What's Policy Got to Do With It? Cultural Policy and Forms of Writing

The article examines the rhetoric of the Keating government's Creative Nation and compares it with the fiction of Nicholas Jose in The Custodians and the ficto-criticism of Stephen Muecke in No Road

Noninvasive Assessment of Antenatal Hydronephrosis in Mice Reveals a Critical Role for Robo2 in Maintaining Anti-Reflux Mechanism

Antenatal hydronephrosis and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) are common renal tract birth defects. We recently showed that disruption of the Robo2 gene is associated with VUR in humans and antenatal hydronephrosis in knockout mice. However, the natural history, causal relationship and developmental origins of these clinical conditions remain largely unclear. Although the hydronephrosis phenotype in Robo2 knockout mice has been attributed to the coexistence of ureteral reflux and obstruction in the same mice, this hypothesis has not been tested experimentally. Here we used noninvasive high-resolution micro-ultrasonography and pathological analysis to follow the progression of antenatal hydronephrosis in individual Robo2-deficient mice from embryo to adulthood. We found that hydronephrosis progressed continuously after birth with no spontaneous resolution. With the use of a microbubble ultrasound contrast agent and ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration, we demonstrated that antenatal hydronephrosis in Robo2-deficient mice is caused by high-grade VUR resulting from a dilated and incompetent ureterovesical junction rather than ureteral obstruction. We further documented Robo2 expression around the developing ureterovesical junction and identified early dilatation of ureteral orifice structures as a potential fetal origin of antenatal hydronephrosis and VUR. Our results thus demonstrate that Robo2 is crucial for the formation of a normal ureteral orifice and for the maintenance of an effective anti-reflux mechanism. This study also establishes a reproducible genetic mouse model of progressive antenatal hydronephrosis and primary high-grade VUR

Editorial : The Politics of publishing (Southern review : communication, politics & culture)

4 page(s

The strange death and curious after-lives of the academic journal

Discussion at a session featuring a panel of editors of six leading media and communication journals. Annual conference of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association, University of Melbourne, July 2007

A nationwide initiative to increase nursing and midwifery research leadership: Overview of year 1 programme development, implementation and evaluation

Aims and objectives. To report on the development, implementation and evaluation of the first year of the National Institute for Health Research 70@70 Senior Nurse Research Leader Programme. Background. Internationally, there is a lack of nursing and midwifery research and policy contribution to healthcare sectors. To address this, funding was obtained for a Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme in England. The programme aimed to increase nursing and midwifery research capacity and capability and support the development of future research leaders. Design. The programme had three phases: development, implementation and evaluation. The cohort study’s evaluation phase consisted of a survey and qualitative written feedback. Methods: An online survey was sent to cohort members (n=66). Quantitative survey data was analysed in Survey Monkey. Written feedback asked cohort members to summarise their activities and any challenges. Data was thematically analysed. The ‘Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology’ reporting checklist was used. Results. Thirty-nine (59%) cohort members responded to the survey. Responders valued being part of a network (46%), having protected time (22%) and having workplace autonomy (13%). Challenges reported included difficulties accessing online resources (32%), lack of collaborative opportunities (17%) and organisational barriers (10%). Fifty-six (85%) cohort members submitted the written report. The main themes were ‘relationship and profile building’, ‘developing capability and capacity’, ‘developing the workforce’, ‘patient and public involvement and engagement’ and ‘quality improvement’. Conclusions. The 70@70 programme has increased the research profile of the nursing and midwifery professions at a local and national level. International healthcare systems can learn from this, by considering optimal ways to provide nurses and midwives with the tools, resources and confidence to actively contribute to research policy and practice