Diversity management in Australian companies: complicance or conviction?

[Abstract]: The perceptions of managers regarding diversity management in a sample of Australian companies was measured by a Diversity Survey adapted from Gardenswartz & Rowe (1993). The survey measures 277 managers’ perceptions on symptoms of diversity related problems; openness to change of a company; the valuing and management of diversity in the companies; organisational barriers to diversity; individual attitudes towards diversity and organisational practices and policies. The majority of companies are primarily in the monocultural phase of evolution towards diversity sensitive workplace and need to be quicker to implement change initiatives such as diversity management. Companies in the multicultural phase and non-discriminatory stages of evolution are more open to change. Many individual managers indicate that they recognise and value diversity and are eager to redesign policies and practices to more effectively harness diversit

Evaluating heat stress in Australian wheat

The historical effects of heat episodes on Australian wheat crops have not been well researched. A time series model was built using 1922-1994 wheat yields and climate records from a six wheat cropping shires in southern NSW, Australia. The model related yearly crop yields to growing season rainfall and High Degree Hours (HDH). HDH are a measure of damaging temperatures during the reproductive stages. The model was validated against later (1982-2008) climate and yield records. The finding was that wheat crops in south west NSW have historically suffered a yield loss of 15% due to HDH. There was an average 8.4% yield reduction when rainfall was 10% below average and a 5.3% yield reduction for each 1°C rise in average growing season temperature. The times series model results were compared with APSIM simulation predictions produced using the same climate records. Validation against observed yields (1982-2008) indicated the time series model predictions were statistically superior (time series/APSIM: RMSE=14.6/18.9, slope=0.95/0.85, R²=0.82/0.69.) Field and greenhouse experiments were also conducted to establish if six overseas research genotypes were more heat tolerant than four local Australian varieties. The treatments were four days of up to 38°C at anthesis (greenhouse) and normal and late sowing dates in the field at Narrabri. The experiments showed superior yields for some of the overseas germplasm, compared to the local varieties, but the ranking of the varieties varied between testing environments and testing dates. There was a significant (P<0.01) genotype x environment interaction. The experiments that applied heat at anthesis (i.e. greenhouse) resulted in reduced grain numbers while the field experiments, where higher temperatures extended into grain filling, resulted in a reduction in grain weights

Molecular absorption in transition region spectral lines

Aims: We present observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) of absorption features from a multitude of cool atomic and molecular lines within the profiles of Si IV transition region lines. Many of these spectral lines have not previously been detected in solar spectra. Methods: We examined spectra taken from deep exposures of plage on 12 October 2013. We observed unique absorption spectra over a magnetic element which is bright in transition region line emission and the ultraviolet continuum. We compared the absorption spectra with emission spectra that is likely related to fluorescence. Results: The absorption features require a population of sub-5000 K plasma to exist above the transition region. This peculiar stratification is an extreme deviation from the canonical structure of the chromosphere-corona boundary . The cool material is not associated with a filament or discernible coronal rain. This suggests that molecules may form in the upper solar atmosphere on small spatial scales and introduces a new complexity into our understanding of solar thermal structure. It lends credence to previous numerical studies that found evidence for elevated pockets of cool gas in the chromosphere.Comment: accepted by A&A Letter

Ejection of cool plasma into the hot corona

We investigate the processes that lead to the formation, ejection and fall of a confined plasma ejection that was observed in a numerical experiment of the solar corona. By quantifying physical parameters such as mass, velocity, and orientation of the plasma ejection relative to the magnetic field, we provide a description of the nature of this particular phenomenon. The time-dependent three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (3D MHD) equations are solved in a box extending from the chromosphere to the lower corona. The plasma is heated by currents that are induced through field line braiding as a consequence of photospheric motions. Spectra of optically thin emission lines in the extreme ultraviolet range are synthesized, and magnetic field lines are traced over time. Following strong heating just above the chromosphere, the pressure rapidly increases, leading to a hydrodynamic explosion above the upper chromosphere in the low transition region. The explosion drives the plasma, which needs to follow the magnetic field lines. The ejection is then moving more or less ballistically along the loop-like field lines and eventually drops down onto the surface of the Sun. The speed of the ejection is in the range of the sound speed, well below the Alfven velocity. The plasma ejection is basically a hydrodynamic phenomenon, whereas the rise of the heating rate is of magnetic nature. The granular motions in the photosphere lead (by chance) to a strong braiding of the magnetic field lines at the location of the explosion that in turn is causing strong currents which are dissipated. Future studies need to determine if this process is a ubiquitous phenomenon on the Sun on small scales. Data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (AIA/SDO) might provide the relevant information.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

