ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8481-7100
Current Organisations
Chalmers University of Technology
,
University of Tasmania
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental Chemistry (incl. Atmospheric Chemistry) | Environmental Monitoring | Historical Studies | Other Chemical Sciences | Criminology | Environmental Science and Management | Causes and Prevention of Crime | Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety | Health Information Systems (incl. Surveillance) | British History | Australian History (excl. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History) | Computer-Human Interaction
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences | Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified | Expanding Knowledge in the Chemical Sciences | Understanding Australia's Past | Expanding Knowledge in the Information and Computing Sciences | Mental Health | Crime Prevention | Environmental Health | Rehabilitation and Correctional Services |
Related Links
Publications
Challenges in Policing Cyberstalking
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Internet Users’ Beliefs about a Novice-user of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): What Can They Tell Us about Introducing Offender-focused Prevention Initiatives?
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-01-2022
Gaming Tasks as a Method for Studying the Impact of Warning Messages on Information Behavior
Publisher: Project MUSE
Date: 2020
Mapping Cyber-Enabled Crime: Understanding Police Investigations and Prosecutions of Cyberstalking
Publisher: Queensland University of Technology
Date: 21-02-2021
DOI: 10.5204/IJCJSD.2096
Abstract: Stalking is one of the main types of abusive behaviour facilitated by technology. The purpose of the current study was twofold: to identify the challenges of cyberstalking investigations and prosecutions in Australia and determine how best to investigate these types of offences. A qualitative analysis of four years of interviews, focus groups and participant observations with police departments provides an overview of the cyberstalking investigative process. The findings map out the process from the initial report of the incident to the preparation of the prosecution brief. This analysis positions cyberstalking investigations as an interesting case study in the midst of increased scrutiny about the way that police investigate technology-facilitated abuse.
Patterns of Juvenile Offending in Shanghai and Brisbane
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2004
DOI: 10.1177/00048658040370S103
Abstract: This paper reports an analysis of participation rates and types of delinquent behaviour using self-reported offending data from school students and apprehended juvenile offenders in Brisbane (n = 903) and in Shanghai (n = 565). The rate of participation in most categories of offending in the Brisbane s le was higher than in the Shanghai s le, with Brisbane school students being much more likely than Shanghai students to report at least one type of offence (85.8% vs. 28.8%). However, factor analyses revealed a common crime pattern across both s les, with behaviours grouping into theft, property-related offences, fighting, and disturbing public order. Brisbane school respondents were more likely than their Shanghai counterparts to commit multiple types of offences. Co-offending peaked at ages 15–16 in Brisbane and 17–18 in Shanghai, but was more common in the Shanghai s le than in the Brisbane s le. It is argued that compared with Australian young people there is a greater presence of social institutions in the lives of Chinese adolescents in the form of family, community and state controls, and that these mostly informal control systems appear to have been successful so far in containing the criminogenic impacts of rapid social change.
Tertiary education students’ attitudes to the harmfulness of viewing and distributing child pornography
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 29-06-2016
Challenges and opportunities in using wastewater analysis to measure drug use in a small prison facility
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/DAR.12156
Abstract: Wastewater analysis (WWA) is intended to be a direct and objective method of measuring substance use in large urban populations. It has also been used to measure prison substance use in two previous studies. The application of WWA in this context has raised questions as to how best it might be used to measure illicit drug use in prisons, and whether it can also be used to measure prescription misuse. We applied WWA to a small regional prison to measure the use of 12 licit and illicit substances. We attempted to measure the non-medical use of methadone and buprenorphine and to compare our findings with the results of the prison's mandatory drug testing (MDT). Representative daily composite s les were collected for two periods of 12 consecutive days in May to July 2013 and analysed for 18 drug metabolites. Prescription data and MDT results were obtained from the prison and compared with the substance use estimates calculated from WWA data. Daily use of meth hetamine, methadone, buprenorphine and codeine was detected, while sporadic detection of ketamine and methylone was also observed. Overall buprenorphine misuse appeared to be greater than methadone misuse. Compared with MDT, WWA provides a more comprehensive picture of prison substance use. WWA also has the potential to measure the misuse of medically prescribed substances. However, a great deal of care must be exercised in quantifying the usage of any substance in small populations, such as in prisons.
