Energy, protein, calcium, vitamin D and fibre intakes from meals in residential care establishments in Australia

Residents from high level (nursing homes) and low-level care facilities (hostel) being served the three common diet texture modifications (full diet, soft-minced diet and pureed diet) were assessed. Individual plate waste was estimated at three meals on one day. Fifty-six males and 156 females, mean age 82.9+/-9.5 (SD) years, of which 139 lived in nursing homes (NH) and 76 in hostels (H) were included. Mean total energy served from meals was 5.3 MJ/day, 5.1 to 5.6 MJ/day, 95% confidence intervals (CI), in NH which was less than in H, 5.9 MJ/day (CI 5.6 to 6.2 MJ/day) (P=0.007). Protein and calcium intakes were lower in NH, 44.5g (CI 41.5 to 47.5g), 359.0mg (CI 333.2 to 384.8mg), versus 50.5g (CI 46.6 to 54.3g), 480.5mg (CI 444.3 to 516.7mg) in H (P=0.017, P<0.001 respectively). There was no difference in nutrient/energy ratios, except for protein/energy, which was higher in NH 11.7 (CI 11.3 to 12.2) than in H 9.8 (CI 9.4 to 10.3) (P<0.001). Ability to self-feed had no significant effect on nutrient intakes in NH. The self fed group (N=63) had the following nutrient intakes: energy 4.0 MJ (CI 3.6 to 4.3 MJ), protein 44.6g (CI 40.3 to 48.9g), calcium 356.9mg (CI 316.3 to 397.4mg), fibre 14.9g (CI 13.2 to 16.5g). The assisted group (N=64) had the following nutrient intakes: energy 3.9MJ (CI 3.6 to 4.2MJ), protein 46.0g (CI 40.7 to 49.6), calcium 361.9mg (CI 327.8 to 396.1mg), fibre 14.9g (CI 13.2 to 16.1g). Of NH classified as eating impaired, 36% received no assistance with feeding and had lower intakes of protein 37.8g (CI 33.0 to 42.1g) compared to those receiving some assistance 46.1g (CI 41.3 to 50.9g) (P=0.026). Reduced energy intake accounted for the differences in nutrient intakes between nursing homes and hostels, except for protein. Strategies to effectively monitor nutrient intakes and to identify those with eating impairment are required in order to ensure adequate nutrition of residents in nursing homes and hostels.

Grain refinement of pure magnesium using rolled Zirmax® master alloy (MG-33.3ZR)

Owing to the limited solubility of zirconium in molten magnesium, almost all of the zirconium contained in the Zirmax® master alloy (Mg-33.3Zr) is present in the form of nearly pure zirconium particles. Of them, zirconium particle clusters and individual zirconium particles greater than 5

Facilitating child witness interviews' understanding of evidential requirements through prosecutor instruction

Prosecutors report that the evidential usefulness of child witness statements about abuse is often limited by unnecessary interview content and excessive length. Prior research indicates that this limitation may be attributed to a mismatch between interviewers' and prosecutors' understandings of the legal requirements of an interview. The aim of this study is to examine whether differences in the evidential qualities that are perceived as important by prosecutors and interviewers can be reduced through simple instruction. Five prosecutors and 33 interviewers completed a written exercise wherein participants were required to identify what aspects of information required follow-up in five hypothetical narrative accounts of abuse. Twenty of the interviewers had (prior to completing the exercise) received prosecutor instruction on the requirements of interviews in terms of the elements and particulars of sexual offences, and the manner in which necessary information is best elicited in an interview (from a legal perspective). The responses to the exercise of interviewers who had and had not received prosecutor instruction were compared. The results indicated that interviewers who had received instruction were more consistent with prosecutors in their responses to the exercise. The importance of these findings, and directions for future research, are discussed.

Intersections between disability, type of impairment, gender and socio-economic disadvantage in a nationally representative sample of 33,101 working aged Australians

Background:People with disabilities are socio-economically disadvantaged and have poorer health than people without disabilities; however, little is known about the way in which disadvantage is patterned by gender and type of impairment.Objectives:1. To describe whether socio-economic circumstances vary according to type of impairment (sensory and speech, intellectual, physical, psychological and acquired brain injury) 2. To compare levels of socio-economic disadvantage for women and men with the same impairment typeMethods:We used a large population-based disability-focused survey of Australians, analysing data from 33,101 participants aged 25 to 64. Indicators of socio-economic disadvantage included education, income, employment, housing vulnerability, and multiple disadvantage. Stratified by impairment type, we estimated: the population weighted prevalence of socio-economic disadvantage; the relative odds of disadvantage compared to people without disabilities; and the relative odds of disadvantage between women and men.Results:With few exceptions, people with disabilities fared worse for every indicator compared to people without disability; those with intellectual and psychological impairments and acquired brain injuries were most disadvantaged. While overall women with disabilities were more disadvantaged than men, the magnitude of the relative differences was lower than the same comparisons between women and men without disabilities, and there were few differences between women and men with the same impairment types.Conclusions:Crude comparisons between people with and without disabilities obscure how disadvantage is patterned according to impairment type and gender. The results emphasise the need to unpack how gender and disability intersect to shape socio-economic disadvantage.