A virtual clinic : telemetric assessment and monitoring for rural and remote areas

This article reports the establishment of a pilot ‘virtual clinic’ in a rural region of Victoria, Australia. Using low-cost videophones that work across ordinary phone lines, together with off-the-shelf (mostly automatic) clinical tools, local volunteers have been trained to mediate a virtual consultation between simulated patients and local GPs. This system has the potential to save long trips into town by such patients since the traditional ‘home visit’ is not feasible, as well as to provide regular home monitoring for those with chronic conditions. This in turn should impact favourably on ambulance deployment, sometimes enabling patients to avoid going to hospital or allowing them to come home sooner than otherwise would be the case, and generally to offer a sense of medical security to those living in isolated regions.

Use of pineapple juice for elimination of egg stickiness of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Four treatments including three different concentrations of pineapple solution (I %, 3%, 5%) and the traditional method (salt/urea/tannin solutions) were used to eliminate egg stickiness of common carp. With the traditional method, fertilization and hatching rates were 74.5% ± 1.2 and 70.2% ± 1.1, respectively. The highest fertilization rate (89.3% ± 0.7) and hatching rate (86.6% ± 1.4) were found with treatment of 1% pineapple juice solution and was significantly different from those obtained with other treatments (P<0.05). Using pineapple juice for desticking common carp eggs also reduced the time of egg handling from almost one hour required with the traditional method, to about three minutes, as well as increasing fertilization and hatching rate under hatchery conditions.

Leisure experiences in tourist attractions : exploring the motivations of local residents

This study was conducted to explore leisure motivations with regard to tourist attractions. A survey of a convenience sample of residents of Melbourne, Australia, was conducted. The sample was then segmented based on the likelihood of visiting a cross-section of Melbourne's tourist attractions in the next 6 months. Analysis using Unger and Kernan's (1983) Subjective Leisure Scale (SLS) was then undertaken to explore whether there were differences across the segments in terms of their leisure motivations. The results highlight that, within this context, intrinsic satisfaction, perceived freedom and arousal emerged as stronger underlying dimensions of motivations to visit tourist attractions, rather than mastery, spontaneity and involvement. This information provides insights for marketers of tourist attractions with regard to what residents are seeking when they visit local tourist attractions. The information can be used to develop more positive experiences at tourist attractions for this important sector of the market.

Mega-events and the "Showcase" effect: investigating the moderating influence of exposure to the 2004 Olympic games telecast and interest in the Olympic movement- an Australian perspective

Survey-based research explored the moderating effects of "exposure" to the Australian free-to-air telecast of Athens 2004 and "interest" in Olympic Games in developing behavioral intentions to visit Greece in the future. Differences were found between groups with low and high levels of exposure to the telecast, and also between groups with high levels of interest in the Olympic Games, but these were only marginal. When the combinatorial influences of these two variables were considered simultaneously, their effects were generally synergistic. The article calls for further research on this area of mega-events, as the results, while of significance, provide food to continue the broader debate on the role of mega-events in developing tourism to their host destinations after their staging.

Different rhythms to similar tunes: African beats in action across two continents

In this article I present some theoretical perspectives on reflective practice and African music. As reflection is a voyage of on-going self-discovery and change, and most challenging, I consider the teaching of African music across two continents and institutions. After a recent visit to South Africa (August-October 2006), I describe and discuss some similarities that I as a music educator at Deakin University, share with a music educator from the University of the North West, South Africa regarding the teaching and learning of African music. Through observation and interview data with my colleague, I offer some thoughts on what is African music and why we teach different rhythms to similar tunes across two continents at our tertiary institutions. I see this as a way forward to transmit and promote togetherness in a multicultural society where we respect diversity and the notion of 'other'.

