19683 research outputs found
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Learning from Australia: Strengthening Congressional Scrutiny of Federal Agency Rulemaking
No full textNo description supplied</p
Perch choice and substrate matching to the dorsal patterns of Amphibolurus muricatus lizards
No full textThe backgrounds that cryptic animals choose will affect the efficacy of their camouflage. Most animals use a range of microhabitats consisting of a variety of substrates, vegetation and lighting conditions. As some of these will be better suited to facilitating camouflage than others, we expect cryptic animals to consider their conspicuousness when choosing a background to occupy. If the availability of backgrounds varies between populations of cryptic animals, then selective pressure on their coloration may also vary, resulting in intraspecific variation and presumably animals being better suited to the backgrounds locally available to them than those at other locations. In this study we investigate how backgrounds available to Jacky dragons (Amphibolurus muricatus) vary across their range, whether these lizards are occupying backgrounds that match well to their dorsal patterns, and how backgrounds compare to their dorsal patterns. Wild lizards were located and photographed along with the background they were found on, and other options available nearby. We compared lizards and backgrounds within their microhabitat as well as all backgrounds across all microhabitats. We found that lizards were not occupying the backgrounds that best matched their own patterns, that background options varied between locations, and that lizards from certain locations were occupying backgrounds closer matching to their own pattern than those from other locations. These outcomes provide interesting insight into the variance of local factors that influence the pattern phenotype, as well as how the relative need for camouflage might vary and be balanced with other needs.</p
The economic impact of diabetes: Assessing incremental direct costs in Australia using linked administrative data
No full textBackground: Diabetes poses huge financial implications for individuals and healthcare systems. This study aims to quantify the incremental direct healthcare costs associated with diabetes in Australia. Methods: This matched retrospective cohort study used a linked administrative dataset for Western Australia. Diabetes cases (n = 18,937) were matched 1:1 to controls based on age, sex, remoteness, and weight status. Direct healthcare costs incurred by the government, including costs of hospital admissions, emergency presentations, prescribed medications, general practice visits, and pathology tests, were estimated for 2021, with costs expressed in 2024 Australian Dollars (AUD). The incremental cost was calculated as the difference between the average annual costs of people with diabetes and those without diabetes, and the cost was extrapolated to the total population in 2024. Results: Average annual healthcare costs per person with diabetes (AUD 9677) were 2.1 times higher than those without diabetes (AUD 4669). The average annual costs attributable to people with Type 2 Diabetes (AUD 5135) were higher than those with Type 1 Diabetes (AUD 4295). The incremental costs of diabetes (AUD 5008) significantly varied across age groups, remoteness, weight status, socioeconomic status and smoking status. In Australia, the total healthcare cost associated with diabetes in 2024 was estimated at AUD 14.2 billion, and the total incremental cost associated with diabetes was estimated at AUD 7.3 billion. Conclusions: Diabetes imposes a substantial excess direct healthcare cost burden. Evidence could guide the planning and allocation of resources, as well as support the need for targeted health interventions.</p
The dynamics of energy transition metals under climate policy uncertainty
No full textClimate policy uncertainty has emerged as a key source of systemic risk in global commodity markets, particularly for energy transition metals. The volatile and uneven trajectory of climate policy shaped by shifting political priorities, macro financial shocks and regulatory reversals creates uncertainty for metals markets and long horizon investment. Using monthly data from 1988 to 2024, this study applies a Structural Vector Autoregression (SVAR) model with exogenous controls to identify the impact of climate policy uncertainty on energy transition metals while accounting for macroeconomic drivers. The findings show that uncertainty shocks trigger persistent price declines for nickel and more moderate short-lived effects for aluminium and copper. Additional analysis shows that investor sentiment operates as a transmission channel through which the effects of climate policy uncertainty transmits to changes in transition metal prices. A dynamic spillover analysis further shows that climate policy uncertainty usually acts as a net shock receiver but becomes more influential during systemic crises. Time varying Granger causality tests confirm an uni-directional influence of climate policy uncertainty on energy transition metals, especially around major policy events. These findings highlight the evolving role of climate policy uncertainty in shaping the dynamics of transition metal prices and show the need for credible and coordinated policy frameworks to support the energy transition.</p
Author guidelines for open educational resources - La Trobe eBureau
No full textThese guidelines support editors and authors of La Trobe eBureau open educational resources (OER) to develop content in a learner-centred way. They are used together with the corresponding OER chapter template.The underlying principles informing the design of these guidelines are:open textbooks should differ from traditional textbooks in pedagogy, not just accessibilityour OERs express concepts and practice in a way that speaks to the “hearts and minds” of learnersthe goal is to develop emerging practitioners or critical thinkers, rather than just provide open access informationcontext is key - communicating facts and concepts alone is of limited value in a rapidly changing worldeffective learning and development is deeply human, developmental, and contextualWe encourage you to adapt these guidelines for your own OER project or open education program.</p
Outreach across cultures: Building scaffolding for more equitable and diverse career pathways for young people in Sunraysia
No full textNo description supplied</p
A cultural perspective of natural resource curse in finance
No full textThis study proposes that the heterogeneous effect of natural resources revenue (NRR) on financial development (FD) can be explained by the differences in the orientation towards individualistic culture across countries. The empirical analysis based on a panel data set of a global sample of 92 countries, suggests that NRR hinders FD in countries with a low orientation towards individualistic culture relative to those with a high orientation. The findings are useful in understanding the critical resource curse phenomenon and capitalizing on natural resource wealth.</p
Rear-edge populations of an endemic alpine daisy are most impacted by invasive sambar deer, even with targeted feral animal control
