Endotoxins in indoor air and settled dust in primary schools in a subtropical climate

Endotoxins can significantly affect the air quality in school environments. However, there is currently no reliable method for the measurement of endotoxins and there is a lack of reference values for endotoxin concentrations to aid in the interpretation of measurement results in school settings. We benchmarked the “baseline” range of endotoxin concentration in indoor air, together with endotoxin load in floor dust, and evaluated the correlation between endotoxin levels in indoor air and settled dust, as well as the effects of temperature and humidity on these levels in subtropical school settings. Bayesian hierarchical modeling indicated that the concentration in indoor air and the load in floor dust were generally (<95th percentile) < 13 EU/m3 and < 24,570 EU/m2, respectively. Exceeding these levels would indicate abnormal sources of endotoxins in the school environment, and the need for further investigation. Metaregression indicated no relationship between endotoxin concentration and load, which points to the necessity for measuring endotoxin levels in both the air and settled dust. Temperature increases were associated with lower concentrations in indoor air and higher loads in floor dust. Higher levels of humidity may be associated with lower airborne endotoxin concentrations.

"Listening, hearing and drawing things together to work on solutions" : NAPCAN Play a Part, Queensland, 2010-2013, Evaluation-Research Report

Responding to the idea of child friendly communities, Play a Part is an innovative program advancing preventative strategies for children and young people to minimise exposure to abuse and neglect. The program was developed ensuing an increase in notifications of suspected child abuse and neglect in 2007. Now completing the second phase, the program is a community engagement strategy that aims to prevent child abuse. Play a Part is described as “a whole of community approach to creating child friendly communities” (NAPCAN, 2012). The Play a Part program was piloted between 2007 and 2010 in five southeast Queensland communities, and is currently operating in parts of Logan City region and the Redlands region. To assess the merit of the second phase of the program the Children and Youth Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology was contracted to undertake an evaluation-research at the beginning of 2013.

Reimagining learning spaces : A research report for the Queensland Council for Social Science Innovation

The purpose of the Reimagining Learning Spaces project was to conduct an empirical study that would result in findings to inform the design and use of physical school facilities and examine the ways in which these constructions influence pedagogy. The study focused on newly-established school libraries in Queensland, many of which had been established with funding from the Federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution economic stimulus program. To explore the field, the study sought multiple perspectives that included those of school students as well as teacher-librarians and other key school staff, addressing the following focus question: - How does the physical environment of school libraries influence pedagogic practices and learning outcomes? Further research questions that guided the inquiry included: - What are the implications for teacher-librarians when transitioning into a new library learning space? - How do members of the school community (principals, teachers, teacher-librarians and students) experience the creation of a new school library learning space? - How do school students imagine the design and use of engaging library learning spaces? An extensive review explored Australian and international literature based on the research questions, focused on the following major areas: • School library renewal: trends in reimagining the place of libraries in virtual and real space • School libraries as learning spaces: the expanded role of school libraries in whole-school pedagogical support. • The role of teacher-librarians in new times • Built environments and the implications for learning • Learners and learning in newly established spaces • Learning space design: perspectives, research and principles • Pedagogical principles and voices of experience • Transitions to newly created learning spaces Approach Using an innovative qualitative research design, Reimagining Learning Spaces investigated learner and teacher perspectives across three intersecting domains exploring: - Imagined spaces: learners’ imaginative concepts of learning within engaging learning environments; - Emerging spaces: experiences of teacher-librarians in the transition into new spaces for learning, and - Established spaces: learners’ and teachers’ perceptions of ways in which the physical environment influences and shapes pedagogy. Seven schools that had recently benefitted from the BER program became the research sites at which data were collected from teacher-librarians, teachers, school leaders and students. With this range of participants, an appropriately diverse set of data collection tools was developed, including video interviews, drawings, and focus groups. Evocative narrative case studies (Simons 2009) were developed from the data, representing the voices of users of learning spaces. Key findings The study’s findings are presented in this report and complemented by an array of visual materials on the project web site http:// The report includes: • a set of seven cases studies that reveal nuanced experiences of designing and creating school libraries, based on the narrative of key stakeholders (teacher-librarians, teachers, students and principals) • thematic discussion of student imaginings of their ideal school library, based on drawings and narrative of students at the seven case study schools • critical analysis of the case study and student imaginings, focusing on implications for (re)designing school learning spaces and pedagogy, and responding to the study’s overarching research question - .17 recommendations to support: designing, transitioning and reimagining pedagogy; leadership; and policy development

