Selling Queensland at the Glasgow international exhibition of 1901

Queensland was one of two states of the newly-federated Australia to mount official courts at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, the largest world expo held in Great Britain to that date. In exhibiting at Glasgow, then the second city of the British Empire, Queensland sought to draw emigrants and investment from Britain. The court, funded by the Queensland Department of Mines, was mostly a display of mineral wealth, and the state's agricultural and pastoral resources were poorly represented. The 'prettily designed' court presented a rose-coloured view of a land endowed with boundless wealth and resources. This in no way reflected the realities of life back home, in a year of environmental and economic disaster, and of political and social upheaval. Though the exhibit failed to bring tangible benefits, it is an important record of Queensland aspirations and concerns at the time of Federation. It has special interest as the last occasion when Queensland exhibited in its own right, rather than as part of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Application of quantitative analytical electron microscopy to the mineral content of insect cuticle

Quantification of calcium in the cuticle of the fly larva Exeretonevra angustifrons was undertaken at the micron scale using wavelength dispersive X-ray microanalysis, analytical standards, and a full matrix correction. Calcium and phosphorus were found to be present in the exoskeleton in a ratio that indicates amorphous calcium phosphate. This was confirmed through electron diffraction of the calcium-containing tissue. Due to the pragmatic difficulties of measuring light elements, it is not uncommon in the field of entomology to neglect the use of matrix corrections when performing microanalysis of bulk insect specimens. To determine, firstly, whether such a strategy affects the outcome and secondly, which matrix correction is preferable, phi-rho (z) and ZAF matrix corrections were contrasted with each other and without matrix correction. The best estimate of the mineral phase was found to be given by using the phi-rho (z) correction. When no correction was made, the ratio of Ca to P fell outside the range for amorphous calcium phosphate, possibly leading to flawed interpretation of the mineral form when used on its own.

Description of stable pain in rheumatoid arthritis: A 6 year study

Objective. To study pain quality and variability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Pain, disease activity, and functional status Were assessed 3 times over 6 years in an initial cohort of 120 clinic patients with chronic pain from RA. A pain visual analog scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) were used to record pain intensity and quality. RA disease activity and function were measured. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in any measure over the 3 assessments. RA pain intensity was moderate. The MPQ showed that sensory components of the pain were described in terms of pressure and constriction. Pain related affect was described with adjectives suggesting positive psychological adaptation to pain. Conclusion. The. results indicate a general profile of no change in pain sensation, affect, and emotional quality in clinic monitored patients with ongoing RA and ongoing, moderate levels of disease activity and function. The MPQ provides qualitative detail to patient's report of pain severity that could be a useful addition to longterm documentation of RA outcome. Regular MPQ documentation of current pain in outpatients could indicate whether any significant change in pain levels is reflected in altered word selection that reflects physiological or psychological change, and could assist clinicians to select the most appropriate form of therapy for RA pain.

Low-density koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in the mulgalands of south-west Queensland. III. Broad-scale patterns of habitat use

To date there have been few quantitative studies of the distribution of, and relative habitat utilisation by, koalas in the mulgalands of Queensland. To examine these parameters we applied habitat-accessibility and relative habitat-utilisation indices to estimates of faecal pellet density sampled at 149 sites across the region. Modelling the presence of pellets using logistic regression showed that the potential range of accessible habitats and relative habitat use varied greatly across the region, with rainfall being probably the most important determinant of distribution. Within that distribution, landform and rainfall were both important factors affecting habitat preference. Modelling revealed vastly different probabilities of finding a pellet under trees depending on the tree species, canopy size, and location within the region.

