Sydney Region Research Articles

Land Use Quantile Regression Modeling of Fine Particulate Matter in Australia

Small data samples are still a critical challenge for spatial predictions. Land use regression (LUR) is a widely used model for spatial predictions with observations at a limited number of locations. Studies have demonstrated that LUR models can overcome the limitation exhibited by other spatial prediction models which usually require greater spatial densities of observations. However, the prediction accuracy and robustness of LUR models still need to be improved due to the linear regression within the LUR model. To improve LUR models, this study develops a land use quantile regression (LUQR) model for more accurate spatial predictions for small data samples. The LUQR is an integration of the LUR and quantile regression, which both have advantages in predictions with a small data set of samples. In this study, the LUQR model is applied in predicting spatial distributions of annual mean PM2.5concentrations across the Greater Sydney Region, New South Wales, Australia, with observations at 19 valid monitoring stations in 2020. Cross validation shows that the goodness-of-fit can be improved by 25.6–32.1% by LUQR models when compared with LUR, and prediction root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) can be reduced by 10.6–13.4% and 19.4–24.7% by LUQR models, respectively. This study also indicates that LUQR is a more robust model for the spatial prediction with small data samples than LUR. Thus, LUQR has great potentials to be widely applied in spatial issues with a limited number of observations.

Factors associated with long intensive care unit (ICU) admission among inpatients with and without diabetes in South Western Sydney public hospitals using the New South Wales admission patient data collection (2014\u20132017)

BackgroundLong stay in intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with poor outcomes, particularly in people with diabetes. It increases the financial burden of care and this is a challenge to the South Western Sydney region, which is already a hotspot for diabetes in Australia. This study compared ICU admission characteristics of people with and without diabetes and the factors associated with long ICU stay among patients admitted to public hospitals in this metropolitan health district from 2014 to 2017.MethodsCross-sectional datasets on 187,660, including all ICU admissions in the New South Wales Admitted Patient Data Collection (APDC) from June 2014 – July 2017 in public hospital were extracted. Data on demographic and health insurance status, primary admission diagnosis using ICD-10, comorbidities including death among hospital inpatients aged ≥18 years residing in SWS were analysed. The ICU length of stay was the outcome variable and were classified into short stay (≤48 h) and long stay (> 48 h), and were examined against potential confounding factors using bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses.ResultsOur results showed higher ICU admissions in patients with diabetes than in those without diabetes (5% vs. 3.3%, P < 0.001) over three years. The median and interquartile range (IQR) of length of the ICU stay were similar in both groups [diabetes: 40 h, IQR = 16–88 h vs. non-diabetes: 43 h, IQR = 19–79 h]. The prevalence of long ICU stays among people with and without diabetes were 44.9% [95% CI 42.1, 47.7%] and 43.6% [95% CI 42.2, 44.9%], respectively. For both groups, increased odds of long ICU stay were associated with death and circulatory system disease admissions, while musculoskeletal disease admissions were associated with lower risk of long ICU stay. In the non-diabetes group, male sex, nervous system disease admissions and living in peri-urban areas were associated with higher odds of long ICU stay.ConclusionsThe rate of ICU admissions among inpatients remain higher in people with diabetes. One in every two admissions to ICU had a long stay. Additional care for those admitted with circulatory system diseases are needed to reduce long ICU stay related deaths in SWS.

Human resource management practices and organisational performance: Evidence from small and medium-sized enterprises in Australia

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the drivers of economic activities in Australia. The present study provides empirical evidence on the connexion between the four key dimensions of human resource management (HRM) practices and organisational performance, in response to the call by earlier researchers that the influence of specific HRM practices on organisational performance needs to be further investigated across different countries and organisational contexts. A survey among SMEs in the South-Western region of Sydney in Australia was conducted and self-reported measures were applied to attain data on HRM practice aspects and businesses’ performance. Regression analyses were employed to assess the proposed relationships, and it was found that all dimensions except training and development exhibited positive relationships to organisational performance, as hypothesised. Discussion on the findings is underlined, so as are the implications of this study, limitations, and avenues for future researchers.