Warning messages to prevent illegal sharing of sexual images: Results of a randomised controlled experiment
Publisher: Australian Institute of Criminology
Date: 21-06-2022
DOI: 10.52922/TI78559
Abstract: Illegal distribution of sexual images by adults and minors is an expanding problem. We examined whether messages would dissuade men (18–32 years) from visiting a fake website offering access to free pornography to users who uploaded a sexual image of a woman. Participants seeking to enter the site (n=528) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Group 1 went straight to the landing page. Group 2 encountered a text warning that sharing sexual images of people who appear under 18 years old is illegal Group 3 received the same message with an accompanying animation. Sixty percent of Group 1 participants attempted to access the site, compared with 43 percent in Group 2 and 38 percent in Group 3. We argue that online messages offer a valuable strategy that can help reduce image-based abuse and the distribution of child sexual abuse material, including by minors.
Child sexual abuse material in child-centred institutions: situational crime prevention approaches
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2020
Parent–Child Dynamics in Community Conferences — Some Questions for Reintegrative Shaming, Practice and Restorative Justice
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2002
Identification of TPM2 and CNN1 as Novel Prognostic Markers in Functionally Characterized Human Colon Cancer-Associated Stromal Cells
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-04-2022
Abstract: Stromal infiltration is associated with poor prognosis in human colon cancers. However, the high heterogeneity of human tumor-associated stromal cells (TASCs) h ers a clear identification of specific markers of prognostic relevance. To address these issues, we established short-term cultures of TASCs and matched healthy mucosa-associated stromal cells (MASCs) from human primary colon cancers and, upon characterization of their phenotypic and functional profiles in vitro and in vivo, we identified differentially expressed markers by proteomic analysis and evaluated their prognostic significance. TASCs were characterized by higher proliferation and differentiation potential, and enhanced expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers, as compared to MASCs. TASC triggered epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells in vitro and promoted their metastatic spread in vivo, as assessed in an orthotopic mouse model. Proteomic analysis of matched TASCs and MASCs identified a panel of markers preferentially expressed in TASCs. The expression of genes encoding two of them, calponin 1 (CNN1) and tropomyosin beta chain isoform 2 (TPM2), was significantly associated with poor outcome in independent databases and outperformed the prognostic significance of currently proposed TASC markers. The newly identified markers may improve prognostication of primary colon cancers and identification of patients at risk.
Creating Honeypots to Prevent Online Child Exploitation
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 14-04-2022
DOI: 10.3390/FI14040121
Abstract: Honeypots have been a key tool in controlling and understanding digital crime for several decades. The tool has traditionally been deployed against actors who are attempting to hack into systems or as a discovery mechanism for new forms of malware. This paper presents a novel approach to using a honeypot architecture in conjunction with social networks to respond to non-technical digital crimes. The tool is presented within the context of Child Exploitation Material (CEM), and to support the goal of taking an educative approach to Internet users who are developing an interest in this material. The architecture that is presented in the paper includes multiple layers, including recruitment, obfuscation, and education. The approach does not aim to collect data to support punitive action, but to educate users, increasing their knowledge and awareness of the negative impacts of such material.
