Current management of transitional feeding issues in preterm neonates born in Queensland, Australia

Background: Many preterm neonates display difficulty establishing suck-feeding competence in the weeks following birth. Ineffective management of transitional feeding issues may cause patient complications, and can contribute to increased length of stay. Aims: Given that many neonatal nurseries appear to vary in their neonatal feeding management practices, the aim of this study was to investigate and document the routine level of support and intervention currently provided for preterm neonates with transitional feeding issues across the various level II (special care) nurseries (SCNs) in Queensland, Australia. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to all Queensland SCNs in 2005 (n = 36). The questionnaire contained a series of closed-choice and short-answer questions designed to obtain information from each SCN regarding their current practices for managing transitional feeding issues in preterm neonates. Results were confirmed during a follow-up phone call. Results: Responses were obtained from 29 SCNs (80.6%). None of these nurseries reported having any formal, written policies regarding the management of transitional feeding issues in preterm neonates. Wide variations were reported in relation to the suck-feeding assessments and interventions used by staff within the various SCNs. Of the 29 nurseries, 4 (13.8%) reported using checklists or assessments to judge readiness for suck-feeds, and 5 (17.2%) reported using pulse oximetry to judge tolerance of suck-feeding attempts. Eighteen SCNs (62.1%) reported offering some form of active intervention to assist neonates with transitional feeding issues, with the most common intervention techniques reported being non-nutritive sucking during tube feeds, pre-feeding oral stimulation, and actively pacing suck-feeds. Twenty-two SCNs (75.4%) reported having access to a lactation consultant to assist mothers with breastfeeding issues. Conclusions: Differences were reported in the routine management of transitional feeding issues in preterm neonates across the various SCNs in Queensland. It is suggested that evidence based guidelines need to be developed, and that, in order to do this, further research studies are required to determine current best practice, as well as to answer remaining questions. © 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth patterns in preterm infants born appropriate for gestational age

Aim: This study aimed to document the growth patterns of a contemporary cohort of preterm infants born appropriate for gestational age (AGA). It was hypothesised that preterm AGA (PT-AGA) infants would display poorer growth than full-term AGA (FT-AGA) infants. Methods: Sixty-four PT-AGA infants and 64 FT-AGA infants were assessed at 0, 4, 8 and 12 months of corrected age (CA). Measurements of weight and length were recorded at each of the specified ages. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth data were used to calculate Z-scores for weight and length based on CA. Results: The mean length and weight Z-scores of PT-AGA infants were found to be significantly less than those of FT-AGA infants at term, 4, 8 and 12 months of CA (P < 0.001). The mean weight Z-score of PT-AGA infants was found to be less than their mean length Z-score at each time point, though the differences were not significant. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that PT-AGA infants are likely to display poorer growth than FT-AGA infants until at least 1 year of CA. Long-term growth monitoring in this population is recommended. © 2008 The Authors.

Born leaders: Political selection and the relative age effect in the US Congress

We present substantial evidence for the existence of a bias in the distribution of births of leading US politicians in favour of those who were the eldest in their cohort at school. This result adds to the research on the long-term effects of relative age among peers at school. We discuss parametric and non-parametric tests to identify this effect, and we show that it is not driven by measurement error, redshirting or a sorting effect of highly educated parents. The magnitude of the effect that we estimate is larger than what other studies on ‘relative age effects’ have found for broader populations but is in general consistent with research that looks at professional sportsmen. We also find that relative age does not seem to correlate with the quality of elected politicians.

