Arlis/ANZ 2.0

We've all been hearing about Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 lately. But just what are they all about, and is there anything there that Arlis/ANZ can take advantage of in order to better go about its business? Can there, should there, be an Arlis/ANZ 2.0? Arlis/ANZ, the Arts Libraries Society of Australia and New Zealand, is preparing to review it's online prescence. The Arlis/ANZ website is now three years old, and has been well maintained during that time. However it has not yet been systematically reviewed in terms of content, functionality, and strategic direction. The Arlis/ANZ Website version 'One' will be redeveloped into Arlis/ANZ Website version 'Two'. Although much of that review will concentrate on the structure, look and feel of the site, the review process offers an opportunity to incorporate Web 2.0 developments. By incorporating that 'best' of Web 2.0 in a strategic manner, Arlis/ANZ 2.0 - the website - has powerful potential to contribute toward the strength, cohesion and ongoing development of Arlis/ANZ 2.0 - the Society

GM food technology abroad and its implications for Australia and New Zealand

The potential economic benefits from agricultural biotechnology adoption by ANZ need to be weighed against any likely loss of market access abroad for crops that may contain genetically modified (GM) organisms. This paper uses the global GTAP model to estimate effects of other countries' GM policies without and with ANZ farmers adopting GM varieties of various grains and oilseeds. The benefits to ANZ from adopting GM crops under a variety of scenarios are positive even in the presence of the ban on imports from GM-adopting countries by the EU (but not if East Asia also applied such a ban).Biotechnology, GMOs, regulation, trade policy, computable general equilibrium, Crop Production/Industries, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, C68, D58, F13, O3, Q17, Q18,

Help wanted in New Zealand: The ANZ Bank job advertisement series

The ANZ Bank publishes a monthly count of the number of job advertisements appearing in New Zealand newspapers and, more recently, internet sites. It is New Zealand’s de facto vacancy or help-wanted series. Apart from its role in economic commentaries, there is very little published research using this data. This paper is a preliminary attempt to remedy this omission. It covers descriptive aspects of the ANZ job ads series including the vacancy rate, the hiring rate, regional characteristics and proxy vacancy series. This is followed by an outline of the vacancy-unemployment (Beveridge curve) and hiring frameworks and some initial econometric work. Overall, the paper highlights the importance of the vacancy rate and the hiring rate in assessing labour market conditions in New Zealand

Patient-doctor agreement on recall of clinical trial discussion across cultures

Background The purpose was to investigate patient-doctor agreement on clinical trial discussion cross-culturally. Methods In the International Breast Cancer Study Group Trial 33-03 on shared decision-making for early breast cancer in Australian/New Zealand (ANZ) and Swiss/German/Austrian (SGA) centers, doctor and patient characteristics plus doctor stress and burnout were assessed. Within 2 weeks post-consultation about treatment options, the doctor and patient reported independently, whether a trial was discussed. Odds ratios of agreement for covariables were estimated by generalized estimating equations for each language cohort, with doctor as a random effect. Results In ANZ, 21 doctors and 339 patients were eligible; in SGA, 41 doctors and 427 patients. In cases where the doctor indicated ‘no trial discussed', 82% of both ANZ and SGA patients agreed; if the doctor indicated ‘trial discussed', 50% of ANZ and 38% of SGA patients agreed, respectively. Factors associated with higher agreement were: low tumor grade and fewer patients recruited into clinical trials in SGA; public institution, patient born in ANZ (versus other), higher doctor depersonalization and personal accomplishment in ANZ. Conclusion There is discordance between oncologists and their patients regarding clinical trial discussion, particularly when the doctor indicates that a trial was discussed. Factors contributing to this agreement vary by cultur

Root Cause Classification of Breakup Events 1961-2018

This paper uses the updated NASA History of On-Orbit Satellite Fragmentations 15th Edition, to examine and categorize the root cause of historical breakup events to the greatest degree possible. Classes of debris progenitors have evolved, as many classes of Cold War-era spacecraft are now extinct, only to be replaced by new classes of payloads and rocket bodies statistically likely to experience debris-producing events. The efficacy of international debris mitigation implementation and root cause/fault tree analyses and lessons learned is examined in relation to the breakup of satellite classes or specific events. In select cases, the remaining on-orbit inventory of specific classes is identified in the context of possible future events. The environmental impact of these specific classes is examined and compared to nominal space environment projections. When appropriate, recommendations for debris remediation are made for specific satellite classes

Statin therapy in critical illness : an international survey of intensive care physicians' opinions, attitudes and practice

