Quasi-Constitutionality and Indigenous-State Treaties in Australia

The Statewide Treaty negotiated between the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian government is momentous. However, the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 (Vic), which implements the agreement, is an ordinary piece of legislation subject to the ordinary rules of statutory interpretation and implied repeal. Drawing on jurisprudence from Canada, the United Kingdom and scholarship from the United States, we argue that the anticipated Statewide Treaty Act should properly be understood as ‘quasi-constitutional’ because it: (i) shapes the character of Victoria in moral and legal ways, (ii) is understood within the broader community as a statute of great importance, and (iii) regulates the institutions and powers of the state. This designation has important legal and expressive implications which supports the status and prominence of Indigenous-State treaties

Seismic response of sand beds in a laminated shear stack: physical and numerical modelling

This paper presents the design and workings of a new type of laminated shear stack container. Several experiments were conducted involving a sand bed placed inside the shear stack that was excited horizontally under a variety of input excitations. A two-dimensional (2D) finite element model of the shaking table and laminated shear stack containing the sand bed was developed, incorporating details of the table and laminated shear stack design. The capability of the finite element model to replicate the dynamic response of the naked table, and of the sand bed inside the laminated shear stack when interacting with the table, were verified. The finite element model was extended to explore important aspects of the sand and laminated shear stack behaviours, including how the use of energy absorbing boundaries in the laminated shear stack enable parts of the sand model to exhibit field-equivalent responses. For low to moderate ground shaking it is shown that the chosen stiffness for the energy absorbing boundaries does not have a significant influence on the seismic performance of the sand bed at its center. Demonstrations of similitude are also given. Large size differences between model and field scales may be associated with attenuations of stress waves and de amplifications of accelerations that are not insignificant

Associations between multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health in children

Objective: This study investigated the association between multiple NDDs and the prevalence and severity of current depression and anxiety among children aged 3–17 years. Methods: We analyzed parent- or caregiver-reported data from 2016 to 2023 US National Survey of Children's Health. Children aged 3–17 years were included. We considered a broader spectrum of NDDs by including behavioral problems and grouped children based on the number of NDDs (out of ten): no multiple NDDs (none or one NDD), two NDDs, three NDDs, four NDDs, and five or more NDDs. Four mental health outcomes were measured: depression (yes/no), anxiety (yes/no), depression severity (mild/moderate/severe), and anxiety severity (mild/moderate/severe). Multinomial logistic regression models were used. Results: Among 267,044 children (mean age = 10.2 years; male = 51.8 %), 10.6 % had multiple NDDs. The increasing number of co-occurring NDDs was associated with higher odds of prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety. Children with multiple NDDs were 4.7–5.3 times more likely to have depression and 5.8–12.9 times more likely to have anxiety compared with those without multiple NDDs. These positive associations remained consistent for mild or moderate depression (adjusted odds ratios [ORs]: 5.0–5.6) and for mild or moderate anxiety (adjusted ORs: 5.6–8.9). The associations were more pronounced for severe mental health conditions, with children being 7.8–16.9 times more likely to experience severe depression and 8.1–34.9 times more likely to experience severe anxiety. Conclusions: The cumulative mental health burden associated with multiple NDDs emphasizes the need for integrated screening and tailored interventions to support this population

A dual polysaccharide and plant protein system for cheese analog with enhanced meltability and texture

Current commercial plant-based cheeses lack the dairy-like characteristics expected by consumers, often formulated with only starch and/or low protein content, underscoring the need for better solutions. This study presents a dual polysaccharide formulation with inclusion of plant-based protein to mimic the meltability of dairy-based cheese upon heating. A novel approach to starch addition into the emulsion gel was developed to ensure favorable network formations at each stage of cheese application, maximizing meltability and the creation of a soft texture after cooking. Pea protein isolate (PPI, 5 %), for O/W interface stabilization, worked in tandem with the network-forming glutinous rice flour (GRF, 0–12 %), and κ-carrageenan (κC, 0.2–0.8 %) in an emulsion gel that was tested for its mechanical properties at varying composition. Cheese-like characteristics were achieved through sequential gel-sol-gel transition κC and gelatinization of starch during cooking. Our PPI-κC-GRF emulsion gels showed excellent freeze-thaw stability (>85 %) and improvements over commercial plant-based cheese analogs in meltability (+12.39–115.75 % vs. −3.89 %, respectively). The study was able to track the changes in the structural formations of the two gel networks during cooking. Through rheology, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and Synchrotron-FTIR chemical imaging, a step-by-step map of the changes responsible for the meltability and texture of the emulsion gel was proposed. The results underline that dual polysaccharide network emulsion gel could be tailored to mimic cheese characteristics, as a possible template for future plant-based cheese development

Emulsion gels of oil encapsulated in double polysaccharide networks as animal fat analogues