Evidence of continued injecting drug use after attaining sustained treatment-induced clearance of the hepatitis C virus: implications for reinfection

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at the greatest risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, yet are often denied immediate treatment due to fears of on-going risk behaviour. Our principal objective was to examine evidence of continued injecting drug use among PWID following successful treatment for HCV and attainment of a sustained viral response (SVR). Methods: PWID who attained SVR between 1992 and June 2012 were selected from the National Scottish Hepatitis C Clinical Database. Hospitalisation and mortality records were sourced for these patients using record linkage techniques. Our primary outcome variable was any hospitalisation or death, which was indicative of injecting drugs post-SVR. Results: The cohort comprised 1170 PWID (mean age at SVR 39.6y; 76% male). The Kaplan Meier estimate of incurring the primary outcome after three years of SVR was 10.59% (95% CI, 8.75–12.79) After adjusting for confounding, the risk of an injection related hospital episode or death post-SVR was significantly increased with advancing year of SVR: AHR:1.07 per year (95% CI, 1.01–1.14), having a pre-SVR acute alcohol intoxication-related hospital episode: AHR:1.83 (95% CI, 1.29–2.60), and having a pre-SVR opiate or injection-related hospital episode: AHR:2.59 (95% CI, 1.84–3.64). Conclusion: Despite attaining the optimal treatment outcome, these data indicate that an increasing significant minority of PWID continue to inject post-SVR at an intensity which leads to either hospitalisation or death and increased risk of reinfection

Persistent Doppler shift oscillations observed with HINODE/EIS in the solar corona: spectroscopic signatures of Alfvenic waves and recurring upflows

Using data obtained by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) onboard Hinode, we have per- formed a survey of obvious and persistent (without significant damping) Doppler shift oscillations in the corona. We have found mainly two types of oscillations from February to April in 2007. One type is found at loop footpoint regions, with a dominant period around 10 minutes. They are characterized by coherent behavior of all line parameters (line intensity, Doppler shift, line width and profile asymmetry), apparent blue shift and blueward asymmetry throughout almost the en- tire duration. Such oscillations are likely to be signatures of quasi-periodic upflows (small-scale jets, or coronal counterpart of type-II spicules), which may play an important role in the supply of mass and energy to the hot corona. The other type of oscillation is usually associated with the upper part of loops. They are most clearly seen in the Doppler shift of coronal lines with forma- tion temperatures between one and two million degrees. The global wavelets of these oscillations usually peak sharply around a period in the range of 3-6 minutes. No obvious profile asymmetry is found and the variation of the line width is typically very small. The intensity variation is often less than 2%. These oscillations are more likely to be signatures of kink/Alfven waves rather than flows. In a few cases there seems to be a pi/2 phase shift between the intensity and Doppler shift oscillations, which may suggest the presence of slow mode standing waves according to wave theories. However, we demonstrate that such a phase shift could also be produced by loops moving into and out of a spatial pixel as a result of Alfvenic oscillations. In this scenario, the intensity oscillations associated with Alfvenic waves are caused by loop displacement rather than density change.Comment: 9 figures, accepted by Ap

Continuous cough monitoring using ambient sound recording during convalescence from a COPD exacerbation