Influence of nitrogen fertiliser application and timing on greenhouse gas emissions from a lychee (Litchi chinensis) orchard in humid subtropical Australia

Nitrous oxide emissions from intensive, fertilised agricultural systems have been identified as significant contributors to both Australia's and the global greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. This is expected to increase as rates of agriculture intensification and land use change accelerate to support population growth and food production. Limited data exists on N2O trace gas fluxes from subtropical or tropical tree cropping soils critical for the development of effective mitigation strategies.This study aimed to quantify GHG emissions over two consecutive years (March 2007 to March 2009) from a 30 year (lychee) orchard in the humid subtropical region of Australia. GHG fluxes were measured using a combination of high temporal resolution automated sampling and manually sampled chambers. No fertiliser was added to the plots during the 2007 measurement season. A split application of nitrogen fertiliser (urea) was added at the rate of 265kgNha-1 during the autumn and spring of 2008. Emissions of N2O were influenced by rainfall events and seasonal temperatures during 2007 and the fertilisation events in 2008. Annual N2O emissions from the lychee canopy increased from 1.7kgN2O-Nha-1yr-1 for 2007, to 7.6kgN2O-Nha-1yr-1 following fertiliser application in 2008. This represented an emission factor of 1.56%, corrected for background emissions. The timing of the split application was found to be critical to N2O emissions, with over twice as much lost following an application in spring (2.44%) compared to autumn (EF: 1.10%). This research suggests that avoiding fertiliser application during the hot and moist spring/summer period can reduce N2O losses without compromising yields.

Queensland police service : an evaluation of HealthStart 2012

The HS program consists of a voluntary health screening and personalised feedback (via a website) which incorporates physical measurements, psychological stress assessment and blood tests. The following report describes the results of a research project that evaluated the effectiveness of the QPS-HS program and examines the health benefits it offers its participants. This report has three main areas that correspond to the research questions and includes three primary aims: 1.Review the literature pertaining to the health, social and economic value of wellness programs in workplaces. In particular, we reviewed policing worksites and other safety sensitive workplaces, to understand best-practice wellness programming and return on investment, in terms of value to employees, social value to the community, and economic value to employers; 2.Evaluate health outcomes of participants in the HS program, including physical measurements, such as blood tests and psychological well-being. These measures were to form an outcome evaluation and assess the effectiveness of the HS program in positively impacting physical and psychological health of HS participants; and 3.Assess employee awareness and perceptions of the HS program for a process evaluation.

Sustainability in post disaster road infrastructure recovery projects in Queensland, Australia

Between mid 2010 and early 2013, Queensland road related infrastructures were devastated by flood and cyclone related natural disasters. Responding to these recent events and in preparing for more regular and intense climate-change induced events in future, the Queensland Government is now reviewing how post-disaster road infrastructure recovery projects are planned and delivered. In particular, there is awareness that rebuilding such infrastructure need sustainable strategies across economic, environmental and social dimensions. A comprehensive sustainability assessment framework for pre and post disaster situations can minimize negative impact on our communities, economy and environment. This research is underway to develop a comprehensive sustainability element frame work for post disaster management in road infrastructures in Queensland, Australia. Analyzing the implications of disruption to transport network and associated services is an important part of preparing local and regional responses to the impacts of natural disasters. This research can contribute to strategic planning, management leading to safe, efficient and integrated transport system that supports sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes in Queensland. Within this context, this paper provides an overview of the qualitative mixed-method research approach involving literature reviews and case studies to explore and evaluate a number of sustainability elements with a view to develop operational strategies for disaster recovery road projects.

Advance health directives : competing perceptions, intentions and use by patients and doctors in Queensland

This paper reports on mixed method empirical research undertaken with individuals who have completed advance health directives (‘principals’) and doctors who have either attested to the principal’s capacity when the document was completed or been called upon to use these documents in clinical settings. Principals and doctors appear to have different understandings of the purpose of these documents and their role in decision-making about medical treatment. We recommend changes to the advance health directive form in Queensland to promote informed decision-making which will help to better align perceptions of principals and doctors about the role of these documents.