Cyberstalking in the context of intimate relationships
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 04-01-2023
Profiles of illicit drug use during annual key holiday and control periods in Australia: wastewater analysis in an urban, a semi-rural and a vacation area
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-12-2013
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.12006
Abstract: To examine changes in illicit drug consumption between peak holiday season (23 December-3 January) in Australia and a control period two months later in a coastal urban area, an inland semi-rural area and an island populated predominantly by vacationers during holidays. Analysis of representative daily composite wastewater s les collected from the inlet of the major wastewater treatment plant in each area. Three wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment plants serviced approximately 350, 000 persons in the urban area, 120,000 in the semi-rural area and 1100-2400 on the island. Drug residues were analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometer. Per capita drug consumption was estimated. Changes in drug use were quantified using Hedges' g. During the holidays, cannabis consumption in the semi-rural area declined (g = -2.8) as did meth hetamine (-0.8), whereas cocaine (+1.5) and ecstasy (+1.6) use increased. In the urban area, consumption of all drugs increased during holidays (cannabis +1.6, cocaine +1.2, ecstasy +0.8 and meth hetamine +0.3). In the vacation area, meth hetamine (+0.7), ecstasy (+0.7) and cocaine (+1.1) use increased, but cannabis (-0.5) use decreased during holiday periods. While the peak holiday season in Australia is perceived as a period of increased drug use, this is not uniform across all drugs and areas. Substantial declines in drug use in the semi-rural area contrasted with substantial increases in urban and vacation areas. Per capita drug consumption in the vacation area was equivalent to that in the urban area, implying that these locations merit particular attention for drug use monitoring and harm minimisation measures.
Internet subcultures and pathways to the use of child pornography
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2011
'Ice rushes’, data shadows and methylamphetamine use in rural towns: wastewater analysis
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2018
New applications of wastewater analyses for assessing substance use
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/DAR.12386
Young people, child pornography, and subcultural norms on the Internet
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2013
DOI: 10.1002/ASI.22816
Net-Widening and the Diversion of Young People From Court: A Longitudinal Analysis With Implications for Restorative Justice
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 04-2010
Abstract: Internationally, many youth justice systems aim to ert young people from court through informal mechanisms, such as police cautions and restorative conferences. Among other things, ersion avoids the potentially criminogenic effects of formal contact with the criminal justice system. However, in some instances, the sum of court appearances and ersionary procedures indicates an overall increase in the numbers of young people having contact (formal or informal) with the criminal justice system — a phenomenon known as net-widening. This article summarises previous debates about the risks of net-widening. It then presents results from analysis of over 50,000 police records pertaining to young people's contact with the Tasmanian criminal justice system between 1991 and 2002. Across that decade, court appearances markedly reduced, while a corresponding increase in ersions was recorded. There was no evidence of net-widening. However, there was a significant increase in detention orders. Implications for policy and future research are considered.
Wastewater Analysis for Substance Abuse Monitoring and Policy Development
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 15-10-2020
Using quantitative wastewater analysis to measure daily usage of conventional and emerging illicit drugs at an annual music festival
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-06-2013
DOI: 10.1111/DAR.12061
Abstract: Wastewater analysis provides a non-intrusive way of measuring drug use within a population. We used this approach to determine daily use of conventional illicit drugs [cannabis, cocaine, meth hetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymeth hetamine (MDMA)] and emerging illicit psychostimulants (benzylpiperazine, mephedrone and methylone) in two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) at an annual music festival. Daily composite wastewater s les, representative of the festival, were collected from the on-site wastewater treatment plant and analysed for drug metabolites. Data over 2 years were compared using Wilcoxon matched-pair test. Data from 2010 festival were compared with data collected at the same time from a nearby urban community using equivalent methods. Conventional illicit drugs were detected in all s les whereas emerging illicit psychostimulants were found only on specific days. The estimated per capita consumption of MDMA, cocaine and cannabis was similar between the two festival years. Statistically significant (P < 0.05 Z = -2.0-2.2) decreases were observed in use of meth hetamine and one emerging illicit psychostimulant (benzyl piperazine). Only consumption of MDMA was elevated at the festival compared with the nearby urban community. Rates of substance use at this festival remained relatively consistent over two monitoring years. Compared with the urban community, drug use among festival goers was only elevated for MDMA, confirming its popularity in music settings. Our study demonstrated that wastewater analysis can objectively capture changes in substance use at a music setting without raising major ethical issues. It would potentially allow effective assessments of drug prevention strategies in such settings in the future.
