China's defence industries : change and continuity

Asia looks and feels very different now compared to the days of the Cold War. The sense that Asia now works differently can be traced to a single source – the re-emergence of China. China was the dominant power in greater Asia for most of recorded history. This historical norm was interrupted from the early 19th century, too far into the past to be recognisable and readily accommodated by the actors in today’s international arena. A powerful China feels new and unfamiliar.

Arriving peacefully at mutually acceptable relationships of power and influence that are very different from those that have prevailed for the past half century will be a demanding process. The world’s track record on challenges of this kind is not terrific. It will call for statesmanship of a consistently high order from all the major players, and building the strongest possible confidence among these players that there are no hidden agendas.

Outcomes of a group-randomized trial to prevent excess weight gain, reduce screen behaviours and promote physical activity in 10-year-old children : switch-play

Objectives : To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to prevent excess weight gain, reduce time spent in screen behaviours, promote participation in and enjoyment of physical activity (PA), and improve fundamental movement skills among children.

Participants : In 2002, 311 children (78% response; 49% boys), average age 10 years 8 months, were recruited from three government schools in low socioeconomic areas of Melbourne, Australia.

Design : Group-randomized controlled trial. Children were randomized by class to one of the four conditions: a behavioural modification group (BM; n=66); a fundamental movement skills group (FMS; n=74); a combined BM/FMS group (BM/FMS; n=93); and a control (usual curriculum) group (n=62). Data were collected at baseline, post intervention, 6- and 12-month follow-up periods.

Results : BMI data were available for 295 children at baseline and 268 at 12-month follow-up. After adjusting for food intake and PA, there was a significant intervention effect from baseline to post intervention on age- and sex-adjusted BMI in the BM/FMS group compared with controls (-1.88 kg m-2, P<0.01), which was maintained at 6- and 12-month follow-up periods (-1.53 kg m-2, P<0.05). Children in the BM/FMS group were less likely than controls to be overweight/obese between baseline and post intervention (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.36, P<0.05); also maintained at 12-month follow-up (AOR=0.38, P<0.05). Compared with controls, FMS group children recorded higher levels and greater enjoyment of PA; and BM children recorded higher levels of PA and TV viewing across all four time points. Gender moderated the intervention effects for participation in and enjoyment of PA, and fundamental movement skills.

Conclusion : This programme represents a promising approach to preventing excess weight gain and promoting participation in and enjoyment of PA. Examination of the mediators of this intervention and further tailoring of the programme to suit both genders is required.

Dose-response associations between screen time and overweight among youth

Objective. To examine dose-response associations between screen time and overweight, independent of physical activity and dietary intake.

Methods. Participants were 580 Dutch youth (13 years; 48% boys). Body mass index, waist circumference and skinfold thickness at four sites determined weight status. Questionnaires examined television viewing and computer use, participation in organized sport and high caloric snack and sugar-containing beverage consumption.

Results. There were no significant associations among boys. Compared with girls spending less than two hours/day in screen time, those who spent three to four hours/day were more likely to be classified as overweight by waist circumference (odds ratio [OR]=3.4; 95% confidence intervals [CI]=1.1-10.7; p=0.03), and this likelihood increased substantially among those spending more than four hours/day (OR=5.5; 95% CI=2.1-14.1; p≤0.0001).

Conclusions. Girls who spend three or more hours/day in screen time are at increased risk of being classified as overweight by waist circumference.

Ferals, nomads, drifters, gypsies, vagrants, blow-ins, thieves, troublemakers, tricksters and terrorists : creative writing, from creative industries to creative ecologies

In this paper I consider some issues that I, as a creative writer and academic, find with the concept and current understandings of the term creative industries. The subject of creative industries is not one that has been adequately teased out in relation to creative writing, even though the creative industries model has been a strong force in cultural policymaking internationally since the late 1990s. It influences policies that in turn may affect writers, especially those applying for state or national funds to resource their writing, and also writers working within the academy and attempting to gain recognition and funding for creative work there. The issues relating to creative industries are also particularly pertinent at this time in Australian universities, as the new system of research quality measurement is negotiated, and creative arts scholars, including those in creative writing, struggle to define their work in terms of those negotiations. I will argue that the recent work of Paul Carter looks towards ways in which creative industries may be more inclusive and useful for the creative arts, including creative writing, and suggest that a reclaimed term, creative ecologies, indicates a good way of taking creative industries into the future.