Parliamentary committee reviews of police oversight agencies : a Queensland case study

The suggested model of an ideal public sector corruption commission includes oversight by a parliamentary committee with an attached parliamentary inspector (Prenzler, 2009). However, little research has been conducted on parliamentary oversight of corruption commissions. In Queensland, a role of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee, which has the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Commissioner attached, is to review the Crime and Misconduct Commission every three years. This paper considers the public written and oral submissions made to the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee in the four reviews of the Crime and Misconduct Committee conducted to date (2004, 2006, 2009 and 2012). By doing this, the paper will begin to identify the gaps in our understanding of the relationship between parliamentary committees and public sector corruption commissions and the processes used by parliamentary committees to provide oversight of corruption commissions.

Early career teacher attrition: A case study of independent Catholic girls' schools in Queensland

This research study sought to understand why so many early career teachers in an Australian Religious Institute education sector were leaving teaching. Previous studies on early career teacher attrition across all sectors were based on supply and demand theory, as well as contemporary career theory, and identified various factors such as remuneration, student behaviour and school resourcing as influencing factors. These Australian Religious Institute education sector schools take pride in their good standing. The schools in this sector have worked at addressing many of the factors associated with early career teacher attrition yet despite their efforts they are also experiencing attrition of their early career teachers. A case study of the Queensland independent Catholic girls' school sector explored firstly, the construct of being a teacher in these schools, and secondly, the sociocultural discourses giving rise to unique situations contributing to early career teachers making the decision to leave teaching. Eight early career teachers who had left the profession for which they had recently trained, and eight long standing teachers who were still employed in the sector were interviewed to yield a rich data set. The interviews were conducted within a theoretical framework of what it means to be a teacher by Graham and Phelps (2003) and pedagogic identity and pedagogic practice as noted by Bernstein (2000). The distributive rules and the evaluative rules (Bernstein, 2000) provided the analytical framework to confirm that particular discourses, together with the ways in which the early career teachers realised being a teacher, were important factors in the decision not to remain in teaching. It emerged that being a teacher in the Queensland independent Catholic girls' school sector was complex and demanding. Being a teacher required long hours of personal time to realise the demands of teaching, a situation which did not fare well with the early career teachers who struggled to balance the requirements of teaching with their own personal time. Furthermore, evidence was found that the schools had multifaceted sociocultural discourses that the early career teacher research participants struggled to understand. In contrast, long standing teachers had, through time, experience and observation, developed skills that allowed them to navigate these complex discourses and thus remain long term in the sector. Another finding revealed the considerable dichotomy in how the charism of the schools (the unique way Catholic institutions transmit the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church) unfolded for students and staff. While these schools transmit their charism effectively to the students, it is ineffectively transmitted to early career teachers. In contemporary times when a majority of teachers in Australia are moving into their 50s and large numbers are retiring or resigning, (Australian Government, 2011; Australian Government Department of Education, 2007b) it is important for the long term viability of the independent Catholic school sector to retain a stable staff. This study demonstrates that if Catholic schools want to retain their unique identity in the education community and sustain their unique charisms, then they must adopt positive practices to support early career teachers.

“Would you; could you; on a boat?” Wait-time and travel-time activities during river ferry journeys and their relationship to overall satisfaction in Brisbane Queensland

This study investigates travel behaviour and wait-time activities as a component of passenger satisfaction with public transport in Brisbane, Australia. Australian transport planners recognise a variety of benefits to encouraging a mode shift away from automobile travel in favour of active and public transport use. Efforts to increase public transport ridership have included introducing state of the art passenger information systems, improving physical station access, and integrating system pricing, routes and scheduling for train, bus and ferry. Previous research regarding satisfaction with public transport emphasizes technical dimensions of service quality, including the timing and reliability of service. Those factors might be especially significant for frequent (commuting) travellers who look to balance the cost and efficiency of their travel options. In contrast, infrequent (leisure) passengers may be more concerned with way finding and the sensory experience of the journey. Perhaps due to the small relative proportion of trips made by river ferry compared to bus and rail, this mode of public transport has not received as much attention in travel-behaviour research. This case study of Brisbane’s river ferry system examines ferry passengers at selected terminals during peak and off-peak travel times to find out how travel behaviours and activities correlate to satisfaction with ferry travel. Data include 416 questionnaires completed by passengers intercepted during wait times at seven CityCat terminals in Brisbane. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed associations between specific wait time activities and satisfaction levels that could inform planners seeking to increase ridership and quality of life through ferry-oriented development.