Core outcome domains for chronic pain clinical trials: IMMPACT recommendations

Objective. To provide recommendations for the core outcome domains that should be considered by investigators conducting clinical trials of the efficacy and effectiveness of treatments for chronic pain. Development of a core set of outcome domains would facilitate comparison and pooling of data, encourage more complete reporting of outcomes, simplify the preparation and review of research proposals and manuscripts, and allow clinicians to make informed decisions regarding the risks and benefits of treatment. Methods. Under the auspices of the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT), 27 specialists from academia. governmental agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry participated in a consensus meeting and identified core outcome domains that should be considered in clinical trials of treatments for chronic pain. Conclusions. There was a consensus that chronic pain clinical trials should assess outcomes representing six core domains: (1) pain, (2) physical functioning, (3) emotional functioning, (4) participant ratings of improvement and satisfaction with treatment, (5) symptoms and adverse events, (6) participant disposition (e.g. adherence to the treatment regimen and reasons for premature withdrawal from the trial). Although consideration should be given to the assessment of each of these domains, there may be exceptions to the general recommendation to include all of these domains in chronic pain trials. When this occurs, the rationale for not including domains should be provided. It is not the intention of these recommendations that assessment of the core domains should be considered a requirement for approval of product applications by regulatory agencies or that a treatment must demonstrate statistically significant effects for all of the relevant core domains to establish evidence of its efficacy. (C) 2003 International Association for the Study of Pain.

Outcome variables for osteoarthritis clinical trials: the OMERACT-OARSI set of responder criteria

Improvement in analysis and reporting results of osteoarthritis (OA) clinical trials has been recently obtained because of harmonization and standardization of the selection of outcome variables (OMERACT 3 and OARSI). Moreover, OARSI has recently proposed the OARSI responder criteria. This composite index permits presentation of results of symptom modifying clinical trials in OA based on individual patient responses (responder yes/no). The 2 organizations (OMERACT and OARSI) established. a task force aimed at evaluating: (1) the variability of observed placebo and active treatment effects using the OARSI responder criteria; and (2) the possibility of proposing a simplified set of criteria. The conclusions of the task force were presented and discussed during the OMERACT 6 conference, where a simplified set of responder criteria (OMERACT-OARSI set of criteria) was proposed.

What influences the functional outcome of children at 6 months post-burn?

The contribution of demographic, injury, pre-morbid, and parent factors to a child's functional outcome at 6 months post-burn injury was examined. Sixty-eight children, aged 5-14 years with percent total body surface area (%TBSA) burns ranging from

Comparison of DEM and experiment for a scale model SAG mill

Predictions of flow patterns in a 600-mm scale model SAG mill made using four classes of discrete element method (DEM) models are compared to experimental photographs. The accuracy of the various models is assessed using quantitative data on shoulder, toe and vortex center positions taken from ensembles of both experimental and simulation results. These detailed comparisons reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the various models for simulating mills and allow the effect of different modelling assumptions to be quantitatively evaluated. In particular, very close agreement is demonstrated between the full 3D model (including the end wall effects) and the experiments. It is also demonstrated that the traditional two-dimensional circular particle DEM model under-predicts the shoulder, toe and vortex center positions and the power draw by around 10 degrees. The effect of particle shape and the dimensionality of the model are also assessed, with particle shape predominantly affecting the shoulder position while the dimensionality of the model affects mainly the toe position. Crown Copyright (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

An energy-based model for swing hammer mills

An energy-based swing hammer mill model has been developed for coke oven feed preparation. it comprises a mechanistic power model to determine the dynamic internal recirculation and a perfect mixing mill model with a dual-classification function to mimic the operations of crusher and screen. The model parameters were calibrated using a pilot-scale swing hammer mill at various operating conditions. The effects of the underscreen configurations and the feed sizes on hammer mill operations were demonstrated through the fitted model parameters. Relationships between the model parameters and the machine configurations were established. The model was validated using the independent experimental data of single lithotype coal tests with the same BJD pilot-scale hammer mill and full operation audit data of an industrial hammer mill. The outcome of the energy-based swing hammer mill model is the capability to simulate the impact of changing blends of coal or mill configurations and operating conditions on product size distribution. Alternatively, the model can be used to select the machine settings required to achieve a desired product. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Full-scale demonstration of biological nutrient removal in a single tank SBR process

Complete biological nutrient removal (BNR) in a single tank, sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process, is demonstrated here at full-scale on a typical domestic wastewater. The unique feature of the UniFed process is the introduction of the influent into the settled sludge blanket during the settling and decant periods of the SBR operation. This achieves suitable conditions for denitrification and anaerobic phosphate release which is critical to successful biological phosphorus removal, It also achieves a selector effect, which helps in generating a compact, well settling biomass in the reactor. The results of this demonstration show that it is possible to achieve well over 90% removal of GOD, nitrogen and phosphorus in such a process. Effluent quality achieved over a six-month operating period directly after commissioning was: 29 mg/l GOD, 0.5 mg/l NH4-N, 1.5 mg/l NOx-N and 1.5 mg/l PO4-P (50%-iles of daily samples). During an 8-day, intensive sampling period, the effluent BOD5 was