Maternal perception of weight status in first-born Australian toddlers aged 12–16 months – the NOURISH and SAIDI cohorts

Background The preference amongst parents for heavier infants is in contrast to obesity prevention efforts worldwide. Parents are poor at identifying overweight in older children, but few studies have investigated maternal perception of weight status amongst toddlers and none in the Australian setting. Methods Mothers (n = 290) completed a self-administered questionnaire at child age 12–16 months, defining their child's weight status as underweight, normal weight, somewhat overweight or very overweight. Weight-for-length z-score was derived from measured weight and length, and children categorized as underweight, normal weight, at risk overweight or obese (WHO standards). Objective classification was compared with maternal perception of weight status. Mean weight-for-length z-score was compared across categories of maternal perception using one-way ANOVA. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine child or maternal characteristics associated with inaccurate weight perception. Results Most children (83%) were perceived as normal weight. Twenty nine were described as underweight, although none were. Sixty-six children were at risk of overweight, but 57 of these perceived as normal weight. Of the 14 children who were overweight, only 4 were identified as somewhat overweight by their mother. Compared with mothers who could accurately classify their normal weight child, mothers who were older had higher odds of perceiving their normal weight child as underweight, while mothers with higher body mass index had slightly higher odds of describing their overweight/at risk child as normal weight. Conclusion The leaner but healthy weight toddler was perceived as underweight, while only the heaviest children were recognized as overweight. Mothers unable to accurately identify children at risk are unlikely to act to prevent further excess weight gain. Practitioners can lead a shift in attitudes towards weight in infants and young children, promoting routine growth monitoring and adequate but not rapid weight gain.

Maintaining your career “edge” in a global world of work

The world of work in the 21st century has been described by many as globalised (Peiperl & Jonsen, 2007; Levy, 2007; Bhagat, 2006; Czinkota & Ronkainen, 2005). Globalisation is generally understood as a greater awareness of the world as a whole; an integrated stage where the countries of the world are seen to be players on the one playing field. This notion is driven by a perception of the world as being occupied by global citizens who are affiliated not with the country in which they are born but whose loyalties lie with planet Earth. They strive to live and work with this focus foremost in their consciousness. Indeed, many of these global citizens will enjoy global careers during their lifetime whereby they work in more than one region of the world during the course of their employment. The present chapter will present a discussion on globalisation and its impact on the world of work, in particular the changes on particular demographic groups in both developed and developing economies. It will then discuss implications for workers and their careers, specifically focusing on changing relationships between workers and organisations and the need for individuals to maintain their competitive edge in the market place through an ongoing focus on relevant career management competencies.

Adolescence : a useful concept for this millennium

This paper proposes adolescence as a useful concept rather than definitive. It explores the notion of adolescence and its relevance to contemporary society and schooling. We reflect on the purposes for the emergence of research into adolescence during the early 20th century, particularly the particular scientific and societal pressures that served to bring this field to prominence. Recent debate has started to problematise many of the early parameters used to define and provide bounds for understanding adolescents and adolescent experience and for the rationale for some notionally tailored educational contexts. This paper provides an overview of this debate and argues for a reconsideration of some of the basic tenets for definition. In particular we discuss the cultural construction of adolescence in the light of our new globalised society. A possibility for thinking about contemporary adolescents is by considering them in terms of generational characteristics. What makes a new generation? Typically, members of a generation share age, a set of experiences during formative years, and a set of social and economic conditions. The adolescents of today fall into the group known collectively as the ‘Y Generation’, the ‘D (digital) Generation’, Generation C (consumer) and the ‘Millennial’s’. Born after mid-1980, they are characterised as computer and internet competent, multi-taskers, with a global perspective. They respond best to visual language, and are heavily influenced by the media. We consider the generational traits and how this impacts on the teaching and learning.

The legality of tissue transplants for the benefit of family members in the UK and Australia : implications for saviour siblings

The ethics of creating ‘saviour siblings’ for the benefit of another has received much attention, but little consideration has been given to the legal position of those saviours born who may be asked to provide tissue for transplantation to another during childhood. This article examines the ethical issues surrounding minor donation as well as the existing legal framework in the UK and Australia that regulates minors providing tissue for the benefit of another. Against this background the position of minor saviours, who are called upon to donate bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells, is examined. This analysis suggests that the law does not provide sufficient protection for minor saviours who are called upon to donate to another. It is argued that specific ethical obligations are owed to saviours—that ought to be reflected in the law—in order to protect them from exploitation while they remain minors.

Versatility with flatness

In 2001 the large multinational, though US-born, landscape architecture practice EDAW bought out a small Melbourne-based practice, Paterson & Pettus (P&P), established by Garth Patersona nd Anne T Pettus, who left behind a body of refined landscape projects, mostly accompanying buildings by respected Melbourne architects.