Heat-producing crust regulation of subsurface temperatures : a stochastic model re-evaluation of the geothermal potential in western Queensland, Australia

A large subsurface, elevated temperature anomaly is well documented in Central Australia. High Heat Producing Granites (HHPGs) intersected by drilling at Innamincka are often assumed to be the dominant cause of the elevated subsurface temperatures, although their presence in other parts of the temperature anomaly has not been confirmed. Geological controls on the temperature anomaly remain poorly understood. Additionally, methods previously used to predict temperature at 5 km depth in this area are simplistic and possibly do not give an accurate representation of the true distribution and magnitude of the temperature anomaly. Here we re-evaluate the geological controls on geothermal potential in the Queensland part of the temperature anomaly using a stochastic thermal model. The results illustrate that the temperature distribution is most sensitive to the thermal conductivity structure of the top 5 km. Furthermore, the results indicate the presence of silicic crust enriched in heat producing elements between and 40 km.

Young women's recent experience of labour and birth care in Queensland

Background Young parenthood continues to be an issue of concern in terms of clinical and psychosocial outcomes for mothers and their babies, with higher rates of medical complications such as preterm labour and hypertensive disease and a higher risk of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate how young age impacts on women's experience of intrapartum care. Methods Secondary analysis of data collected in a population based survey of women who had recently given birth in Queensland, comparing clinical and interpersonal aspects of the intrapartum maternity care experience for 237 eligible women aged 15–20 years and 6534 aged more than 20 years. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were undertaken. Results In the univariate analysis a number of variables were significantly associated with clinical aspects of labour and birth and perceptions of care: young women were more likely to birth in a public facility, to travel for birth and to live in less economically advantaged areas, to have a normal vaginal birth and to have one carer through labour. They were also less likely to report being treated with respect and kindness and talked to in a way they could understand. In logistic regression models, after adjustment for parity, other socio-demographic factors and mode of birth, younger mothers were still more likely to birth in a public facility, to travel for birth, to be more critical about interpersonal and aspects of care and the hospital or birth centre environment. Conclusion This study shows how experience of care during labour and birth is different for young women. Young women reported poorer quality interpersonal care which may well reflect an inferior care experience and stereotyping by health professionals, indicating a need for more effective staff engagement with young women at this time.

Understanding the impact of legislative changes on child car seating and restraint practices in regional Queensland