Resilience through disasters – The reinstatement and subsequent restart of the Sydney Desalination Plant

Large scale seawater desalination was implemented across Australia by supplying all mainland state capital cities as a result of the millennium drought (1997-2009) in order to diversify and increase the resilience of municipal water supplies. In the state of New South Wales (NSW), construction began on the Sydney Desalination Plant (the Plant) in 2007 and following its completion in 2010 it operated for two years through a process proving period. By 2012 the millennium drought had broken, and the Plant entered a care and maintenance mode (termed Water Security Mode, or WSM) from June 2012. The Plant operates under rules set by the NSW Government through its Metropolitan Water Plan which outlines the primary role as a drought response asset, with provision also to provide emergency response. At around the same time, the NSW Government entered in to a 50-year lease of the Plant to a private company, Sydney Desalination Plant Pty Limited (SDP) in June 2012, that was backed by a 50-year water supply contract with Sydney Water Corporation. The Plant has since been operated by SDP. The NSW Government approach to the resilience of water supply to the greater Sydney region has progressed in recent times, with the 2004 Metropolitan Water Plan undertaking a detailed investigation into the feasibility of not just desalination, but also groundwater and recycled water options to improve system resilience, largely in response to the Millennium Drought. This approach was further reinforced by the 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan, which detailed the progress of planning of a desalination plant in Sydney, and its importance in overall system resilience. The Plant is located in Kurnell, NSW, and has a nameplate capacity of 250 million litres/day (MLD) and the provision for expansion of up to 500 MLD with inlet/outlet seawater tunnels, delivery pipeline and land already sized accordingly.

Ground-based counting methods underestimate true numbers of a threatened colonial mammal: an evaluation using drone-based thermal surveys as a reference

Context Accurate and precise monitoring practises are key for effective wildlife conservation management; providing reliable estimates of spatiotemporal changes in species abundance on which sound decision-making can be based. Advancements in drone and satellite technology are providing new standards for survey accuracy and precision and have great potential for enhancing population monitoring of numerous difficult to survey species. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are large bats that roost in groups of a few hundred to many thousands in the canopies of trees, where they are difficult to census accurately and precisely by human observers. Globally, 35 of the 64 flying-fox species are listed as threatened under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and reliable monitoring methods are needed for the effective management of this ecologically important group. Aims Recently, we showed that drone-acquired thermal imagery can be used to count flying-foxes in their roost with high accuracy and precision. In the present study, we aimed to assess the accuracy and precision of whole colony counts derived from ground-based counting methods against reference counts derived from drone-acquired thermal imagery. Methods We evaluated the relationship between ground-based counts by two groups of human observers to highly accurate and precise counts derived from drone-acquired thermal orthomosaics for 25 counts conducted across seven flying-fox roosts throughout the Greater Sydney region, Australia. Key results We found that ground-based counts by human observers were positively correlated with those obtained from concurrent drone-acquired thermal imagery. However, drone-acquired estimates of colony size were 2.05 and 1.92 times higher than ground-based counts by the experimenter and Australian government counters respectively. When compared against drone-acquired reference counts, the precision (coefficient of variation) of ground-based counts was 26.3% when conducted by a single counter and 55.1% when conducted by multiple counters. Conclusions Our research indicates that ground-based counting methods underestimate true population sizes by substantial margins and have limited precision. Drone-based monitoring provides highly accurate and precise population estimates, and thus is expected to yield more reliable information on flying-fox abundance and allow for trends to be established over shorter timescales. Implications Using ground counting methods alone, population trends can only be established with significance after protracted periods of monitoring. Incorporating the use of thermal drones into current monitoring practises would enhance the capacity to detect population trends earlier and more accurately, so that conservation management can more effectively respond.

