Limitation of actions - Workcover Queensland Act 1996 s 308(2)

In Narayan v S-Pak Pty Ltd [2002] QSC 373 the court concluded that proceedings to which the Workcover (Queensland) Act 1996 applies must be commenced within 60 days after the compulsory conference required by s308(2) of the Act and there is no power in the court to extend the time for compliance.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990-2010: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010

BACKGROUND Measuring disease and injury burden in populations requires a composite metric that captures both premature mortality and the prevalence and severity of ill-health. The 1990 Global Burden of Disease study proposed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to measure disease burden. No comprehensive update of disease burden worldwide incorporating a systematic reassessment of disease and injury-specific epidemiology has been done since the 1990 study. We aimed to calculate disease burden worldwide and for 21 regions for 1990, 2005, and 2010 with methods to enable meaningful comparisons over time. METHODS We calculated DALYs as the sum of years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs). DALYs were calculated for 291 causes, 20 age groups, both sexes, and for 187 countries, and aggregated to regional and global estimates of disease burden for three points in time with strictly comparable definitions and methods. YLLs were calculated from age-sex-country-time-specific estimates of mortality by cause, with death by standardised lost life expectancy at each age. YLDs were calculated as prevalence of 1160 disabling sequelae, by age, sex, and cause, and weighted by new disability weights for each health state. Neither YLLs nor YLDs were age-weighted or discounted. Uncertainty around cause-specific DALYs was calculated incorporating uncertainty in levels of all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, prevalence, and disability weights. FINDINGS Global DALYs remained stable from 1990 (2·503 billion) to 2010 (2·490 billion). Crude DALYs per 1000 decreased by 23% (472 per 1000 to 361 per 1000). An important shift has occurred in DALY composition with the contribution of deaths and disability among children (younger than 5 years of age) declining from 41% of global DALYs in 1990 to 25% in 2010. YLLs typically account for about half of disease burden in more developed regions (high-income Asia Pacific, western Europe, high-income North America, and Australasia), rising to over 80% of DALYs in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1990, 47% of DALYs worldwide were from communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, 43% from non-communicable diseases, and 10% from injuries. By 2010, this had shifted to 35%, 54%, and 11%, respectively. Ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of DALYs worldwide in 2010 (up from fourth rank in 1990, increasing by 29%), followed by lower respiratory infections (top rank in 1990; 44% decline in DALYs), stroke (fifth in 1990; 19% increase), diarrhoeal diseases (second in 1990; 51% decrease), and HIV/AIDS (33rd in 1990; 351% increase). Major depressive disorder increased from 15th to 11th rank (37% increase) and road injury from 12th to 10th rank (34% increase). Substantial heterogeneity exists in rankings of leading causes of disease burden among regions. INTERPRETATION Global disease burden has continued to shift away from communicable to non-communicable diseases and from premature death to years lived with disability. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, many communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders remain the dominant causes of disease burden. The rising burden from mental and behavioural disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and diabetes will impose new challenges on health systems. Regional heterogeneity highlights the importance of understanding local burden of disease and setting goals and targets for the post-2015 agenda taking such patterns into account. Because of improved definitions, methods, and data, these results for 1990 and 2010 supersede all previously published Global Burden of Disease results.

Multifocal electroretinogram responses in Nepalese diabetic patients without retinopathy

