Digital Commons Network^™

Confning Tio2 Nanotubes In Pecvd‑Enabled Graphene Capsules Toward Ultrafast K‑Ion Storage: In Situ Tem/Xrd Study And Dft Analysis, Jingsheng Cai, Ran Cai, Zhongti Sun, Xiangguo Wang, Nan Wei, Feng Xu, Yuanlong Shao, Peng Gao, Shi Xue Dou, Jingyu Sun

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

© 2020, © 2020, The Author(s). Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has gained burgeoning attention for potassium-ion storage because of its large theoretical capacity, wide availability, and environmental benignity. Nevertheless, the inherently poor conductivity gives rise to its sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior rate capability. Here, we report the direct graphene growth over TiO2 nanotubes by virtue of chemical vapor deposition. Such conformal graphene coatings effectively enhance the conductive environment and well accommodate the volume change of TiO2 upon potassiation/depotassiation. When paired with an activated carbon cathode, the graphene-armored TiO2 nanotubes allow the potassium-ion hybrid capacitor full cells to harvest an energy/power …

A Case Study Of Wifi Sniffing Performance Evaluation, Yan Li, Johan Barthelemy, Shuai Sun, Pascal Perez, Bill Moran

SMART Infrastructure Facility - Papers

Mobile devices regularly broadcast WiFi probe requests in order to discover available proximal WiFi access points for connection. A probe request, sent automatically in the active scanning mode, consisting of the MAC address of the device expresses an advertisement of its presence. A real-time wireless sniffing system is able to sense WiFi packets and analyse wireless traffic. This provides an opportunity to obtain insights into the interaction between the humans carrying the mobile devices and the environment. Susceptibility to loss of the wireless data transmission is an important limitation on this idea, and this is complicated by the lack of …

"A Big Influence On My Teaching Career And My Life": A Longitudinal Study Of Learning To Teach English Pronunciation, Michael S. Burri, Amanda Ann Baker

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Inquiry into learning to teach pronunciation is a growing area within the second language teacher education research paradigm. To what extent this learning process extends into instructors' early years of teaching pronunciation has yet to be explored. This article is a response to this need by exploring the 3.5-year trajectory of five teachers learning to teach English pronunciation. The study was conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, pre- and post-course questionnaires, weekly observations of the lectures, focus groups interviews, final post-course interviews, and the participants' final assessment task were triangulated to examine the development of participants' cognitions during a …

Mezirow Moments: The Value Of Conferences For A Mother Returning To Study, Skye Playsted

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It's not easy to change career paths, but it is something that teachers often consider after working in one field for many years. This can mean a return to study, but as Adult Education experts have noted, older learners usually face some specific barriers in returning to school that younger learners do not, and sometimes these barriers prevent them from trying. And if you are a mother, like I am, even going to a conference can be difficult. This is my story of the challenges I faced in returning to study, and of the people who helped me to overcome …

Covid-19 And Retinal Oct: An Australian Case Study, Tommy Cleary

Australian Health Services Research Institute

The following presents a primary care optometry encounter with a patient who has recovered from COVID-19. This article aims to highlight the potential for optometry to contribute to a better understanding of the visual and retinal manifestations of patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

A Qualitative Study Of The Strategic Alignment Perspective Of Public-Sector Organisations In Saudi Arabia In The Digitalisation Age, Abdulaziz Alghazi, Tingru Cui, Jun Shen, Samuel Fosso Wamba, Mengxiang Li

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

No abstract provided.

A Laboratory Study On Fluidization Of Subgrade Under Cyclic Train Loading, Buddhima Indraratna, Mandeep Singh, Thanh Trung Nguyen, Serge Leroueil, Aruni Lakmali Abeywickrama Bamunusing Kankanamge, Richard B. Kelly, Tim Neville

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

A long term issue that has hampered the efficient operation of heavy haul tracks is the migration of fluidized fines from the shallow soft subgrade to the overlying ballast, i.e., mud pumping. This paper presents a series of undrained cyclic triaxial tests, where realistic cyclic loading conditions were simulated at low confining pressure that is typical of shallow subgrade beneath a ballast track. Subgrade soil specimens with a low plasticity index collected from a field site with recent history of mud pumping were tested at frequencies from 1.0 to 5.0 Hz and a cyclic stress ratio (CSR) from 0.1 to …