Effect of an interactive educational activity using handheld ultraviolet radiation dosimeters on sun protection knowledge among Australian primary school students

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) is the main cause of skin cancer, and children are a priority group for reducing UV exposure. We evaluated whether an interactive educational activity using handheld dosimeters improved UV-related knowledge among primary (elementary) school students. We conducted an uncontrolled before-after study among 427 students in grades 3–6 (ages 8–12 years) at five schools in the Greater Sydney region, Australia. Students used UV dosimeters to measure UV exposure, using the UV index scale, at different locations on their school grounds with and without different forms of sun protection, followed by an indoor classroom presentation and discussion. A 10-point anonymous questionnaire was completed by each student before and after the entire session (60–90 min). Before-after responses were compared using a generalised linear mixed model, adjusted for school, grade and gender. Overall, the mean raw scores increased from 6.3 (out of 10) before the intervention to 8.9 after the intervention, and the adjusted difference in scores was 2.6 points (95% confidence interval 2.4–2.8; p < 0.0001). Knowledge improved for all questions, with the greatest improvement for questions related to the UV Index (p < 0.05). The effect of the intervention was similar across different school, grade and gender groups. School and grade had no significant effect on mean survey scores, but girls scored an average 0.2 points higher than boys (95% confidence interval 0.1–0.4; p = 0.01). In conclusion, Australian primary school students had moderate knowledge about UV and sun protection, and knowledge improved significantly after a short interactive educational activity using handheld UV dosimeters.

High severity fire promotes a more flammable eucalypt forest structure

AbstractRecent landscape‐scale wildfires in eastern Australia have made apparent the need for a greater understanding of the flammability dynamics of forested ecosystems. Fire severity is a measure of the impact of a fire on vegetation, but little is known about the landscape‐scale response of the fire‐prone dry sclerophyll forests of eastern Australia to different levels of fire severity. Species in these forests have multiple responses to fire, which can be dependent on the fire severity. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of fire severity on the vegetation structure, and therefore flammability, of these forests. We addressed two hypotheses that 1) High severity fire would result in a denser understory than low severity fire after 5 years and that 2) High severity fire would reduce the vertical separation between understory and canopy after 5 years. Field surveys of 38 forest sites with differing fire severity but standardised time since fire and forest type, in Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia, were used to test these hypotheses. We found lower canopy cover and greater understory cover (0.5–4 m height) after high severity fire compared with sites which burnt at low severity. Vertical separation was less between the canopy and understory at sites after high severity fire than after low severity fire. The greater quantity of understory fuel and greater vertical continuity in fuel structure observed suggests a potential increase in forest flammability after high severity fire compared with lower severity fires in these forest types.

Fuel consumption rates in resprouting eucalypt forest during hazard reduction burns, cultural burns and wildfires

Accurate estimation of emissions from biomass burning and their impact on carbon storage requires pre and post-fire plot measurement of fuel consumption across a range of forest types and fire severities, and this information is currently far from comprehensive in Australia or elsewhere. We measured fine and coarse fuels in 44 sites before and after 20 fires including cultural burns, hazard reduction burns and wildfires in resprouting dry sclerophyll (eucalypt) forests in the Sydney region of Australia. We compared consumption among the classes of fire severity and fire types.Most of the fires removed the great majority of fine litter and near surface fuels (mean 68% and 94% respectively) but a smaller and more variable percentage of other fine components and coarse fuels. Consumption was largely a function of pre-fire fuel levels. However, percentage consumption varied according to fire severity. Remaining fuel was negatively, and fresh fuel (i.e. immediate post-fire inputs) positively related to fire severity so that the two were in balance for litter, twigs and coarse woody debris.A higher proportion of twigs and coarse woody debris were consumed in hazard reduction and wildfires than in cultural burns, and more canopy and tree wood was consumed in wildfire than the other fire types. Total fuel consumption was 12.8 t ha−1 (13% of pre-fire) in cultural burns, 75.7 t ha−1 (27%) in hazard reductions, and 123.5 t ha−1 (38%) in wildfires. This was dominated by tree biomass consumption (69% of total). Our estimates for hazard reduction burns are higher than most previous studies from Australian forests, probably because our fires spanned a greater range of severities.Our study provides a benchmark for estimating fire emissions and carbon dynamics for the region and will contribute to improving predictions of the impact of hazard reduction burns on fire behaviour and smoke emissions.

