Linking the fifth pillar to the first in the UN Decade of Action

The UN Decade of Action outlines five pillars of activity within a safe system framework to achieve the goal of slowing and then reversing the global growth in road traffic fatalities, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. The first four pillars - road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, and safer road users – have a strong focus on prevention of road traffic crashes and mitigation of energy exchange when a crash occurs. The fifth pillar – post-crash response – is far more specific, focusing only on crash victims in the event of a safe system failure. The victims appear to be relevant to the first four pillars only insofar as their numbers can be used to evaluate the success of road safety programs and identify the target groups and contributing factors. This paper argues that a better understanding of the lived experience of long term disability from traffic crashes has the potential to provide a feedback loop from the fifth pillar to the first. Research conducted in Thailand with male crash victims with spinal injury demonstrates that patterns of attribution and social and cultural factors have important implications for road safety management and for interventions aimed at influencing behaviour. In addition, the mobility constraints experienced by people with long term disability can point to systemic issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. The UN Decade of Action can benefit from a more thorough exploration of the experiences and circumstances of people with long term disability as the result of a road traffic crash. Rather than being evidence of the failure of the safe system, they can inform the development of more effective road safety management on low-income and middle-income countries.

UCPR 229 - defamation proceedings – damages to be assessed – application to interrogate as to defendant’s motive - implications of Defamation ACT 2005 - application to interrogate before action - when in the interests of justice

In Hogan v Ellery [2009] QDC 154 McGill DCJ considered two applications for leave to deliver interrogatories under r 229 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) (UCPR). The judgment provides useful analysis of the circumstances in which a plaintiff may obtain leave to deliver interrogatories to a defendant in defamation proceedings, and also to a non-party before action.

Review of 'Responding to CALD learners: cultural diversity in action'

This review evaluates a report prepared by Lynda Achren, Jude Newcombe and Drew Roberts of Adult Migrant Education Services (AMES) for the ACFE (Adult, Community and Further Education Board), Victoria, Australia.

Genetic variability and antimicrobial resistance of Ureaplasma parvum in response to maternal erythromycin treatment : a study in pregnant sheep

Background: Ureaplasmas are the most frequently isolated microorganisms from the amniotic fluid (AF) of pregnant women and can cause chronic infections that are difficult to eradicate with standard macrolide treatment. We tested the effects of erythromycin treatment on phenotypic and genotypic markers of ureaplasmal antimicrobial resistance in sheep. Method: At 50 days of gestation (d, term=145d) 12 pregnant ewes received intra-amniotic injections of U. parvum serovar 3 (erythromycin-sensitive, 2x104 colony-forming-units). At 100d ewes received: erythromycin treatment (500 mg, q3h for 4 days, IM, n=6) or no treatment (n=6). Fetuses were delivered surgically (125d) and AF and chorioamnion were collected for: culture, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) testing; 23S rRNA sequencing; and detection of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance (MLSr) genes. Results: MICs of erythromycin, azithromycin and roxithromycin against AF isolates were low (range = 0.06 mg/L to 1.0 mg/L); however, chorioamnion isolates demonstrated increased resistance to roxithromycin (0.13 – 5.33 mg/L). 62.5% of chorioamnion ureaplasmas formed biofilms in vitro and mutations (125 nucleotides, 29.6%) were found in the 23S rRNA gene (domain V) of chorioamnion (but not AF) ureaplasmas. MLSr genes (ermB, msrC and msrD) were detected in 100% of chorioamnion isolates and only msrD was detected in AF isolates (40%). Conclusions: 23S rRNA mutations and MLSr genes occurred independently of erythromycin treatment, suggesting that the anatomical site of infection and microenvironment may exert selective pressures on ureaplasmas that cause genetic changes and alter antimicrobial sensitivity profiles. These results have serious implications for treatment of in utero infections.

Exercise-induced alterations in neutrophil degranulation and respiratory burst activity : possible mechanisms of action

Neutrophils constitute 50-60% of all circulating leukocytes; they present the first line of microbicidal defense and are involved in inflammatory responses. To examine immunocompetence in athletes, numerous studies have investigated the effects of exercise on the number of circulating neutrophils and their response to stimulation by chemotactic stimuli and activating factors. Exercise causes a biphasic increase in the number of neutrophils in the blood, arising from increases in catecholamine and cortisol concentrations. Moderate intensity exercise may enhance neutrophil respiratory burst activity, possibly through increases in the concentrations of growth hormone and the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. In contrast, intense or long duration exercise may suppress neutrophil degranulation and the production of reactive oxidants via elevated circulating concentrations of epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol. There is evidence of neutrophil degranulation and activation of the respiratory burst following exercise-induced muscle damage. In principle, improved responsiveness of neutrophils to stimulation following exercise of moderate intensity could mean that individuals participating in moderate exercise may have improved resistance to infection. Conversely, competitive athletes undertaking regular intense exercise may be at greater risk of contracting illness. However, there are limited data to support this concept. To elucidate the cellular mechanisms involved in the neutrophil responses to exercise, researchers have examined changes in the expression of cell membrane receptors, the production and release of reactive oxidants and more recently, calcium signaling. The investigation of possible modifications of other signal transduction events following exercise has not been possible because of current methodological limitations. At present, variation in exercise-induced alterations in neutrophil function appears to be due to differences in exercise protocols, training status, sampling points and laboratory assay techniques.

iRAP Malaysia training course: Decade of Action for Road Safety. Report to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia-Malaysia Institute

The International Road Assessment Program (iRAP) is a not-for-profit organisation that works in partnership with governments and non-government organisations in all parts of the world to make roads safe. The iRAP Malaysia pilot study on 3,700km of road identified the potential to save 31,800 deaths and serious injuries over the next 20 years from proven engineering improvements. To help ensure the iRAP data and results are available to planners and engineers, iRAP, together with staff from the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) developed a 5-day iRAP training course that covers the background, theory and practical application of iRAP protocols, with a special focus on Malaysian case studies. Funding was provided by a competitive grant from the Australian-Malaysia Institute.

Strengthening critical health psychology : a critical action orientation

The commentaries on my original article ‘The Emergence of Critical Health Psychology: Can it Contribute to Promoting Public Health?’ provided engaging views on what critical health psychology (CHP) actually is and does. Consideration of each commentary gave rise to numerous themes and generated my own further thoughts on CHP which I frame as five key areas of a continuing dialogue: (1) reflexivity and CHP; (2) health psychology: pluralist or not? (3) CHP as a moral project; (4) social action and change; and (5) strengthening critical approaches to health. Throughout I highlight concepts and issues that are integral to the capacity of CHP to create a shift towards a reinvigorated action-orientated agenda.

UNCLOS and regional action for protection of the marine environment : perspectives of the South Asian Seas region

In very clear language the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) calls upon the parties to initiate regional action for protection of marine environment. Although the UNCLOS gives special recognition in various ways to developing countries, the South Asian developing countries continue to encounter some bottlenecks in complying with the provisions of the Convention relating to marine environment. Against this backdrop, this paper tends to examine the need for a regional approach towards conservation of marine environment. Moreover, the paper aims to explore possible ways to establish a regional legal framework for conservation of marine environment in South Asian region. In doing so, the paper critically examines existing mechanisms already in place including the South Asian Seas Programme and South Asian Seas Action Plan