Digital Commons Network^™

Openness About Sexual Orientation And Exposure To Workplace Bullying, Helge Hoel, Duncan Lewis, Anna Einarsdottir, Guy Notelaers

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Previous studies of workplace bullying have not investigated whether Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) employees experience bullying in similar or different ways to their heterosexual counterparts. This study reports on how and to what extent sexuality or sexual orientation influences the experience of workplace bullying and whether openness about sexual orientation elevates risks and shapes exposure to bullying. Using a large and rigorously compiled sample of the British working population comprising 500 non-heterosexuals and 722 heterosexuals (N = 1,222) and applying latent Class Cluster Analysis, a similar behavioural pattern of bullying for LGB employees emerged as for heterosexuals, although LGB …

Summary Of Cannabis Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This Summary is based on the Review of cannabis use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The review summarises the evidence from journal publications, government reports, national data collections and national surveys accessed through the HealthInfoNet’s database of publications. Please note that statistics presented do not always include all states and territories, see sources for details. ...

Integrating Indigenous Perspectives In The Drama Class: Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions And Attitudes, Elisa M. Williams, Julia Morris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Currently, educational bodies are recognising the importance of integrating Australian Indigenous cultures in education to promote intercultural understanding and improve outcomes for Indigenous students. In drama, learning about Indigenous perspectives can be integrated through sharing cultural stories, with this integration mandated by the Australian curriculum. However, teachers are struggling to achieve this directive due to a lack of knowledge in Indigenous content and concerns surrounding permission and cultural appropriation. This qualitative study used a focus group interview to determine non-Indigenous pre-service drama teachers' perceptions about integrating Indigenous perspectives in their praxis. Inductive analysis of the data revealed participants strongly believed …

Service User Involvement In Social Work Education: Enhancing Student Learning About Intimate Partner Violence, Rebecca Jury

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Men who use intimate partner violence (IPV) are often excluded from service user involvement approaches, including those provided in social work education. This article outlines Australian research in which men who use IPV developed a learning resource, the resource was shown to social work students and student feedback sought through pre- and post-test questionnaires and group discussion. Students reported increased knowledge regarding interpersonal violence, greater awareness of the skills required to engage service users who use IPV and willingness to work alongside service users who are involuntary and/or have multiple issues in future social work placements and practice. The findings …

Psychological Distress And Quality Of Life In Asymptomatic Adults Following Provision Of Imaging Results For Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease Events: A Scoping Review, Reindolf Anokye, Ben Jackson, James Dimmock, Joanne M. Dickson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua R. Lewis, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims Psychological distress and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may occur after screening for disease. Reporting outcomes related to potential benefits and harms of screening is a key recommendation in the guidelines for reporting high-quality trials or interventions. However, no reviews have directly investigated outcomes related to psychological distress and/or changes in HRQoL following imaging assessment of cardiovascular risk and communication of cardiovascular findings to asymptomatic adults. A scoping review was conducted to map research on psychological distress and/or HRQoL following screening. Methods and results

Six electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Social Work Abstracts, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, …

‘It’S All About Context’: Building School Capacity To Implement A Whole-School Approach To Bullying, Natasha Pearce, Helen Monks, Narelle Alderman, Lydia Hearn, Sharyn Burns, Kevin Runions, Jacinta Francis, Donna Cross

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Student bullying behaviours are a significant social issue in schools worldwide. Whilst school staff have access to quality bullying prevention interventions, schools can face significant challenges implementing the whole-school approach required to address the complexity of these behaviours. This study aimed to understand how schools’ capacity to implement whole-school bullying prevention interventions could be strengthened to promote sustainability and improve student outcomes. Qualitative methods were used to observe schools over time to gain insight into their implementation capacity to improve student social and emotional wellbeing and prevent and ameliorate harm from bullying. A four-year longitudinal, multi-site case study intensively followed …

Applications Of Environmental Dna (Edna) In Agricultural Systems: Current Uses, Limitations And Future Prospects, Joshua H. Kestel, David L. Field, Philip W. Bateman, Nicole E. White, Morten E. Allentoft, Anna J. M. Hopkins, Mark Gibberd, Paul Nevill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Global food production, food supply chains and food security are increasingly stressed by human population growth and loss of arable land, becoming more vulnerable to anthropogenic and environmental perturbations. Numerous mutualistic and antagonistic species are interconnected with the cultivation of crops and livestock and these can be challenging to identify on the large scales of food production systems. Accurate identifications to capture this diversity and rapid scalable monitoring are necessary to identify emerging threats (i.e. pests and pathogens), inform on ecosystem health (i.e. soil and pollinator diversity), and provide evidence for new management practices (i.e. fertiliser and pesticide applications). Increasingly, …

Barriers And Facilitators To Hiv Prevention Interventions For Reducing Risky Sexual Behavior Among Youth Worldwide: A Systematic Review, Fungai Mbengo, Esther Adama, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Arvin Bhana, Maggie Zgambo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Interventions aimed at reducing risky sexual behavior are considered an important strategy for averting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among youth (15-24 years) who continue to be at risk of the disease. Enhancing intervention success requires a comprehensive understanding of the barriers and facilitators to interventions targeting youth. However, there is lack of a systematic review of both quantitative and qualitative studies to comprehensively identify and synthesize barriers and facilitators to HIV prevention interventions for reducing risky sexual behavior among youth worldwide. This review aimed to identify and synthesize barriers and facilitators to HIV prevention interventions for reducing risky …