Purpose Cough is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with frequent exacerbations and increased mortality. Cough increases during acute exacerbations (AE-COPD), representing a possible metric of clinical deterioration. Conventional cough monitors accurately report cough counts over short time periods. We describe a novel monitoring system which we used to record cough continuously for up to 45 days during AE-COPD convalescence. Methods This is a longitudinal, observational study of cough monitoring in AE-COPD patients discharged from a single teaching-hospital. Ambient sound was recorded from two sites in the domestic environment and analysed using novel cough classifier software. For comparison, the validated hybrid HACC/LCM cough monitoring system was used on days 1, 5, 20 and 45. Patients were asked to record symptoms daily using diaries. Results Cough monitoring data were available for 16 subjects with a total of 568 monitored days. Daily cough count fell significantly from mean±SEM 272.7±54.5 on day 1 to 110.9±26.3 on day 9 (p&lt;0.01) before plateauing. The absolute cough count detected by the continuous monitoring system was significantly lower than detected by the hybrid HACC/LCM system but normalised counts strongly correlated (r=0.88, p&lt;0.01) demonstrating an ability to detect trends. Objective cough count and subjective cough scores modestly correlated (r=0.46). Conclusions Cough frequency declines significantly following AE-COPD and the reducing trend can be detected using continuous ambient sound recording and novel cough classifier software. Objective measurement of cough frequency has the potential to enhance our ability to monitor the clinical state in patients with COPD

Exploring disruption through the lens of an adapted Five Senses Framework

This quasi-experimental research design surveyed 688 students through a self-administered online survey to specifically explore relations between student self-assessed capabilities (Lizzio Five Senses, 2006), overall program satisfaction, withdrawal behaviours, demographics and year of study in their university courses during an emergency COVID-19 lockdown experience. Importantly, this research offers a more nuanced view of the Five Senses and confirms their importance as a university strategy for student success. These findings offer further granularity into the complex set of relations that impact decisions around satisfaction, persistence, and capability in higher education and support previous research by Lizzio and Wilson (2008) indicating students’ perceptions of purpose is the strongest predictor of satisfaction, lower anxiety and lower course withdrawal. Ultimately, the paper suggests as higher education looks towards future possible disruptions due to climate, health or political realities, equipping and fostering a strong sense of purpose, connectedness, and resourcefulness as well as sense of capability and academic culture will buffer and support students to persevere. In addition, this research suggests that those students who may have weak associations with these senses merit additional attention

Factors associated with spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Background &amp; Aims: Spontaneous clearance of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (CHC) is rare. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to identify rates and factors associated with spontaneous clearance of CHC. Methods: We defined cases as individuals who spontaneously resolved CHC, and controls as individuals who remained chronically infected. We used data obtained on HCV testing between 1994 and 2013 in the West of Scotland to infer case/control status. Specifically, untreated patients with ⩾2 sequential samples positive for HCV RNA ⩾6 months apart followed by ⩾1 negative test, and those with ⩾2 positive samples ⩾6 months apart with no subsequent negative samples were identified. Control patients were randomly selected from the second group (4/patient of interest). Case notes were reviewed and patient characteristics obtained. Results: 25,113 samples were positive for HCV RNA, relating to 10,318 patients. 50 cases of late spontaneous clearance were identified, contributing 241 person-years follow-up. 2,518 untreated, chronically infected controls were identified, contributing 13,766 person-years follow-up, from whom 200 controls were randomly selected. The incidence rate of spontaneous clearance was 0.36/100 person-years follow-up, occurring after a median 50 months’ infection. Spontaneous clearance was positively associated with female gender, younger age at infection, lower HCV RNA load and co-infection with hepatitis B virus. It was negatively associated with current intravenous drug use. Conclusions: Spontaneous clearance of CHC occurs infrequently but is associated with identifiable host and viral factors. More frequent HCV RNA monitoring may be appropriate in selected patient groups. Lay summary: Clearance of hepatitis C virus infection without treatment occurs rarely once chronic infection has been established. We interrogated a large Scottish patient cohort and found that it was more common in females, patients infected at a younger age or with lower levels of HCV in the blood, and patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus. Patients who injected drugs were less likely to spontaneously clear chronic infection