Evaluation of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure's Bike to Work Breakfast 2005

The Metropolitan Transport Strategy (1995) proposed moving from a transport system which was dominated by low occupancy car use, to a more balanced transport system of public transport and non-motorised transport options. Creating this change requires initiatives that create critical mass awareness, in work organisations and the community. The Bike to Work Breakfast is an example of such an initiative. This year it was held on Friday 11 March, 2005 and aimed to increase awareness of, and promote cycling as an alternative mode of transport to and from work. A free healthy breakfast was provided to everyone who cycled on the day. A total of 1232 participants who attended the 2005 Bike to Work Breakfast completed questionnaires. The majority of respondents were male (69%, n=845). The age of respondents varied, with the most common age group being 31-40 years (29%, n=353) followed by 41-50 years (26%, n=324). Respondents cited a number of different reasons for cycling. The majority indicated improved fitness (84%, n=1035) and enjoyment (63%, n=777) as the main reasons for cycling. Almost half of respondents (43%, n=535) cycled on a daily basis whilst a further 42% (n=524) reported cycling 2-3 times per week. Fifty three percent of respondents (n=5595) lived less than 13 kilometres from work and almost one quarter (24%, n=266) lived less than eight kilometres from their workplace. Respondents suggested they would ride to work more often if there were showers at work (34%, n=422), more on road facilities (29%, n=360) and lockers at work (24%, n=293). Of the 1232 participants who completed questionnaires, sixty eight percent (n=843) had attended the Bike to Work Breakfast previously

Thermal and Solution Stability of Lysozyme in the Presence of Sucrose, Glucose, and Trehalose

The effect of the sugars sucrose, glucose, and trehalose on the structural and colloidal stability of lysozyme has been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and quasi-elastic light scattering, respectively. While sugars are known to increase the temperature at which thermal denaturation of protein occurs, it is not clear if, under the same solution conditions, greater colloidal stability is achieved. The measurements were carried out on lysozyme in three different buffer solutions, 0.05 M sodium acetate (pH 4.6), 0.05 M sodium acetate with 5% (w/v) NaCl, and 10 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.0). The results show that enhancement of structural stability in the presence of sugars is pH, salt concentration, and sugar dependent. Enhancement of colloidal stability in the presence of sugars, while also pH and salt concentration dependent, as expected, only correlates with increases in the structural stability when the solution behavior is not dominated by highly stabilizing electrostatic repulsive interactions

Evaluation of an alternative transport initiative in Perth, Western Australia 2000-2004

Issue addressed: Perth Western Australia, has the highest proportion of per capita car ownership in Australia. Despite the various health, environmental and traffic-related benefits, the uptake of alternative forms of transportation such as walking, cycling and public transport are low.Methods: In response to a growing reliance on motorised transport, the Department for Planning and Infrastructure's (DPI's) Cycling Unit conducts an annual Bike to Work Breakfast to promote cycling as a viable form of transport to work. During this event a short cross sectional survey is distributed to assess the usual cycling behaviours of attendees. Topical issues relating to cycling are also investigated.Results: Results from the 2004 survey indicated that the majority of respondents cycled at least 2-3 times per week (85%) to improve fitness (88%), for enjoyment (70%) and because it was a cost effective means of transport (45%). Most of the respondents (92%) supported the need for more cycle friendly infrastructure such as advanced stop lines at intersections and safety measures such as wearing cycle helmets (85%). These findings were consistent with results from similar surveys conducted between 2000 and 2003.Conclusions: The DPI's Bike to Work Breakfast is a popular event within the cycling calendar that provides the opportunity to gain a snapshot of cycling behaviours and attitudes of cyclists. Prior consultation with the evaluators in the developed of the survey instrument has the potential to investigate barriers and enablers to cycling on a regular basis. Age and gender differences could also be explored

Enhancing activity, nutrition and mental health in overweight adolescents Stage 1 - Formative Research

This report discusses Stage 1 of the 'Curtin Activity, Food and Attitudes Program' (CAFAP). As a part of this research program, a tertiary hospital adolescent obesity intervention was adapted and piloted it in a community setting with clinically obese adolescents and their families. The first stage of the project refined the program and its evaluation framework based on individual, family and community enablers and barriers. This report will present the outcomes of Stage 1. It will examine the experiences of participants and discuss the understanding gained of what would encourage potential participants to become involved in CAFAP if it was available to them in their community

Understanding Seafood Consumption and Healthy Living Practices Report 2010

This report documents the findings of a small cross-sectional survey conducted from November 6 - 9th 2010. The survey was administered to 48 people via random interception at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Respondents were asked to complete demographic information, consumption and perception of seafood to other proteins (chicken, pork, lamb and beef), what types of seafood consumed in the past week and the preparation methods used. Respondents were also asked whether they participated in physical activities and what barriers they had to recreational fishing. Although the sample size was small, this study provided validation to the survey instrument used. Reliability will now be assessed and the survey modified accordingly for use in a larger study to be conducted through CESSH. The study has also provided some direction for further work within a community based model of behaviour change communication

Phase Behavior of DPPC in a DNA-Calcium-Zwitterionic Lipid Complex Studied by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