A Noise Study Of The Psw Signature Family: Patching Drs With Uniform Distribution, Arnaud Sipasseuth, Thomas Plantard, Willy Susilo

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

At PKC 2008, Plantard et al. published a theoretical framework for a lattice-based signature scheme, namely Plantard-Susilo-Win (PSW). Recently, after ten years, a new signature scheme dubbed the Diagonal Reduction Signature (DRS) scheme was presented in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) PQC Standardization as a concrete instantiation of the initial work. Unfortunately, the initial submission was challenged by Yu and Ducas using the structure that is present on the secret key noise. In this paper, we are proposing a new method to generate random noise in the DRS scheme to eliminate the aforementioned attack, and all subsequent …

Middle-Aged Australians’ Perceptions Of Support To Reduce Lifestyle Risk Factors: A Qualitative Study, Christine Ashley, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes, Karin Robinson, Elizabeth Lucas, Susan Harvey, Sarah Remm

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Increasingly, middle-aged people are demonstrating lifestyle risk factors that increase their risk of developing chronic disease. Reducing lifestyle risk in middle age can significantly reduce future morbidity and mortality and improve quality of life. Understanding peoples’ perceptions of health support is important to inform health professionals and policymakers regarding strategies to support lifestyle risk reduction. This paper seeks to explore middle-aged Australians’ perceptions of support for lifestyle risk reduction. Thirty-four middle-aged Australians were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The overarching theme ‘support for healthy lifestyles’ comprised three subthemes. ‘Engagement with …

Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Environments In Out-Of-School Hours Care: An Observational Study Protocol, Ruth Crowe, Yasmine Probst, Jennifer A. Norman, Susan E. Furber, Lisa Franco, Rebecca M. Stanley, Cecilia Vuong, Karen Wardle, Marc Davies, Sarah Ryan, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Introduction Childcare settings have been widely identified as important venues for promoting healthy lifestyles to children. Out-of-school hours care (OSHC) is a rapidly growing childcare service, yet there has been limited research reported on healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) environments within the Australian OSHC setting. This research aims to describe the HEPA environments related to foods and beverages served, staff behaviours and child physical activity levels across two local health districts within New South Wales, Australia. This study will provide evidence to support future interventions and policies in Australian OSHC settings. Methods and analysis A cross-sectional study design will …

Happy Hookers: Findings From An International Study Exploring The Effects Of Crochet On Wellbeing, Pippa Burns, Rosemary A. Van Der Meer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Acupoint Pressure On Older People With Constipation In Nursing Homes: A Double-Blind Quasi-Experimental Study, Mu-Hsing Ho, H.C. Chang, Megan F. Liu, Lin Yuan, Jed Montayre

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Aims: To compare the differences between acupoint pressure, abdominal massage and laxatives in treatment of constipation for residents in two nursing homes. Background: There is lack of evidence on the utility of complementary therapies in the management of constipation among older adults. Design: Quasi-experimental. Methods: A total of 90 participants from two nursing homes in Taiwan were assigned to three groups: the control group (with laxatives only), group I (with laxatives and abdominal massage) and group II (with laxatives, acupoint pressure therapy [APT] and abdominal massage). The intervention was performed over 10 days. A double-blind technique was applied in both …

Nurses’ Influence On Consumers’ Experience Of Safety In Acute Mental Health Units: A Qualitative Study, Natalie A. Cutler, Jenny Sim, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Lorna Moxham, Moira Stephens

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Aims and objectives To explore how nurses influence the perceptions and experience of safety among consumers who have been admitted to an acute mental health unit. Background Safety is a priority in acute mental health inpatient units, yet consumers do not always experience acute units as safe. Despite being primary stakeholders, little is known about what safety means for consumers in acute mental health units. Design A qualitative descriptive study informed by naturalistic enquiry was conducted and is reported using the COREQ checklist. Methods Fifteen consumers with experience of mental illness participated in semi‐structured individual interviews. These interviews explored what …