How to implement online warnings to prevent the use of child sexual abuse material
Publisher: Australian Institute of Criminology
Date: 23-03-2023
DOI: 10.52922/TI78894
Abstract: Online CSAM offending is a challenge for law enforcement, policymakers and child welfare organisations alike. The use of online warning messages to prevent or deter an in idual when they actively search for CSAM is gaining traction as a response to some types of CSAM offending. Yet, to date, the technical question of how warning messages can be implemented, and who can implement them, has been largely unexplored. To address this, we use a case study to analyse the actions in iduals and organisations within the technology, government, nongovernment and private sectors could take to implement warning messages. We find that, from a technical perspective, there is considerable opportunity to implement warning messages, although further research into efficacy and cost is needed.
Patterns of ownership of child model sites: Profiling the profiteers and consumers of child exploitation material
Publisher: University of Illinois Libraries
Date: 20-01-2013
Abstract: Recent research has indicated that cybercrime thrives when a corrupt social, economic, and political environment emerges such that law enforcement impact is minimised and key elements of crime prevention are absent. In this paper, using a snowball methodology we analyse patterns of ownership of “child model” sites which generate profits from advertising and/or subscriptions. While the material may not be traditional “pornography” in content, it is arguably exploitative. An open question is how the material compares to “beauty pageant” and other highly stylised mainstream photography that depicts children in adult situations, and whether access to all such material should be restricted.
Refining the excretion factors of methadone and codeine for wastewater analysis - Combining data from pharmacokinetic and wastewater studies
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.05.033
Abstract: Analysing drug residues in wastewater (wastewater analysis) to monitor the consumption of those drugs in the population has become a complementary method to epidemiological surveys. In this method, the excretion factor of a drug (or the percentage of drug metabolites excreted through urine) is a critical parameter for the back-estimation of the consumption of a drug. However, this parameter is usually derived from a small database of human pharmacokinetic studies. This is true for methadone and codeine, the two most commonly used opioids and also common substances of abuse. Therefore, we aimed to refine the current excretion factors used for estimating methadone and codeine by analysing published data from the literature on the excretion of methadone, its main metabolite, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), and codeine. Our review included both human drug pharmacokinetic studies and wastewater analysis studies. We found that while the commonly used excretion factor of methadone (~27.5%) was relatively accurate, the excretion factor of EDDP, a better biomarker for methadone consumption in sewer epidemiology, should be twice that of methadone (i.e. 55%) instead of the current equal or half values. For codeine, the excretion factor should be ~30% instead of 63.5% or 10% as previously used in wastewater analysis studies. Data from wastewater analysis studies could be used in this way to refine the excretion factors of the drugs of interest.
Systematic and day-to-day effects of chemical-derived population estimates on wastewater-based drug epidemiology
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 26-12-2015
DOI: 10.1021/ES503474D
Abstract: Population size is crucial when estimating population-normalized drug consumption (PNDC) from wastewater-based drug epidemiology (WBDE). Three conceptually different population estimates can be used: de jure (common census, residence), de facto (all persons within a sewer catchment), and chemical loads (contributors to the s led wastewater). De facto and chemical loads will be the same where all households contribute to a central sewer system without wastewater loss. This study explored the feasibility of determining a de facto population and its effect on estimating PNDC in an urban community over an extended period. Drugs and other chemicals were analyzed in 311 daily composite wastewater s les. The daily estimated de facto population (using chemical loads) was on average 32% higher than the de jure population. Consequently, using the latter would systemically overestimate PNDC by 22%. However, the relative day-to-day pattern of drug consumption was similar regardless of the type of normalization as daily illicit drug loads appeared to vary substantially more than the population. Using chemical loads population, we objectively quantified the total methodological uncertainty of PNDC and reduced it by a factor of 2. Our study illustrated the potential benefits of using chemical loads population for obtaining more robust PNDC data in WBDE.