No full textManagement of endangered species requires that threats to their persistence are identified and then mitigated. We document how an invasive ungulate that has recently and rapidly colonised Australian high mountain vegetation, sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), impacts a highly palatable endemic alpine daisy (Celmisia sericophylla, silky snow daisy). Further, we assess the effectiveness that lethal control conducted across the landscape, as part of a program for reducing deer numbers, has had on minimising impacts to the threatened daisy. We quantified the impact of deer at 57 Celmisia populations in relation to landscape context and herbivore control intensity by the land manager. Despite sustained lethal control being conducted across the landscape, we detected spatial differences in ongoing sambar deer impacts on the threatened species. Evidence of sambar deer were detected at 46 % of Celmisia populations sampled, and we found that rear-edge populations - nearest the treeline - were at highest risk of being occupied relative to populations further from the treeline. Activity of sambar deer at occupied Celmisia populations ranged from low level browsing of foliage and/or flowers (at 25 % of sites) to severe trampling and browsing; 5 % of sites). The probability of deer occupancy was higher with an increasing number of deer controlled with 1 km of Celmisia populations. This points to an ongoing and potentially predictable dispersal of deer into the alpine zone from subalpine forests, with such movements negatively affecting Celmisia populations nearest the invasion pathways, despite ongoing lethal control. Given the limited capacity of the broader deer control program to eliminate activity nearest the rear-edge populations, we recommend that landscape-scale sambar deer management needs to ramp-up in frequency and/or intensity, targeting alpine treelines, where most occupancy of Celmisia populations are currently being observed.</p
Effective components of integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy for lifestyle behaviour change: a modified Delphi study
No full textBackground: There are high levels of ill health across the world, largely due to lifestyle risk factors such as inadequate physical activity, unhealthy diet, and smoking. Behaviour change interventions are widely recommended for addressing many of these risk factors. While integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy (MI-CBT) is increasingly used to support behaviour change, there is currently no established consensus on its core effective components. The aim of this study was to establish expert consensus on the essential elements of MI-CBT interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. Methods: A modified Delphi study comprised of three iterative online surveys involving international experts in MI-CBT and lifestyle behaviour change was conducted. Using key literature and practice guides, a list of 63 commonly used components in individually delivered motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions were developed. In each round, experts rated their agreement with each component using a Likert scale. Components reaching at least 80% agreement in Rounds 2 or 3 were included in the final list of essential MI-CBT components. Results: Thirty experts with a median of 13 years of experience in behaviour change intervention design and delivery participated in Round 1, with 28 (93%) completing Round 2, and 25 (83%) completing Round 3. Consensus was achieved for 26 components. Of these, eight were relational components which included open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries, emphasising autonomy and offering emotional support. Sixteen components were based on cognitive behavioural content, and included exploring change expectations, identifying and exploring avoidant behaviour, identifying past successes, and technical strategies such as activity scheduling and relapse prevention. Finally, two process components emphasised the importance of scheduling sessions flexibly based on client needs, and ensuring that the therapist meets recognised standards for MI-CBT training and practice. Conclusions: Expert consensus was established regarding the essential elements of MI-CBT interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. This consensus provides guidance on essential elements to include in integrated MI-CBT interventions, which may strengthen MI-CBT training, improve intervention fidelity, and enhance real-world and research applications targeting physical activity, dietary intake, and smoking cessation. The proposed consensus framework offers a foundation for future trials assessing the effectiveness and implementation of integrated MI-CBT interventions.</p
Prevention strategies and modifiable risk factors for upper extremity injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis for the female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus
No full textObjectives: To examine injury prevention strategies and potentially modifiable risk factors (MRFs) for upper extremity (UE) injuries in female, woman and/or girl athletes (female/woman/girl). Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis, semiquantitative analyses and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Data sources: MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), APA PsycINFO (American Psychological Association Psychological Information Database), SPORTDiscus (Sports Discus Database), EMBASE (Excerpta Medica Database), and ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) (30 October 2023) and Cochrane Systematic Review Database and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (25 November 2023). Eligibility: Primary data studies with comparison group(s) assessing the association of prevention strategies and/or MRFs for sport-related UE injury, with ≥1 female/woman/girl in each study group. Results: 55 studies (n=20 intervention, n=35 MRF) were included with 33 228 athletes (8642 female/woman/girl; 26%). Of these, 17 (31%) reported female/woman/girl-specific estimates and included five injury locations (n=3 general UE, n=12 shoulder, n=3 elbow, n=3 wrist/hand). One prevention strategy (n=5 shoulder-specific exercise programmes) and seven MRFs were identified, including less range of motion (n=6), less shoulder muscle strength (n=8), high training load (n=1), presence of scapular dyskinesis (n=3), high sport specialisation (n=2), equipment differences (n=1) and less sport-specific conditioning (n=1). Pooled data from three studies suggest that shoulder exercise programmes consisting of strength, stability/control and sport-specific exercises reduce shoulder injury rates by 51% (95% CI 0.30 to 079; I2 0.0%; very-low certainty evidence) across paediatric (≤18 years) and adult handball and volleyball players.Conclusions: Our understanding of female/woman/girl UE injury prevention is limited by heterogeneity across injury outcomes, interventions, MRFs and limited female/woman/girl athlete-specific data. Shoulder-specific strengthening and stability exercise programmes may be beneficial to reduce shoulder injury rates in female/woman/girl handball and volleyball players. Future research should prioritise female/woman/girl athletes to reduce the burden of UE injuries.</p