Response to The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's discussion paper "Connecting with Confidence"

The ACS has prepared this response to the discussion paper to assist with the design of the cyber whitepaper expected in 2012. The ACS also welcomes the opportunity to promote discussion and support of our digital economy to position Australia for the future. Drawing from its membership of ICT professionals, and academics - particularly in areas of cyber resilience and security - the ACS established a Cyber Taskforce for this purpose. The ACS recommends: greater focus on education - noting that ICT education in primary and secondary schooling is essential - to developing ICT skills of the future and that school level educational activity forms the base on which appropriate tertiary level education programs can function for the education and training of ICT professionals; greater assistance to small and medium sized business as this is the engine room of the Australian economy; policy coordination on trusted identities; better coordination of cyber related education and research; providing consumers and businesses with resources directed to the everyday real-life challenges they face; global Internet governance changes designed to underpin and deliver trustworthy people, processes and systems including, where appropriate, a legislated mandatory baseline of trustworthiness attributes analogous to the non-excludable warranties implied in consumer contacts

Predicting mortality of residents at admission to nursing home: A longitudinal cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An increasing numbers of deaths occur in nursing homes. Knowledge of the course of development over the years in death rates and predictors of mortality is important for officials responsible for organizing care to be able to ensure that staff is knowledgeable in the areas of care needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the time from residents' admission to Icelandic nursing homes to death and the predictive power of demographic variables, health status (health stability, pain, depression and cognitive performance) and functional profile (ADL and social engagement) for 3-year mortality in yearly cohorts from 1996-2006.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The samples consisted of residents (N = 2206) admitted to nursing homes in Iceland in 1996-2006, who were assessed once at baseline with a Minimum Data Set (MDS) within 90 days of their admittance to the nursing home. The follow-up time for survival of each cohort was 36 months from admission. Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis (log rank test) and non-parametric correlation analyses (Spearman's rho), variables associated with survival time with a p-value < 0.05 were entered into a multivariate Cox regression model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median survival time was 31 months, and no significant difference was detected in the mortality rate between cohorts. Age, gender (HR 1.52), place admitted from (HR 1.27), ADL functioning (HR 1.33-1.80), health stability (HR 1.61-16.12) and ability to engage in social activities (HR 1.51-1.65) were significant predictors of mortality. A total of 28.8% of residents died within a year, 43.4% within two years and 53.1% of the residents died within 3 years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is noteworthy that despite financial constraints, the mortality rate did not change over the study period. Health stability was a strong predictor of mortality, in addition to ADL performance. Considering these variables is thus valuable when deciding on the type of service an elderly person needs. The mortality rate showed that more than 50% died within 3 years, and almost a third of the residents may have needed palliative care within a year of admission. Considering the short survival time from admission, it seems relevant that staff is trained in providing palliative care as much as restorative care.</p

Light and electron microscopic studies on the effect of hydrocortisone on the thymus of neonatal ICR/Ha inbred mice

The purpose of this experiment was to study cytological changes in the thymus of neonatal mice during hydrocortisone induced involution and regeneration with the light and electron microscopes. Neonatal mice of strain ICR/Ha were used in this study. They were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 mg hydrocortisone within 24 hours after birth. The weights, mitotic indices, and histology of the treated thymuses were compared to the control groups at 6 hours, 24 hours, and 3, 15, and 30 days post-treatment. An analysis of the ratio of the thymic weight to body weight in the treated group showed a significant decrease at 24 hours, and 3 days after treatment

Large-fire years and their relationship to circulation anomalies in the mid-troposphere

Bibliography: p. 52-62

A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF BRAIN ABSCESSES IN BULL MOOSE

ABSTRACT: The presence of cranial infections and abscessations is well documented in males of multiple cervids in North America. The preponderance of such infections is related directly to antlers and all processes from antler growth, fighting, and through to casting. One proposed infection pathway is through an open wound at the pedicle formed at casting. Moose generally do not cast antlers in synchrony, and we propose that males irritated by the imbalance of a remaining antler are more likely to actively remove that antler by striking trees. This behavior is a possible explanation for the occurrence of cast antlers with attached bone and that antlers from bulls of all ages can have substantial amounts of parietal bone attached. The force of this activity may cause breakage of the parietal bone leaving either an opening to the meninges in the cranial vault or a significant depression in the bone. We propose that shed antlers with measurable parietal bone attached, estimated as high as 10% of cast moose antlers, would create abnormally large wounds and possibly an enhanced route of cranial infection and subsequent abscessations

“Caring as if it were my family”: Health care aides' perspectives about expert care of the dying resident in a personal care home

AbstractObjective:A qualitative pilot study was conducted to identify and describe expert behaviors in care of the dying resident in a personal care home setting from the perspective of health care aides (N= 5) nominated by their peers as demonstrating excellence in end-of-life care.Methods:Data was collected through audio-taped semi-structured interview, and transcribed verbatim using constant-comparative analysis procedures.Results:The over-arching theme emerging from the data was “caring as if it were my family.” Subsumed within this main theme included the sub-themes of: (1) care of the resident; (2) tending to the environment; (3) care of the family; (4) going to bat; and (5) processing loss.Significance of results:The findings from this pilot study provide preliminary empirical evidence that could inform educational programs for and performance evaluation of, health care aides providing end-of-life care in personal care home environments.</jats:sec

The challenge of providing palliative care in the nursing home

Nursing homes are increasingly becoming the place of care and site of death for growing numbers of frail older people dying of chronic progressive illnesses. Despite this increase, empirical evidence suggests that providing palliative care in nursing homes is replete with challenges. In a previous publication, the authors examined challenges external to the nursing home that influence the provision of palliative care, and which may be beyond the nursing home’s control (Wowchuk et al, 2006). This paper reviews the primary internal factors identified in the literature that affect the provision of palliative care and are, to some extent, under the nursing home’s control. The internal factors include: i) lack of care provider knowledge about the principles and practices of palliative care; ii) care provider attitudes and beliefs about death and dying; iii) staffing levels and lack of available time for dying residents; iv) lack of physician support; v) lack of privacy for residents and families; vi) families’ expectations regarding residents’ care; vii) hospitalisation of dying residents. Suggestions for practice, education and research are provided. </jats:p