma, as the primary explanation for increased substance use. While minority stress is one important aspect of LBQ women’s substance use, this explanation alone does not tell the whole story for everyone.The QSOX (Queer Women’s Substance Use Over Time) study was designed to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of LBQ women and non-binary people’s experiences of alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine use in Australia. Funded by the Australian Research Council (LP210100122) and conducted alongside the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, and in partnership with Thorne Harbour Health, ACON, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, Quit Victoria, and the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association, this is the first longitudinal qualitative study to explore changes in LBQ women and non-binary people’s substance use over time. Specifically, the project aimed to address the following research questions:1. What is the role of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine use in the social and cultural lives of Australian LBQ women and non-binary people?2. How do LBQ women and non-binary people understand, construct, and manage the potential risks and harms of alcohol and tobacco use over time?3. What are LBQ women and non-binary people’s experiences and perceptions of smoking cessation and alcohol-related support services?© La Trobe University 2025</p
The president and the pepperpot: Linguistic representation of the sexes in a Melbourne daily newspaper
No full textThis paper aims to look at previous research conducted about sexual representation and indeed, misrepresentation, in the medium of newspapers. It will consider some key features of gendered language, where gendered covers all types of language that assume sexual stereotypes, impose sexual prejudices, exclude one or the other sex, perpetuate sexual inequality and so on. The key features identified from the sourced texts will then be considered in the examination of one daily newspaper, The Herald Sun (September 23 1998), with a mind to highlighting the instances of sexual stereotypes, semantic derogation, and general linguistic inequality of the sexes.</p
Time to pay attention: A systems biology approach to the neural mechanisms underlying visuomotor control
No full textSubmitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.</p
Global comparison of the economic costs of coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textObjectives: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, yet no comprehensive evaluation of its global economic costs exists. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to examine the costs of CHD treatment by region and CHD subtypes, examine whether there are cost difference by sex, and examine costing methodologies. Design: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of non-randomised studies. Data sources: We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, EconLit and Google Scholar from 1 January 2000 to February 2023. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: We included observational studies reporting economic costs of CHD treatment and outcomes for adults that were published in English. Data extraction and synthesis: Data extraction and quality assessment were independently undertaken by two reviewers. Costs were converted to percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of corresponding country. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis using StataSE V.18 to calculate the pooled percentage. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic. Meta-regression and bias assessment were performed. Results: Out of 20 100 records identified, 37 studies (including 2 564 189 individuals) from 22 countries were included in the qualitative synthesis and the quantitative meta-analysis. In most countries, the annual cost of CHD exceeds many times the total health expenditure per capita. The pooled direct annual cost of CHD per patient varied from 4.9% to 137.8% of GDP per capita (Int$ purchasing power parity), with pooled percentage of 21.7% (95% CI 15.3, 28.1) for those with CHD. Slight difference in the annual pooled cost of CHD was observed, with a 2% of GDP per capita higher cost in men (95% CI 0.8, 3.2). Most studies applied a top-down costing approach (n=21). Conclusions: The review illustrates the expense associated with CHD, which is varied by region and CHD subtypes. The observed cost difference by sex warrants further exploration of sex-specific factors influencing cost disparities. Exploring advanced costing methods such as time-driven activity-based costing can optimise resource allocation and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs and cost disparities. </p
BhutanBioClims: High-Resolution (250 m) Historical and Projected (CMIP6) Bioclimatic Variables for Bhutan. v1
No full textThis collection provides 121 sets of 19 bioclimatic variables (see Booth et al. 2014) describing the historical (1986–2015) and projected future (CMIP6) climates of Bhutan with a spatial resolution of 250 m. The future 19 bioclimatic variables include four shared socio-economic pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) (O'Neill et al., 2016; Riahi et al., 2017) and three periods (2021–2050, 2051–2080, and 2071–2100) using 10 global climate models (GCMs). These data can be used for many applications in environmental and agricultural science.</p
Soil Seedbank Dynamics and Species Diversity in Pimelea-Infested Paddocks Under Pasture and Cultivated Conditions
No full textPasture lands, while appearing uniform in species diversity, exhibit notable variations upon closer examination. The study on Pimelea (or riceflower) seedbank dynamics revealed significant variations in seed density and distribution across soil depths, sites, years, and between pasture and cultivated paddocks in the same region of western Queensland. For the total number of germinable riceflower seeds across both the years 2019 and 2020, there is a clear distinction between pasture and cultivated paddocks. Pasture paddocks exhibited a gradual increase in total seed count from 108 seeds m−2 in 2019 to 121 seeds m−2 in 2020, resulting in a combined total of 229 seeds m−2 over the 2 years across both depths. In contrast, cultivated paddocks showed a more substantial increase, with seed counts rising from 146 seeds m−2 in 2019 to 255 seeds m−2 in 2020, resulting in a combined total of 401 seeds m−2 across both depths. Additionally, the Shannon–Wiener index at Site 1 indicated increased species diversity in the topsoil of pasture paddocks in 2020 compared to 2019, while deeper soil diversity decreased. Cultivated paddocks showed a declining trend, while pasture sites exhibited stable or increasing diversity. Pasture management generally maintained or enhanced diversity better than cultivation, especially in the topsoil layer. These findings highlight site-specific differences influenced by soil properties, land management practices, and local environmental conditions, shaping riceflower seedbank dynamics. Understanding these patterns is crucial for developing targeted management strategies to control riceflower in affected areas. Long-term field studies focusing on seedbanks are essential to develop sustainable control strategies.</p
LGBTQA+ Health and Wellbeing in South Australia: Secondary Analyses from <i>Private Lives 3</i>, <i>Writing Themselves in 4</i>, and <i>Pride and Pandemic</i>
No full textThe Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), La Trobe University, was commissioned by Preventive Health SA, to conduct secondary analyses of three of ARCSHS’s largest national surveys of LGBTQA+ adults and young people, using data from those living in South Australia (SA) at the time of the survey. This report presents findings from health outcomes that align with Preventive Health SA’s prevention priorities.Data is presented in this report from the largest health and wellbeing surveys to-date of LGBTQA+ adults (Private Lives 3; 434 SA participants) and young people (Writing Themselves In 4; 640 SA participants) in Australia, as well as the Pride and Pandemic (205 SA participants) survey of the health and wellbeing of the LGBTQA+ community during the COVID-19 pandemic.© ARCSHS, La Trobe University, 2025</p