Members abroad - Australia : Lindy Osborne

When I arrived in Queensland's capital in 1996, Brisbane was commonly referred to as an 'overgrown country town'. This might have been an acceptable description in the 1990s, but it cannot be applied any longer. Brisbane, affectionaly referred to by the locals as Bris-Vegas, has now come of age. Following Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia with a population of approximately two million. Interestingly, the 2006 Census showed that 22 per cent of Brisbane's population was born overseas, the three main countries of birth being the UK, New Zealand and South Africa. Brisbane City is centred on its most dominant environmental element, the Brisbane River, which effectively carves Brisbane into two areas - the Northside and the Southside. The 2001 addition of Cox Rayner's Goodwill Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge signified Brisbane's acceptance and affectionate embrace of its River resulting in a long overdue linage between Brisbane's North and South. It connects the City's key precincts - the Northside CBD through Queensland University of Technology (QUT), across Brisbane River, to the recreational precinct of the Southside Southbank Parklands. The Southside cultural precinct of Southbank is the home to Queensland's Art Gallery, Performing Arts Complex, State Library and Museum -each of which were designed by Brisbane Stalwart Architect Robin Gibson, in the 1970s and '80s. The CBD component of the Brisbane River is flanked by a number of Institutional Facilities, including the campuses of QUT, Griffith University and the Southbank Education and Training Precinct (SETP), which combine to form a cross-river educational precinct. The past decade has born witness to a city which has keenly supported emerging architects in addition to the more entrenched stalwarts of the profession, resulting in a youthful, relaxed and unpretentious sub-tropical city. Viva Bris-Vegas!

The new lows : representing Asian-Australians on television

This project utilises creative practice as research, and involves writing and discussing four sample episodes of a proposed six-part dramatic, black-comedy1 television mini-series titled The New Lows. Combined, the creative project and accompanying exegesis seeks to illuminate and interrogate some of the inherent concerns, pitfalls and politics encountered in writing original Asian-Australian characters for television. Moreover, this thesis seeks to develop and deliberate on characters that would expand, shift and extend concepts of stereotyping and authenticity as they are used in creative writing for television. The protagonists of The New Lows are the contemporary and dysfunctional Asian-Australian Lo family: the Hong Kong immigrants John and Dorothy, and their Australian-born children Wendy, Simon and Tommy. Collectively, they struggle to manage the family business: a decaying suburban Chinese restaurant called Sunny Days, which is stumbling towards imminent commercial death. At the same time, each of the characters must negotiate their own personal catastrophes, which they hide from fellow family members out of shame and fear. Although there is a narrative arc to the series, I have also endeavoured to write each episode as a selfcontained story. Written alongside the creative works is an exegetical component. Through the paradigm of Asian-Australian studies, the exegesis examines the writing process and narrative content of The New Lows, alongside previous representations of Asians on Australian and international television and screen. Concepts discussed include stereotype, ethnicity, otherness, hybridity and authenticity. However, the exegesis also seeks to question the dominant cultural paradigms through which these issues are predominantly discussed. These investigations are particularly relevant, since The New Lows draws upon a suite of characters commonly considered to be stereotypical in Asian-Australian representations.

Maternal anxiety and attention problems in children at 5 and 14 years

Objective: This study examines the association between maternal anxiety from pregnancy to 5 years and child attention problems at 5 and 14 years. Method: Birth cohort of 3,982 individuals born in Brisbane between 1981 and 1983 are assessed. Self-reported measures of maternal anxiety are assessed at four time points. Maternal reports of child attention problems using Achenbach’s Child Behavior Checklist are assessed at 5 and 14 years. Results: Children of mothers experiencing anxiety during or after pregnancy are at greater risk of experiencing attention problems at 5 and 14 years. After adjusting for maternal age and child’s gender, antenatal anxiety is strongly associated with persistent attention problems (OR = 3.65, 95% CI = 2.19, 6.07). Children with chronically anxious mothers are 5.67 (95% CI = 3.56, 9.03) times more likely to have persistent attention problems. These associations remain consistent after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusions: Maternal anxiety appears to increase the rate of child attention problems and identifies a need for treatment programs to have a dual focus—the mother and her child. (J. of Att. Dis. 2009; XX(X) 1-XX)