The health benefits of greening strategies to cool urban environments – A heat health impact method

Green infrastructure has the potential to cool urban environments and reduce the health burden due to heatwaves. This study develops a new method to quantify the benefits of urban heat mitigation technologies on human heat balance and population mortality. The Heat Health Impact (HHI) method is based on the state-of-the-art, multi-parameter model, Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI).A proof-of-concept exercise applied the HHI method to Sydney, Australia (population = 5.7 million). All available weather stations (10) were selected for full spatial coverage of the Sydney region (12,367 km2), and average hourly UTCI was calculated from meteorological observations spanning the entire year 2017. In the baseline analysis, average daily UTCI values were calculated for each of the 10 observation sites, and then spatially interpolated across the entire Sydney region for Feb 9, 2017, a representative heatwave day for Sydney. Three different greening intervention scenarios were investigated, and daily average change in UTCI (ΔUTCI) was calculated under each by comparison with the baseline scenario; this ΔUTCI was named Urban Cooling Effect (UCE). We implemented a health impact assessment methodology to estimate the change in attributable mortality due to each greening scenario for the Sydney GMR population for the representative heatwave day. Urban greening infrastructure scenarios reduced daily average UTCI between −0.2 and −1.7 °C on the heatwave day, with the health impact assessment indicating heat attributable deaths reducing up to 11.7 per day across the Sydney GMR compared to the baseline scenario. Our results highlight the health benefits of greening infrastructure to cool urban environments.

Smoke Patterns around Prescribed Fires in Australian Eucalypt Forests, as Measured by Low-Cost Particulate Monitors

Prescribed burns produce smoke pollution, but little is known about the spatial and temporal pattern because smoke plumes are usually small and poorly captured by State air-quality networks. Here, we sampled smoke around 18 forested prescribed burns in the Sydney region of eastern Australia using up to 11 Nova SDS011 particulate sensors and developed a Generalised Linear Mixed Model to predict hourly PM2.5 concentrations as a function of distance, fire size and weather conditions. During the day of the burn, PM2.5 tended to show hourly exceedances (indicating poor air quality) up to ~2 km from the fire but only in the downwind direction. In the evening, this zone expanded to up to 5 km and included upwind areas. PM2.5 concentrations were higher in still, cool weather and with an unstable atmosphere. PM2.5 concentrations were also higher in larger fires. The statistical model confirmed these results, identifying the effects of distance, period of the day, wind angle, fire size, temperature and C-Haines (atmospheric instability). The model correctly identified 78% of hourly exceedance and 72% of non-exceedance values in retained test data. Applying the statistical model predicts that prescribed burns of 1000 ha can be expected to cause air quality exceedances over an area of ~3500 ha. Cool weather that reduces the risk of fire escape, has the highest potential for polluting nearby communities, and fires that burn into the night are particularly bad.

The association of wildfire air pollution with COVID-19 incidence in New South Wales, Australia

The 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, followed an unprecedented wildfire season that exposed large populations to wildfire smoke. Wildfires release particulate matter (PM), toxic gases and organic and non-organic chemicals that may be associated with increased incidence of COVID-19. This study estimated the association of wildfire smoke exposure with the incidence of COVID-19 in NSW. A Bayesian mixed-effect regression was used to estimate the association of either the average PM10 level or the proportion of wildfire burned area as proxies of wildfire smoke exposure with COVID-19 incidence in NSW, adjusting for sociodemographic risk factors. The analysis followed an ecological design using the 129 NSW Local Government Areas (LGA) as the ecological units. A random effects model and a model including the LGA spatial distribution (spatial model) were compared.A higher proportional wildfire burned area was associated with higher COVID-19 incidence in both the random effects and spatial models after adjustment for sociodemographic factors (posterior mean = 1.32 (99% credible interval: 1.05–1.67) and 1.31 (99% credible interval: 1.03–1.65), respectively). No evidence of an association between the average PM10 level and the COVID-19 incidence was found. LGAs in the greater Sydney and Hunter regions had the highest increase in the risk of COVID-19. This study identified wildfire smoke exposures were associated with increased risk of COVID-19 in NSW. Research on individual responses to specific wildfire airborne particles and pollutants needs to be conducted to further identify the causal links between SARS-Cov-2 infection and wildfire smoke. The identification of LGAs with the highest risk of COVID-19 associated with wildfire smoke exposure can be useful for public health prevention and or mitigation strategies.

