Waiting for warning: Driver Situation awareness at rural rail level crossings

Driver behaviour at rail level crossings represents a key area for further research. This paper describes an on-road study comparing novice and experienced driver situation awareness at rural rail level crossings. Participants provided verbal protocols while driving a pre-determined rural route incorporating ten rail level crossings. Driver situation awareness was assessed using a network analysis approach. The analysis revealed key differences between novice and experienced drivers' situation awareness. In particular, the novice drivers seemed to be more reliant on rail level crossing warnings and their situation awareness was less focussed on the environment outside of the rail level crossing. In closing, the implications for rail level crossing safety are discussed.

Demystifying paradoxical characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder

This letter is aimed for psychotherapy clinicians and researchers who should acknowledge the relationship linking Kohut's self-psychology and Glasser's Choice theory that can demystify relationship difficulties and mental health problems in narcissistic personality disorder (NPD).

Comparison of three different dressings for partial thickness burns in children : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: In the paediatric population, pain and distress associated with burn injuries during wound care procedures remain a constant challenge. Although silver dressings are the gold standard for burn care in Australasia, very few high-level trials have been conducted that compare silver dressings to determine which will provide the best level of care clinically. Therefore, for paediatric patients in particular, identifying silver dressings that are associated with lower levels of pain and rapid wound re-epithelialisation is imperative. This study will determine whether there is a difference in time to re-epithelialisation and pain and distress experienced during wound care procedures among Acticoat, Acticoat combined with Mepitel and Mepilex Ag dressings for acute, paediatric partial thickness burns. METHODS/DESIGN: Children aged 0 to 15 years with an acute partial thickness (superficial partial to deep partial thickness inclusive) burn injury and a burn total body surface area of

Indigenous cultural values and journalism in the Asia-Pacific region : a brief history of Māori journalism

A number of scholars in the Asia-Pacific region have in recent years pointed to the importance that cultural values play in influencing journalistic practices. The Asian values debate was followed up with empirical studies showing actual differences in news content when comparing Asian and Western journalism. At the same time, such studies have focused on national cultures only. This paper instead examines the issue against the background of an Indigenous culture in the Asia-Pacific region. It explores the way in which cultural values may have played a role in the journalistic practice of Māori journalists in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past nearly 200 years and finds numerous examples that demonstrate the significance of taking cultural values into account. The paper argues that the role played by cultural values is important to examine further, particularly in relation to journalistic practices amongst sub-national news cultures across the Asia-Pacific region.

Direct Observation of Photodissociation Products from Phenylperoxyl Radicals Isolated in the Gas Phase

Gas phase peroxyl radicals are central to our chemical understanding of combustion and atmospheric processes and are typically characterized by strong absorption in the UV (lambda(max) approximate to 240 nm). The analogous maximum absorption feature for arylperoxyl radicals is predicted to shift to the visible but has not previously been characterized nor have any photoproducts arising from this transition been identified. Here we describe the controlled synthesis and isolation in vacuo of an array of charge-substituted phenylperoxyl radicals at room temperature, including the 4-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)methyl phenylperoxyl radical cation (4-Me3N[+]CH2-C6H4OO center dot), using linear ion-trap mass spectrometry. Photodissociation mass spectra obtained at wavelengths ranging from 310 to 500 nm reveal two major photoproduct channels corresponding to homolysis of aryl-OO and arylO-O bonds resulting in loss of O-2 and O, respectively. Combining the photodissociation yields across this spectral window produces a broad (FWHM approximate to 60 nm) but clearly resolved feature centered at lambda(max) = 403 nm (3.08 eV). The influence of the charge-tag identity and its proximity to the radical site are investigated and demonstrate no effect on the identity of the two dominant photoproduct channels. Electronic structure calculations have located the vertical (B) over tilde <- (X) over tilde transition of these substituted phenylperoxyl radicals within the experimental uncertainty and further predict the analogous transition for unsubstituted phenylperoxyl radical (C6H5OO center dot) to be 457 nm (2.71 eV), nearly 45 nm shorter than previous estimates and in good agreement with recent computational values.

