Minerva Elements Records
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ItemThriving or surviving: Artists as leaders of smaller arts organizations(Tilde University Press, 2013)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableCorrection: Does Malaria Affect Placental Development? Evidence from In Vitro Models(Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2013)
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ItemDead Europe and the Coming of Age in Australian Literature: Globalisation, Cosmopolitanism and Perversity(Australian National University, 2013)This essay uses Christos Tsiolkas’ 2005 novel, Dead Europe, to re-examine the traditional binary established between old Europe and new Australia. The definition of cosmopolitanism put forward by Tsiolkas takes into account charges of Eurocentricity laid against the concept itself, as well as reflecting on the ways in which cosmopolitanism changes given the accelerated processes of twenty-first century globalisation. In Dead Europe, Tsiolkas links Australia to a pan-European history, bringing national borders into question and broadening notions of Australian identity. I argue that Tsiolkas’ novel is a key example of a recent coming of age in Australian literature - the shift away from Australian national identity as inward-facing, naïve and rural-based, towards a more mature, urban, outward-facing understanding of Australians as culpable participants in global culture.
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePrevalence and risk factors for symptoms of common mental disorders in early and late pregnancy in Vietnamese women: A prospective population-based study(Elsevier, 2013-04-05)BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of and risk factors for common mental disorders (CMD) in pregnant women in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of and psychosocial risk factors for clinically significant symptoms of CMD in early and late pregnancy in women in rural Viet Nam. METHODS: A population-based sample of women was surveyed in early and late pregnancy. CMD were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Viet Nam Validation and psychosocial risks by study-specific structured interviews. RESULTS: In total 497/523 (97%) eligible women were recruited and 419 (84%) provided complete data. Prevalence of CMD only in early pregnancy was 22.4% (95% CI 18.4-26.4); only in late pregnancy was 10.7% (95% CI 7.8-13.7) and at both assessment waves was 17.4% (95% CI 13.8-21.1). Non-economic and economic coincidental life adversity, intimate partner violence, past pregnancy loss, and childhood abuse were positively associated with persistent antenatal CMD. Older age, having a preference for the baby's sex, and nulli- or primiparity were risk factors for CMD in early pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent antenatal CMD are prevalent in rural areas of Viet Nam. Psychosocial risk factors play a major role in this significant public health problem.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableIntimate partner violence and perinatal common mental disorders among women in rural Vietnam(Oxford University Press, 2013-03-01)INTRODUCTION: Intimate partner violence against women (IPV) is regarded increasingly as a public health problem worldwide. The overall aim of this study was to examine the associations between different exposures to IPV and women's mental health during pregnancy and after childbirth in rural Vietnam. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data generated in a community-based longitudinal investigation in which a cohort of pregnant women were recruited and followed until 6 months after childbirth. Different forms of IPV were measured by the Intimate Partner Violence section of the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence Against Women questionnaire. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Vietnam Validation was used to assess symptoms of the common perinatal mental disorders of depression and anxiety (CPMD). RESULTS: Overall, 497 women were recruited and complete data were available from 417 (83.9%). Exposure to either lifetime or perinatal IPV including emotional abuse, physical violence and sexual violence was associated with increased CPMD symptoms (adjusted odds ratio, OR, ranges 1.3-14.3) and suicidal thoughts (OR ranges 4.7-6.1) in women during pregnancy and after childbirth. Experiencing more than one form of IPV increased the magnitude of the association between IPV and CPMD symptoms and thoughts of suicide. CONCLUSION: It is clearly essential in this and other resource-constrained settings to address emotional, physical and sexual violence perpetrated by an intimate partner in any strategies to reduce the risk of perinatal mental health problems in women.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableEffects of Daily Iron Supplementation in 2- to 5-Year-Old Children: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013-04-01)BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common cause of anemia worldwide. The prevalence is highest among preschool-aged children. Iron is widely administered to children with or at risk for ID, but evidence of benefit among 2- to 5-year-old children has not been evaluated by systematic review. We summarize the evidence for the benefit and safety of daily iron supplementation with regard to hematologic, growth, and cognitive parameters in 2 to 5 year olds. METHODS: Electronic databases, regional databases, thesis repositories, gray literature, and references of studies and previous reviews were searched. We included randomized controlled trials that compared daily oral iron supplementation with control in 2 to 5 year olds. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to synthesize predefined outcomes reported by at least 2 studies. RESULTS: Of 9169 references, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria, none of which were at low risk of bias. Children receiving iron supplementation had a mean end point hemoglobin of 6.97 g/L (P < .00001; I(2) = 82%) greater than controls, whereas mean end point ferritin was 11.64 µg/L (P < .0001; I(2) = 48%) greater. No trials reported the effects of iron supplementation on ID or iron deficiency anemia, and only one reported on anemia. Limited evidence suggested that iron supplementation produced a small improvement in cognitive development but had no effect on physical growth. CONCLUSIONS: In 2 to 5 year olds, daily iron supplementation increases hemoglobin and ferritin. There is a concerning lack of data on the effect of iron supplementation on clinically important outcomes including anemia, ID anemia, ID, and cognitive development. Additional interventional studies in this age group are needed.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableLow Risk of Japanese Encephalitis in Short-Term Australian Travelers to Asia(WILEY-BLACKWELL, 2013)The risk of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in travelers is unknown. In this prospective study, we investigated the incidence of JE in 387 short-term Australian travelers visiting Asia over a 32-month period from August 2007 to February 2010 by performing pre- and post-travel antibody testing. No travelers were infected with JE virus during travel, indicating a low risk of infection for short-term travelers.