Inflammation (Il-1Β) Modifies The Effect Of Vitamin D And Omega-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Core Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder-An Exploratory Pilot Study, Hajar Mazahery, Cathryn Conlon, Kathryn Beck, Owen Mugridge, Marlena Kruger, Welma Stonehouse, Carlos Camargo, Barbara J. Meyer, Bobby Tsang, Pamela Von Hurst

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Background: The role of vitamin D and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LCPUFA) in improving core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children has been investigated by a few randomised controlled trials and the results are mixed and inconclusive. The response to treatment with these nutrients is heterogenous and may be influenced by inflammatory state. As an exploratory analysis, we investigated whether inflammatory state would modulate the effect of these nutrients on core symptoms of ASD. Methods: Seventy-three New Zealand children with ASD (2.5–8.0 years) completed a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D (VID, 2000 …

Earthquake Risk Assessment Using An Integrated Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process With Artificial Neural Networks Based On Gis: A Case Study Of Sanandaj In Iran, Peyman Yariyan, Hasan Zabihi, Isabelle D. Wolf, Mohammadreza Karami, Sohrab Amiriyan

Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - Papers

Earthquakes are natural phenomena, which induce natural hazard that seriously threatens urban areas, despite significant advances in retrofitting urban buildings and enhancing the knowledge and ability of experts in natural disaster control. Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze the extent of earthquake vulnerability in relation to demographic, environmental, and physical criteria. An earthquake risk assessment (ERA) map was created by using a Fuzzy-Analytic Hierarchy Process coupled with an Artificial Neural Networks (FAHP-ANN) model generating five vulnerability classes. Combining the application of a FAHP-ANN with …

Exploring How Older People Living At Home Alone Occupy Their Time – A Time-Geographic Study, Alison Wicks, Megan B. Blanchard, Ingeborg Nilsson

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Background: Knowing what older people choose to do with their time informs occupational therapists in their everyday practice. This study explored how sixteen older Australians living at home alone without support occupied their time. Method: People aged 70 years and older living alone in one’s home and receiving no support services were voluntary recruited. The participants completed time-use diaries for 5 days and recorded how, with whom, and where they spent time. Data were coded and analyzed using the software program Vardagen. Results: The participants reported 217 different daily activities. While patterns of daily participation varied, all of the participants …

Effectiveness Of Quality Incentive Payments In General Practice (Equip-Gp): A Study Protocol For A Cluster-Randomised Trial Of An Outcomes-Based Funding Model In Australian General Practice To Improve Patient Care, Gregory Peterson, Grant Russell, Jan Radford, Nicholas Arnold Zwar, Danielle Mazza, Simon Eckermann, Judy Mullan, Marijka Batterham, Athena Hammond, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background There is international interest in whether improved primary care, in particular for patients with chronic or complex conditions, can lead to decreased use of health resources and whether financial incentives help achieve this goal. This trial (EQuIP-GP) will investigate whether a funding model based upon targeted, continuous quality incentive payments for Australian general practices increases relational continuity of care, and lessens health-service utilisation, for high-risk patients and children. Methods We will use a mixed methods approach incorporating a two-arm pragmatic cluster randomised control trial with nested qualitative case studies. We aim to recruit 36 general practices from Practice-Based Research …

Geographic Variation In Cardiometabolic Risk Distribution: A Cross-Sectional Study Of 256,525 Adult Residents In The Illawarra-Shoalhaven Region Of The Nsw, Australia, Renin Toms, Darren J. Mayne, Xiaoqi Feng, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Introduction Metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) warrant significant public health concern globally. This study aims to utilise the regional database of a major laboratory network to describe the geographic distribution pattern of eight different cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs), which in turn can potentially generate hypotheses for future research into locality specific preventive approaches. Method A cross-sectional design utilising de-identified laboratory data on eight CMRFs including fasting blood sugar level (FBSL); glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); total cholesterol (TC); high density lipoprotein (HDL); albumin creatinine ratio (ACR); estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); body mass index (BMI); and diabetes mellitus (DM) status …

Physical Activity And Screen Time In Out Of School Hours Care: An Observational Study, Carol Maher, Rosa Virgara, Anthony D. Okely, Rebecca M. Stanley, Millie Watson, Lucy Lewis

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

This study aimed to describe, and identify predictors of, physical activity and screen time in children attending out of school hours care (OSHC).