Sedimentation and organic content in the mires and other sites of sediment accumulation in the Sydney region, eastern Australia, in the period after the Last Glacial Maximum

This research reports on a synthesis of radiocarbon (14C) dates and the organic content from a variety of depositional sites in a relatively small region in humid eastern Australia centred on Sydney. We focused on basal dates, changes in accumulation rates and the organic content of these sediment records in the period post-dating 21 thousand years ago to make inferences about past environmental conditions, or to infer the timing of past environmental change. We found that low rates of sediment and organic accumulation at the Last Glacial Maximum continued well into the late Pleistocene. The average rate of sediment deposition and organic content increased from about 14.5 calibrated kiloanni before present (cal ka BP), perhaps coincident with Meltwater Pulse 1A, but this was then checked by dry conditions during the Antarctic Climatic Reversal chronozone. An abrupt increase in the average rate of sediment accumulation coincided with the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary (at 11.7 cal ka BP), and this continued until about 9.2 cal ka BP, largely coinciding with the Antarctic thermal maximum, and probably reflecting reduced moisture availability in the Sydney region. Indication of depressed temperature and a more positive moisture availability, from about 9 to 7.6 cal ka BP, witnessed the fastest increase in the number of sites than at any other time. An overall drier early Holocene abruptly altered at about 7.5 cal ka BP and a mid-Holocene ‘optimum’ in moisture availability extended to 6.2 cal ka BP. The compilation of organic contents of the mid-late Holocene suggests environmental variability, but El Niño frequency or strength is not implicated as a driving force. Increased organic productivity, especially after 2.8 cal ka BP, corresponded to a peak in summer insolation, and associated seasonality of insolation and this is likely to have resulted in increased, or more consistent, summer rainfall and easterly air flow into the Sydney region. In contrast to previous generalisations about changes in south-eastern Australia during the Holocene, which have often relied on palaeoenvironmental records from further south, the southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone during the Holocene had vastly different synoptic outcomes in the Sydney region, with the early Holocene drier as continental air dominated, and the late Holocene wetter, as the synoptic conditions saw more tropical and easterly airflow. This work demonstrates the danger in making generalisations across regions and highlights the utility of the compilation of data at a homoclimatic, regional scale.

Greater Sydney SARS-CoV-2 Observations from the 16th of June to the 13th of July

The Greater Sydney region is undergoing an outbreak of a COVID-19 Delta variant, which is much more transmissible than the variants we have observed in previous outbreaks in Australia. The aim of this report is to analyse the outbreak and the current impacts of the non-pharmaceutical interventions. While earlier results indicated that interventions were decreasing the growth rate, it has since been increasing with new hot spot clusters arising daily.

Investigation into the prevalence of Serratospiculum spp. in wild falcons of the greater Sydney region.

To determine the prevalence of Serratospiculum spp. in falcons in the greater Sydney region. This is a cross-sectional study; a total of 57 falcons entering wildlife rehabilitation in Sydney and surrounding areas between 2017 and 2019 were recruited into the study. Presence of Serratospiculum spp. eggs in faeces using faecal wet prep technique was used as an indicator of infection. Evidence of Serratospiculum spp. infection was detected in 10 out of 57 falcons, (18%). There was no significant correlation with body condition score or age group. PCR analysis of a representative nematode in a Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) was revealed to be Serratospiculum tendo. Serratospiculum spp are present in 18% of falcons coming into care in the Sydney region. The prevalence in this study is similar to that found in other parts of the world. This study provides evidence of the importance of faecal testing and treatment of falcons in a rehabilitation setting.

