19683 research outputs found
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Fair Winds and Following Seas: Maritime Security & Hedging in the South China Sea
No full textThis paper clarifies the maritime security strategies of three Southeast Asian claimant states (Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam) to assess how such strategies map onto or deviate from existing notions of hedging. In each of the case studies below, maritime security strategy is reflective of a state’s broader hedging strategy and mirrors the same fundamental tensions: power asymmetry, geographic proximity to a security threat, lack of political consensus, and profound strategic uncertainty, namely fears of abandonment or entrapment in a great power conflict. Seen in this light, maritime security strategy is a manifestation of states’ deeply ingrained preferences for ambiguity and unwillingness to choose sides in brewing superpower competition. The paper concludes with a brief summary assessing the parallels between the three case studies and what they tell us about edging and maritime security strategy.</p
Transforming evidence into practice for reading and spelling instruction: a descriptive study of six Victorian primary schools
No full textIn this qualitative study, we describe the reported processes, enablers and barriers associated with transformations towards adopting structured literacy instruction at the whole-school level. Theoretical sampling was used to select six Victorian schools known as early adopters of structured literacy practices in the early years. Participants (n = 28), who represented various disciplines and roles, were interviewed individually. Using inductive thematic analysis, five processes were identified as pivotal to implementing this transformation across a school. These were (i) acknowledging the need for change, (ii) the critical and multiple roles of leaders throughout the entire transformation process, (iii) rigorous development of teachers’ knowledge and skills, (iv) adoption of a comprehensive approach to assessment and instruction, and (v) working towards consistency and low variance across the school. Practice considerations derived from our findings are provided as a series of practice guidelines to assist leaders who are embarking on a similar transformation to school-wide instruction.</p
The co-inhibitory receptor TIGIT promotes tissue-protective functions in T cells
No full textThe co-inhibitory receptor TIGIT suppresses excessive immune responses in autoimmune conditions while also restraining antitumor immunity. In viral infections, TIGIT alone does not affect viral control but has been shown to limit tissue pathology. However, the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we found TIGIT+ T cells to express not only an immunoregulatory gene signature but also a tissue repair gene signature. Specifically, after viral infection, TIGIT directly drives expression of the tissue growth factor amphiregulin (Areg), which is strongly reduced in the absence of TIGIT. We identified regulatory T (Treg) cells, but not CD8+ T cells, as the critical T cell subset mediating these tissue-protective effects. In Treg cells, TIGIT engagement after T cell antigen receptor stimulation induces the transcription factor Blimp-1, which then promotes Areg production and tissue repair. Thus, we uncovered a nonclassical function of the co-inhibitory receptor TIGIT, wherein it not only limits immune pathology by suppressing the immune response but also actively fosters tissue regeneration by inducing the tissue growth factor Areg in T cells.</p
Reviewing the Primary Generalist Teacher’s Role in Teaching Fundamental Movement Skills and Prosocial Behaviour
No full textThe delivery of the primary school physical education (PE) curriculum has been subject to ongoing debate in Western countries. In Australia, the primary school teacher is by and large considered a generalist. Previous research indicates that primary school PE programmes that employ the teaching of fundamental movement skills (FMS) and Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model have a positive impact on children’s development by increasing motor skill proficiency, positive values, autonomy, and prosocial behaviour. While both generalist and specialist teachers are responsible for helping children develop FMS, they are also required to help children identify their emotional, social, physical and intellectual characteristics. While FMS might provide optimal support to the development of motor skills, TPSR can help develop social skills. The challenges involved for the primary generalist PE teacher in understanding the pedagogical content knowledge required to teach and evaluate both FMS and TPSR is an under researched area. Specifically, there is a lack of research on pedagogical content knowledge, the challenges and the content required for primary generalist teachers to implementation both FMS and TPSR. Therefore, the issue of what constitutes effective pedagogical content knowledge along with the organization of the educational process related to the discipline of PE for the primary generalist teacher requires further attention. Structured FMS and TPSR professional development hold considerable promise for supporting active, child-centred learning environments for primary PE teachers and presents an adaptable framework for implementation. This narrative review explores the advantages and challenges for primary generalist teachers in teaching and learning FMS and TPSR. Practical implications to improve the PE profession are suggested to re-focus professional development efforts for primary generalist teachers, locally, nationally and globally, to concentrate on the expansion of a strategic and longstanding program intended at merging FMS and prosocial frameworks.</p
Firm-level climate change exposure and trade credit
No full textThis study examines how climate change exposure influences firms' use of trade credit using 57,837 observations from 2001 to 2023 of U.S firms. Firms with higher climate risk obtain significantly higher trade credit, with the effect intensifying after the Paris Agreement and high environmental litigation risk. The association is stronger among financially constrained firms and varies by risk type: physical and opportunity-related risks increase trade credit, while regulatory risk dampens it. Trade credit is also higher among firms with more positive climate sentiment, indicating that suppliers respond favourably to optimistic transition narratives. Firms with greater climate risk issue more equity and face higher debt costs—consistent with demand-side deleveraging and supply-side credit tightening—underscoring trade credit's role as an alternative liquidity source when traditional debt becomes less accessible. This study also provides policy implications based on the findings.</p