Monitoring temporal changes in use of two cathinones in a large urban catchment in Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2015.12.038
Abstract: Wastewater analysis was used to examine prevalence and temporal trends in the use of two cathinones, methylone and mephedrone, in an urban population (>200,000 people) in South East Queensland, Australia. Wastewater s les were collected from the inlet of the sewage treatment plant that serviced the catchment from 2011 to 2013. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure mephedrone and methylone in wastewater s le using direct injection mode. Mephedrone was not detected in any s les while methylone was detected in 45% of the s les. Daily mass loads of methylone were normalized to the population and used to evaluate methylone use in the catchment. Methylone mass loads peaked in 2012 but there was no clear temporal trend over the monitoring period. The prevalence of methylone use in the catchment was associated with the use of MDMA, the more popular analogue of methylone, as indicated by other complementary sources. Methylone use was stable in the study catchment during the monitoring period whereas mephedrone use has been declining after its peak in 2010. More research is needed on the pharmacokinetics of emerging illicit drugs to improve the applicability of wastewater analysis in monitoring their use in the population.
Spatial variations in the consumption of illicit stimulant drugs across Australia: A nationwide application of wastewater-based epidemiology
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.207
Abstract: Obtaining representative information on illicit drug use and patterns across a country remains difficult using surveys because of low response rates and response biases. A range of studies have used wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a complementary approach to monitor community-wide illicit drug use. In Australia, no large-scale WBE studies have been conducted to date to reveal illicit drug use profiles in a national context. In this study, we performed the first Australia-wide WBE monitoring to examine spatial patterns in the use of three illicit stimulants (cocaine, as its human metabolite benzoylecgonine meth hetamine and 3,4-methylendioxymeth hetamine (MDMA)). A total of 112 daily composite wastewater s les were collected from 14 wastewater treatment plants across four states and two territories. These covered approximately 40% of the Australian population. We identified and quantified illicit drug residues using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. There were distinctive spatial patterns of illicit stimulant use in Australia. Multivariate analyses showed that consumption of cocaine and MDMA was higher in the large cities than in rural areas. Also, cocaine consumption differed significantly between different jurisdictions. Meth hetamine consumption was more similar between urban and rural locations. Only a few cities had elevated levels of use. Extrapolation of the WBE estimates suggested that the annual consumption was 3tonnes for cocaine and 9tonnes combined for meth hetamine and MDMA, which outweighed the annual seizure amount by 25 times and 45 times, respectively. These ratios imply the difficulty of detecting the trafficking of these stimulants in Australia, possibly more so for meth hetamine than cocaine. The obtained spatial pattern of use was compared with that in the most recent national household survey. Together both WBE and survey methods provide a more comprehensive evaluation of drug use that can assist governments in developing policies to reduce drug use and harm in the communities.
Exploring the educative role of judges? sentencing remarks: an analysis of remarks on child exploitation material
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-06-2018
Effects of Automated Messages on Internet Users Attempting to Access “Barely Legal” Pornography
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 15-05-2022
DOI: 10.1177/10790632211013809
Abstract: With the increasing number of in iduals accessing online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), there is an urgent need for primary prevention strategies to supplement the traditional focus on arrest and prosecution. We examined whether online warning messages would dissuade in iduals from visiting a honeypot website purporting to contain barely legal pornography. Participants ( n = 419) seeking the site were randomly assigned to one of five conditions they went straight to the landing page (control n = 100) or encountered a warning message advising of the potential harm to viewers ( n = 74), potential harm to victims ( n = 65), ability of police to track IP addresses ( n = 81), or possible illegality of such pornography ( n = 99). We measured the attempted click-through to the site. Attrition rates for the warning message conditions were 38% to 52%, compared with 27% for the control group. The most effective messages were those that warned that IP addresses can be traced (odds ratio [OR] = 2.64) and that the pornography may be illegal (OR = 2.99). We argue that warning messages offer a valuable and cost-effective strategy that can be scaled up to help reduce the accessing of CSEM online.
