The missing puzzle : birth of a format

 As new hybrid TV formats are developed story reamins the only consitent genre. This thesis is an empirical investigation that expores the genesis of Missing Persons Unit and television series that used hybrid styles of production to reach and stay in the number one position on Australian television.

Construction pathway : attracting the missing students and workers to university

The Commonwealth Government has the increased participation of under-represented groups to a 20% diversity target for Australian universities. It also has minimum targets of 40% of all Australians (25-34 years) holding a Bachelor’s degree by 2020. These targets are baseline items in a government agenda of improving educational outcomes for Australians and pivotal in addressing skill shortages in industries such as construction. In construction there is a skewing of skill shortages to the higher order or post entry level skills. Demand for higher skilled occupations such as construction managers, outstrips demand for construction trades (DEEWR, 2010). But whilst 41% of the industry have VET qualifications, only 10% possess HE qualifications in construction. Movement between the VET and HE sectors is low: of all construction students qualifying at AQF 4, less than 10% continue on to higher education and less than 1% of VET qualified persons in the construction workforce seek re-entry to university. This paper examines national data in construction education pathways and evaluates, using the DEMO matrix, the enablers in pathways to HE qualifications. The evaluation is based upon survey responses of two cohorts entering higher education from non-traditional pathways- articulating VET students and mature-aged workers. The results indicate that pathway programmes into construction degrees can attract non-traditional cohorts, but elements such as learner engagement, confidence, people-rich resources and collaboration are critical features of successful pathways.

An Australian experience of managing pressure ulcers in persons with SCI

Pressure ulcers are a difficult and complex problem, frequently resulting in poor patient outcomes ,and significantly increased cost of care. This project evolved from a desire to improve the management and subsequent outcomes for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) who experience pressure ulcers acquired in the community. The vast body of work related to pressure ulcers has focused on risk assessment and prevention. However, there has been little interest in the management of prevailing pressure ulcers. Using a retrospective case history audit and interviews with patients and health care workers from an Australian spinal services unit, current practices associated with the care of pressure ulcers are described. A number of issues are identified that relate to funding, diet, attitudes, consistency of care, and low levels of staff interest in pressure ulcer management. This work provides baseline data from which current management practices can be reviewed, revised, and empirically evaluated.

RE Kevin and the right of transsexual persons to marry in Australia

This article considers the decision of the Family Court of Australia in Re Kevin (Validity of Marriage of a Transsexual) [2001] FamCA 1074, which was upheld by the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia in February 2003. Re Kevin was the first case in Australia to deal directly with the question of whether a transsexual person could marry under Australian law. In the past, Australia had adhered to the judgement of Ormrod J in Corbett v Corbett [1971] P. 83, which set the benchmark for what is ‘male’ and what is ‘female’ under the common law. Prior to Re Kevin the question of what is a man and what is a woman for the purposes of marriage in Australia mirrored the strict biological test established in Corbett. In other words, the Australian courts relied upon biological factors, as espoused by Ormrod J, when determining a person's true sex. In Re Kevin, Chisholm J examined in detail what it is to be a man or woman, but unlike Ormrod J considered ‘brain sex’ to have a significant impact on a person's view of their own innate sexual identity. The Full Court of the Family Court agreed with the powerful and well-reasoned judgement of Chisholm J at first instance.

Mood and self-esteem of persons with multiple sclerosis following an exacerbation

ObjectiveThis study was designed to determine the impact of an exacerbation in the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) on the mood and self-esteem of persons with MS over an 18-month period.MethodsParticipants were 243 (80 males and 163 females) persons with MS and 184 (56 males and 128 female) persons from the general population. Information was obtained about coping styles, mood, and self-esteem among all respondents at Time 1, Time 2 (6 months later), and Time 3 (18 months later).ResultsThe results demonstrated that both groups of persons with MS experienced poorer mood levels than the general population, with the exacerbation group showing the highest levels of anxiety and confusion. Coping strategies did not predict mood in either of the MS groups.ConclusionThe findings of this study demonstrate that persons with MS experience significant problems with their mood states. However, respondents need to be tracked over a longer period to further explore the role of coping strategies in the adjustment of persons with MS

Conceptualization, measurement, and application of quality of life for persons with intellectual disabilities: report of an international panel of experts

In this article a number of issues involving the concept of quality of life as applied to persons with intellectual disabilities are summarized, and a number of agreed-upon principles regarding its conceptualization, measurement, and application are presented. We realize that the concepts and models presented in this article will vary potentially from country to country, and even from area to area within countries. The cross-cultural understanding of the concept of quality of life is in its infancy, and we hope that the discourses resulting from the material presented in this article will facilitate both cross-cultural understanding and collaborative work. The article reflects current thought about the conceptualization, measurement, and application of this increasingly important and widely used concept in the field of intellectual disabilities and sets the stage for its continuing development.

Effects of high-intensity progressive resistance training on self-reported health status in older persons with type 2 diabetes

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of high-intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) on self-reported physical and mental health in older persons with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We performed a 12-month RCT with 36 overweight men and women with type 2 diabetes (aged 60-80 years) who were randomly assigned to a moderate weight-loss diet plus PRT (PRT&WL) or a moderate weight-loss diet plus a control (stretching) program (WL). Gymnasium-based training for 6 months was followed by an additional 6 months of home-based training. The SF-36 (v1) questionnaire was used to obtain physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) health component summary scores at baseline, 6 and 12 months.

Results: Subject retention was 81% and 72% after 6 and 12 months respectively. Exercise adherence during gymnasium- and home-based training was 88% and 73% for the PRT&WL group, and 85% and 78.1% for the WL group respectively. In a regression model adjusted for age and sex, PCS improved in the PRT&WL group compared to the WL group after 6 months of gymnasium-based training (2.3 versus -2.0, p = 0.05), which persisted after 12 months training (0.7 versus -4.1, p = 0.03). There were no between-group differences at 6 or 12 months for the MCS.

Conclusion: High-intensity PRT was effective in improving self-reported physical health, but not mental health. PRT provides an effective exercise alternative in lifestyle management for older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Into the protecting arms: the League of Nations and the extension of international assistance to unprotected persons in the Middle East and Europe, 1926 - 1928

The refugee dilemma in Europe in the years between the two world wars had a number of aspects: humanitarian, political, and diplomatic. It raised questions of migration, questions of international law, and questions of the fate of hundreds of thousands of individuals. Refugees were visible from the very last days of the war and remained a matter of serious international concern even beyond the outbreak of war again in September 1939. The refugee dilemma in Europe was, firstly, a humanitarian crisis because the size of the refugee population was without precedent. It was also a political problem because national governments had to contend with questions about the refugees' legal status and their legitimacy under national and international law, as well as balance humanitarian concerns with national political interests. The humanitarian and political aspects together created a crisis for the international community newly united in the League of Nations. One of its first great acts-to take these refugees into its protective care-was not even prescribed for it in its Covenant. But the refugee crisis facing Europe was so great that member states were united in the belief that the League had been established precisely to undertake a task of this kind.