Fresh perspectives on the Indo-Pacific: emerging leaders discuss critical issues facing the region
No full textThis edition features articles by Australia’s emerging leaders in foreign, defence and strategic policy. It is a showcase of the issues that they consider most pressing in the Indo-Pacific and potential solutions for addressing these challenges. As you will see, they are interested in a diverse range of areas, ranging from the high politics of great power competition, conflict and trade to ‘unconventional’ security challenges presented by climate change, the pandemic, and maritime crime. I would like to sincerely thank our contributors for offering their views on how policy-makers, communities and individuals can grapple with the wider problems facing the Indo-Pacific.</p
Abolition: Is this the only pathway to upholding human rights and ensuring epistemic justice in psychiatry? A key informant qualitative study
No full textINTRODUCTION: Mental health legislation authorises involuntary psychiatric intervention in certain circumstances. Although human rights concerns are becoming more prominent, debates among legal experts, clinicians and activists continue to swirl around people's rights to equal recognition before the law, such as described in the (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities, 2006). AIM: This qualitative descriptive study aimed to better understand diverse views of people known to hold a critique of coercion in mental health services, on the practical expression of upholding human rights in the context of mental health laws. METHOD: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 key informants from five different countries and data was analysed using an inductive, thematic approach. RESULTS: Overall, informants characterised mental health laws as discriminatory, harmful and unjustifiable. Three themes and six sub-themes were identified. This study reports on the major themes which include: an ethical position (focusing on the present harms associated with mental health laws), strategies, (an expression of the opportunity to bring about change) and a visionary position. We explore these three features in the views of key informants as important positions in the field of abolition, and analyse each for the 'hermeneutic resources' - forms of collective interpretive resources - they provide. CONCLUSIONS: Abolition of mental health laws is often seen as not feasible in the context of psychiatry. However, abolition theories and practices are hermeneutic resources that need to be better understood because they offer social justice and community-led solutions beyond mental health laws and systems.</p
Multi-stakeholder perspectives into the experiences of siblings when a child is critically ill: A qualitative systematic review
No full textObjectives: A child's critical illness and admission to intensive care can have significant short- and long-term impacts for the parents and hospitalized child. While experiences of parents have been explored, the impact on siblings remains unclear. The aim was to systematically review and synthesize qualitative research exploring the experiences of siblings when a child is critically ill, from the perspectives of siblings and relevant key stakeholders. Methods: Comprehensive searches were performed across six databases and three sources of grey literature on October 30, 2023 and September 23, 2024. Original qualitative research focusing on sibling experiences during a child's critical illness were included. Two independent reviewers screened studies, with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer. Data extraction and quality assessment were carried out by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer using Covidence. Thematic synthesis was used to synthesize extracted data, ensuring the rigor of the findings. Findings: Of 1,552 studies screened, 24 met inclusion criteria. Seven mixed methods and 17 qualitative studies were included. Experiences of siblings were categorized into eight themes and included elements such as visiting the ICU, being separated, changing roles, looking to the future, and getting support. Sibling experiences could be positively or negatively influenced by parents, healthcare professionals, hospital policies and environment. Conclusions: This study provides a novel insight into the underrepresented sibling experience in critical care research. Siblings experience significant multi-faceted impacts when a child is critically ill. This review underscores the necessity for further research on siblings’ perspectives in critical care, to aid development of appropriate supports and interventions for siblings and families during a child's critical illness. Implications for Clinical Practice: Understanding siblings’ experiences can enhance holistic family-centered care. Findings from this review demonstrate the need for more supportive practices for siblings in intensive care, through development of inclusive, family-centered care policies and guidelines.</p
Medicalisation, de-medicalisation and stigma: an investigation into the ethical purposes of disease designation
No full textNo description supplied</p
Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre: Response to the inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative
No full textThe submission from La Trobe University’s Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre responds to the federal inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative by highlighting evidence-based tools, programs, and system reforms better to support developmentally vulnerable children, particularly those with autism. Drawing on international best practice, it provides ten recommendations to ensure timely identification, universal access to tailored supports, workforce development, and seamless, neurodiversity-affirming pathways through mainstream systems.</p