In the presence of DNA and calcium, multilamellar liposomes of DPPC when in excess form complexes in which two distinct lamellar lipid phases coexist. The structure and phase behavior of both of these have been investigated using high-resolution small-angle X-ray scattering. The coexisting lipid phases exist within the same precipitated condensate with the phase behavior of the unbound lipid being affected by the complexed lipid phase. While the thermotropic phase transitions of the uncomplexed lipid from Lβ‘-Pβ‘-Lα occur as expected, the transitions of the bound lipid are substantially altered. This is manifested as an increase in the main transition temperature, Tm, of the bound lipid, which has been observed before (Tarahovsky, Y. S.; Khusainova, R. S.; Gorelov, A. V.; Nicolaeva, T. I.; Deev, A. A.; Dawson, K. A.; Ivanitsky, G. R. FEBS Lett. 1996, 390, 133. Kharakoz, D. P.; Khusainova, R. S.; Gorelov, A. V.; Dawson, K. A. FEBS Lett. 1999, 446, 27). However, we also observe an apparent disappearance of the ripple phase (Pβ‘) with increasing calcium concentration in the bound lipid phase. In addition we are in a position to comment on the mechanism of formation for complexes prepared in this way

English degree modifiers: a diachronic corpus-based study of the maximizer class

The study of degree modifiers (cf. ‘intensifiers’, Quirk et al. 1985; Allerton 1987; Bolinger 1972) has been a popular topic in English historical linguistics. This is largely due to their markedly emotional function, giving rise to frequent ‘renewal’ (Hopper & Traugott 1993, 2003) for reasons of expressivity (cf. e.g. Klein 1998). However, the vast majority of the previous research focuses on one specific type, i.e. ‘boosters’ (e.g. very, really), cf. Peters 1992, 1994; Lorenz 2002; Méndez-Naya 2003, 2006, 2007. In comparison, other sub-categories distinguished in standard grammars of English (Quirk et al. 1985; Huddleston & Pullum 2002) have received little attention. This thesis begins to address this gap in the literature, by focusing on one of the neglected sub-categories, viz. maximizers (e.g. absolutely, completely). Specifically, two main research aims are addressed: the initial one being to provide individual comprehensive accounts of the development of seven selected maximizers (viz. absolutely, completely, entirely, perfectly, quite, totally and utterly), and a secondary one, through extrapolation of the results of the individual analyses, being to investigate the diachronic characteristics of the English maximizer sub-class of degree modifier as a whole. Following a survey of the various definitions and classifications of degree modifiers in the literature and of previous diachronic studies on other varieties (including details of the historical process of grammaticalization typically involved), the study takes a corpus-based, diachronic approach to the analysis of the maximizer variety, using data from Middle English up until the present day. In accordance with the initial aim, a series of case studies document the findings of the analyses of the seven adverbs, elucidating their emergence and their subsequent development, taking account not only of their maximizer uses, but also of any other functions available to them throughout their history. By way of addressing the secondary aim, the findings of the individual analyses are then compared in order to present conclusions about the English maximizer class overall. On a more general level, the study also highlights important terminological issues arising from the case studies in connection to the distinction between maximizers and emphasizers and the validity of the maximizer class as currently described in the literature (cf. e.g. Allerton 1987 and Paradis 1997, and standard grammars such as Quirk et al. 1985 and Huddleston & Pullum 2002). It also offers several contributions to general discussions of language change and theorising in diachronic linguistics, e.g. concerning the debate on whether it is reanalysis or analogy that is the driving force of grammaticalization processes (cf. Harris & Campbell 1995, Newmeyer 1998, Haspelmath 1998, Fischer 2007, 2008) and regarding the nature of the conceptualization of developmental pathways (cf. Vandewinkel & Davidse 2008)

Community intervention to increase seafood consumption (CIISC)

In summary, this report describes a whole of community intervention aimed at increasing consumption of seafood. The health benefits of seafood were reviewed and a suit of communication materials developed including: primary and secondary education models. vocational eductaion materials, resources for general practitioners and point of sale materials. Evaluation of project outcomes revealed an increase in seafood consumption during and one month after the intervention period

'Excessive drinking - An inescapable part of university life?' A focus group study of Australian undergraduates

The university environment reinforces positive alcohol-related expectations and motivations for drinking among undergraduate students. High levels of hazardous consumption in this population lead to significant negative alcohol-related consequences, for individuals and those around them. This study sought to explore the contexts in which those who engage in hazardous drinking consume alcohol, their perceptions of safety and harm, and receptivity to health messages. Undergraduate university students (n = 69; aged 17 - 24 of both genders [57% female]) were purposively recruited into one of seven focus groups after screening with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to select for hazardous drinking (score, >8) or moderate drinking. A focus group interview schedule was developed, which was informed by theory and tested for validity by a panel of experts.Qualitative analysis of the data revealed four thematic clusters: positive expectations; inescapable culture; defining situations; and permissible drunkenness. Drinking was associated with various personal and social advantages that reinforced participants’ intentions and/or willingness to drink. Alcohol played a meaningful role in the way in which participants identified with youth and university culture. Economical drinking was prominent, with students constantly negotiating pathways to intoxication within the confines of their budgets. Heavy drinking was viewed as permissible when in the home environment and/or in the company of trusted friends. Most students were unreceptive to health messages, and advice on restricting alcohol consumption seemed to have limited impact on drinking behaviour. Our findings clarify why some university students maintain or increase drinking behaviour despite known negative out- comes and offer useful insights to inform further research and the development of alcohol interventions specifically targeted at students