Reconsidering media economics: From orthodoxies to heterodoxies

This paper argues the case for closer attention to media economics on the part of media, communications and cultural studies researchers. It points to a plurality of approaches to media economics, that include the mainstream neoclassical school and critical political economy, but also new insights derived from perspectives that are less well-known outside of the economics discipline, such as new institutional economics and evolutionary economics. It applies these frameworks to current debates about the future of public service media (PSM), noting limitations to both ‘market failure’ and citizenship discourses, and identifying challenges relating to institutional governance, public policy and innovation as PSMs worldwide adapt to a digitally convergent media environment.

From selfies to climate change : the #G20 debate on Twitter

The G20 Summit that brought many of the world’s most important leaders to Brisbane last weekend was also a major Twitter event. Australian and international users expressed their concerns over the appearance of Russian warships off the Queensland coast, shared selfies from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s impromptu visit to Brisbane’s Caxton St nightlife hub and called for action on issues ranging from Ebola to climate change...

Updates in inducible transgene expression using viral vectors : from transient to stable expression

The prospect of economically producing useful biologics in plants has greatly increased with the advent of viral vectors. The ability of viral vectors to amplify transgene expression has seen them develop into robust transient platforms for the high-level, rapid production of recombinant proteins. To adapt these systems to stably transformed plants, new ways of deconstructing the virus machinery and linking its expression and replication to chemically controlled promoters have been developed. The more advanced of these stable, inducible hyper-expression vectors provide both activated and amplified heterologous transgene expression. Such systems could be deployed in broad acre crops and provide a pathway to fully exploit the advantages of plants as a platform for the manufacture of a wide spectrum of products.

Simvastatin - from cholesterol to venous ulcers?

It is estimated that up to three per 1,000 of the Australian adult population are affected by leg ulcers. Venous ulcers are the most common cause of ulceration in the lower extremities, accounting for approximately 80-85% of leg ulcers. These debilitating, and often painful ulcers recur frequently and can affect people of all ages, though the risk increases dramatically with age (approximately 99% of those with venous ulcers in Australia are over 65 years of age). Other risk factors include a family history of leg ulceration, varicose veins, venous disease, phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, congestive heart failure, obesity, immobility, and previous leg injury. The chronic and recurring nature of venous ulcers, in addition to reduced quality of life for the patient, and ongoing costs of care place a significant burden of disease on the patient, and health system...

Executive functioning of 4 children with hyperphenylalaninemia from childhood to adolescence

Hyperphenylalaninemia is a variant of phenylketonuria, and debate remains as to what, if any, active management of this condition is required to preserve cognitive function and psychological well-being. This study is the first to examine longitudinally the executive function (EF) in adolescents with hyperphenylalaninemia. Two sibling pairs with mild hyperphenylalaninemia underwent neuropsychological examination in early childhood and again in adolescence using EF tests that were highly sensitive to phenylalanine exposure. By early adolescence, none of the 4 children demonstrated EF impairment. The children demonstrated a typical developmental trajectory of EF from childhood to adolescence, given phenylalanine exposure consistent with their condition.

From ideation to sculpture : digital sculpting as the primary 'ideation' tool for creature design

This research project examined the potential for circumventing drawing in the ideation process by adopting digital sculpture as the primary conceptual development and design tool for the digital sculpting of creature designs. Through a series of experimental research cycles, multiple frameworks were explored with the aim of identifying a methodology for creating '3D sculpted sketches' for the initial phases of the ideation process. This research project acknowledges that drawing still remains the predominant method of visualising design ideas for characters and creatures for many artists. However, alongside other ideation techniques digital sculpting can function as a rapid and responsive tool to visualize and explore forms in a digital sculpting environment for the conceptualisation of multiple creature design variations. The results of this study are significant for emerging digital sculptors who may not necessarily have a well-defined creative brief or initial concept.

The professional socialisation of paramedics : the transition from intern to qualified paramedic

The professional socialisation of paramedics encompasses preconceptions developed during childhood and early adulthood, and subsequent changes in perceptions resulting from university studies, clinical placements and encountering the professional workplace as an employee. This study investigates the professional socialisation of university educated paramedics making the transition from paramedic intern to qualified paramedic. Participants were sought from several of Australia’s larger ambulance services and UK NHS Ambulance Trusts to take part in this study. Participants were recruited through Ambulance Service Research Institutes, Clinical Governance Departments and university databases. To be included in this study, participants were required to be university educated, have completed a professional internship year and achieved qualified or registered paramedic status. Data collection was via face to face semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed using socialisation models from the nursing and allied health disciplines and a grounded theory approach. The study found that participants initially enjoyed their new professional status after completing their internship and becoming qualified paramedics. However, for many the excitement of becoming a qualified paramedic was short lived. Newly qualified paramedics experienced increased levels of responsibility and were required to develop mentoring skills while still adjusting to their new roles. Participants had to contend with inner conflicting views about the reality of paramedic work which were developed though preconceptions and experiences as paramedic interns. The transition from paramedic intern to qualified paramedic is reportedly a challenging experience, as newly qualified paramedics are required to deal with added complexities while still adjusting to their new roles.