Refining the estimation of illicit drug consumptions from wastewater analysis: Co-analysis of prescription pharmaceuticals and uncertainty assessment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2011.05.042
Abstract: Wastewater analysis is a promising monitoring tool to estimate illicit drug consumption at the community level. The advantage of this technique over traditional surveys and other surveillance methods has been emphasized in recent studies. However, there are methodological challenges that can affect reliability. The objectives of this study were to systematically reduce and assess uncertainties associated with s ling (through a stringent optimization of the s ling method) and the back calculation of per capita drug consumption (through a refined estimation of the number of people actively contributing to the wastewater in a given period). We applied continuous flow-proportional s ling to ensure the collection of representative raw wastewater s les. Residues of illicit drugs, opioids, prescription pharmaceuticals and one artificial sweetener were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A parameter estimating the number of people actively contributing to wastewater over a given period was calculated from the measured loads of prescription pharmaceuticals, their annual consumption and relative excretion data. For the calculation of substance loads in sewage, uncertainties were propagated considering five in idual components: s ling, chemical analysis, flow measurements, excretion rates and the number of people contributing to the wastewater. The daily consumption per 1000 inhabitants was estimated to be almost 1000 mg for cannabis and several hundred mg for cocaine, meth hetamine and ecstasy. With the best s ling practice and current chemical analysis, we calculated the remaining uncertainty to be in the range of 20-30% (relative standard deviation, RSD) for the estimation of consumed drug masses in the catchment RSDs for the per capita consumption were lower (14-24%), as one of the biggest uncertainty components (i.e. error in flow measurements) cancels out in the proposed method for the estimation of the number of people contributing to the daily wastewater volume. In this study, we provide methodological improvements that substantially enhance the reliability of the estimation method--a prerequisite for the application of this technique to meaningfully assess changes in drug consumption and the success of drug intervention strategies in future studies.
Commentary on Ort etal. (2014): What next to deliver on the promise of large scale sewage-based drug epidemiology?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2014
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.12651
Detouring Civil Liberties?
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2010
Treating and managing stalking offenders: findings from a multi-agency clinical intervention
Publisher: PubPub
Date: 23-03-2023
Structural insights of the enzymes from the chitin utilization locus of Flavobacterium johnsoniae
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-08-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-020-70749-W
Abstract: Chitin is one of the most abundant renewable organic materials found on earth. The chitin utilization locus in Flavobacterium johnsoniae , which encodes necessary proteins for complete enzymatic depolymerization of crystalline chitin, has recently been characterized but no detailed structural information on the enzymes was provided. Here we present protein structures of the F. johnsoniae chitobiase ( Fj GH20) and chitinase B ( Fj ChiB). Fj GH20 is a multi-domain enzyme with a helical domain not before observed in other chitobiases and a domain organization reminiscent of GH84 (β- N -acetylglucosaminidase) family members. The structure of Fj ChiB reveals that the protein lacks loops and regions associated with exo -acting activity in other chitinases and instead has a more solvent accessible substrate binding cleft, which is consistent with its endo -chitinase activity. Additionally, small angle X-ray scattering data were collected for the internal 70 kDa region that connects the N- and C-terminal chitinase domains of the unique 158 kDa multi-domain chitinase A ( Fj ChiA). The resulting model of the molecular envelope supports bioinformatic predictions of the region comprising six domains, each with similarities to either Fn3-like or Ig-like domains. Taken together, the results provide insights into chitin utilization by F. johnsoniae and reveal structural ersity in bacterial chitin metabolism.
