Methods arc described for the routine estimation in ground scaweed saxr.plcs of mannitol by periodate oxidation, of alginic acid by isolation and the displacement of acetic acid from calcium acetate, of laminarin by hydrolysis to glucose and its estimation with the Shaffcr-Somogyi reagent, and of fucose (after hydrolysis) by periodate oxidation and estimation of the liberated acetaldehyde.Mannitol, alginic acid, laminarin, fucoidin and " algal cellulose" are the main organic constituents of the brown seaweeds (Phaeophyceae), and mcthods For their determination have been studied as part of the programme of research and development on seaweed undertaken by the Scottish Seaweed Research Association.-Earlier methods of analysis suitably adapted to the complex mixtures round in these alga: have, in the main, been used and, where possible, separation of the particular ,constituent before analys!s has been avoided in order to eliminate time-consuming operations. All estimatiom were carried out on seaweeds which had been dried and ground, and contained less than IO%, or' water, for which due allowance was made in the results. MannitolTwo methods were considered possible I'or the romine estimation of mannitol in seaweed, the first based on the quantitative extraction by a suitable solvent such as ?t-butanol, and the second involving the use of periodic acid.Extracfioit iwthod.-The sample of ground scaweed is extracted continuously in a Haanen and Badum apparatus with a boiling solvent, the most satisfactory round being ti-butanol, and the mannitol which crystallizes on cooling is filtered and weighed, the solubility in cold butanol being low (c. 0.015 g./roo cx.) compared with that at the boiling point. After several extractions by this method, almost complete removal oF mannitol is achieved, but it is unsuitable for routine estimations, especially : or samples o.f low mannitol content, since at least four extractions of 10-12 hours each are necessary. The method has been used, however, as a check on the periodic acid method.Periodic acid irIefhod.-hlalapradel has shown that mannitol (I mol.) requires 5 mol. of periodic acid : or complete oxidation.The amount of periodic acid used can be determined by titration with sodium thiosulphate after the addition of potassium iodide and sulphuric acid and comparison with a blank. The quantity of mannitol oxidized in 60 seconds was found to be 92% oT the total and the method was based on this rapid reaction. Esperiitiental procedurePilof experbrent.-To the sample (0.1 6.) ground to pass a Ioo-mesh sieve, sulphuric acid (5 c.c.; N/IO) and periodic acid (5 C.C. ; hl/Io) are added. A h exactly one minute potassium iodide (2-3 g.) and dilute sulphuric acid (20 C.C. ; 4 N.) arc added and the liberated iodine titrated to starch with sodium thiosulphate solution (N/Io). A blank is carried out simultaneously.Since gHIO, + 35HI = 2 0 1~ + 2oH,O and jH103 + 20H1 = 1512 + 15H20 I g. mol. mannitol Z 51, = 10 1. N-Sodium thiosulphate. Using the titration figure and a factor of 100193 (see below...

The authors compared three approaches to feedback of clinical audit findings relating to miscarriage in 15 Scottish maternity services (printed report alone; report plus action planning letter; report plus face-to-face facilitated action planning). Clinicians were surveyed to measure theory of planned behavior constructs (in the context of two audit criteria) before and after feedback (n = 253) and assessed perceptions of the audit through in-depth interviews (n = 17). Prefeedback, clinicians had positive attitudes and strong subjective norms and intentions to comply, although perceived behavioral control was lower. Generally, positive attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions increased after feedback but for one of the two criteria (providing a 7-day miscarriage service), perceived behavioral control decreased. No changes over time reached statistical significance, and analysis of covariance (adjusting for prefeedback scores) showed no consistent relationships between method of feedback and postfeedback construct scores. Interviews revealed positive perceptions of audit but frustration at lack of capacity to implement changes. Although interventions that increased intensity of feedback proved feasible and acceptable to clinicians, the authors were unable to demonstrate that they increased intention to comply with audit criteria.

A career development approach to disability and vocational rehabilitation indicates the need to empower clients' capacity to enter the workforce through 'career enhancement'. This paper outlines a forum for university students with a disability that was informed by the notion of career enhancement and was conducted with the purpose of linking students, with one another, employers, employment agencies, State and Commonwealth Government agencies, and with key staff of the university's careers service. Feedback from students indicated the value of the event in terms outcome and process.The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2004a) estimated that one in five Australians had a disability in a survey conducted in 2003. Previous research into Australian employment patterns found that the proportion of those with and without a disability was generally equivalent across most industry sectors (Athanasou, 1999).This finding is ostensibly positive, in that disability is evenly distributed across industries. However, people with a disability face considerable uncertainty and disadvantage in the Australian labour market (Buys, Buys, Kendall & Davis, 2001; Gillies and Knight, 2001) and internationally (Szymankski and Vancollins, 2003).Athanasou's (1999) analysis of ABS data revealed, however, a disparity within the participation and unemployment rates. This analysis indicated a clear disadvantage for those with a disability. People with a disability experienced higher chances of unemployment; as indicated by a differential rate of 5.0% unemployment for those without a disability, and 8.6% for those with a disability. Furthermore, of the people who were employed, those with a disability were over-represented in the part-time work category.The nexus between employment and education complicates the experience for Australians with disabilities. With respect to higher education, one in eight people between the ages of 15-64 years without a disability had completed an undergraduate degree, in contrast to the ratio of one in five for people with a disability (ABS, 2004a). The positive impact of higher education upon employment status is evident in differential rates of unemployment. For example, in 2003 people with schooling of Year 12 or below represented 69% of the unemployed population, whereas those with a bachelor degree represented only 9% (ABS, 2004b). A more refined analysis reveals however, that graduates with a disability may not necessarily enjoy the full employment benefits of a university education. Data collected by the Graduate Careers Council of Australia (GCCA, 2004), presented in Table 1, indicated that disabled graduates were more likely to be seeking full-time work, or were in part-time work, in contrast to non-disabled graduates.------------------- Table 1 HereGiven these statistics and other Australian and North American research (Mungovan and O'Day, 1997; Hynes, Syme, Lawn, Jones, Brown, & Edwards, 1997; Conyers, Koch, & Szymanski, 1998), the truism that people with a disability face conside...

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