Background Pleotropic effects of statins on inflammation are hypothesised to attenuate the severity of and possibly prevent the occurrence of the host inflammatory response to pathogen and infection-related acute organ failure. We conducted an international survey of intensive care physicians in Australia, New Zealand (ANZ) and United Kingdom (UK). The aims of the survey were to assess the current prescribing practice patterns, attitudes towards prescribing statin therapy in critically ill patients and opinions on the need for an interventional trial of statin therapy in critically ill patients. Methods Survey questions were developed through an iterative process. An expert group reviewed the resulting 26 items for face and content validity and clarity. The questions were further refined following pilot testing by ICU physicians from Australia, Canada and the UK. We used the online Smart SurveyTM software to administer the survey. Results Of 239 respondents (62 from ANZ and 177 from UK) 58% worked in teaching hospitals; most (78.2%) practised in ‘closed’ units with a mixed medical and surgical case mix (71.0%). The most frequently prescribed statins were simvastatin (77.6%) in the UK and atorvastatin (66.1%) in ANZ. The main reasons cited to explain the choice of statin were preadmission prescription and pharmacy availability. Most respondents reported never starting statins to prevent (65.3%) or treat (89.1%) organ dysfunction. Only a minority (10%) disagreed with a statement that the risks of major side effects of statins when prescribed in critically ill patients were low. The majority (84.5%) of respondents strongly agreed that a clinical trial of statins for prevention is needed. More than half (56.5%) favoured rates of organ failure as the primary outcome for such a trial, while a minority (40.6%) favoured mortality. Conclusions Despite differences in type of statins prescribed, critical care physicians in the UK and ANZ reported similar prescription practices. Respondents from both communities agreed that a trial is needed to test whether statins can prevent the onset of new organ failure in patients with sepsis

GM crop technology and trade restraints: economic implications for Australia and New Zealand

How much might the potential economic benefit from enhanced farm productivity associated with crop biotechnology adoption by Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) be offset by a loss of market access abroad for crops that may contain genetically modified (GM) organisms? This paper uses the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model to estimate effects of other countries’ GM policies without and with ANZ farmers adopting GM varieties of various grains and oilseeds. The gross economic benefits to ANZ from adopting GM crops under a variety of scenarios could be positive even if the strict controls on imports from GM-adopting countries by the European Union are maintained, but not if North-East Asia also applied such trade restaints. From those gross economic effects would need to be subtracted society’s evaluation of any new food safety concerns and negative environmental externalities (net of any new environmental and occupational health benefits), as well as any extra costs of segregation, identity preservation and consumer search.biotechnology, computable general equilibrium, genetically modified organisms, regulation, trade policy, Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,

Improvement of Cation Exchange Capacity of Natural Zeolite with Alkali Treatments

The natural zeolite was treated with alkali (NaOH) solution and heating at 100 oC for 12 and 24 hours. The natural zeolite was collected from Gunungkidul, Jogjakarta, Indonesia. The series of NaOH solutions was 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 M. The final product of the reaction (precipitate) was designated as ‘activated natural zeolite (ANZ)\u27. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the ANZ increased with increasing NaOH concentration up to 1.5-3.5 M. Treatment with NaOH 3.5 M and 12 hours in period of hydrothermal reaction resulted in a maximum CEC (395.6 cmol.kg-1). The maximum CEC also observed for treatment with NaOH 1,5 M, but consumed a longer time (24 hours). The increase in the CEC of the ANZ about 300 % higher than the original one. The XRD (X-ray Diffraction) peaks of the ANZ appear at 2.7, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 7.2 Å, this indicated a new crystalline matters (possibility phillipsite) present. Electron micrograph showed that the ANZ has a large cubic/prismatic structure with a perfect form

Ammonium ion removal using activated zeolite and chitosan

Studies have previously been done on efficacies of chitosan and zeolite in ammonium ion (NH4+) removal. However, no study compares the adsorption performance of natural zeolite and activated natural zeolite with high and low molecular weight chitosan. Hence, this study investigates the potentials of natural zeolite (NZ), activated natural zeolite (ANZ), low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC) and high molecular weight chitosan (HMWC) in NH4+ removal. The characteristics of NZ, ANZ, LMWC, and HMWC such as functional groups, surface morphology, elemental composition, zeta potential and particle size were also investigated. The deposition of NH4+ on the surface of NZ and ANZ was confirmed with the absence of nitrogen by the adsorption spectrum of EDX and supported by the presence of an FTIR stretching band at 3500-3300 cm-1, as well as broader and less intense bands 1600 cm-1 after the adsorption for all the adsorbents. The particle size of LMWC, HMWC, NZ and ANZ were 98, 813, 22354 and 9826 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, after the activation process, the composition of O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca and Na were reduced. NH4+ batch adsorption was also studied. HMWC, NZ, and ANZ reached adsorption equilibrium at 15 h, meanwhile for LMWC, the equilibrium reached at t = 20 h. The adsorption capacity of LMWC, HMWC, NZ, and ANZ at an initial concentration of 50 mg/L were 0.769 mg/g, 0.331 mg/g, 2.162 mg/g and 2.937 mg/g respectively. ANZ had the highest adsorption capacity, which might be related to the reduction of cationic elements such as Fe, Ca and Na after the activation has increased the unbalanced negative charge within the crystal lattice of ANZ that can be neutralized by NH4+ hence led to higher adsorption. HMWC has the lowest adsorption capacity that may be due it is positively charged at pH 7 which would favor the adsorption of negatively charged species instead of positively charged species, NH4+