Measuring spatial and temporal trends of nicotine and alcohol consumption in Australia using wastewater-based epidemiology.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-02-2018
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.14157
Abstract: Tobacco and alcohol consumption remain priority public health issues world-wide. As participation in population-based surveys has fallen, it is increasingly challenging to estimate accurately the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an alternative approach for estimating substance use at the population level that does not rely upon survey participation. This study examined spatio-temporal patterns in nicotine (a proxy for tobacco) and alcohol consumption in the Australian population via WBE. Daily wastewater s les (n = 164) were collected at 18 selected wastewater treatment plants across Australia, covering approximately 45% of the total population. Nicotine and alcohol metabolites in the s les were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Daily consumption of nicotine and alcohol and its associated uncertainty were computed using Monte Carlo simulations. Nation-wide daily average and weekly consumption of these two substances were extrapolated using ordinary least squares and mixed-effect models. Nicotine and alcohol consumption was observed in all communities. Consumption of these substances in rural towns was three to four times higher than in urban communities. The spatial consumption pattern of these substances was consistent across the monitoring periods in 2014-15. Nicotine metabolites significantly reduced by 14-25% (P = 0.001-0.008) (2014-15) in some catchments. Alcohol consumption remained constant over the studied periods. Strong weekly consumption patterns were observed for alcohol but not nicotine. Nation-wide, the daily average consumption per person (aged 15-79 years) was estimated at approximately 2.5 cigarettes and 1.3-2.0 standard drinks (weekday-weekend) of alcohol. These estimates were close to the sale figure and apparent consumption, respectively. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a feasible method for objectively evaluating the geographic, temporal and weekly profiles of nicotine and alcohol consumption in different communities nationally.
Social Media Sentiment Analysis: A New Empirical Tool for Assessing Public Opinion on Crime?
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2015
Why internet users’ perceptions of viewing child exploitation material matter for prevention policies
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 20-02-2020
Abstract: There are claims that the societal appetite for ‘child exploitation material’ is increasing. Yet, Australia’s policy response does not include initiatives to dissuade potential offenders from deliberately viewing child exploitation material for the first time (onset). To critically examine this issue, this paper draws on Situational Crime Prevention theory. It argues that (a) many first-time child exploitation material viewers fit the Situational Crime Prevention construct of the Opportunistic Offender and (b) suggests that current policy overlooks the kinds of non-instrumental factors that increase the risk of onset for this group, including doubts about the criminality and harmfulness of viewing child exploitation material. The paper then empirically examines social attitudes to child exploitation material viewing by presenting the findings of a survey of 504 Australian internet users. Results indicate that a sizeable minority of the participants were: unaware that it is a crime to view certain types of child exploitation material in Australia and held doubts about the harmfulness of viewing child exploitation material. These findings are used to reflect on how the presence of these non-instrumental factors among ordinary internet users may affect the offending readiness of the Opportunistic Offender. Policy implications are then briefly discussed.
Parent-Child Dynamics in Community Conferences — Some Questions for Reintegrative Shaming, Practice and Restorative Justice
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2002
Abstract: This paper discusses two aspects of Crime, Shame and Reintegration (Braithwaite, 1989) concerning the parents of young offenders in reintegrative shaming ceremonies. First, the paper tackles Braithwaite's assumption that parents of young offenders are substantively similar to any other participants in the ceremony. Two sources of evidence are drawn upon: psychology literature regarding parental self-efficacy (Bandura, 1989 Coleman & Karraker, 1997) and qualitative observations of 34 community conferences in Tasmania, to suggest that in community conferences parents are likely to feel personally judged by other adult participants and even “on trial”. Second, the paper considers the dangers inherent in Braithwaite's assertion that directing shame at parents of young offenders can be conducive to reintegrative shaming. The dangers discussed include the stigmatisation of parents, in some cases critical damage to the confidence of parents in their parenting abilities, and the disruption of parent-child relationships. Ultimately, shaming parents may worsen the environment of the young offender concerned.
A National Wastewater Monitoring Program for a better understanding of public health: A case study using the Australian Census
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2018.12.003
Abstract: Wastewater contains a large range of biological and chemical markers of human activity and exposures. Through systematic collection and analysis of these markers within wastewater s les it is possible to measure the public health of whole populations. The analysis of effluent and biosolids can also be used to understand the release of chemicals from wastewater treatment plants into the environment. Wastewater analysis and comparison with catchment specific data (e.g. demographics) however remains largely unexplored. This manuscript describes a national wastewater monitoring study that combines influent, effluent and biosolids s ling with the Australian Census. An archiving program allows estimation of per capita exposure to and consumption of chemicals, public health information, as well as per capita release of chemicals into the environment. The paper discusses the study concept, critical steps in setting up a coordinated national approach and key logistical and other considerations with a focus on lessons learnt and future applications. The unique combination of archived s les, analytical data and associated census-derived population data will provide a baseline dataset that has wide and potentially increasing applications across many disciplines that include public health, epidemiology, criminology, toxicology and sociology.