Psychopathology during childhood and adolescence predicts delusional-like experiences in adults : a 21-year birth cohort study

Objective: Community surveys have shown that many otherwise well individuals report delusional-like experiences. The authors examined psychopathology during childhood and adolescence as a predictor of delusional-like experiences in young adulthood. ---------- Method: The authors analyzed prospective data from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy, a birth cohort of 3,617 young adults born between 1981 and 1983. Psychopathology was measured at ages 5 and 14 using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and at age 14 using the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Delusional-like experiences were measured at age 21 using the Peters Delusional Inventory. The association between childhood and adolescent symptoms and later delusional-like experiences was examined using logistic regression. ---------- Results: High CBCL scores at ages 5 and 14 predicted high levels of delusional-like experiences at age 21 (odds ratios for the highest versus the other quartiles combined were 1.25 and 1.85, respectively). Those with YSR scores in the highest quartile at age 14 were nearly four times as likely to have high levels of delusional-like experiences at age 21 (odds ratio=3.71). Adolescent-onset psychopathology and continuous psychopathology through both childhood and adolescence strongly predicted delusional-like experiences at age 21. Hallucinations at age 14 were significantly associated with delusional-like experiences at age 21. The general pattern of associations persisted when adjusted for previous drug use or the presence of nonaffective psychoses at age 21. ---------- Conclusion: Psychopathology during childhood and adolescence predicts adult delusional-like experiences. Understanding the biological and psychosocial factors that influence this developmental trajectory may provide clues to the pathogenesis of psychotic-like experiences.

The relative age effect in Australian Football League players

Youth sports teams are usually grouped into yearly age groups based on fixed cut-off date (September 1st in the UK and January 1st in Australia). Children born just after this cut-off will be the oldest and most mature in their age group. This gives them an advantage in competitive sport, an advantage which has persisted into adulthood as shown by seasonal patterns in the dates of birth of professional ice hockey, football and basketball players. We were interested in whether a similar seasonal pattern exists in professional Australian Football League (AFL) players. We examined all AFL players in the 2009 season excluding foreign-born players. We compared the observed number of players’ born in each month with the expected number based on national statistics. There was a marked and statistically significant seasonality in players’ dates of birth. There were 33% more players than expected with dates of birth in January, and 25% fewer in December. Players who are relatively older in youth AFL teams have a better chance of turning professional.

L'étendue internationale des nouvelles firmes de hautes technologies: le rôle du capital humain et de l'intention stratégique des fondateurs

De récentes recherches ont mis l’accent sur l’importance pour les nouvelles entreprises internationales de l’existence de ressources et de compétences spécifiques. La présente recherche, qui s’inscrit dans ce courant, montre en particulier l’importance du capital humain acquis par les entrepreneurs sur base de leur expérience internationale passée. Mais nous montrons en même temps que ces organisations sont soutenues par une intention délibérée d’internationalisation dès l’origine. Notre recherche empirique est basée sur l’analyse d’un échantillon de 466 nouvelles entreprises de hautes technologies anglaises et allemandes. Nous montrons que ce capital humain est un actif qui facilite la pénétration rapide des marchés étrangers, et plus encore quand l’entreprise nouvelle est accompagnée d’une intention stratégique délibérée d’internationalisation. Des conclusions similaires peuvent être étendues au niveau des ressources que l’entrepreneur consacre à la start-up : plus ces ressources sont importantes, plus le processus d’internationalisation tend à se faire à grande échelle ; et là aussi, l’influence de ces ressources est augmenté par l’intention stratégique d’internationalisation. Dans le cadre des études empiriques sur les born-globals (entreprises qui démarrent sur un marché globalisé), cette recherche fournit une des premières études empiriques reliant l’influence des conditions initiales de création aux probabilités de croissance internationale rapide.