India poll 2013

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive survey on the attitudes of Indian citizens towards their future in the world. Key issues covered in the poll include: Indian perceptions of India\u27s economic future, India\u27s role in the world, domestic policy priorities, the challenge of corruption, and relations with other countries including China, the United States and Pakistan.The India Poll 2013 is a collaboration between the Lowy Institute for International Policy and the Australia India Institute. Key findings: 74% of Indians are optimistic about the prospects for India\u27s economy 80-85% of Indians see shortages of energy, food and water as big threats to their country\u27s security, while 94% consider Pakistan a threat, and 83% consider China a threat 95% of Indians support the democratic rights of fair trial, free expression and the right to vote 96% of Indians think corruption is holding India bac

India-Australia poll 2013

This survey of Indian public attitudes towards Australia presents some surprising results. It reveals broadly positive views towards Australia, but lingering concerns about student safety. Key issues covered in the poll include: Indian perceptions of Australian governance and society, education in Australia, the Indian media, uranium sales to India, Indian Ocean security, and cricket. The India-Australia Poll is a collaboration between the Lowy Institute for International Policy and the Australia India Institute. Key findings: A 60% majority of Indians think it would be better if India\u27s government and society worked more like Australia. This places Australia roughly equal to Japan and Singapore. Of the 10 countries surveyed only the United States ranked better, at 78%. 75% of Indians view Australia as a good place to be educated, ranking 2nd only after the United States (83%). 62% percent of Indians think Australia remains a dangerous place for Indian student, although 53% say it is safer than it was a few years ago and 64% say any country can be dangerous for Indian students if they are not careful. &nbsp

An exploration of therapy processes within therapeutic interventions for people experiencing psychosis

Psychosis is suggested to be a leading cause of disability, not only as a direct result of the distressing experiences, but due to the social adversity, increased isolation and subsequent negative impact upon quality of life. While psychological therapies for psychosis show promise in assisting people in recovering from psychosis, relatively little is known about the processes involved, specifically the processes worked through to allow clients to understand and adopt strategic, therapeutic approaches to care. This study aimed to explore how people experiencing psychosis made use of understandings and strategies developed during the joint activity of therapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants (six psychologist-client pairs) towards the end of, or recently after, finishing therapy for psychosis. Transcribed interviews were analysed using grounded theory. The model constructed presents multi-directional, dynamic interactions between three core categories; ‘Enabling Personal Empowerment’, ‘Navigating a Collaborative Journey’ and ‘Building Belief to generate Trust’. This study explored how processes are derived during therapy, both individually and collaboratively, to help clients better understand and implement the most beneficial strategies introduced through therapy. Through exploring these derived processes, a possible model for the conceptualisation of processes which occur during therapy for psychosis, grounded in client and psychologist accounts of therapy, was generated

Fixing Australia’s incredible defence policy

Australia’s new government must make tough decisions in defence policy. Australia’s broad national interests and the challenging strategic environment in Indo-Pacific Asia make it essential to modernise the Australian Defence Force. The nation’s defence capabilities remain underfunded and its strategic edge in the region is eroding. The gap between the nation’s interests and capabilities is widening, and it is getting harder to meet the demands of the US alliance. Australia’s new government needs to restore focus and funding to defence.Key findings: The Australian government will need a first-principles review to identify the military strategy and force structure required to protect and advance the nation’s interests. The Australian government must increase defence funding in order to modernise the Australian Defence Force\u27s capabilities. Otherwise it will need to make drastic cuts to planned defence capability. The government must also think deeply about the role of the US alliance in Australia\u27s security, and take the initiative in shaping that alliance in Australia’s interests

Nuclear-armed submarines in Indo-Pacific Asia: stabiliser or menace?