Proteomic and other analyses to determine the functional consequences of deregulated kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) expression in prostate and ovarian cancer

Rapidly developing proteomic tools are improving detection of deregulated kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) expression, at the protein level, in prostate and ovarian cancer, as well as facilitating the determination of functional consequences downstream. Mass spectrometry (MS)-driven proteomics uniquely allows for the detection, identification and quantification of thousands of proteins in a complex protein pool, and this has served to identify certain KLKs as biomarkers for these diseases. In this review we describe applications of this technology in KLK biomarker discovery, and elucidate MS-based techniques which have been used for unbiased, global screening of KLK substrates within complex protein pools. Although MS-based KLK degradomic studies are limited to date, they helped to discover an array of novel KLK substrates. Substrates identified by MS-based degradomics are reported with improved confidence over those determined by incubating a purified or recombinant substrate and protease of interest, in vitro. We propose that these novel proteomic approaches represent the way forward for KLK research, in order to correlate proteolysis of biological substrates with tissue-related consequences, toward clinical targeting of KLK expression and function for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapies.

Exploring sustainability themes in engineering accreditation and curricula

Purpose This paper aims to present key findings from an inquiry into engineering accreditation and curricula renewal. The research attempted to ascertain conceptions of requisite sustainability themes among engineering academics and professionals. The paper also reflects on the potential role of professional engineering institutions (PEIs) in embedding sustainability through their programme accreditation guidelines and wider implications in terms of rapid curricula renewal. Design/methodology/approach This research comprised an International Engineering Academic Workshop held during the 2010 International Symposium on Engineering Education in Ireland, on “accreditation and sustainable engineering”. This built on the findings of a literature review that was distributed prior to the workshop. Data collection included individual questionnaires administered during the workshop, and notes scribed by workshop participants. Findings The literature review highlighted a wide range of perspectives across and within engineering disciplines, regarding what sustainability/sustainable development (SD) themes should be incorporated into engineering curricula, and regarding language and terminology. This was also reflected in the workshop discussions. Notwithstanding this diversity, clusters of sustainability themes and priority considerations were distilled from the literature review and workshop. These related to resources, technology, values, ethics, inter- and intra-generational equity, transdisciplinarity, and systems and complex thinking. Themes related to environmental and economic knowledge and skills received less attention by workshop participants than represented in the literature. Originality/value This paper provides an appreciation of the diversity of opinion regarding priority sustainability themes for engineering curricula, among a group of self-selected engineering academics who have a common interest in education for SD. It also provides some insights and caveats on how these themes might be rapidly integrated into engineering curricula.

Making media participatory: Digital storytelling

From journalism to social media, the practices of our professional storytellers continue to evolve and change along with our storytelling institutions and their functions. Comprehending these developments is a key problem of contemporary media and cultural studies. Are the politics of representation giving way to a new progressive politics of self-representation and direct participation? Or, instead, are these new genres of self-representation part of a more general demotic turn in the function of contemporary media? Do media merely mediate or amplify cultural identities, or is media functionality becoming, closer to that of a translator or even an author of identities? How can we know if the changing actor-networks of storytelling contribute to a wider democratisation, a reshaping of the hierarchies of voice and agency? This chapter considers the place of one specific critical participatory media production practice known as 'digital storytelling’ in addressing these larger questions of socio-cultural change.

An intervention to discourage Australian mothers from unnecessarily exposing their babies to the sun for therapeutic reasons

Parents play a key role in children’s sun-protective behaviour, with good sun-protective habits established early tending to be sustained. We designed a maternity hospital-based educational intervention to reduce myths that could result in mothers intentionally sunning their babies. Interviews were conducted with two cross-sections of healthy post-partum inpatients in the maternity ward of a large regional public hospital. The first group (n¼106) was recruited before the commencement of educational in-services for maternity nursing staff; the second group (n¼203) was interviewed after the last staff in-service session. More pre-intervention than post-intervention women reported they would expose their baby to sunlight to: treat suspected jaundice (28.8% vs. 13.3%; p<0.001) or help their baby’s skin adapt to sunlight (10.5% vs. 2.5%; p¼0.003). Fewer post-intervention women indicated they would sun themselves to treat breastfeeding-associated sore/cracked nipples (7.6% vs. 2%; p¼0.026). This educational intervention should be used to educate parents, health professionals and students

Adipose tissue induction in vivo

Engineering adipogenic tissue in vivo requires the concomitant induction of angiogenesis to generate a stable long-term three-dimensional construct. Histiocon-ductive tissue engineering strategies have been used. The disadvantage of using biodegradable scaffolds is a delayed angiogenic induction resulting in ischemic necrosis of the central cell population in the scaffold. We evaluated an histioinductive approach for adipose tissue engineering by combining essential key components for adipogenic induction: (1) a precursor cell source; (2) a vascular pedicle; (3) a supportive matrix, and; (4) a chamber to preserve space for the new tissue to develop. We observed concomitant adipogenic and angiogenic induction after 6 weeks in three-dimensional adipose tissue constructs.