Sewage epidemiology and illicit drug research: The development of ethical research guidelines
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2013.11.039
Abstract: To discuss the need to develop ethical guidelines for researchers using sewage epidemiology to monitor drug use in the general population and specific precincts, including prisons, schools and workplaces. Describe current applications of sewage epidemiology, identify potential ethical risks associated with this science, and identify key means by which these risks may be mitigated through proportionate ethical guidance that allows this science to be fully developed. A rapidly advancing field of research is sewage epidemiology (SE) - the analysis of wastewater s les to monitor illicit drug use and other substances. Typically this research involves low ethical risks because in idual participants cannot be identified and, consequently, review has been waived by human research ethics committees. In the absence of such oversight, ethical research guidelines are recommended for SE teams, peer reviewers and journal editors guidelines will assist them to mitigate any risks in general population studies and studies of prisons, schools and workplaces. Potential harms include the stigmatisation of participants and, in the prison setting, austere policy responses to SE data that impact negatively upon inmate-participants. The risk of harm can be managed through research planning, awareness of the socio-political context in which results will be interpreted (or, in the case of media, sensationalised) and careful relations with industry partners. Ethical guidelines should be developed in consultation with SE scholars and be periodically amended. They should include publication processes that safeguard scientific rigour and be promulgated through existing research governance structures. Guidelines will assist to promote an ethical research culture among SE teams and scholars involved in the publication process and this will work to protect the reputation of the field.
Monitoring substance use in prisons: Assessing the potential value of wastewater analysis
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCIJUS.2014.06.006
Abstract: Prison substance use is a major concern for prison authorities and the wider community. Australia has responded to this problem by implementing the National Corrections Drug Strategy. Across Australia, the true extent of prison substance use cannot be determined. As a result, the effectiveness of the interventions employed as part of this strategy cannot be properly assessed. This has important implications for the allocation of corrective services resources and future policy development. This article explores the benefits and limitations, as well as the ethical and practical issues in using wastewater analysis (WWA) to measure levels of substance use in prisons. It reports results from the first application of WWA to an Australian prison, which supports the use of WWA in this context. Given the increasing concern for prescription misuse in prisons, we also highlight the novel use of WWA to measure the extent of prescription misuse by prisoners. The article concludes that as a result of its objectivity, sensitivity and cost-effectiveness, the use of WWA in prisons warrants further consideration in Australia.
Cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine residues in wastewater: Consumption trends (2009–2015) in South East Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2016.05.181
Abstract: Wastewater analysis, or wastewater-based epidemiology, has become a common tool to monitor trends of illicit drug consumption around the world. In this study, we examined trends in cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymeth hetamine (MDMA) and meth hetamine consumption by measuring their residues in wastewater from two wastewater treatment plants in Australia (specifically, an urban and a rural catchment, both in South East Queensland) between 2009 and 2015. With direct injection of the s les, target analytes were identified and quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cocaine and MDMA residues and metabolites were mainly quantifiable in the urban catchment while meth hetamine residues were consistently detected in both urban and rural catchments. There was no consistent trend in the population normalised mass loads observed for cocaine and MDMA at the urban site between 2009 and 2015. In contrast, there was a five-fold increase in meth hetamine consumption over this period in this catchment. For meth hetamine consumption, the rural area showed a very similar trend as the urban catchment starting at a lower baseline. The observed increase in per capita loads of meth hetamine via wastewater analysis over the past six years in South East Queensland provides objective evidence for increased meth hetamine consumption in the Australian population while the use of other illicit stimulants remained relatively stable.
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