Method

Twenty-three randomly selected OSHC centres (n = 1068 children) participated in this observational, cross-sectional study. Service directors completed interviews regarding policy, training, scheduling and equipment related to physical activity and screen time. Children’s activity behaviours (moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity, sedentary time and screen time) were measured using standardised direct observation.

Results

Directors’ interviews revealed a lack of formal policy guiding physical activity and screen time. Time spent in activity …

Cross-Sectional Study Of Area-Level Disadvantage And Glycaemic-Related Risk In Community Health Service Users In The Southern.Iml Research (Simlr) Cohort, Roger Cross, Andrew D. Bonney, Darren J. Mayne, Kathryn M. Weston

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objectives. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between area-level socioeconomic disadvantage and glycaemic-related risk in health service users in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of New South Wales, Australia. Methods. HbA1c values recorded between 2010 and 2012 for non-pregnant individuals aged 18 years were extracted from the Southern.IML Research (SIMLR) database. Individuals were assigned quintiles of the Socioeconomic Indices for Australia (SEIFA) Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD) according to their Statistical Area 1 of residence. Glycaemic risk categories were defined as HbA1c 5.0-5.99% (lowest risk), 6.0-7.49% (intermediate risk) and 7.5% (highest risk). Logistic regression models were …

Mental Health Presentations To Acute Psychiatric Services: 3-Year Study Of Prevalence And Readmission Risk For Personality Disorders Compared With Psychotic, Affective, Substance Or Other Disorders, Kate L. Lewis, Mahnaz Fanaian, Beth Kotze, Brin F. S Grenyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The relative burden and risk of readmission for people with personality disorders in hospital settings is unknown. Aims To compare hospital use of people with personality disorder with that of people with other mental health diagnoses, such as psychoses and affective disorders. Method Naturalistic study of hospital presentations for mental health in a large community catchment. Mixed-effects Cox regression and survival curves were generated to examine risk of readmission for each group. Results Of 2894 people presenting to hospital, patients with personality disorder represented 20.5% of emergency and 26.6% of in-patients. Patients with personality disorder or psychoses were 2.3 …

Comparability Of The Australian National Cancer Symptom Trials (Cst) Group's Study Populations To National Referrals To Non-Cst Specialist Palliative Care Services Participating In The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration, Hiromichi Matsuoka, Samuel F. Allingham, Belinda Fazekas, Linda Brown, Zac Vandersman, Katherine Clark, Meera Agar, David C. Currow

Australian Health Services Research Institute

Using the results of Phase III studies in clinical practice depends on how representative study participants are of the clinical population to whom the results will be applied. The closer the characteristics between the subgroup who participate in a clinical trial and the whole population, the easier it is for clinicians to apply the results directly to the patient that he/she is treating. Trial participation is generally more happenstance than a systematic sampling of a population and is limited by eligibility criteria that do not reflect the entire clinical population. Phase III study populations tend to be younger with fewer …

Comparing Static And Dynamic Flood Models In Estuarine Environments: A Case Study From South-East Australia, Kristian Kumbier, Rafael Cabral Carvalho, Athanasios T. Vafeidis, Colin D. Woodroffe

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Static and dynamic flood models differ substantially in their complexity and their ability to represent environmental processes such as storm tide or riverine flooding. This study analysed spatial differences in flood extent between static (bathtub) and dynamic flood models (Delft3D) in estuarine environments with different morphology and hydrodynamics in order to investigate which approach is most suitable to map flooding due to storm surges and river discharge in estuarine environments. Time series of observed water levels and river discharge measurements were used to force model boundaries. Observational data, such as tidal gauge and water level logger measurements, satellite imagery and …

Study On Performance Evaluation Of Co2 Heat Pump System Integrated With Thermal Energy Storage For Space Heating, Zhihua Wang, Yuxin Zheng, Fenghao Wang, Mengjie Song, Zhenjun Ma

