Identifying factors affecting work-integrated learning opportunities in exercise science and exercise physiology

Support from industry professionals is essential to meet the increasing demand for high-quality work-integrated learning (WIL) that forms a core component of university curriculum in various health professions. This qualitative study used an online survey to investigate the current landscape of exercise science and physiology WIL opportunities in Australia, building from a previous 2013 study. Factors were identified from 76 practicum supervisors that restrict and promote willingness to provide WIL opportunities, with recommendations made on how to better support and engage current and future supervisors. Fifteen factors were identified that influenced supervisor WIL engagement, with four factors reported as ‘promote’, six factors reported as ‘restrict’ and five factors identified as promoting and restricting. Using these findings, recommendations were made around five key issues related to supporting sustainable, engaging future WIL opportunities. An update was also provided on status of recommendations resulting from the 2013 research and remaining areas for action

An analysis of exercise science and exercise physiology work-integrated learning supervision in Australia

Currently, 33 Universities in Australia offer exercise science (ES) and/or exercise physiology (EP) programs linked to Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Within these programs, work-integrated learning (WIL) is a mandated component for all enrolled students. Paramount to successful delivery of WIL is adequate, competent practicum supervision. This, in turn, is essential to evidence-based practice training and development of work-ready ES and EP students. However, while these industry professionals are key leaders in WIL, there is significant variability in supervisory practice, including experience, training and approach to supervision. This research aims to identify characteristics and demographic profile of supervisors in this setting, as well as capture their experience and perceived needs to better support ES and EP students on WIL placement. It builds on previous research, a report published by researchers from four Australian Universities on the state of EP placement supervision across Australia (Sealey et al., 2013). While this research provided a valuable starting point from which to develop evidence-based support, the industry has since changed and grown exponentially. For example, 4,481 students in 2018 alone commencing an ES, EP or combined degree, making collection of such data imperative to forecast industry ability to provide sufficient WIL and areas for expansion. Additionally, earlier studies did not include ES-related WIL, which is a prerequisite and provides foundation clinical WIL for those students progressing to EP. Survey data collected captured both quantitative and qualitative information to gain a broader perspective of the supervision landscape. This information will provide crucial base-line data of the current WIL environment across Australia and enable the development and delivery of targeted support and training for supervisors, and ultimately the students placed under their leadership

Time-layered cultural map of Australia

Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). This paper reports on an Australian project that is developing an online system to deliver researcher-driven national-scale infrastructure for the humanities, focused on mapping, time series, and data integration. Australian scholars and scholars of Australia worldwide are well served with digital resources and tools to deepen the understanding of Australia and its historical and cultural heritage. There are, however, significant barriers to use. The Time Layered Cultural Map of Australia (TLCMap) will provide an umbrella infrastructure related to time and space, helping to activate and draw together existing high-quality resources. TLCMap expands the use of Australian cultural and historical data for research through sharply defined and powerful discovery mechanisms. See https://tlcmap.newcastle.edu.au/

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Career direction or re-direction – The impact of work-integrated learning on exercise & sports science students

Exercise and sports science (E&SS) is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of career outcomes including; strength and conditioning, health promotion and exercise rehabilitation. Universities delivering E&SS programs provide work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities to enable students to integrate theoretical knowledge into the workplace and assist students to make decisions about their future careers. Research in other disciplines indicates influential relationships exist between WIL and career choice. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of WIL experiences on the future career choice of E&SS students and to identify the reasons students would or would not remain at the WIL agency for future employment. An online survey was distributed to final year E&SS students at Federation University Australia who were completing their 80-hour WIL placement. The survey explored WIL experiences and the impact on career aspirations (n=20). Chi-squared analysis showed positive WIL experiences significantly influenced a student to pursue a career in the same field (p=0.049) with WIL agencies playing a leading role in providing an inspiring and supportive atmosphere. However, negative experiences did not discourage students from choosing a career in the same field (p=0.093). Reasons for not pursuing employment within the field were lack of interest in the work and lack of full-time employment. These findings suggest that E&SS students should not be deterred when experiencing a negative WIL placement. Rather, students should use all WIL experiences to assist with decisions on subject choice, future WIL placements and, more importantly, future career options

Carbonate xenoliths hosted by the Mesoproterozoic Siddanpalli Kimberlite Cluster (Eastern Dharwar craton): Implications for the geodynamic evolution of southern India and its diamond and uranium metallogenesis

A number of limestone and metasomatised carbonate xenoliths occur in the 1,090 Ma Siddanpalli kimberlite cluster, Raichur kimberlite Field, Eastern Dharwar craton, southern India. These xenoliths are inferred to have been derived from the carbonate horizons of the Kurnool (Palnad) and Bhima Proterozoic basins and provide evidence for a connection between these basins in the geological past. A revised Mesoproterozoic age is proposed for the Bhima and Kurnool (Palnad) basins based on this kimberlite association and is in agreement with similar proposals made recently for the Chattisgarh and Upper Vindhyan sediments in Central India. The observed Bhima–Kurnool interbasinal uplift may have been caused by: (1) extension- or plume-related mafic alkaline magmatism that included the emplacement of the southern Indian kimberlites at *1.1 Ga, (2) mantle plume-related doming of the peninsular India during the Cretaceous, or (3) Quaternary differential uplift in this region. It is not possible, with the currently available geological information to constrain the exact timing of this uplift. The deep erosion of primary diamond sources in the Raichur kimberlite Field in the upper reaches of the Krishna River caused by this uplift could be the elusive source of the alluvial diamonds of the Krishna valley. Mesoproterozoic sedimentary basins can host world class unconformity-type uranium deposits. In light of its inferred Mesoproterozoic age, a more detailed stratigraphic and metallogenic analysis of the Kurnool basin is suggested for uranium exploration