Engagement and retention of participants in a physical activity website

Background: Websites have the potential to deliver enhanced versions of targeted and tailored physical activity programs to large numbers of participants. We describe participant engagement and retention with a stage-based physical activity website in a workplace setting. Methods:  We analyzed data from participants in the website condition of a randomized trial designed to test the efficacy of a print- vs. website-delivered intervention. They received four stage-targeted e-mails over 8 weeks, with hyperlinks to the website. Both objective and self-reported website use data were collected and analyzed. Results: Overall, 327 were randomized to the website condition and 250 (76%) completed the follow-up survey. Forty-six percent (n = 152) visited the website over the trial period. A total of 4,114 hits to the website were recorded. Participants who entered the site spent on average 9 min per visit and viewed 18 pages. Website use declined over time; 77% of all visits followed the first e-mail. Conclusions: Limited website engagement, despite the perceived usefulness of the materials, demonstrates possible constraints on the use of e-mails and websites in delivering health behavior change programs. In the often-cluttered information environment of workplaces, issues of engagement and retention in website-delivered programs require attention.

Is rehabilitation associated with change in functional status among nursing home residents?

Assessing functional status of residents in nursing homes is one way to evaluate the quality of care provided. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether rehabilitation interventions could lead to improved functional independence. A prospective study was carried out to examine the change in activities of daily living (ADL) of 310 residents aged 65 or above over a period of 6 months. About 41.3% (n = 128) received rehabilitation therapy. Functional improvement was observed in 30.6% of the participants. The corresponding figures for stabilization and functional decline were 45.2% and 24.2%, respectively. Using a multinomial logistic regression, we found that factors significantly associated with change in functional status included baseline ADL score, family visit, number of beds in the institution, and transfer to acute hospitals. After adjusting for these confounding variables, change in functional status of those who received rehabilitation and those who did not was not significantly different.

Promoting community capacity through university-community engagement: the Deakin University / Department of Human Services (Barwon South West) Partnership

The formal Partnership between Deakin University and the Victorian Department of Human Services (Barwon-South Western Region), based in Geelong, aims to bring together the knowledge, experience and resources of the Department and Deakin University for the benefit of the people living in that region, as well as for the mutual benefit of both organisations. A recent review process featured stakeholder interviews and focus groups. A special workshop on university-community engagement was also held for interested stakeholders in late 2006. This was facilitated by Prof. Judith Ramaley, President of Winona State University, during her visit to Deakin University as a Fulbright Visiting Senior Specialist. Visioning and strategic planing have continued throughout 2007.

This paper will describe the efforts and achievements of the Partnership through the complementary lenses of Healthy Cities, health-promoting universities and community capacity. This framework will be used to describe how the Partnership coordinators have used Prof Ramaley’s insights to establish a draft Business Plan that espouses a more mature form of collaboration and embraces shared, transformative goals. The paper will describe how the notion of community capacity is being used to evaluate the Partnership’s overall contribution to community engagement.

The Adequacy of Health Care Services for the Elderly in China

This study examines the adequacy of health care services for the elderly in China, specifically focusing on the influence of location, method of payment, living situation, and financial status. The study finds that rural residents, respondents living alone and respondents unable to meet all of their daily costs have a lower probability of reporting the availability of adequate health care. It also investigates the reasons why elderly respondents do not visit the hospital when it is necessary, concluding that financial and distance constraints are main deterrents. Finally, changes in the reported adequacy of health care over time are taken into consideration, and are found to follow a likely pattern given the history of the health care system in China. This is an important investigation given the historical background of health care in China, the current cost problems facing residents, and, consequently, the policy changes that will need to be implemented by the Chinese government in the near future.

Early childhood caries: current evidence for aetiology and prevention

Background: Despite the fact that it is largely preventable, dental caries (decay) remains one of the most common chronic diseases of early childhood. Dental decay in young children frequently leads to pain and infection necessitating hospitalization for dental extractions under general anaesthesia. Dental problems in early childhood have been shown to be predictive of not only future dental problems but also on growth and cognitive development by interfering with comfort nutrition, concentration and school participation. Objective: To review the current evidence base in relation to the aetiology and prevention of dental caries in preschool-aged children. Methods: A search of MEDLINE, CINALH and Cochrane electronic databases was conducted using a search strategy which restricted the search to randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, clinical trials, systematic reviews and other quasi-experimental designs. The retrieved studies were then limited to articles including children aged 5 years and under and published in English. The evidence of effectiveness was then summarized by the authors. Conclusions: The review highlighted the complex aetiology of early childhood caries (ECC). Contemporary evidence suggests that potentially effective interventions should occur in the first 2 years of a child's life. Dental attendance before the age of 2 years is uncommon; however, contact with other health professionals is high. Primary care providers who have contact with children well before the age of the first dental visit may be well placed to offer anticipatory advice to reduce the incidence of ECC.