High resolution simulations of a tornadic storm affecting Sydney

On 16 December 2015 a severe thunderstorm and associated tornado affected Sydney causing widespread damage and insured losses of $206 million. Severe impacts occurred in Kurnell, requiring repairs to Sydney's desalination plant which supplies up to 15% of Sydney water during drought, with repairs only completed at the end of 2018. Climatologically, this storm was unusual as it occurred during the morning and had developed over the ocean, rather than developing inland during the afternoon as is the case for many severe storms impacting the Sydney region. Simulations of the Kurnell storm were conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model on a double nested domain using the Morrison microphysics scheme and the NSSL 2-moment 4-ice microphysics scheme. Both simulations produced severe storms that followed paths similar to the observed storm. However, the storm produced under the Morrison scheme did not have the same morphology as the observed storm. Meanwhile, the storm simulated with the NSSL scheme displayed cyclical low- and mid-level mesocyclone development, which was observed in the Kurnell storm, highlighting that the atmosphere supported the development of severe rotating thunderstorms with the potential for tornadogenesis. The NSSL storm also produced severe hail and surface winds, similar to observations. The ability of WRF to simulate general convective characteristics and a storm similar to that observed displays the applicability of this model to study the causes of severe high-impact Australian thunderstorms.

Local synergies and antagonisms between meteorological factors and air pollution: A 15-year comprehensive study in the Sydney region

Associated with rapid urbanization and escalation of bushfire events, Sydney has experienced significant air quality degradation in the XXI century. In this study, we present a 15-year retrospective analysis on the influence of individual meteorological factors on major air pollutants (NO2, O3, PM10 and PM2.5) at 14 different sites in Greater Sydney and Illawarra. By applying a newly developed “zooming in” approach to long-term ground-based data, we disclose general, seasonal, daily and hourly patterns while increasing the level of spatial associativity. We provide evidence on the pivotal role played by urbanization, sprawling dynamics, global warming and bushfires on local meteorology and air pollution. We strike associations between temperature and O3, both as average trends and extremes, on account of increasing heat island effects. The role of wind in a coastal-basin environment, influenced by a vast desert biome inland, is investigated. A steady trend towards stagnation is outlined, boosted by enhanced urban roughness and intensified heat island circulation. Relative humidity is also crucial in the modulation between NO2 and O3. With a sharp tendency towards drier and hotter microclimates, NO2 levels dropped by approximately 50% over the years at all locations, while O3's median levels almost doubled in the last 10 years. Further, O3 and PMs shifted towards more frequent extreme events, strongly associated with the exacerbation of bushfire events. Such results suggest an urgent need to prioritize emission control, building air tightness improvement and urban heat mitigation, towards a future-proof governance in Sydney and similar regions in the world.

Explaining herding and volatility in the cyclical price dynamics of urban housing markets using a large-scale agent-based model

Urban housing markets, along with markets of other assets, universally exhibit periods of strong price increases followed by sharp corrections. The mechanisms generating such non-linearities are not yet well understood. We develop an agent-based model populated by a large number of heterogeneous households. The agents’ behavioral rules are consistent with the concept of bounded rationality. The model is calibrated using several large and distributed datasets of the Greater Sydney region (demographic, economic and financial) across three specific and diverse periods since 2006. The model is not only capable of explaining price dynamics during these periods, but also reproduces the novel behavior actually observed immediately prior to the market peak in 2017, namely a sharp increase in the variability of prices. This novel behavior is related to a combination of trend-following aptitude of the household agents (herding) and their collective propensity to borrow. Trend-following behavior is found to be essential in replicating market dynamics.