Purpose To determine neuroretinal function with multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) in diabetic subjects without retinopathy. Methods Multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) was performed in 18 eyes of 18 diabetic subjects without retinopathy and 17 eyes of 17 age and gender-matched healthy control participants. Among 18 diabetic subjects, two had type 1 and 16 had type 2 diabetes. MfERG responses were averaged by the retinal areas of six concentric rings and four quadrants, and 103 retinal locations; N1–P1 amplitude and P1-implicit time were analysed. Results Average mfERG N1–P1 amplitude (in nv/deg2) of 103 retinal locations was 56.3 ± 17.2 (mean ± SD) in type 1 diabetic subjects, 47.2 ± 9.3 in type 2 diabetic subjects and 71.5 ± 12.7 in controls. Average P1-implicit time (in ms) was 43.0 ± 1.3 in type 1 diabetic subjects, 43.9 ± 2.3 in type 2 diabetic subjects and 41.9 ± 2.1 in controls. There was significant reduction in average N1–P1 amplitude and delay in P1-implicit time in type 2 diabetic subjects in comparison to controls. mfERG amplitude did not show any significant correlation with diabetes duration and blood sugar level. However, implicit time showed a positive correlation with diabetes duration in type 2 diabetic subjects with diabetes duration ≥5 years. Conclusions This is the first study in a Nepalese population with diabetes using multifocal electroretinography. We present novel findings that mfERG N1–P1 amplitude is markedly reduced along with delay in P1-implicit time in type 2 diabetic subjects without retinopathy. These findings indicate that there might be significant dysfunction of inner retina before the development of diabetic retinopathy in the study population, which have higher prevalence of diabetes than the global estimate and uncontrolled blood sugar level.

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 306 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 188 countries, 1990–2013: Quantifying the epidemiological transition

Background The Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) aims to bring together all available epidemiological data using a coherent measurement framework, standardised estimation methods, and transparent data sources to enable comparisons of health loss over time and across causes, age–sex groups, and countries. The GBD can be used to generate summary measures such as disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) that make possible comparative assessments of broad epidemiological patterns across countries and time. These summary measures can also be used to quantify the component of variation in epidemiology that is related to sociodemographic development. Methods We used the published GBD 2013 data for age-specific mortality, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) to calculate DALYs and HALE for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013 for 188 countries. We calculated HALE using the Sullivan method; 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) represent uncertainty in age-specific death rates and YLDs per person for each country, age, sex, and year. We estimated DALYs for 306 causes for each country as the sum of YLLs and YLDs; 95% UIs represent uncertainty in YLL and YLD rates. We quantified patterns of the epidemiological transition with a composite indicator of sociodemographic status, which we constructed from income per person, average years of schooling after age 15 years, and the total fertility rate and mean age of the population. We applied hierarchical regression to DALY rates by cause across countries to decompose variance related to the sociodemographic status variable, country, and time. Findings Worldwide, from 1990 to 2013, life expectancy at birth rose by 6·2 years (95% UI 5·6–6·6), from 65·3 years (65·0–65·6) in 1990 to 71·5 years (71·0–71·9) in 2013, HALE at birth rose by 5·4 years (4·9–5·8), from 56·9 years (54·5–59·1) to 62·3 years (59·7–64·8), total DALYs fell by 3·6% (0·3–7·4), and age-standardised DALY rates per 100 000 people fell by 26·7% (24·6–29·1). For communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders, global DALY numbers, crude rates, and age-standardised rates have all declined between 1990 and 2013, whereas for non–communicable diseases, global DALYs have been increasing, DALY rates have remained nearly constant, and age-standardised DALY rates declined during the same period. From 2005 to 2013, the number of DALYs increased for most specific non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, in addition to dengue, food-borne trematodes, and leishmaniasis; DALYs decreased for nearly all other causes. By 2013, the five leading causes of DALYs were ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, low back and neck pain, and road injuries. Sociodemographic status explained more than 50% of the variance between countries and over time for diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and other common infectious diseases; maternal disorders; neonatal disorders; nutritional deficiencies; other communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases; musculoskeletal disorders; and other non-communicable diseases. However, sociodemographic status explained less than 10% of the variance in DALY rates for cardiovascular diseases; chronic respiratory diseases; cirrhosis; diabetes, urogenital, blood, and endocrine diseases; unintentional injuries; and self-harm and interpersonal violence. Predictably, increased sociodemographic status was associated with a shift in burden from YLLs to YLDs, driven by declines in YLLs and increases in YLDs from musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and mental and substance use disorders. In most country-specific estimates, the increase in life expectancy was greater than that in HALE. Leading causes of DALYs are highly variable across countries. Interpretation Global health is improving. Population growth and ageing have driven up numbers of DALYs, but crude rates have remained relatively constant, showing that progress in health does not mean fewer demands on health systems. The notion of an epidemiological transition—in which increasing sociodemographic status brings structured change in disease burden—is useful, but there is tremendous variation in burden of disease that is not associated with sociodemographic status. This further underscores the need for country-specific assessments of DALYs and HALE to appropriately inform health policy decisions and attendant actions.