Spectroscopic vibrations of austinite (CaZnAsO4⋅OH) and its mineral structure : Implications for identification of secondary arsenic-containing mineral

Austinite (CaZnAsO4⋅OH) is a unique secondary mineral in arsenic-contaminated mine wastes. The infrared and Raman spectroscopies were used to characterize the austenite vibrations. The IR bands at 369, 790 and 416 cm−1 are assigned to the ν2, ν3 and ν4 vibrations of AsO43− unit, respectively. The Raman bands at 814, 779 and 403 cm−1 correspond to the ν1, ν3 and ν4 vibrations of AsO43− unit respectively. The sharp bands at 3265 cm−1 for IR and 3270 cm−1 both reveals that the structural hydroxyl units exist in the austenite structure. The IR and Raman spectra both show that some SO4 units isomorphically replace AsO4 in austinite. X-ray single crystal diffraction provides the arrangement of each atom in the mineral structure, and also confirms that the conclusions made from the vibrational spectra. Micro-powder diffraction was used to confirm our mineral identification due to the small quantity of the austenite crystals.

Incontinence-associated dermatitis: A cross-sectional prevalence study in the Australian acute care hospital setting

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the prevalence of incontinence and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) in Australian acute care patients and to describe the products worn to manage incontinence, and those provided at the bedside for perineal skin care. Data on 376 inpatients were collected over 2 days at a major Australian teaching hospital. The mean age of the sample group was 62 years and 52% of the patients were male. The prevalence rate of incontinence was 24% (91/376). Urinary incontinence was significantly more prevalent in females (10%) than males (6%) (χ2  = 4·458, df = 1, P = 0·035). IAD occurred in 10% (38/376) of the sample group, with 42% (38/91) of incontinent patients having IAD. Semi-formed and liquid stool were associated with IAD (χ2  = 5·520, df = 1, P = 0·027). Clinical indication of fungal infection was present in 32% (12/38) of patients with IAD. Absorbent disposable briefs were the most common incontinence aids used (80%, 70/91), with soap/water and disposable washcloths being the clean-up products most commonly available (60%, 55/91) at the bedside. Further data are needed to validate this high prevalence. Studies that address prevention of IAD and the effectiveness of management strategies are also needed.

Incorporating human-factors in car-following models : a review of recent developments and research needs

Over the past decades there has been a considerable development in the modeling of car-following (CF) behavior as a result of research undertaken by both traffic engineers and traffic psychologists. While traffic engineers seek to understand the behavior of a traffic stream, traffic psychologists seek to describe the human abilities and errors involved in the driving process. This paper provides a comprehensive review of these two research streams. It is necessary to consider human-factors in {CF} modeling for a more realistic representation of {CF} behavior in complex driving situations (for example, in traffic breakdowns, crash-prone situations, and adverse weather conditions) to improve traffic safety and to better understand widely-reported puzzling traffic flow phenomena, such as capacity drop, stop-and-go oscillations, and traffic hysteresis. While there are some excellent reviews of {CF} models available in the literature, none of these specifically focuses on the human factors in these models. This paper addresses this gap by reviewing the available literature with a specific focus on the latest advances in car-following models from both the engineering and human behavior points of view. In so doing, it analyses the benefits and limitations of various models and highlights future research needs in the area.

Growing men's health: Broadening the conceptual and practical agenda

It still surprises those of us working on men’s issues that it has taken so long to realise – and that there is so little real grassroots support and advocacy for – men’s health as a legitimate domain in public health. The men’s movement – such as it is (see Connell 2005/1995) – goes back to the late 1970s; the gay men’s movement started earlier and the gay men’s health movement has been better organised and articulated since then (if one understands and concedes the central place that HIV/AIDS has taken during the last 28 years). What men’s health will become, what it will include, redefine and incorporate in the next ten years is interesting to consider.