Presenting evidence-based health information for people with multiple sclerosis : the IN-DEEP project protocol

Background - Increasingly, evidence-based health information, in particular evidence from systematic reviews, is being made available to lay audiences, in addition to health professionals. Research efforts have focused on different formats for the lay presentation of health information. However, there is a paucity of data on how patients integrate evidence-based health information with other factors such as their preferences for information and experiences with information-seeking. The aim of this project is to explore how people with multiple sclerosis (MS) integrate health information with their needs, experiences, preferences and values and how these factors can be incorporated into an online resource of evidence-based health information provision for people with MS and their families.

Methods - This project is an Australian-Italian collaboration between researchers, MS societies and people with MS. Using a four-stage mixed methods design, a model will be developed for presenting evidence-based health information on the Internet for people with MS and their families. This evidence-based health information will draw upon systematic reviews of MS interventions from The Cochrane Library. Each stage of the project will build on the last. After conducting focus groups with people with MS and their family members (Stage 1), we will develop a model for summarising and presenting Cochrane MS reviews that is integrated with supporting information to aid understanding and decision making. This will be reviewed and finalised with people with MS, family members, health professionals and MS Society staff (Stage 2), before being uploaded to the Internet and evaluated (Stages 3 and 4).

Discussion - This project aims to produce accessible and meaningful evidence-based health information about MS for use in the varied decision making and management situations people encounter in everyday life. It is expected that the findings will be relevant to broader efforts to provide evidence-based health information for patients and the general public. The international collaboration also permits exploration of cultural differences that could inform international practice.

Drivers, impediments and manifestations of brand orientation in museums : an international museum study

Purpose - While the body of work exploring brand orientation has grown, there has been a general failure to build on extant research and generate a holistic conceptualization of brand orientation. This paper aims to develop a model of the key drivers, impediments and manifestations of brand orientation in a museum context.

Design/methodology/approach - A collective case study design was used, consisting of key informant interviews using a semi-structured interview protocol and analysis of institutional documents and observational research. Interviews took place with well-known museums across three countries: the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia. This paper demonstrates the richness of qualitative case studies as a method of theory building and as a precursor to further empirical research.

Findings - The case study findings reveal both a philosophical and behavioral aspect of brand orientation. Thus, six attributes are presented that include brand orientation as an organizational culture and compass for decision-making and four brand behaviors (distinctiveness, functionality, augmentation and symbolism). The conceptual model also depicts the critical antecedents to brand orientation in a museum context.

Research limitations/implications - This study provides a foundation for future brand research by offering a holistic conceptualization of brand orientation and identifying the primary antecedents in a museum context. Future research may wish to empirically establish a valid and reliable scale of brand orientation and examine its explanatory potential. Future research may also consider other contexts to provide further insight into the drivers and inhibitors of brand orientation.

Practical implications - If organizations seek to establish a strong brand orientation they must devote resources to establishing the brand as a dominant organizational philosophy that guides decision-making. In addition, brand oriented organizations must establish the brand as a distinctive asset that communicates relevance and accessibility and invest in augmenting initiatives that enable the organization to connect with customers on a personal and emotional level.

Originality/value - Using an exploratory method we are able to reconcile a number of approaches to brand orientation and provide a conceptualization that incorporates the philosophical and behavioral approaches to business orientations. Museums face substantial resource constraints, competing needs of multiple stakeholders and increasing market turbulence. If museums can achieve such significant organizational change then the sector presents an interesting exemplar for many other non-profit organizations.

Maternal predictors of preschool child-eating behaviours, food intake and body mass index : a prospective study

This study extends McPhie et al. (2011)'s [Maternal correlates of preschool child eating behaviours and body mass index: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, Early Online, 1–5.] McPhie et al. (2011)’s cross-sectional research, by prospectively evaluating maternal child-feeding practices, parenting style and mother–child interactions as predictors of child-eating behaviours, food habits and weight. A sample of 117 mothers of preschoolers (63 girls, 54 boys) participated at two time-points, Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2), 12 months apart. Results from the two path models revealed maternal pressure to eat at T1 positively predicted change in child enjoyment of food. Maternal warmth at T1 negatively predicted child unhealthy food habits at T2. At T1, family income and maternal control negatively predicted change in child body mass index z-scores (BMIz); maternal pressure to eat at T1 also positively predicted change in child BMIz. There were significant results specific to each model. Both final path models provided an adequate fit. Our findings suggest childhood obesity is predicted by a complex interplay of demographic, maternal and child variables.

Engaging Deakin's international students in ongoing English language development

Universities in Australia, as with universities in the US and UK, are required more and more to adjust to student cohorts which represent a range of national, cultural and linguistic diversity. Many are concerned about the readiness of these students for study in an English-speaking medium and about their subsequent experiences and success. This presentation reports on the outcomes of “The English Language Growth” project, conducted across five Australian universities. This study, funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), represents the largest of its type in Australia. The project investigated the strategies that international students from non-English speaking backgrounds use to continue to improve their English once entering a university in Australia.