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background The Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor study 2013 (GBD 2013) is the first of a series of annual updates of the GBD. Risk factor quantification, particularly of modifiable risk factors, can help to identify emerging threats to population health and opportunities for prevention. The GBD 2013 provides a timely opportunity to update the comparative risk assessment with new data for exposure, relative risks, and evidence on the appropriate counterfactual risk distribution. Methods Attributable deaths, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) have been estimated for 79 risks or clusters of risks using the GBD 2010 methods. Risk–outcome pairs meeting explicit evidence criteria were assessed for 188 countries for the period 1990–2013 by age and sex using three inputs: risk exposure, relative risks, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL). Risks are organised into a hierarchy with blocks of behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks at the first level of the hierarchy. The next level in the hierarchy includes nine clusters of related risks and two individual risks, with more detail provided at levels 3 and 4 of the hierarchy. Compared with GBD 2010, six new risk factors have been added: handwashing practices, occupational exposure to trichloroethylene, childhood wasting, childhood stunting, unsafe sex, and low glomerular filtration rate. For most risks, data for exposure were synthesised with a Bayesian meta-regression method, DisMod-MR 2.0, or spatial-temporal Gaussian process regression. Relative risks were based on meta-regressions of published cohort and intervention studies. Attributable burden for clusters of risks and all risks combined took into account evidence on the mediation of some risks such as high body-mass index (BMI) through other risks such as high systolic blood pressure and high cholesterol. Findings All risks combined account for 57·2% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 55·8–58·5) of deaths and 41·6% (40·1–43·0) of DALYs. Risks quantified account for 87·9% (86·5–89·3) of cardiovascular disease DALYs, ranging to a low of 0% for neonatal disorders and neglected tropical diseases and malaria. In terms of global DALYs in 2013, six risks or clusters of risks each caused more than 5% of DALYs: dietary risks accounting for 11·3 million deaths and 241·4 million DALYs, high systolic blood pressure for 10·4 million deaths and 208·1 million DALYs, child and maternal malnutrition for 1·7 million deaths and 176·9 million DALYs, tobacco smoke for 6·1 million deaths and 143·5 million DALYs, air pollution for 5·5 million deaths and 141·5 million DALYs, and high BMI for 4·4 million deaths and 134·0 million DALYs. Risk factor patterns vary across regions and countries and with time. In sub-Saharan Africa, the leading risk factors are child and maternal malnutrition, unsafe sex, and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing. In women, in nearly all countries in the Americas, north Africa, and the Middle East, and in many other high-income countries, high BMI is the leading risk factor, with high systolic blood pressure as the leading risk in most of Central and Eastern Europe and south and east Asia. For men, high systolic blood pressure or tobacco use are the leading risks in nearly all high-income countries, in north Africa and the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. For men and women, unsafe sex is the leading risk in a corridor from Kenya to South Africa. Interpretation Behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks can explain half of global mortality and more than one-third of global DALYs providing many opportunities for prevention. Of the larger risks, the attributable burden of high BMI has increased in the past 23 years. In view of the prominence of behavioural risk factors, behavioural and social science research on interventions for these risks should be strengthened. Many prevention and primary care policy options are available now to act on key risks.

Sizable photocurrent and emission from solid state devices based on CdS nanoparticles

CdS nanoparticles exhibit size dependent optical and electrical properties. We report here the photocurrent and I-V characteristic studies of CdS nanoparticle devices. A sizable short circuit photocurrent was observed in the detection range governed by the size of the clusters. We speculate on the mechanisms leading to the photocurrent and emission in these nanometer scale systems.