Floor trading and screen trading : distinctions for practitioners

The creation of an electronic limit order book is discussed as the basis for distinguishing between the floor trading and screen trading of derivative instruments. Distinguishing between FTP and ETP in terms of market transparency allows investors to contemplate the trade-off between the 2 platforms. Distinguishing between FTP and ETP in terms of memory preservation allows practitioners to contemplate the different experiences when analyzing floor data and screen data. A comparable set of floor and screen data is used to examine the impact on the trading dynamics and price discovery of LIFFE's FTSE 100 index futures market when trading is automated on LIFFE CONNECT. The dynamics in the quote change equation is shortened when moving from the floor to screen sample. Using the model's measure of trade informativeness, it is found that in 4 out of 5 daily sub-samples, screen trades are more than twice as informative as floor trades. Variability within a system of equations is explained more by order size history than trade size history.

The relevance of professional institutions to students and early career practitioners in the property and construction industries within Australia

The role of professional institutions and the transition from student membership to full professional membership among real estate and construction students in Australia is examined. Students’ perceptions of professional qualifications and institution membership is explored to show that graduates seek networking and career advancement opportunities over professional training and development opportunities. The expectation of many young practitioners is that they will work outside Australia during their career and this has significant implications for the future policy development of professional bodies. The paper provides a valuable insight into the aspirations of young professionals and goes some way to identifying the reasons for the low level of transition from student membership to full membership of the national and international professional bodies.

Paramedic identification of stroke : community validation of the Melbourne ambulance stroke screen

Background: Paramedics require an effective prehospital tool to eliminate stroke mimics and to assist in the identification of suitable candidates for thrombolytic therapy. The Faster Access to Stroke Therapies study combined two validated stroke assessment tools (the Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen, LAPSS, and the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale, CPSS) to form the Melbourne Ambulance Stroke Screen (MASS), and performed an in-field validation by Australian paramedics.

Methods: Over a 12-month period, 18 paramedics participated in the Faster Access to Stroke Therapies study and prospectively collected data contained in the MASS on all stroke dispatches, and for other patients with a focal neurological deficit. Sensitivity and specificity analysis of the LAPSS, CPSS and MASS was calculated and equivalence analysis performed.

Results: Paramedics completed 100 MASS assessments for 73 (73%) stroke/transient ischemic attack patients and 27 (27%) stroke mimics. The sensitivity of the MASS (90%, 95% CI: 81-96%) showed statistical equivalence to the sensitivity of the CPSS (95%, p = 0.45) and superiority to the LAPSS (78%, p = 0.008). The specificity of the MASS (74%, 95% CI: 53-88%) was equivalent to that of the LAPSS (85%, p = 0.25) and superior to the CPSS (54%, p = 0.007). All patients misidentified by the MASS (7 strokes, 7 mimics) were ineligible for thrombolytic therapy.

Conclusion: The MASS is simple to use, with accurate prehospital identification of stroke. It distinguishes stroke mimics, with good recognition of suitable patients for thrombolytic therapy.

A new screen face for public service broadcasting

The contemporary broadcasting industry is characterised by technological and social change, it is increasingly competitive, and the media industry is fragmenting. New services need not necessarily compete with existing free-to-air broadcasting but could act as further incentive for audiences to invest in new equipment. New equipment will be necessary in the future as set out under the Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Act 2000 (Cth), before the planned switch-off of analogue broadcasts planned for this year but now likely to be 2013. By then, however, audiences might already have migrated to the online environment for television and radio content as well as other services. Those that produce and deliver programs via free-to-air broadcasting need to consider what audiences do with new media in order to engage them. This will be an ongoing process as technology and audience expectations continue to change. Against such a background, this article examines how Australia’s public broadcasters are responding to the new media environment. It will consider their interactive online programs and services with specific analysis of ABC’s new ‘iView’ and ‘ABC Fora’ which offer content on-demand. It will also examine SBS online initiatives. I wish to argue that the new media offer public broadcasters new prospects to provide forums and spaces for education, entertainment, public discussion and interaction online.