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ItemEffects of daily iron supplementation in primary-school-aged children: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials(CMA-CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOC, 2013-11-19)BACKGROUND: Anemia is an important public health and clinical problem. Observational studies have linked iron deficiency and anemia in children with many poor outcomes, including impaired cognitive development; however, iron supplementation, a widely used preventive and therapeutic strategy, is associated with adverse effects. Primary-school-aged children are at a critical stage in intellectual development, and optimization of their cognitive performance could have long-lasting individual and population benefits. In this study, we summarize the evidence for the benefits and safety of daily iron supplementation in primary-school-aged children. METHODS: We searched electronic databases (including MEDLINE and Embase) and other sources (July 2013) for randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials involving daily iron supplementation in children aged 5-12 years. We combined the data using random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We identified 16 501 studies; of these, we evaluated 76 full-text papers and included 32 studies including 7089 children. Of the included studies, 31 were conducted in low- or middle-income settings. Iron supplementation improved global cognitive scores (standardized mean difference 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11 to 0.90, p = 0.01), intelligence quotient among anemic children (mean difference 4.55, 95% CI 0.16 to 8.94, p = 0.04) and measures of attention and concentration. Iron supplementation also improved age-adjusted height among all children and age-adjusted weight among anemic children. Iron supplementation reduced the risk of anemia by 50% and the risk of iron deficiency by 79%. Adherence in the trial settings was generally high. Safety data were limited. INTERPRETATION: Our analysis suggests that iron supplementation safely improves hematologic and nonhematologic outcomes among primary-school-aged children in low- or middle-income settings and is well-tolerated.
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ItemPlagued: TB and Me(Digital Global Mail, 2013-06-12)The greatest infectious killer in human history is making a comeback, morphing into new drug-resistant forms. While it is largely forgotten in wealthy nations, millions of people a year get sick from tuberculosis. Jo Chandler, to her surprise, is one of them.
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ItemExcessive alcohol use and its association with risky sexual behaviour: a cross-sectional analysis of data from Victorian secondary school students(WILEY, 2013-02)OBJECTIVE: Estimate the prevalence of sexual behaviour and alcohol use and examine the association between excessive alcohol use and risky sexual behaviour in late secondary students in Victoria, Australia. METHOD: The sample of Year 11 students from government and independent schools participating in the 2008 International Youth Development Study (n=450) was representative of the Victorian school population. Logistic regression analyses examined the associations between sexual behaviour, binge and compulsive drinking, adjusting for socio-demographic, school and family factors. RESULTS: Under half (44%) the students had experienced sex in the past year, half (50%) had engaged in binge drinking in the past two weeks and 26% reported compulsive drinking in the past year. Of those who reported sex in the past year (n=197), 34% had sex without a condom at the last sexual encounter and 28% later regretted sex due to alcohol. The likelihood of experiencing sex was increased by binge (OR=2.44, 95%CI 1.44-4.12) and compulsive drinking (OR=2.15, 95%CI 1.29-3.60). For those sexually active, binge drinking increased the risk of having three or more sexual partners (OR=3.37, 95%CI 1.11-10.26) and compulsive drinking increased the likelihood of regretted sex due to alcohol (OR=4.43, 95%CI 2.10-9.31). Excessive drinking was not associated with condom non-use. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Risky sex - multiple sexual partners and regretted sex due to alcohol - and excessive drinking are highly prevalent and co-associated among Victorian late secondary students.