The development of plant-based alternatives to replace animal products is crucial as the global population nears 10 billion by 2050, necessitating more sustainable food systems. Although efforts has been made in mimicking animal muscle textures using plant-based proteins, particularly the texturized plant proteins, the replication of animal fat properties remains challenging and less explored, particularly in light of recent commercial setbacks in the plant-based meat industry. Current study addressed this gap by investigating curdlan gum-konjac glucomannan (KGM)-pea protein emulsion gels as fat analogues, focusing on their stability and structure formation during cooking. We found that the use of a double polysaccharide network significantly enhanced the stability of emulsion gels, both before and after thermal processing, with controlled thermal history effectively guiding the gel morphology. Pea-protein-stabilised canola-oil emulsions (oil: 10–40 % w/w; protein: 5 % w/w) were blended with hydrated curdlan/KGM dispersions (total 4–7 %, w/w) and thermally set through a two-step heating regime (50 °C for 15 min, then 85 °C for 30 min) to form emulsion gels. Gels containing 6 % polysaccharide and 30 % oil exhibited only 57 ± 5 % oven shrinkage (pork fat = 63 ± 12 %), <15 % oil/water loss after five freeze-thaw cycles, and springness of 0.42 ± 0.05 (pork fat = 0.48 ± 0.06). Synchrotron-FTIR chemical imaging data confirmed the role of protein and polysaccharides in maintaining structural integrity, aligning with visual and rheological analyses. For the first time, we demonstrate that a sequentially gelled curdlan–KGM double network, reinforced by pea-protein interfaces, can lock sizable amounts of unsaturated oil into a cohesive matrix that reproduces the shrinkage, browning, and oil release of animal fat during cooking. This work therefore establishes a new, thermo-responsive route to plant-based fat analogues and offers mechanistic guidance for future meat-alternative formulations

An e-learning program improves low back pain beliefs of physiotherapists: a randomised trial

Question: How effective is an e-learning program based on international clinical guidelines in promoting beliefs more aligned with the current evidence for the management of low back pain among physiotherapists? Design: Randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants: 106 physiotherapists who treat patients with low back pain. Interventions: The experimental group received access to an e-learning program, based on recommendations of clinical practice guidelines for the management of low back pain, over a 6-week period. The program consisted of six units, totalling 15 hours, and was offered in a self-instructional and self-paced format. The control group was instructed to continue their activities as usual. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was beliefs about low back pain measured using the Modified Back Beliefs Questionnaire (MBBQ, –50 worst to 50 best). Secondary outcomes included the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ, –20 worst to 20 best) and agreement with two statements (1: X-rays or scans are necessary to get the best medical care for low back pain; 2: Everyone with low back pain should have spine imaging). Participants were evaluated at baseline and 6 weeks. Results: Out of 53 participants allocated to the e-learning program, two completed only the first unit and one did not complete any units, resulting in an overall adherence rate of 94%. Compared with control, the e-learning program improved the MBBQ (MD 8 points, 95% CI 5 to 10) and the Back-PAQ score (MD 3.1 points, 95% CI 1.8 to 4.3). For the imaging beliefs statements, the e-learning program was able to increase the proportion of participants with beliefs aligned with the current evidence (statement 1: RD 38%, 95% CI 21 to 52; statement 2: RD 17%, 95% CI 7 to 29) compared with the control group. Conclusion: The e-learning program based on recommendations of clinical practice guidelines for the management of low back pain improved physiotherapists’ beliefs about the management of low back pain. Registration: NCT05661968

Development of an internationally agreed national minimum dataset for low back pain: a modified Delphi study

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the burden is expected to rise due to increases in ageing and population growth. The 2018 Lancet Low Back Pain Series proposed urgent actions to reverse the rising trend of disability due to low back pain including the need for a set of data indicators to routinely monitor progress in achieving these actions worldwide. PURPOSE: To reach international consensus on a national minimum dataset of low back pain indicators that could be used across all countries to monitor progress in improving care and reducing disability from low back pain. STUDY DESIGN: Modified Delphi study. SAMPLE: Nineteen participants attended a preliminary workshop at the 2023 International Back and Neck Pain Forum, The Netherlands. Subsequently, 305 and 339 participants (researchers, clinicians, policy makers, educators and consumers) completed Delphi surveys Rounds 1 and 2, respectively. OUTCOME MEASURES: A 9-point Likert scale rated importance and feasibility of low back pain indicators (1=not important/feasible; 9=extremely important/feasible, 0 unsure). In Round 2, indicators that achieved consensus on importance and feasibility were ranked 'most important' (top-ranked) to 'least important'. METHODS: Workshop participants were divided into four groups and asked to independently consider the importance and feasibility of 105 indicators identified from previous reviews divided into six themes. Participants could remove indicators considered unimportant or not feasible. This required unanimous agreement from independent workshop groups. Participants could also suggest improvements to the wording of indicators, the best unit of measure and additional missing indicators. RESULTS: Thirty-eight indicators were recommended by workshop participants for inclusion in the Delphi study. Survey responses over two rounds reached consensus for 21 indicators (11 burden, 10 care) ranked from most to least important after reaching consensus on importance and feasibility in Round 1. Number of work days lost and number of opioid prescriptions for low back pain were the highest ranked indicators for burden and care respectively. Importance rankings were similar across subgroups comparing high-income and low- and middle-income countries, and consumers and non-consumers. CONCLUSION: We reached international consensus that 21 indicators could be used to monitor progress in improving care and outcomes for people with low back pain globally. Future work is needed to confirm the acceptability and feasibility of these indicators across countries, and, if implemented, to determine their value over time