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

CO2 heat pumps have drawn a great deal of attention owing to their advantages of high efficiency and environmental friendly for heating water under low ambient temperature. However, the system performance is not desirable and shows a lower COP for space heating, especially for a radiator as heating terminal, due to the higher inlet water temperature at the gas cooler, which causes a large throttle loss when the refrigerant flow through the throttling device. To tackle this issue, a transcritical CO2 heat pump system integrated with thermal energy storage (TES) systems was developed in this paper. The heating performance of …

Improving Blood Pressure Control In Primary Care: The Impress Study, Catherine Stephen, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes, Marijka Batterham, Nicholas Arnold Zwar

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Background Hypertension is a preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally. When hypertension is present with tobacco smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity or excessive alcohol consumption, risk of cardiovascular disease is increased. Given the prolonged engagement and ongoing relationship with patients, general practice nurses are ideally situated to actively engage with patients about optimal blood pressure control and lifestyle risk reduction. Objectives This study will test the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention to reduce blood pressure in adults with hypertension and high cardiovascular risk. Design A multi-site, cluster randomised control trial where the general practice …

The Effectiveness Of A Dementia And Driving Education Module On Practitioner Knowledge, Confidence And Competence: A Pilot Study, H.C. Chang, Victoria Traynor, Nadine S. Veerhuis, Mu-Hsing Ho, Li-Yu Tang, Megan F. Liu, Hui-Wen Chien, Yung-Jen Yang

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Abstract presented at the 11th International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Asia/Oceania Regional Congress, 23-27 October 2019, Taipei, Taiwan

Demographic And Clinical Predictors Of Health-Related Quality Of Life Among People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Living In Northern Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study, Saneh Khunkaew, Ritin S. Fernandez, Jenny Sim

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Background Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease which is growing global health problems. However, research on such prediction of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Thailand is limited, in particular on the demographic and clinical characteristic in each HRQOL domains. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the demographic and clinical predictors of health-related quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Northern Thailand. Methods A cross-sectional study of people with T2DM at a large teaching hospital in Northern Thailand was conducted. The HRQOL was evaluated using the Thai version …

Understanding Spatial Variability Of Air Quality In Sydney: Part 2-A Roadside Case Study, Imogen Wadlow, Clare Paton-Walsh, Hugh I. Forehead, Pascal Perez, Mehrdad Amirghasemi, Elise-Andree Guerette, Owen Gendek, Prashant Kumar

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Motivated by public interest, the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes (CAUL) hub deployed instrumentation to measure air quality at a roadside location in Sydney. The main aim was to compare concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measured along a busy road section with ambient regional urban background levels, as measured at nearby regulatory air quality stations. The study also explored spatial and temporal variations in the observed PM2.5 concentrations. The chosen area was Randwick in Sydney, because it was also the subject area for an agent-based traffic model. Over a four-day campaign in February 2017, continuous measurements of PM2.5 were …

Why Health Care Professionals Belong To An Intensive Care Virtual Community: Qualitative Study, Kaye D. Rolls, Margaret Hansen, Debra Jackson, Doug Elliott

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Background: Clinical practice variation that results in poor patient outcomes remains a pressing problem for health care organizations. Some evidence suggests that a key factor may be ineffective internal and professional networks that limit knowledge exchange among health care professionals. Virtual communities have the potential to overcome professional and organizational barriers and facilitate knowledge flow. Objective: This study aimed to explore why health care professionals belong to an exemplar virtual community, ICUConnect. The specific research objectives were to (1) understand why members join a virtual community and remain a member, (2) identify what purpose the virtual community serves in their …

Hard To Reach: Examining The National Disability Insurance Scheme Experience - A Case Study In Wollongong, Freda C. Hui, Corinne L. Cortese, Mona Nikidehaghani, Sandra H. Chapple, Kellie M. Mccombie

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

We report on interviews conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Our aims were to assess the effectiveness of the NDIS in communicating with people with disabilities who are socio‐economically disadvantaged, to consider the types of assistance required, and to provide recommendations to improve the NDIS. Our interviewees are characterised as ‘hard to reach’, a cohort that is missing out on benefits they might receive under the NDIS because of the socioeconomic disadvantage that compounds their disability hardship. Some of our key findings were that many of our interviewees were unaware of the NDIS, …