A Survey of Housing Equity Withdrawal and Injection in Australia

Over the past decade or so, aggregate data suggest a trend increase in housing equity withdrawal in Australia, potentially stimulating household spending. However, there has been little disaggregated information on how equity is being withdrawn and injected, the characteristics of households altering housing equity, and how funds from withdrawn equity are being used. This paper uses a survey of 4 500 households commissioned by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to address these questions. The results suggest that, during 2004, the most common method of withdrawing equity was for a household to increase the level of debt secured against a property they already owned. In contrast, most of the value of equity withdrawn was associated with property transactions, with the typical property transaction resulting in a net equity withdrawal. Turnover in the property market is therefore likely to be an important driver of cycles in aggregate housing equity withdrawal. Bivariate and logit analysis suggests a significant life-cycle influence, with the bulk of equity withdrawal being undertaken by older households, while younger households typically inject, primarily through mortgage repayments or deposits for property purchase. Finally, the results suggest that the bulk of the value of withdrawn equity was used to increase non-housing assets, although a significant proportion of households used the funds for consumption expenditure.housing equity withdrawal; housing turnover; household debt

Cloning, expression, and localization of a rat brain high-affinity glycine transporter

A cDNA clone encoding a glycine transporter has been isolated from rat brain by a combined PCR and plaque-hybridization strategy. mRNA synthesized from this clone (designated GLYT1) directs the expression of sodium-and chloride-dependent, high-affinity uptake of [3H]glycine by Xenopus oocytes. [3H]Glycine transport mediated by clone GLYT1 is blocked by sarcosine but is not blocked by methylaminoisobutyric acid or L-alanine, a substrate specificity similar to that described for a previously identified glycine-uptake system called system Gly. In situ hybridization reveals that GLYT1 is prominently expressed in the cervical spinal cord and brainstem, two regions of the central nervous system where glycine is a putative neurotransmitter. GLYT1 is also strongly expressed in the cerebellum and olfactory bulb and is expressed at lower levels in other brain regions. The open reading frame of the GLYT1 cDNA predicts a protein containing 633 amino acids with a molecular mass of ≈70 kDa. The primary structure and hydropathicity profile of GLYT1 protein reveal that this protein is a member of the sodium- and chloride-dependent superfamily of transporters that utilize neurotransmitters and related substances as substrates

Tracking REDD+ Finance: 2009-2012 - Finance Flows in Seven REDD+ Countries

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). This REDDX report tracks the 2009-2012 flow of REDD+ finance from a variety of donors to seven tropical forest countries for various types of REDD+ activities. It is based on the hard work and dedication of seven teams of national partners and other experts who surveyed donors, government agencies, implementing agencies, NGOs, and consulting firms involved in the management of REDD+ finance in key REDD+ recipient countries

Paris Bordone's Athena Scorning the Advances of Hephaestus

Includes bibliographical reference

Are we there yet? on a journey towards more contextually relevant resources in speech-language therapy and audiology

Audiologists and speech-language therapists working in developing contexts like South Africa have the opportunity to address a range of needs through their research. One of these needs is the development of assessments and therapy materials that are appropriate for their clients’particular language needs and cultural background. This editorial paper aims to introduce original research in speech-language therapy and audiology, which has been carried out in South Africa and other developing contexts and is presented in this volume of the journal. In addition we suggest that while the focus of much research is on the destination or end product that is developed, there is a need to share the methodologies that are used to reach that goal so that more research can be carried out by a wider pool of students, researchers and clinicians. We describe some of the methods that we have used in our research – often in small scale projects with budgetary constraints, which would be feasible for clinicians in their routine clinical contexts. Our hope is that others can build on these approaches, critique and share their own strategies for the ultimate advancement of the professions in southern Africa

Are we there yet? On a journey towards more contextually relevant resources in speech-language therapy and audiology

Audiologists and speech-language therapists working in developing contexts like South Africa have the opportunity to address a range of needs through their research. One of these needs is the development of assessments and therapy materials that are appropriate for their clients’particular language needs and cultural background. This editorial paper aims to introduce original research in speech-language therapy and audiology, which has been carried out in South Africa and other developing contexts and is presented in this volume of the journal. In addition we suggest that while the focus of much research is on the destination or end product that is developed, there is a need to share the methodologies that are used to reach that goal so that more research can be carried out by a wider pool of students, researchers and clinicians. We describe some of the methods that we have used in our research – often in small scale projects with budgetary constraints, which would be feasible for clinicians in their routine clinical contexts. Our hope is that others can build on these approaches, critique and share their own strategies for the ultimate advancement of the professions in southern Africa