Effects of physical activity on emotional well-being among older Australian women - Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

Objective: To explore relationships between physical activity and mental health cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a large cohort of older Australian women. Method: Women in their 70s participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health responded in 1996 (aged 70-75) and in 1999 (aged 73-78). Cross-sectional data were analyzed for 10,063 women and longitudinal data for 6472. Self-reports were used to categorize women into four categories of physical activity at each time point as well as to define four physical activity transition categories across the 3-year period. Outcome variables for the cross-sectional analyses were the mental health component score (MCS) and mental health subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36). The longitudinal analyses focused on changes in these variables. Confounders included the physical health component scale (PCS) of the SF-36, marital status, body mass index (BMI) and life events. Adjustment for baseline scores was included for the longitudinal analyses. Results: Cross-sectionally, higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher scores on all dependent variables, both with and without adjustment for confounders. Longitudinally, the effects were weaker, but women who had made a transition from some physical activity to none generally showed more negative changes in emotional well-being than those who had always been sedentary, while those who maintained or adopted physical activity had better outcomes. Conclusion: Physical activity is associated with emotional well-being among a population cohort of older women both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, supporting the need for the promotion of appropriate physical activity in this age group. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) via the nitrite pathway and anaerobic-anoxic-enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) are two processes that can significantly reduce the energy and COD demand for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The combination of these two processes has the potential of achieving simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal with a minimal requirement for COD. A lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated in alternating anaerobic-aerobic mode with a low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (0.5 mg/L) during the aerobic period, and was demonstrated to accomplish nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal. Under anaerobic conditions, COD was taken up and converted to poly-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), accompanied by phosphorus release. In the subsequent aerobic stage, PHA was oxidized and phosphorus was taken up to

Cerebral impedance and neurological outcome following a mild or severe hypoxic/ischemic episode in neonatal piglets

Multi-frequency bio-impedance has the potential to identify infants at risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcome following hypoxia by detecting cerebral edema. This study investigated the relationship between the severity of an hypoxic/ischemic episode, neurological outcome following the hypoxia and non-invasively measured cerebral bioelectrical impedance in piglets. One-day-old piglets were anaesthetised and ventilated. Hypoxia was induced by reducing the inspired oxygen concentration to 3-5%. Severe hypoxia was defined as hypoxia resulting in at least 30 min of low amplitude EEG (

Impact of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, brain injury, and severe retinopathy on the outcome of extremely low-birth-weight infants at 18 months

CONTEXT: Despite more than 2 decades of outcomes research after very preterm birth, clinicians remain uncertain about the extent to which neonatal morbidities predict poor long-term outcomes of extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants. OBJECTIVE: To determine the individual and combined prognostic effects of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), ultrasonographic signs of brain injury, and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) on 18-month outcomes of ELBW infants. DESIGN: Inception cohort assembled for the Trial of Indomethacin Prophylaxis in Preterms (TIPP). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 910 infants with birth weights of 500 to 999 g who were admitted to 1 of 32 neonatal intensive care units in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong between 1996 and 1998 and who survived to a postmenstrual age of 36 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Combined end point of death or survival to 18 months with 1 or more of cerebral palsy, cognitive delay, severe hearing loss, and bilateral blindness. RESULTS: Each of the neonatal morbidities was similarly and independently correlated with a poor 18-month outcome. Odds ratios were 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-3.2) for BPD, 3.7 (95% CI, 2.6-5.3) for brain injury, and 3.1 (95% CI, 1.9-5.0) for severe ROP. In children who were free of BPD, brain injury, and severe ROP the rate of poor long-term outcomes was 18% (95% CI, 14%-22%). Corresponding rates with any 1, any 2, and all 3 neonatal morbidities were 42% (95% CI, 37%-47%), 62% (95% CI, 53%-70%), and 88% (64%-99%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In ELBW infants who survive to a postmenstrual age of 36 weeks, a simple count of 3 common neonatal morbidities strongly predicts the risk of later death or neurosensory impairment.