Left-Handed DNA in Synthetic and Topologically Constrained Form V-DNA

We have investigated structural transitions in Poly(dG-dC) and Poly(dG-Me5dC) in order to understand the exact role of cations in stabilizing left-handed helical structures in specific sequences andthe biological role, if any, of these structures. From a novel temperature dependent transition it has been shown that a minor fluctuation in Na+ concentration at ambient temperature can bring about Β to Ζ transition. Forthe first time, wehave observed a novel double transition in poly(dG-Me5dC) as the Na+ concentration is gradually increased. This suggests that a minor fluctuation in Na+ concentration in conjunction with methylation may transform small stretches of CG sequences from one conformational state to another. These stretches could probably serve as sites for regulation. Supercoiled formV DNA reconstituted from pBR322 and pßG plasmids have been studied as model systems, in order to understand the nature and role of left-handed helical conformation in natural sequences. A large portion of DNA in form V, obtained by reannealing the two complementary singlestranded circles is forced to adopt left-handed double helical structure due to topological constraints (Lk = 0). Binding studies with Z-DNA specific antibody and spectroscopic studies confirm the presence of left-handed Z-structure in the pßG and pßR322 form V DNA. Cobalt hexamine chloride, which induces Z-form in Poly(dG-dC) stabilizes the Z-conformation in form V DNA even in the non-alternating purine-pyrimidine sequences. A reverse effect is observed with ethidium bromide. Interestingly, both topoisomerase I and II (from wheat germ) act effectively on form V DNA to give rise to a species having an electrophoretic mobility on agarose gel similar to that of open circular (form II) DNA. Whether this molecule is formed as a result of the left-handed helical segments of form V DNA undergoing a transition to the right-handed B-form during the topoisomerase action remains to be solved.

Helmholtz Instability In Stratified Shear Flows With Magnetic-Fields

The stability characteristics of a Helmholtz velocity profile in a stratified Boussinesq fluid in the presence of a rigid boundary is studied, A jump in the magnetic field is introduced at a level different from the velocity discontinuity. New unstable modes in addition to the Kelvin-Helmhottz mode are found. The wavelengths of these unstable modes are close to the wavelengths of internal Alfv6n gravity waves in the atmospher.

Optimum choice of wavelengths in the anomalous scattering technique with synchrotron radiation

A formula has been derived for the mean-square error in the phases of crystal reflections determined through the multiwavelength anomalous scattering method.The error is written in terms of a simple function of the positions in the complex plane of the 'centres' corresponding to the different wavelengths. For the case of three centres, the mean-square error is inversely proportional to the area of the triangle formed by them.