Australia and the United Nations

Australia and the United Nations traces how Australia committed itself to the United Nations project, from before the convening of the first United Nations Security Council until the eve of its election to a fifth term on that body.

Three phases of the Pacific Islands Project (1995–2010)

The Pacific Islands Project (PIP), funded by AusAid and managed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), has progressed through three phases from 1995 to 2010. During this time, it has sent over 520 teams to 11 Pacific Island Countries, providing over 60 000 consultations and some 16 000 procedures. In addition to this delivery of specialist medical and surgical services that were not previously available in-country, the project has contributed as a partner in capacity building with the Fiji School of Medicine and Ministries of Health of the individual nations. By 2011, Fiji School of Medicine, which began postgraduate specialist training in 1998, had awarded 51 doctors a diploma in surgery (1 year), 20 of whom had completed their Masters in Medicine (4 years). PIP was independently evaluated on completion of every phase, including the bridging Phase III (2006–2010). The project delivered on its design, to deliver services, and also helped build capacity. The relationship established with the RACS throughout the project allowed Pacific Island graduates to access the Rowan Nicks scholarship, and the majority of MMed graduates received International Travel Grants to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting. PIP has been a highly successful partnership in delivering and building specialist medical services. Although AusAid contributed some $20 million over 16 years, the value added from pro bono contributions by Specialist Teams, Specialty Coordinators and the Project Directors amounted to an equivalent amount. With the emergence of Pacific Island-trained specialists, PIP is ready to move into a new phase where the agendas are set, monitored and managed within the Pacific, and RACS fulfils the role of a service provider. A critical mass of Pacific Island surgeons has been trained, so that sub-specialization will be an option for the general surgeons of the larger island nations.

Entrepreneurial training project in China : retraining laid-off workers

Despite the tremendous economic progress made by the Chinese economy, averaging a nine percent growth per year, one section of the community remains outside the economic boom. As state-owned enterprises (SOEs) restructure into more efficient organisations able to compete in the global economy, the plight of workers within these enterprises has become a pressing issue. No longer able to depend on a job for life, these workers present challenges for local governments. One initiative proposed by the International Labour Organisation called the Start Your Own Business (SYB) Program has been identified as a way to retrain laid-off workers, xiagang. By focussing on one city in China, this paper analyses some of the key issues associated with this program. Using anecdotal evidence from workers who have undergone the retraining, the paper has identified at least three areas of concern for workers participating in the SYB retraining program. Access to seed funding, the implementation of knowledge and skills into practice, and furthering support and guidance in market analysis remain issues for the continued success of this program.

EPODE approach for childhood obesity prevention : methods, progress and international development

Childhood obesity is a complex issue and needs multistakeholder involvement at all levels to foster healthier lifestyles in a sustainable way. ‘Ensemble Prévenons l'ObésitéDes Enfants’ (EPODE, Together Let's Prevent Childhood Obesity) is a large-scale, coordinated, capacity-building approach for communities to implement effective and sustainable strategies to prevent childhood obesity. This paper describes EPODE methodology and its objective of preventing childhood obesity.

At a central level, a coordination team, using social marketing and organizational techniques, trains and coaches a local project manager nominated in each EPODE community by the local authorities. The local project manager is also provided with tools to mobilize local stakeholders through a local steering committee and local networks. The added value of the methodology is to mobilize stakeholders at all levels across the public and the private sectors. Its critical components include political commitment, sustainable resources, support services and a strong scientific input – drawing on the evidence-base – together with evaluation of the programme.

Since 2004, EPODE methodology has been implemented in more than 500 communities in six countries. Community-based interventions are integral to childhood obesity prevention. EPODE provides a valuable model to address this challenge.

Frequency of excisions and yields of malignant skin tumors in a population-based screening intervention of 360 288 whole-body examinations

Objective To explore the frequency of excisions and yields of histopathologically confirmed skin cancer.

Design A population-based skin cancer screening intervention (the SCREEN project) in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein (July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2004).

Setting Physician offices. Participants could choose between nondermatologist physicians and dermatologists for their initial whole-body skin examination. All screening physicians received a mandatory 8-hour training course.

Participants Inhabitants of Schleswig-Holstein 20 years or older with statutory health insurance (N = 360 288).

Main Outcome Measures Frequency of excisions and yields of malignant skin tumors (malignant melanomas [MMs], basal cell carcinomas [BCCs], and squamous cell carcinomas [SCCs]), stratified by sex and age.

Results Overall, 15 983 excisions were performed (1 of 23 screenees). A total of 3103 malignant skin tumors were diagnosed in 2911 persons: 585 MMs, 1961 BCCs, 392 SCCs, and 165 other malignant skin tumors. Overall, 116 persons (3103 of 360 288) had to be screened to find 1 malignant tumor, with 1 of 620 for MM, 1 of 184 for BCC, and 1 of 920 for SCC. Twenty excisions were performed to find 1 melanoma in men 65 years and older, but more than 50 excisions were required to find 1 melanoma in men aged between 20 and 49 years.

