A trial of the distribution of chlamydia self-collection postal specimen kits from Australian community pharmacies

We explored the feasibility of community pharmacies for the distribution of chlamydia specimen self-collection kits, which featured a transport medium allowing postage of urine specimens in Australia. Eligible clients were requested to complete a code-matched risk-screening questionnaire in the pharmacy, and the derived risk scores were compared to the test results from the corresponding specimen. Four Queensland pharmacies distributed 156 kits, while 44 questionnaires and 18 specimens were received.

A biomechanical investigation of vertebral staples for fusionless scoliosis correction

Background: Fusionless scoliosis surgery is an early-stage treatment for idiopathic scoliosis which claims potential advantages over current fusion-based surgical procedures. Anterior vertebral stapling using a shape memory alloy staple is one such approach. Despite increasing interest in this technique, little is known about the effects on the spine following insertion, or the mechanism of action of the staple. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical consequences of staple insertion in the anterior thoracic spine, using in vitro experiments on an immature bovine model. Methods: Individual calf spine thoracic motion segments were tested in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Changes in motion segment rotational stiffness following staple insertion were measured on a series of 14 specimens. Strain gauges were attached to three of the staples in the series to measure forces transmitted through the staple during loading. A micro-CT scan of a single specimen was performed after loading to qualitatively examine damage to the vertebral bone caused by the staple. Findings: Small but statistically significant decreases in bending stiffness occurred in flexion,extension, lateral bending away from the staple, and axial rotation away from the staple. Each strain-gauged staple showed a baseline compressive loading following insertion which was seen to gradually decrease during testing. Post-test micro-CT showed substantial bone and growth plate damage near the staple. Interpretation: Based on our findings it is possible that growth modulation following staple insertion is due to tissue damage rather than sustained mechanical compression of the motion segment.

A test vehicle for compliance with resilience requirements in index-based e-health systems

Increasingly, national and international governments have a strong mandate to develop national e-health systems to enable delivery of much-needed healthcare services. Research is, therefore, needed into appropriate security and reliance structures for the development of health information systems which must be compliant with governmental and alike obligations. The protection of e-health information security is critical to the successful implementation of any e-health initiative. To address this, this paper proposes a security architecture for index-based e-health environments, according to the broad outline of Australia’s National E-health Strategy and National E-health Transition Authority (NEHTA)’s Connectivity Architecture. This proposal, however, could be equally applied to any distributed, index-based health information system involving referencing to disparate health information systems. The practicality of the proposed security architecture is supported through an experimental demonstration. This successful prototype completion demonstrates the comprehensibility of the proposed architecture, and the clarity and feasibility of system specifications, in enabling ready development of such a system. This test vehicle has also indicated a number of parameters that need to be considered in any national indexed-based e-health system design with reasonable levels of system security. This paper has identified the need for evaluation of the levels of education, training, and expertise required to create such a system.

Interaction in a Paired Speaking Test : the Rater's Perspective

Paired speaking tests are increasingly used in both low-and high-stakes second language assessment contexts. Until recently, very little was known about the way in which raters interpret and apply descriptors relating to interactional competence to a performance that is co-constructed. This book presents a study which explores the interactional features of a paired speaking test that were sailient to raters and the extent to which raters viewed the performance as separable. The study shows that raters use their own frames of reference to interpret descriptors and that they viewed certain features of the performance as mutual accomplishments. The book takes us 'beyond scores', and in doing so, contributes to the growing body of research on paired speaking tests.

Journalism's screen test

I’ve been researching, teaching and writing about journalism for more than two decades. Throughout that time I’ve used feature films to illustrate howthe journalist is represented in popular culture.

Developing a research method to test a new first-order decision making model for the procurement of public sector major infrastructure

Given global demand for new infrastructure, governments face substantial challenges in funding new infrastructure and simultaneously delivering Value for Money (VfM). The paper begins with an update on a key development in a new early/first-order procurement decision making model that deploys production cost/benefit theory and theories concerning transaction costs from the New Institutional Economics, in order to identify a procurement mode that is likely to deliver the best ratio of production costs and transaction costs to production benefits, and therefore deliver superior VfM relative to alternative procurement modes. In doing so, the new procurement model is also able to address the uncertainty concerning the relative merits of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and non-PPP procurement approaches. The main aim of the paper is to develop competition as a dependent variable/proxy for VfM and a hypothesis (overarching proposition), as well as developing a research method to test the new procurement model. Competition reflects both production costs and benefits (absolute level of competition) and transaction costs (level of realised competition) and is a key proxy for VfM. Using competition as a proxy for VfM, the overarching proposition is given as: When the actual procurement mode matches the predicted (theoretical) procurement mode (informed by the new procurement model), then actual competition is expected to match potential competition (based on actual capacity). To collect data to test this proposition, the research method that is developed in this paper combines a survey and case study approach. More specifically, data collection instruments for the surveys to collect data on actual procurement, actual competition and potential competition are outlined. Finally, plans for analysing this survey data are briefly mentioned, along with noting the planned use of analytical pattern matching in deploying the new procurement model and in order to develop the predicted (theoretical) procurement mode.

Israel's airstrike on Syria's Al-Kibar facility : a test case for the doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence?

This article analyses the legality of Israel’s 2007 airstrike on an alleged Syrian nuclear facility at Al-Kibar—an incident that has been largely overlooked by international lawyers to date. The absence of a threat of imminent attack from Syria means Israel’s military action was not a lawful exercise of anticipatory self-defence. Yet, despite Israel’s clear violation of the prohibition on the use of force there was remarkably little condemnation from other states, suggesting the possibility of growing international support for the doctrine of pre-emptive self-defence. This article argues that the muted international reaction to Israel’s pre-emptive action was the result of political factors, and should not be seen as endorsement of the legality of the airstrike. As such, a lack of opinio juris means the Al-Kibar episode cannot be viewed as extending the scope of the customary international law right of self-defence so as to permit the use of force against non-imminent threats. However, two features of this incident—namely, Israel’s failure to offer any legal justification for its airstrike, and the international community’s apparent lack of concern over legality—are also evident in other recent uses of force in the ‘war on terror’ context. These developments may indicate a shift in state practice involving a downgrading of the role of international law in discussions of the use of force. This may signal a declining perception of the legitimacy of the jus ad bellum, at least in cases involving minor uses of force.