Predicting the grade of disability 1 year after stroke following rehabilitation

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of grades of disability at least 1 year after stroke rehabilitation therapy. We recruited stroke patients from the inpatient rehabilitation department of a university hospital. The degree of disability was graded using the disability evaluation at least 1 year after stroke onset. Functional ability was evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure instrument on admission, on discharge from the inpatient rehabilitation program, and at the 6-month follow-up visit after discharge. Major sociodemographic, medical, and rehabilitative factors were also collected during the hospitalization period. Of the 109 patients surveyed, 64 (58.7%) had severe or very severe grades of disability. The correlates of severe or very severe disability in logistic regression analyses were bilaterally affected (odds ratio, OR, 10.8), impaired orientation (OR, 3.6), and poorer functional ability at discharge (OR, 7.6). Based on the significant predictors identified, the logistic regression model correctly classified severe or very severe disability in 68.0% of subjects. The higher frequency of severe or very severe disability in this study may have been due to the relatively more severely affected stroke patient population in the inpatient rehabilitation service and the use of unique disability evaluation criteria. These results may provide information useful in planning continuous rehabilitation care and setting relevant socio-welfare policies for stroke victims.

Beyond the Threshold: Life in the New Russia

Amanda Sprang spent nine months, from September of 1995 to May of 1996, studying at Colby College's program in St. Petersburg, Russia. Through contacts made during previous trips to Russia in middle and high school, Amanda was able to quickly rekindle her old friendships and make new ones with many young Russians from different backgrounds. The following work is a collection of twelve essays about life in the New Russia. The essays are framed by a foreword and an epilogue that help place the entire work in a historical context. Although the theme of each essay emerges from a particular incident, within every story Amanda has addressed numerous topics relating to Russian life in today’s changing society. Her first essay, “Art Klinika," takes place in an avant-garde night club in St. Petersburg, and includes a brief yet impressionable, encounter with three young Russian men. “The Birthday Party” recalls a wild evening at the home of her close friend, showing how the Russians greet special occasions. Both the third and fourth essays take place in Moscow, where Amanda returns to visit old friends. These two essays portray the lives of the new economic elite in comparison with the average citizen, as well as show how young Russians face the new challenges that greet them. "Politics Russian Style" recalls a political rally in St. Petersburg, and attempts to shed light on the wacky political world of an infant democracy. Chapters Six through Ten take place away from the western cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, as Amanda brings us to the cold, mysterious land of Siberia in the dead of winter. She recounts her five day train ride with a retired, high-powered, Communist party official, her experiences in the provincial city of Irkutsk, and a brief trip to a Buddhist monastery and, later, an excursion to Lake Baikal. Back in St. Petersburg, Chapter Eleven gives a humorous account of a ski trip with several Russian friends. Amanda finishes her work with her final chapter, “The Dacha," which describes a weekend spent at a Russian country home with her friend's family.

Molecular Genetic Evidence for a New Species of Bream of the Genus Acanthopagrus Peters (Perciformes: Sparidae)

Fishes of the genus Acanthopagrus are found throughout the coastal waters of Asia and Australia with several species being of commercial significance. In this study, genetic comparisons are made between widely disjunct populations of Acanthopagrus australis (Günther) from Australian and Taiwanese waters and among samples of A. butcheri (Munro), A. berda, (Forskal), A schlegeli (Day) and A. latus (Houttuyn) using mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from the control region. The mean interspecific pairwise sequence divergence for all species is 17%, while the divergence between A. australis from Australia and that of Taiwan is slightly larger at 18%. These values are considerably higher than those found for intraspecific control region comparisons in some fish species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that A. australis from Australia is more closely related to the Australian species A. butcheri than to A. australis from Taiwan. These findings suggest that the northern and southern hemisphere forms of A. australis are not monophyletic, with the former possibly representing a new undescribed species of Acanthopagrus.

