NZ’s wastewater systems vulnerable to climate change

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1233 AEDT | 1433 NZDT

Climate Risk Management

Increased blockages, corrosion, and more stenches: these are some of the ways climate change will disrupt New Zealand’s wastewater infrastructure, according to new research. In New Zealand, there is a clear trend of wet areas getting wetter, and Read more about NZ’s wastewater systems vulnerable to climate change

Covid-19 antibodies provide some immunity in macaques

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1208 AEDT | 1408 NZDT

Nature

It is often difficult to tell if specific antibodies and T cells found after infections or vaccinations provide protective immunity. US researchers extracted certain antibodies from macaque monkeys recovering from SARS-CoV-2 and gave measured doses Read more about Covid-19 antibodies provide some immunity in macaques

COVID-19 detector dog research and trials underway

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1201 AEDT | 1401 NZDT

Fourteen dogs have begun their training at the University of Adelaide, and at the Australian Border Force’s (ABF) National Detector Dog Program Facility in Victoria, as part of a joint venture into determining the feasibility of training COVID-19 Read more about COVID-19 detector dog research and trials underway

Wind energy’s impact on electricity prices: the good and the bad

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1100 AEDT | 1300 NZDT

SSRN

Energy from wind farms is lowering electricity prices, but increasing price volatility in Australia's national energy market. Read more about Wind energy’s impact on electricity prices: the good and the bad

Aged care medication going unchecked

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1100 AEDT | 1300 NZDT

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

New research from the Registry of Senior Australians at SAHMRI has shown that just one in five older Australians receives a government-funded medication review after entering an aged care facility. Read more about Aged care medication going unchecked

Chatbot may detect early dementia in time for intervention

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

IEEE Access

If Alzheimer’s dementia is identified early, at the stage of Mild Cognitive Impairment for instance, the decline in neural functioning can be stabilised or even curtailed in some cases, research has found. Read more about Chatbot may detect early dementia in time for intervention

Shining a light on the weird world of dihydrogen phosphate anions

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

Journal of the American Chemical Society

UNSW scientists show that dihydrogen phosphate anions - vital inorganic ions for cellular activity - actually bind to one another when their negative charges suggest they shouldn’t. Read more about Shining a light on the weird world of dihydrogen phosphate anions

62,000 lost lambs and cysts in meat: Cats have $12m impact on Australian agriculture

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 0830 AEDT | 1030 NZDT

Wildlife Research

A national study has found that diseases carried by cats are having a $12 million impact on Australian agriculture each year with the sheep industry the worst impacted. The study was undertaken by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the Read more about 62,000 lost lambs and cysts in meat: Cats have $12m impact on Australian agriculture

National Bowel Cancer Screening program improves post-op outcomes

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

MJA

The Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) not only reduces the risk of death from colorectal cancer for those who get tested, but also provides short term post-operative benefits for those patients who are treated with surgery, Read more about National Bowel Cancer Screening program improves post-op outcomes

Researchers should live and work with their participants, says National Rural Health Commissioner

Publicly released: Mon 7 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

MJA

Rural health researchers should live with, work with and report back to the participants in their studies, according to the National Rural Health Commissioner in an MJA editorial. The author describes those who fly in, collect data and fly out as Read more about Researchers should live and work with their participants, says National Rural Health Commissioner