This report examines the implications of sea-based nuclear weapons for strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific. This paper is part of a wider research and outreach project on nuclear stability in a changing Indo-Pacific Asia, supported by a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Key findings India and China, rising powers in the Indo-Pacific, are moving from the test and design phase of sea-based nuclear weapon platforms to active deployment. In the long-term, these new ballistic missile-carrying nuclear submarines could lead to greater strategic stability in the region. But only once systems that ensure their safe and credible operation are put in place. The deployment of these weapons will also exacerbate existing regional tensions over the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and drive the deployment of ballistic missile defence systems and enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities in the region

Responding to Indo-Pacific rivalry: Australia, India and middle power coalitions

In this Analysis, Lowy Institute International Security Program Director Rory Medcalf and Nonresident Fellow C. Raja Mohan argue that Chinese assertiveness and uncertainties about America’s role in Indo-Pacific Asia are causing middle powers to look for alternative approaches to regional security. The Analysis argues that enhanced security cooperation between Indo-Pacific middle powers should be extended to the creation of “middle-power coalitions” in the region. Key findings China’s assertiveness and uncertainties about America’s response are causing middle powers in Indo-Pacific Asia to looking beyond traditional approaches to security Cooperation between Indo-Pacific middle power coalitions would build regional resilience against the vagaries of US-China relations India and Australia are well placed to form the core of middle power coalition buildin

Research and scholarship in a ‘HE in FE’ environment

Academic staff working in higher education environments perform a wide variety of roles which are each integral to their professional identity. A fundamental constituent of this identity is the relative place and value of research and scholarship. The way in which such an identity transpires in a ‘HE in FE’ context is less understood, particularly in cases where academic responsibilities differ from the HE norm. This paper presents a study that details the perceptions and experiences of academic staff in a ‘HE in FE’ context in regards to their engagement in scholarly activity. Forty-four questionnaire respondents detailed both personal and institutional factors that contribute to the practical and philosophical challenges relating to the conduct of research. The value which is placed upon opportunities to engage in scholarly work often appeared unfulfilled; a range of barriers were described which ranged from workload related issues, issues of self-confidence and a perceived lack of institutional support. This study further emphasises the need to facilitate opportunities for research and scholarly activities within a growing segment of the HE marketplace

Searches for Compositeness in LEP

Resonant masses for excited fermions have been searched for by all the LEP collaborations. No signals have been found at LEP I or at 130-140GeV centre of mass energy. Pair produced excited fermions are excluded close to the kinematic limit Ebeam for leptons at the higher energy, and for quarks up to mz / 2. New limits have been set on the couplings required for the single production of excited fermions, up to the corresponding kinematic limit close to 2Ebeam

Functional domains of the influenza A virus PB2 protein:identification of NP- and PB1-binding sites

AbstractInfluenza virus genomic RNA segments are packaged into ribonucleoprotein (RNP) structures by the PB1, PB2, and PA subunits of an RNA polymerase and a single-strand RNA-binding nucleoprotein (NP). Assembly and function of these ribonucleoproteins depend on a complex set of protein–protein and protein–RNA interactions. Here, we identify new functional domains of PB2. We show that PB2 contains two regions that bind NP and also identify a novel PB1 binding site. The regions of PB2 responsible for binding NP and PB1 show considerable overlap, and binding of NP to the PB2 fragments could be outcompeted by PB1. The binding domains of PB2 acted as trans-dominant inhibitors of viral gene expression, and consistent with the in vitro binding data, their inhibitory activity depended on the concentration of wild-type PB2, NP, and PB1. This provides evidence for functionally significant and potentially regulatory interactions between PB2 and NP

In Search of Identity: an Exploration of the Relationship Between Guinness\u27s Advertising and Ireland\u27s Social and Economic Evolution Between 1959 and 1969

This paper analyses the first decade of ads published and broadcast by Guinness in Ireland. The period is 1959 to 1969, a time that marked the start of significant change in Irish society. It is argued here that the messages in the adverts chronicle many of these changes. Seismic shifts in government economic policy coincided with the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Guinness brewery. The ensuing lift in the economy’s fortunes is mirrored in many ads, as are some of the demographic changes, such as rising marriage rates and falling birth rates, and an expanding middle class. The 1960s heralded the launch of RTÉ, thus affording Guinness a more impactful way of reaching Irish audiences. Signs of change in the status of women in Irish society were tentative but this paper argues that some of Guinness’s ads attempted to normalise the participation of women in previously male-dominated scenarios, such as the Irish pub