Conclusions The results of SCREEN suggest a high yield of malignant skin tumors in a large-scale population-based screening project. We found that a high number of excisions was performed in the youngest screenees with an associated low yield, suggesting a need in screener training to emphasize a more conservative attitude toward excisions in young screenees.

Alcohol consumption and body composition in a population-based sample of elderly Australian men

Background: Alcohol is calorie dense, and impacts activity, appetite and lipid processing. The aim of this study was to therefore investigate the association between alcohol consumption and components of body composition including bone, fat and lean tissue.

Methods: Participants were recruited from a randomly selected, population-based sample of 534 men aged 65 years and older enrolled in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Alcohol intake was ascertained using a food frequency questionnaire and the sample categorised as nondrinkers or alcohol users who consumed B2, 3–4 or C5 standard drinks on a usual drinking day. Bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass and body fat mass were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; overall adiposity (%body fat), central adiposity (%truncal fat) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Bone quality was determined by quantitative heel ultrasound (QUS).

Results: There were 90 current non-drinkers (16.9 %), 266 (49.8 %) consumed 1–2 drinks/day, 104 (19.5 %) 3–4 drinks/day and 74 (13.8 %) C5 drinks/day. Those consuming C5 drinks/day had greater BMI (?4.8 %), fat mass index (?20.1 %), waist circumference (?5.0 %), %body fat (?15.2 %) and proportion of trunk fat (?5.3 %) and lower lean mass (-5.0 %) than non-drinkers after adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors. Furthermore, they were more likely to be obese than non-drinkers according to criteria based on BMI (OR = 2.83, 95 %CI 1.10–7.29) or waist circumference (OR = 3.36, 95 %CI 1.32–8.54). There was an inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and QUS parameters and BMD at the mid forearm site; no differences were detected for BMD at other skeletal sites.

Conclusion: Higher alcohol intake was associated with greater total and central adiposity and reduced bone quality.

Project-oriented design-based learning: aligning students’ views with industry needs

This paper focuses on the alignment of students' views on project-oriented design-based learning (PODBL) with today's industrial needs. A Collaborative relationship between academic institutions and industrial expectations is a significant process towards analytical thinking (linking the theory and practice). Improving students' knowledge as well as the students' transition into industry, requires efficient joint ventures by both learning institutions and industry partners. Project-based learning (PBL) is well developed and implemented in most engineering schools and departments around the world. What requires closer attention is the focus on design within this project-based learning framework. Today design projects have been used to motivate and teach science in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. They are also used to assist students with possible science and engineering careers. For these reasons, design-based learning (DBL) is intended to be an effective approach to learning that is centered on a design problem-solving structure adopted for a problem-oriented project-based education. Based on an industry design forum, which the authors conducted in Melbourne, Australia in 2012, a research study was performed to investigate the industry and academic requirements for students focusing on achieving design skills. To transform the present situation in the academic teaching and learning environment and to fulfill industry needs, this research study also investigated the students' views on design skills.

STEM: country comparisons: international comparisons of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Final report.

From 22 studies of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) policies and practices around the world the STEM: country comparisons report makes 24 key findings which highlight a number of challenges for Australia with STEM participation and provides a basis of ideas to tackle these.

Dancing in suits: a performer's perspective on the collaborative exchange between self, body, motion capture, animation and audience

The motion capture process places unique demands on performers. The impact of this process on the simultaneously artistic/somatic nature of dance practice is profound. This paper explores, from a performer’s perspective, how the process of performing in an optical motion capture system can impact and limit, but also expand and reconfigure a dancer’s somatic practice. This paper argues that working within motion capture processes affects not only the immediate contexts of capture and interactive performance, but also sets up a dialogue between dance practices within and beyond the motion capture studio.

Integration of cloud based learning in project oriented design based learning

The School of Engineering at Deakin University has been practicing design based learning as one of its engineering learning principles for further development in the learning and teaching process. It has been exploring the student and industry perspectives in this regards and has embarked in the development of a new framework for a project oriented design based learning approach for the development of the engineering curriculum. Along with this change in the engineering curriculum Deakin University also has been going through a major change in the delivery of education. The policy shift has been initiated through Live the Future: Agenda 2020 which focusses on Cloud and Located Learning. This change in policy has had an impact on delivery framework for the project oriented design based learning model which has been incorporated through the use of lecture videos, a learning management system called Cloud Deakin and online tutorials through the eLive system.

Working hours in supply chain Chinese and Thai factories: evidence from the fair labor association's 'soccer project'

This article examines the determinants of working excessive hours, defined as working in excess of 60 hours per week or for more than six consecutive days, in Chinese and Thai supply chain factories. We use a matched employer-employee dataset collected from 15 Chinese and Thai footwear and sporting apparel supply chain factories, which supply international brands. Matched employer-employee data allow us to examine the effect of worker and firm characteristics on hours worked. We find that in addition to the demographic and human capital characteristics of workers, firm-level characteristics and worker awareness of how to refuse overtime are important in explaining variation in hours worked. © John Wiley & Sons Ltd/London School of Economics 2011.