Facing Asia: A History of the Colombo Plan

‘No nation can escape its geography’, warned Percy Spender, Australia’s Minister for External Affairs, in 1950. With the immediate turmoil of World War II over, communism and decolonisation had ended any possibility that Asia could continue to be ignored by Australia. In the early 1950s, Australia embarked on its most ambitious attempt to engage with Asia: the Colombo Plan. This book examines the public and private agendas behind Australia’s foreign aid diplomacy and reveals the strategic, political and cultural aims that drove the Colombo Plan. It examines the legacy of WWII, how foreign aid was seen as crucial to achieving regional security, how the plan was sold to Australian and Asian audiences, and the changing nature of Australia’s relationship with Britain and the United States. Above all this is the question of how Australia sought to project itself into the region, and how Asia was introduced into the Australian consciousness. In answering these questions, this book tells the story of how an insular society, deeply scarred by the turbulence of war, chose to face its regional future

15 Years of Fire and Fire Surrogate Treatment Effects on Understory Vegetation in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Decades of fire exclusion in the Southern Appalachian region have caused the forests to convert from open woodlands to closed canopy mesic forests with sparse understories. The main objectives of this study were 1) to assess the effects of four fuel reduction methods (burned [B], mechanical fuel treatment [M], mechanical treatment + burned [MB], and control [C]) on understory vegetative functional groups from 2001-2016; and 2) to investigate understory community-level responses after 15 years of treatment effects. In response to the first objective, oak species had significant increases in MB and B, relative to other treatments. However, mesic hardwood species had comparably significant increases in B, driven by red maple. Similarly, shrub species had significant increases in M, driven by mountain laurel and great rhododendron. Conversely, forb and graminoid species had non-significant increases in cover among all treatments. In response to the second objective, vegetation patterns seemed to overlap with respect to treatment type, suggesting little separation in understory community. However, some clusters from the hierarchical cluster analysis showed divergent communities from C treatments, particularly for shrubs and herbaceous species. In response to the third objective, select herbaceous species indicate changes in understory abiotic conditions, suggesting reversal from mesic conditions. Additionally, these findings suggest the M may not serve as a surrogate for B treatments over 15 years. MB treatments, however, are providing sufficient abiotic conditions conducive to understory oak, pine, and herbaceous species regeneration. Overall, these fire and fire surrogates (FFS) (B, M, MB and C) suggest a slow response in understory vegetation

Evidences of a new civics course as found in the junior high schools of Massachusetts.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

Gender, cultural influences, and coping with musculoskeleta pain at work

Purpose Workers with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) often continue to work despite their condition. Understanding the factors that enable them to remain at work provides insights into the development of appropriate workplace accommodations. This qualitative study aims to explore the strategies utilised by female Malaysian office workers with MSP to maintain productive employment. Methods A qualitative approach using thematic analysis was used. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 female Malaysian office workers with MSP. Initial codes were identified and refined through iterative discussion to further develop the emerging codes and modify the coding framework. A further stage of coding was undertaken to eliminate redundant codes and establish analytic connections between distinct themes. Results Two major themes were identified: managing the demands of work and maintaining employment with persistent musculoskeletal pain. Participants reported developing strategies to assist them to remain at work, but most focused on individually initiated adaptations or peer support, rather than systemic changes to work systems or practices. A combination of the patriarchal and hierarchical cultural occupational context emerged as a critical factor in the finding of individual or peer based adaptations rather than organizational accommodations. Conclusions It is recommended that supervisors be educated in the benefits of maintaining and retaining employees with MSP, and encouraged to challenge cultural norms and develop appropriate flexible workplace accommodations through consultation and negotiation with these workers

Working with Persistent Pain: An Exploration of Strategies Utilised to Stay Productive at Work

Purpose: Maintaining productive employment for people with persistent pain conditions is challenging. This study aims to explore supports—work and non-work— used by employees to assist them in maintaining productive employment. Methods: An exploratory, mixed-methods study comprising a questionnaire battery followed by semi-structured interviews to collect in-depth qualitative data was undertaken. The questionnaires measured descriptive variables used to select participants for interviews based on maximum heterogeneity sampling. Thirty-five semi-structured interviews were undertaken (14 males; 21 females). The interview schedule covered: employment situation, workplace challenges, workplace supports, coping strategies, motivations, future employment options and any other resources utilised. Inductive content analysis was undertaken using a grounded theory approach to systematically explore the data. Results: Three key themes were identified: barriers to working productively, enablers to working productively, disclosing my condition at work. A key determinant of maintaining productive employment was a supportive employer. In addition, flexibility in the work organisation was also pivotal in maintaining sustainable, productive employment. An important issue emerged with regard to disclosure of one’s condition to an employer. For some, this was a significant barrier to employment. Conclusions: To ensure sustainable employment is attainable for those with persistent pain conditions, a good match is required between an employee and their work. Workplace accommodations may assist with improving job fit but this requires disclosure of a condition to an employer. Weighing up the risks and benefits of disclosure is difficult, and may be assisted by knowledge of available supports to assist with maintaining ongoing employment

CROSS-EDUCATION EFFECT OBSERVED IN VOLUIUTARY AND ELECTROMYOSTIMULATION STRENGTH TRAINING

This study investigated the effects of four weeks of unilateral electromyostimulation(EMS) versus isometric strength training(lM), on knee extension strength of contralateral limb in previously untrained young adults. Subjects performed (IM, n=10) or evoked (EMS, n=10) 40 isometric knee extensions, at an intensity of 65% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force, three times per week, for four weeks. Pre and post training, both legs were tested for maximum voluntary strength on an isokinetic dynamometer, at 0 degls (isometric), 60 and 180 degls velocities. The results showed that the EMS and IM training had a similar effect in strength improvement in these subjects. Both types of training induced significant cross-education effect on isometric MVC of the untrained limb, but not in isokinetic torque. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon require further study

Management of triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancer cases. TNBC is an immunohistochemically defined subtype, with significant diversity within the subtype. Generally TNBC occurs in younger women and is marked by high rates of relapse, visceral and CNS metastases, and early death. Current therapy fails to curtail the innate aggressive behaviour of TNBC in the majority of patients. The poor prognosis coupled with a lack of targeted use of therapies is reflected in the high mortality. In a minority of patients with highly chemosensitive disease, no robust clinical evidence exists to guide use of current cytotoxics. Critical to optimal future management are accurate identification of truly triple negative disease and adequately powered prospective TNBC trials to establish treatment efficacy and define predictive biomarkers

Momma's gotta' let go: A character-driven analysis of the mother archetype in musical theatre

A focus on character-specific research in musical theatre has often formed a peripheral focus of many scholars. Within this thesis, I aim to explore how a specific character archetype can be explored through its relationship to pertinent social and psychological discourse. For the purpose of this thesis, Rose from Gypsy will form a core example upon which discussions of behaviour, identity, dependence and gender will be discussed. I aim to build upon this by cross-examining the behavioural patterns presented by Effie in Dreamgirls and explore how identity and the relationship with pregnancy influence her dramatic actions. Social issues surrounding race and gender will be discussed with regards to the two previous examples as well as the cultural implications and impacts of war in the narratives of South Pacific and Miss Saigon. A broader discussion of the theatrical and performative conventions relating to motherhood will inform a consideration of how social and psychological patterns impact the dramatic developments of mothers in musical theatre

A human factors study of shuttle/space station cargo handling techniques Final report

Human factors study of IVA cargo transfer from shuttle to space statio