Review of design parameters for discontinuous numerical modelling of excavations in the Hawkesbury Sandstone

Within a well-established stress environment and with well-established laboratory properties, Hawkesbury Sandstone in the Sydney region of Australia hosts, and will continue to do-so, a significant proportion of the underground infrastructure. In order to conduct the most rigorous geotechnical design, it is recognized that the impact of scale on the response of the excavated system must be well understood. In this regard, one of the major challenges is to translate the small measured (laboratory) geomechanical properties and those of the joints observed at a larger scale to a scale and stress-dependant strength value for design. This study provides a comprehensive review of existing geomechanical data for the Hawkesbury Sandstone and provides an analysis of strength-scale dependency. Large-scale, Synthetic Rock Mass (SRM) tests have been completed to establish a strength-scale relationship that consider defect spacing. Validation of the SRM sample responses has been completed for both the strength and deformation modulus based on reported and/or commonly accepted characteristics of a tunnel-scale rock mass. The post-peak, strain-softening behaviour of SRM samples has been used to establish the critical plastic shear strain and residual strength of each class of Hawkesbury Standstone at the excavation scale. A correlation between the Geological Strength Index (GSI) and the peak and residual strength has been derived. • Input data for DEM modelling in Hawkesbury sandstone were calibrated via large scale testing of SRM. • Scale dependency and progressive failure of the rock mass system was investigated for each class. • Post peak softening behaviour and the residual strength of the tested samples were analysed.

A retrospective study of the Hall technique for the treatment of carious primary teeth in Sydney, Australia.

ObjectivesThe aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of preformed metallic crowns (PMC) utilizing the HT in carious primary molars for children treated within public dental clinics across the Sydney region.Materials and MethodsA retrospective cohort study was designed, whereby two investigators evaluated 113 primary molars treated with HT PMCs involving 71 participants (aged between 5 and 11 years) after a minimum of 6 months post treatment. The mean time elapsed between crown placement (treatment) and the review was 1.42 years (17 months). The outcome of the HT was assessed by clinical and radiographic criteria.ResultsOne hundred thirteen HT PMCs were reviewed from 71 participants. The overall success rate of PMCs placed utilizing the HT was 99%, with only one case presenting with confirmed failure.ConclusionsHT PMCs have an overall high success rate as a treatment option in carious primary molars.

A Dramaturgy of Feeling: Exploring Indigenous concepts of knowing through multimodal aesthetics

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are developing dramaturgies that immerse audiences within multimodal stagings, resonating with and imparting an embodied experience of Indigenous Australian ontologies. While use of onstage multimodal expression­­–combining verbal storytelling, dance, visual art, craft making and song– has been a feature of performance traditions the world over, here, it is expressly deployed at the service of reinforcing ancient storytelling traditions as distinctively Indigenous forms of performative expression, in opposition to Western conventions that centralise dialogue as carrier of dramatic exploration. As a celebration of survival and resilience of the Eora Nation (i.e. the 29 First Nation clans of the Greater Sydney Region), the radical dramaturgy of Anita Heiss & Wesley Enoch’s play I Am Eora (2012) centralises emotion as the key vector along which performers drew audiences into the cosmos of Eora community building. Rather than engaging dialogue as a source of information and orientation, Enoch’s staging relied on group choreographies, musical delivery and monologues that were accompanied by evocative visual design and inscription practices. These triggered an oscillating trajectory of emotional engagement that took audiences on a journey that produced an emotional connection to the concept of Eora communal identity. The article closely traces the activation of senses in I Am Eora’s staging, encompassing olfactory, visual and auditory stimulation and kinaesthetic resonance. It considers their integration within the play’s dramaturgical framework, connecting it to Bill Neidjie (Gagudju)’s philosophy of feeling and theories of relational identity as relayed by American-Australian scholar Deborah Rose. The article explores how perception is leveraged in I Am Eora to shift audiences’ habitual relation to First Nation subjects, developing coordinates for a reconfigured socio-political engagement beyond the theatre space.