Road crashes contribute to a significant amount of child mortality and morbidity in Australia. In fact, passenger injuries contribute to the majority of child crash road trauma. A number of factors contribute to child injury and death in motor vehicles, including inappropriate seating position, inappropriate choice of restraint, and incorrect installation and use of child restraints. Prior to March 2010, child restraint legislation in Queensland only required children twelve months and younger to be seated in a properly adjusted and fastened child restraint. This legislation left older infants and young children potentially suboptimally protected. From March 2010, new legislation specified seating position and type of child restraint required, depending on the age of the child. This research was underpinned by the Health Belief Model (HBM), which explores health related behaviour, behaviour change, environmental factors influencing behaviour change (including legislative changes) and is flexible enough to be used in relation to parents' health practices for their children, rather than parent health directly. This thesis investigates the extent to which the changes to child restraint legislation have led parents in regional areas of Queensland to use appropriate restraint practices for their children and determines the extent to which the constructs of the HBM, parental perceptions, barriers and environmental factors contribute to the appropriateness of child seating and restraint use. Study One included three sets of observations taken in two regional cities of Queensland prior to the legislative amendment, during an educative period of six months, and after the enactment of the legislation. Each child's seating position and restraint type were recorded. Results showed that the proportion of children observed occupying the front seat decreased by 15.6 per cent with the announcement the legislation. There was no decrease in front seat use at the enactment of the legislation. The proportion of children observed using dedicated child restraints increased by 8.8 per cent with the announcement of the legislation when there was one child in the vehicle. Further, there was a 10.1 per cent increase in the proportion of children observed using a seat belt that fit with the announcement when there was one child in the vehicle and with the enactment of the legislation regardless of the number of children in the vehicle (21.8 per cent for one child, 39.7 per cent for two children and 40.2 per cent for three or more children). Study Two comprised initial intercept interviews, later followed up by telephone, with parents with children aged eight years and younger at the announcement and telephone interviews at the enactment of the legislation in one regional city in Queensland. Parents reported their child restraint practices, and opinions, knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the new legislation. Parent responses were analysed in terms of the constructs in the HBM. When asked which seating position their child 'usually' used, parents reported child front seat use was nil (0.0 per cent) and did not change with the enactment of the legislative amendment. However, when parents were asked whether they allowed children to use the front seat at some point within the six months prior to the interview, reported child front seat use was 7 (5.4 per cent) children at T2 and 10 (9.6 per cent) at T3. Reported use of age-appropriate child restraints did not increase with the enactment of the legislation (p = 0.77, ns). Parents reported restraint practices were classed as either appropriate or inappropriate. Parents who reported appropriate restraint practices were those whose children were sitting in optimal restraints and seating positions for their age according to the requirements of the legislation. Parents who reported inappropriate restraint practices were those who had one or more children who were suboptimally restrained or seated for their age according to the requirements of the legislation. Neither parents' perceptions about their susceptibility of being in a crash nor the likelihood of severity of child injury if involved in a crash yielded significant differences in the appropriateness of reported parent restraint practices over time with the enactment of the legislation. A trend in the data suggested parents perceived a benefit to using appropriate restraint practices was to avoid fines and demerit points. Over 75 per cent of parents who agreed that child restraints provide better protection for children than an adult seat belt reported appropriately seating and restraining their children (2 (1) = 8.093, p<.05). The self-efficacy measure regarding parents' confidence in installing a child restraint showed a significant association with appropriate parental restraint practices (2 (1) = 7.036, p<.05). Results suggested that some parents may have misinterpreted the announcement of the legislative amendment as the announcement of the enforcement of the legislation instead. Some parents who correctly reported details of the legislation did not report appropriate child restraint practices. This finding shows that parents' knowledge of the legislative amendment does not necessarily have an impact on their behaviour to appropriately seat and restrain children. The results of these studies have important implications for road safety and the prevention of road-related injury and death to children in Queensland. Firstly, parents reported feeling unsure of how to install restraints, which suggests that there may be children travelling in restraints that have not been installed correctly, putting them at risk. Interventions to alert and encourage parents to seek advice when unsure about the correct installation of child restraints could be considered. Secondly, some parents in this study although they were using the most appropriate restraint for their children, reported using a type that was not the most appropriate restraint for the child's age according to the legislation. This suggests that intervention may be effective in helping parents make a more accurate choice of the most appropriate type of restraint to use with children, especially as the child ages and child restraint requirements change. Further research could be conducted to ascertain the most effective methods of informing and motivating parents to use the most appropriate restraints and seating positions for their children, as these results show a concerning disparity between reported restraint practices and those that were observed.

The University of Queensland St Lucia campus 1.22 MW photovoltaic array

At the time of its official opening on 15 July 2011, The University of Queensland 1.22 MW array was the largest flat-panel PhotoVoltaic (PV) array in Australia. This PV array consists of over 5000 Trina Solar 240 Wp polycrystalline silicon PV modules installed across four rooftops at the St Lucia campus. Grid connection was achieved with 85 12.5 kW three phase and four 5 kW single phase grid connect inverters manufactured by Power-One. The site also includes one 8.4 kWp SolFocus concentrating solar 2 axis tracking PV array. Site wide monitoring and data logging of all DC, AC and environmental quantities will allow this array to be a rich source of research data. The site will also include a 200 kW 400 kWh zinc bromine energy storage system by Redflow, and associated power quality metering and monitoring. This paper presents highlights of the project feasibility study which included a site survey, shading analysis, and technology and triple bottom line assessment. A detailed description of the final technical implementation including discussion of alterative options considered is given. Finally, example initial data showing yield, trends and early example experimental results are presented.

Social capital and neighbourhood centres in Queensland : qualitative case studies of three neighbourhood centres

This research paper examines the potential of neighbourhood centres to generate and enhance social capital through their programs, activities, membership associations and community engagement. Social capital is a complex concept involving elements of norms, networks, and trust and is generally seen as enhancing community cohesion and the ability to attain common goals (outlined in more detail in Section 3). The aim of this research project is to describe the nature of social capital formation in terms of development and change in norms, networks and trust within the context of the operations of neighbourhood centres in three Queensland locations (i.e., Sherwood, Kingston/Slacks Creek, and Maleny). The study was prompted by surprisingly little research into how neighbourhood centres and their clients contribute to the development of social capital. Considering the large volume of research on the role of community organisations in building social capital, it is remarkable that perhaps the most obvious organisation with 'social capitalist' intentions has received so little attention (apart from Bullen and Onyx, 2005). Indeed, ostensibly, neighbourhood centres are all about social capital.