Tidigt fullständigt svenskt språkbad i Esbo

Avhandlingen behandlar tidigt fullständigt svenskt språkbad i Esbo. Arbetet utreder vad tidigt fullständigt språkbad innebär samt vad språkbadsföräldrars och språkbadslärares åsikter om språkbadet i Esbo är. Undersökningen omfattar 60 familjer samt samtliga lärare (14 st) som arbetar med språkbad i Esbo. Undersökningen består av två enkäter; en till språkbadsföräldrar och en tillspråkbadslärare. Av de 60 enkäter som sändes ut till språkbadsföräldrarna besvarades 45, dvs. 75%. 12 lärare av 14, dvs. 86%, besvarade den andra enkäten. Det är viktigt att känna till centrala begrepp i anslutning till tvåspråkighet, då man talar om andraspråkstillägnandet i språkbad. I detta arbete presenteras en modell (Sahi, 1999) som åskådliggör centrala begrepp i anslutning till tvåspråkighet. Tidigtfullständigt språkbad är ett program som är planerat att omfatta hela grundskolan. Språkbad är ämnat för enspråkiga majoritetsbarn i ett tvåspråkigt land. Dessa barn tillägnar sig minoritetsspråket i skolan. Språkbadet är inte enbart ett program, utan även en metod. Skillnaden mellan språkbad och traditionell undervisning i språk är att man i språkbadet betonar kommunikation framom grammatik. Målet medspråkbadet är funktionell tvåspråkighet. Många faktorer inverkar på andraspråkstillägnandet i språkbadet. I detta arbete betonas attitydernas och motivationens betydelse. Språkbad kräver en medveten och aktiv insats av föräldrarna. Vidare betonar litteraturen som behandlar språkbad undervisningsmetodernas betydelse samt språkbadslärarens viktiga roll. Föräldrarna är nöjda med språkbadsprogrammet, eftersom det givit goda resultat och motsvarat förväntningarna. Enligt föräldrarna är språkbad ett mjukt, modernt och effektivt program. Föräldrarna anser att barnen lär sig badspråket på ett naturligt sätt och även får en öppnare inställning till språk och kulturer. Föräldrarna betonar lärarnas viktiga insatser samt kontinuitetens betydelse. Vidare tycker föräldrarna att språkbadet borde inledas i ett tidigare skede och att eleverna borde ha mera kontakt med badspråket utanför skolan. Målet med att barnen går i språkbad är, enligt föräldrarna, att barnen ska förstå och tala språket flytande samtkänna kulturen som hör ihop med språket. Både föräldrarna och lärarna tycker att språkbadsklasserna är för stora och att det är brist på material. Lärarna anser att man mer än tidigare borde informera allmänheten, beslutsfattare samt föräldrar om verksamheten. Därtill tycker lärarna att samarbetet mellan daghem och skola samt specialundervisningen borde utvecklas. Lärarna betonar att språkbad inte lämpar sig för alla barn. Lärarna anser sig främst behöva praktiska råd av andra som arbetar med språkbad samt teoretisk kunskap. Både föräldrarna och lärarna tycker att språkbadsverksamheten i Esbo borde koordineras och att språkbadselevernas prestationer noggrant borde följas upp. Nyckelord: Tvåspråkighet, Språkbad, Andraspråkstillägnande Keywords: Bilingualism, Immersion, Second Language Aquisition.

The structures of the ammonium halides

A comparison with the alkali halides suggests that all the ammonium halides should occur in the NaCl centre-of-mass structure. Experimentally, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, only NH,1 crystallizes in this structure, while NH,F is found in the ZnO structure, and NH&I and NH,Br occur in the CsCl structure. We show that a distributed charge on the NH,+ ion can explain these structures. Taking charges of + 0.2e on each of the five atoms in NH,+, as suggested by other studies, we have recomputed the Madelung energy in the cases of interest. A full ionic theory including electrostatic, van der Waals and repulsive interactions then explains the centre-of-mass structures of all the four ammonium halides. The thermal and pressure transitions are also explained reasonably well. The calculated phase diagram of NH,F compares well with experiment. Barring the poorly understood NH,F(II) phase, which is beyond the scope of this work, the other features are in qualitative agreement. In particular, the theory correctly predicts a pressure transition at room temperature from the ZnO structure directly to the CsCl structure without an intermediate NaCl phase. A feature of our approach is that we do not need to invoke hydrogen bonding in NH,F.

Steric Aspects Of The Oxidation Of Thioketones By Singlet Oxygen

Singlet oxygen oxidation of dialkyl thioketones yields the corresponding ketones and in some cases sulfoxides in varying amounts. Steric considerations on the reactive zwitterionic/diradical intermediates have been invoked to rationalise the product distribution.

Kinetics of thermal decomposition of barium zirconyl oxalate

Kinetics of the thermal decomposition of anhydrous barium zirconyl oxalate and a carbonate intermediate have been studied. Decomposition of the anhydrous oxalate, though it could be explained based on a contracting-cube model, is quite complex. Kinetics of decomposition of the intermediate carbonate Ba2Zr2O5CO3 is greatly influenced by thermal effects during its formation. (agr-t) curves are sigmoidal and obey a power law equation followed by first order decay. Presence of carbon in the vacuum-prepared carbonate has a strong deactivating effect. Decomposition of the carbonate is accompanied by growth in particle size of the product barium zirconate.