University of South Australia

About: University of South Australia is a education organization based out in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 10086 authors who have published 32587 publications receiving 913683 citations. The organization is also known as: The University of South Australia & UniSA.

Chemistry of chromium in soils with emphasis on tannery waste sites.

Abstract: Worldwide chromium contamination of soils has arisen predominantly from the common practice of land-based disposal of tannery wastes under the assumption that the dominant species in the tannery waste would be the thermodynamically stable Cr(III) species. However, significant levels of toxic Cr(VI) recently detected in surface water and groundwater in India, China, Australia, and elsewhere raise critical questions relating to current disposal criteria for Cr-containing wastes. It now appears that despite the thermodynamic stability of Cr(III), the presence of certain naturally occurring minerals, especially Mn oxides, can enhance oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) in the soil environment. This factor is of public concern because at high pH, Cr(VI) is bioavailable, and it is this form that is highly mobile and therefore poses the greatest risk of groundwater contamination.

Comparison of three bioelectrical impedance methods with DXA in overweight and obese men.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To compare bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) of body composition using three different methods against DXA in overweight and obese men. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Forty-three healthy overweight or obese men (ages 25 to 60 years; BMI, 28 to 43 kg/m(2)) underwent BIA assessment of body composition using the ImpediMed SFB7 (version 6; ImpediMed, Ltd., Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, Australia) in multifrequency mode (Imp-MF) and DF50 single-frequency mode (Imp-SF) and the Tanita UltimateScale (Tanita Corp., Tokyo, Japan). Validity was assessed by comparison against DXA using linear regression and limits of agreement analysis. RESULTS All three BIA methods showed good relative agreement with DXA [Imp-MF: fat mass (FM), r(2) = 0.81; fat-free mass (FFM), r(2) = 0.81; percentage body fat (BF%), r(2) = 0.69; Imp-SF: FM, r(2) = 0.65; FFM, r(2) = 0.76; BF%, r(2) = 0.40; Tanita: BF%, r(2) = 0.44; all p < 0.001]. Absolute agreement between DXA and Imp-MF was poor, as indicated by a large bias and wide limits of agreement (bias, +/-1.96 standard deviation; FM, -6.6 +/- 7.7 kg; FFM, 8.0 +/- 7.1 kg; BF%, -7.0 +/- 6.6%). Imp-SF and Tanita exhibited a smaller bias but wide limits of agreement (Imp-SF: FM, -1.1 +/- 8.5 kg; FFM, 2.5 +/- 7.9 kg; BF%, -1.7 +/- 7.3%; Tanita: BF%, 1.2 +/- 9.5%). DISCUSSION Compared with DXA, Imp-MF produced large bias and wide limits of agreement, and its accuracy estimating body composition in overweight or obese men was poor. Imp-SF and Tanita demonstrated little bias and may be useful for group comparisons, but their utility for assessment of body composition in individuals is limited.

Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with walking and cycling for transport among adult residents of 17 cities in 12 countries: the IPEN study

Abstract: IntroductionPrevalence of walking and cycling for transport is low and varies greatly across countries. Few studies have examined neighborhood perceptions related to walking and cycling for transpo...

On Objectives of Instructional Laboratories, Individual Assessment, and Use of Collaborative Remote Laboratories

Abstract: Three key issues should be addressed to enable universities to deliver engineers who have a solid documented laboratory experience enabling them to design goods and services complying with the requirements of a sustainable society. First, introduce learning objectives of engineering instructional laboratories in courses including laboratory components. Second, implement individual student assessment. Third, introduce free access to online experimental resources as a supplement to the equipment in traditional laboratories. Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Sweden and the University of South Australia (UniSA) have created online laboratory workbenches for electrical experiments that mimic traditional ones by combining virtual and physical reality. Online workbenches not only supplement traditional ones, but they can also be used for low-cost individual assessment. BTH has started a project disseminating the BTH workbench concept, The Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR) Open Laboratory Platform, and invites other universities to set up replicas and participate in further development and standardization. Further, online workbenches offer additional learning possibilities. UniSA has started a project where students located in different countries can perform experiments together as a way to enhance the participants' intercultural competence. This paper discusses online laboratory workbenches and their role in an engineering education appropriate for a sustainable society.

A Very Low-Carbohydrate, Low–Saturated Fat Diet for Type 2 Diabetes Management: A Randomized Trial

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To comprehensively compare the effects of a very low carbohydrate, high unsaturated/low saturated fat diet (LC) to a high-unrefined carbohydrate, low fat diet (HC) on glycemic control and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Obese adults ( n = 115, BMI 34.4 ± 4.2 kg/m 2 , age 58 ± 7 years) with T2DM were randomized to a hypocaloric LC diet (14% carbohydrate [ 1c ), glycemic variability (GV; assessed by 48-h continuous glucose monitoring), antiglycemic medication changes (antiglycemic medication effects score [MES]), and blood lipids and pressure. RESULTS A total of 93 participants completed 24 weeks. Both groups achieved similar completion rates (LC 79%, HC 82%) and weight loss (LC −12.0 ± 6.3 kg, HC −11.5 ± 5.5 kg); P ≥ 0.50. Blood pressure (−9.8/−7.3 ± 11.6/6.8 mmHg), fasting blood glucose (−1.4 ± 2.3 mmol/L), and LDL cholesterol (−0.3 ± 0.6 mmol/L) decreased, with no diet effect ( P ≥ 0.10). LC achieved greater reductions in triglycerides (−0.5 ± 0.5 vs. −0.1 ± 0.5 mmol/L), MES (−0.5 ± 0.5 vs. −0.2 ± 0.5), and GV indices; P ≤ 0.03. LC induced greater HbA 1c reductions (−2.6 ± 1.0% [−28.4 ± 10.9 mmol/mol] vs. −1.9 ± 1.2% [−20.8 ± 13.1 mmol/mol]; P = 0.002) and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) increases (0.2 ± 0.3 vs. 0.05 ± 0.2 mmol/L; P = 0.007) in participants with the respective baseline values HbA 1c >7.8% (62 mmol/mol) and HDL-C CONCLUSIONS Both diets achieved substantial improvements for several clinical glycemic control and CVD risk markers. These improvements and reductions in GV and antiglycemic medication requirements were greatest with the LC compared with HC. This suggests an LC diet with low saturated fat may be an effective dietary approach for T2DM management if effects are sustained beyond 24 weeks.