Napping, development and health from 0 to 5 years : a systematic review

Background Duration and quality of sleep affect child development and health. Encouragement of napping in preschool children has been suggested as a health-promoting strategy. Objectives The aim of this study is to assess evidence regarding the effects of napping on measures of child development and health. Design This study is a systematic review of published, original research articles of any design. Subjects Children aged 0–5 years. Method Electronic database search was performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and assessment of research quality was carried out following a Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) protocol. Results Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria. These were of heterogeneous quality; all had observational designs (GRADE-low). Development and health outcomes included salivary cortisol, night sleep, cognition, behaviour, obesity and accidents. The findings regarding cognition, behaviour and health impacts were inconsistent, probably because of variation in age and habitual napping status of the samples. The most consistent finding was an association between napping and later onset, shorter duration and poorer quality of night sleep, with evidence strongest beyond the age of 2 years. Limitations Studies were not randomised. Most did not obtain data on the children's habitual napping status or the context of napping. Many were reliant on parent report rather than direct observation or physiological measurement of sleep behaviour. Conclusions The evidence indicates that beyond the age of 2 years napping is associated with later night sleep onset and both reduced sleep quality and duration. The evidence regarding behaviour, health and cognition is less certain. There is a need for more systematic studies that use stronger designs. In preschool children presenting with sleep problems clinicians should investigate napping patterns.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and age: analysis of pooled human blood serum from birth to over 60 years

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are considered to be a cost effective and efficient way to reduce flammability therefore reducing harm caused by fires. PBDEs are incorporated into a variety of manufactured products and are found worldwide in biological and environmental samples (e.g. Hites et al. 2004). Unlike other persistent organic pollutants there is limited data on PBDE concentrations by age and/or other population specific factors. Some studies have shown no variation in adult serum PBDE concentrations with age (e.g. Mazdai et al., 2003, Meironyte Guvenius et al., 2003) while Petreas et al. (2003) and Schecter et al. (2005) found results to be suggestive of an age trend in adult data but no statistically significant correlation was found. In addition to the data on adult concentrations there is limited data which investigates the levels of PBDEs in infants and young children. Fangström et al. (2005) showed that in seven year olds there was no difference in PBDE concentration when compared to adult concentrations. While Thomsen et al. (2002, 2005) found the concentration of PBDEs in pooled samples of blood serum from a 0-4 years age group to be higher than other age groups (4 to > 60 years). In addition, a family of four was studied in the U.S. and the concentrations were found to be greatest in the 18-month-old infant followed by the 5 year old child, then the mother and father (Fischer et al., 2006). The objectives of this study were to assess age, gender and regional trends of PBDE concentrations in a representative sample of the Australian population.

Improving access to housing for low-income communities in Dhaka: From rhetoric to reality in community participation

The research explores how community participation can address affordable housing problems of the poor in Dhaka. The research, based on extensive interviews, community focus groups and household surveys in different Dhaka slums, identifies the limiting factors to promote community participation in affordable housing creation. In Dhaka housing options for poor are currently limited to affordable shelters in informal settlements. Public housing programs have failed to reach the poor and meet affordability levels due to a number of factors including lack of beneficiary participation. Beneficiary participation, though widely recognized for success in housing initiatives, often deteriorates in process of implementation into mere involvement, not reflecting community needs and aspirations and thus failing to meet its core objectives. This research identified the most significant impediments as well as opportunities to advance participation in their own housing provisions in Dhaka city.

The effect of feedback from pupil to teacher on assessment for leaning and visible learning: An ethnographic case study in a community school in England and the outcome in a state high school in Queensland, Australia

This study shows that there is positive regulatory effect of feedback from pupils to teachers on Assessment for Learning (AfL), classroom proactiveness, and on visible and progressive learning but not on behaviour. This research finding further articulates feedback from pupil to teacher as a paradigm shift from the classical paradigm of feedback from teacher to pupil. Here, the emphasis is geared towards pupils understanding of objectives built from previous knowledge. These are then feedback onto the teachers by the pupils in the form of discrete loops of cues and questions, where they are with their learning. This therefore enables them to move to the next level of understanding, and thus acquired independence, which in turn is reflected by their success in both formative and summative assessments. This study therefore shows that when feedback from pupil to teacher is used in combination with teacher to pupil feedback, AfL is ameliorated and hence, visible and accelerated learning occurs in a gender, nor subject non-dependent manner.

The future passenger experience: A shift from physical to virtual design

The importance of passenger experience in aviation has become well understood in the last several years. It is now generally accepted that the provision of good passenger experience is not an option, but a necessity, from an aviation profitability perspective. In this paper, we paint a picture of the future passenger experience by consolidating a number of industry and research perspectives. Using the future passenger experience as a starting point, we explore the components needed to enable this future vision. From this bottom-up approach, we identify the need to resolve data formatting and data ownership issues. The resolution of these data integration issues is necessary to enable the seamless future travel experience that is envisioned by the aviation industry. By looking at the passenger experience from this bottom-up, data centric perspective, we identify a potential shift in the way that future passenger terminals will be designed. Whereas currently the design of terminals is largely an architectural practice, in the near future, the design of the terminal building may become more of a virtual technology practice. This of course will pose a new set of challenges to designers of airport terminal environments.