Strategic review of enhancements and culture-based fisheries

Enhancements are interventions in the life cycle of common-pool aquatic resources. Enhancement technologies include culture-based fisheries, habitat modifications, fertilization, feeding and elimination of predators/competitors. Enhancements are estimated to yield about two million mt per year, mostly from culture-based fisheries in fresh waters where they account for some 20 percent of capture, or 10 percent of combined capture and culture production. Marine enhancements are still at an experimental stage, but some have reached commercial production. Enhancements use limited external feed and energy inputs, and can provide very high returns for labour and capital input. Moreover, enhancement initiatives can facilitate institutional change and a more active management of aquatic resources, leading to increased productivity, conservation and wider social benefits. Enhancements may help to maintain population abundance, community structure and ecosystem functioning in the face of heavy exploitation and/or environmental degradation. Negative environmental impacts may arise from ecological and genetic interactions between enhanced and wild stocks. Many enhancements have not realised their full potential because of a failure to address specific institutional, technological, management and research requirements emanating from two key characteristics. Firstly, enhancement involves investment in common-pool resources and can only be sustained under institutional arrangements that allow regulation of use and a flow of benefits to those who bear the costs of enhancement. Secondly, interventions are limited to certain aspects of the life cycle of stocks, and outcomes are strongly dependent on natural conditions beyond management control. Hence, management must be adapted to local conditions to be effective, and certain conditions may preclude successful enhancement altogether. Governments have a major role to play in facilitating enhancement initiatives through the establishment of conducive institutional arrangements, appropriate research support, and the management of environmental and other impacts on and from enhancements.

A global perspective of aquaculture in the new millennium

In modern times, not many primary industries have consistently recorded high yearly growth over a period of two decades. Aquaculture has sustained a global growth, continues to grow, and is expected to increasingly fill the shortfall in aquatic food products resulting from static or declining capture fisheries and population increase well into the year 2025. Its further growth and development will have to occur under a different socio-economic milieu in the new millennium. The basic paradigm changes will be from an increased production at almost any cost, to a sustainable increase in production with minimal environmental perturbations. Despite such paradigm changes, aquaculture will increasingly contribute to food security, poverty alleviation and social equity. The contribution of aquaculture to world food supply of aquatic products has been increasing over the past 10 years, in comparison to capture fisheries, growing from 15 to 28 percent of total production between 1988 and 1997. As the bulk of aquaculture is rural and subsistence, it plays a major role as a provider of direct and indirect employment to the rural poor and, thereby, to poverty alleviation. In many developing countries, aquaculture provides opportunities for diversification on agriculture farms and productive use to otherwise idle land during certain seasons. The main cause for the upsurge in the sector has been the transformation of aquaculture from an “art” form to a “science”. This brought many advantages, ranging from less dependence on wild stock to the development of techniques that optimized yields, such as polyculture, or enabled the achievement of high yields with low inputs. Two major developments also enabled the sector to maintain growth momentum, appropriate institutional frameworks and concerted research and development. Regions or continents have many commonalities. These include the predominance of finfish among the cultivated species, and the predominance of species that feed lower in the food chain, although shrimp, which does not naturally feed high in the trophic level but is mostly reared on artificial feed, has become a significant culture commodity. Notable differences, however, include the fact that all regions, except Africa and the countries of the former USSR, have recorded a significant increase in per capita production between 1984 and 1997. While Asia continues to dominate world aquaculture in overall tonnage, as well as in every major commodity, South America has registered a very high (72.8 percent) average annual growth between 1984 and 1997. The global and regional trends over the last 20 years in the sector from a number of perspectives, such as production trends, contribution of aquaculture to aquatic food consumption etc., are evaluated. Based on these different trends and in the light of changing socio-economic conditions globally, and in particular, in developing nations, the potential changes in the sector in the new millennium are highlighted. Finally, projections are made for the next 20 years, where opportunities, constraints and strategies for achieving the targets are presented and discussed.