States United

The Laurence and Lynne Brown Democracy Medal, presented by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, recognizes outstanding individuals, groups, and organizations that produce innovations to further democracy in the United States or around the world.Elections are the bedrock of any democracy, but they are under attack in the United States. State legislatures are moving to limit voting rights and seize control of election administration, candidates are refusing to accept election results, and antidemocracy forces are sowing lies and encouraging political violence.The States United Democracy Center is fighting back by equipping state and local officials, law enforcement leaders, and prodemocracy partners with the tools and resources they need to protect free, fair, and secure elections. For this important work, its cofounders are the recipients of the 2022 Brown Democracy Medal. States United was founded during the 2020 election and continues to be led by Joanna Lydgate, former chief deputy attorney general of Massachusetts; Norman Eisen, former ambassador to the Czech Republic and special assistant to President Barack Obama for ethics and government reform; and Christine Todd Whitman, former New Jersey governor and Environmental Protection Agency administrator

Effect of a fat spread enriched with medium-chain triacylglycerols and a special fatty acid-micronutrient combination on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight patients with diabetes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3-PUFA) and micronutrients may be useful for weight and cardiometabolic risk management. However, studies analyzing the effect of a combination of both in individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk are lacking. Therefore, this randomized, controlled, double-blind study investigated the effect of a fat spread enriched with two different doses of MCT and a special long-chain fatty acid-micronutrient combination on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight diabetic patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-four patients received either a fat spread with 6 g/d MCT (MCT30%) or 1.2 g/d (MCT6%). Forty-three completed the study. Analysis was performed according to the median of MCT intake (supplemented and food-derived MCT). Clinical, anthropometric, blood, 24 h-urine parameters and dietary intake were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Total MCT intake > 7 g/d (MCT > 7 group) significantly reduced waist circumference (WC) by 1.81 ± 2.69 cm, whereas ≤ 7 g/d MCT (MCT ≤ 7 group) increased WC by 0.32 ± 3.03 cm (p = 0.027), which was supported by a change in waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (p = 0.018). Fasting serum triglycerides (TG) increased in both groups over time due to dietary habits. In contrast, diabetic metabolic situation and urinary albumin excretion did not alter. Urinary pH differed significantly between groups after 12 weeks.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>An intake of >7 g/d MCT reduced WC in overweight diabetics, whereas the increase in the intake of fatty acids may have worsened fasting TG. Therefore, the suitability of a fat for nutrient enrichment remains to be challenged, and further studies in low-fat matrices are desirable.</p

Metformin as a Therapeutic Target in Endometrial Cancers.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. Its increasing incidence is thought to be related in part to the rise of metabolic syndrome, which has been shown to be a risk factor for the development of hyperestrogenic and hyperinsulinemic states. This has consequently lead to an increase in other hormone-responsive cancers as well e.g., breast and ovarian cancer. The correlation between obesity, hyperglycemia, and endometrial cancer has highlighted the important role of metabolism in cancer establishment and persistence. Tumor-mediated reprogramming of the microenvironment and macroenvironment can range from induction of cytokines and growth factors to stimulation of surrounding stromal cells to produce energy-rich catabolites, fueling the growth, and survival of cancer cells. Such mechanisms raise the prospect of the metabolic microenvironment itself as a viable target for treatment of malignancies. Metformin is a biguanide drug that is a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes that has beneficial effects on various markers of the metabolic syndrome. Many studies suggest that metformin shows potential as an adjuvant treatment for uterine and other cancers. Here, we review the evidence for metformin as a treatment for cancers of the endometrium. We discuss the available clinical data and the molecular mechanisms by which it may exert its effects, with a focus on how it may alter the tumor microenvironment. The pleiotropic effects of metformin on cellular energy production and usage as well as intercellular and hormone-based interactions make it a promising candidate for reprogramming of the cancer ecosystem. This, along with other treatments aimed at targeting tumor metabolic pathways, may lead to novel treatment strategies for endometrial cancer

Four activities to promote student engagement with referencing skills

Teaching academic writing skills in a way that engages students in deep learning is difficult and there is a risk of encouraging surface learning approaches. Moreover, linking the experience of the research process to understanding the provenance of research studies is difficult for students as they tend to experience research, referencing, citing, and related areas in disparate and unconnected ways. We report our initial experiences of designing a series of four mutually supportive tutorial activities that are based on the principles of scaffolding, social interaction, and experiential learning. The aim was to help students identify suitable research material that could be used as evidence in assignments and to promote their understanding of how evidence can be used effectively, through referencing, when writing reports and essays