Changes To The Gut Microbiome In Young Children Showing Early Behavioral Signs Of Autism, Jacquelyn Jones, Stacey N. Reinke, Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh, Debra J. Palmer, Claus T. Christophersen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The human gut microbiome has increasingly been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a neurological developmental disorder, characterized by impairments to social interaction. The ability of the gut microbiota to signal across the gut-brain-microbiota axis with metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, impacts brain health and has been identified to play a role in the gastrointestinal and developmental symptoms affecting autistic children. The fecal microbiome of older children with ASD has repeatedly shown particular shifts in the bacterial and fungal microbial community, which are significantly different from age-matched neurotypical controls, but it is still unclear whether these characteristic shifts …

Clean Process To Utilize The Potassium-Containing Phosphorous Rock With Simultaneous Hcl And Kcl Production Via The Steam-Mediated Reactions, Yunshan Wang, Lufang Shi, Houli Li, Yixiao Wang, Zhiying Wang, Xuebin An, Mingzhu Tang, Gang Yang, Jun He, Jing Hu, Yong Sun

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this paper, a clean process based on the steam-mediated reactions for simultaneous HCl and KCl production using the potassium (K)-containing phosphorous rock as a precursor is proposed. Through hydrochloric acid (HCl) leaching, not only the generation of H₃PO₄and CaCl₂ (via further precipitation) were realized but also the acid-insoluble residue [phosphorous-rock slag (PS)] rich in elements, that is, K, Al, Si, and so on, in the form of microcline (KAlSi₃O₈) and quartz (SiO₂) was obtained and became readily available for further HCl and KCl generation. Over 95 % of …

Comparison Of The Cardiometabolic Profiles Of Adolescents Conceived Through Art With Those Of A Non-Art Cohort, L. A. Wijs, D. A. Doherty, J. A. Keelan, P. Burton, J. L. Yovich, L. Beilin, T. A. Mori, R. C. Huang, L. A. Adams, John K. Olynyk, O. T. Ayonrinde, B. Penova-Veselinovic, R. J. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

STUDY QUESTION: Is the cardiometabolic health of adolescents conceived through ART worse than that of their counterparts conceived without ART? SUMMARY ANSWER: The majority of cardiometabolic and vascular health parameters of adolescents conceived through ART are similar or more favourable, than those of their counterparts of similar age and conceived without ART. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: It has been proposed that the cardiometabolic health of offspring conceived with ART may be unfavourable compared to that of their counterparts conceived without ART. The literature pertaining to cardiometabolic health of offspring conceived after ART is contradictory, but generally suggests unfavourable cardiometabolic health …

Covid-19 Restrictions And Psychological Well-Being Of Fathers With Infants Admitted To Nicu—An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study, Esther Abena Adama, Flora Koliouli, Livio Provenzi, Nancy Feeley, Edwin Van Teijlingen, Jillian Ireland, Frances Thomson-Salo, Minesh Khashu, Finesse Group

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim

To describe the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the caregiving activities and psychological well-being of fathers with infants admitted to neonatal units.

Methods

Cross-sectional study using adapted COPE-IS and COPE-IU tools. Participants' recruitment occurred online via social media and parents' associations. Online survey in English, French and Italian were distributed and promoted via websites and social media platforms of parent's associations. The study was undertaken across 12 countries in Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe.

Results

A total of 108 fathers of NICU infants completed the survey. COVID-19 related restrictions were categorised into 3 types: no restrictions, partial and …

Evidence For Global Health Care Interventions For Preterm Or Low Birth Weight Infants: An Overview Of Systematic Reviews, Karen Edmond, Natalie Strobel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Contex: Twenty-four research questions (framed as population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes) for global health care interventions for preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants were identified at a World Health Organization guideline development group expert meeting in December 2020. Objective: To describe which systematic reviews had addressed these research questions in the last 3 years. Data sources: Medline (Ovid); the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review Protocols; and the PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews databases from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021 were used.Randomized controlled trials or observational studies. Two reviewers independently …

Exploring Moderators Of The Effect Of High Vs. Low-To-Moderate Intensity Exercise On Cardiorespiratory Fitness During Breast Cancer Treatment – Analyses Of A Subsample From The Phys-Can Rct, Ann Christin Helgesen Bjørke, Laurien M. Buffart, Truls Raastad, Ingrid Demmelmaier, Andreas Stenling, Karin Nordin, Sveinung Berntsen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction

The results from the physical training and cancer randomized controlled trial (Phys-Can RCT) indicate that high intensity (HI) strength and endurance training during (neo-)adjuvant cancer treatment is more beneficial for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF, measured as peak oxygen uptake [VO₂peak]) than low-to-moderate intensity (LMI) exercise. Adherence to the exercise intervention and demographic or clinical characteristics of patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment may moderate the exercise intervention effect on VO₂peak. In this study, the objective was to investigate whether baseline values of VO2peak, body mass index (BMI), time spent in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity …

Finding Geodesics Joining Given Points, Lyle Noakes, Erchuan Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Finding a geodesic joining two given points in a complete path-connected Riemannian manifold requires much more effort than determining a geodesic from initial data. This is because it is much harder to solve boundary value problems than initial value problems. Shooting methods attempt to solve boundary value problems by solving a sequence of initial value problems, and usually need a good initial guess to succeed. The present paper finds a geodesic γ: [0 , 1] → M on the Riemannian manifold M with γ(0) = x0 and γ(1) = x1 by dividing the interval [0,1] into several sub-intervals, preferably just …

Impacts Of Atmospheric Stilling And Climate Warming On Cyanobacterial Blooms: An Individual-Based Modelling Approach, Mohammad Hassan Ranjbar, David P. Hamilton, Amir Etemad-Shahidi, Fernanda Helfer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Harmful algal blooms of the freshwater cyanobacteria genus Microcystis are a global problem and are expected to intensify with climate change. In studies of climate change impacts on Microcystis blooms, atmospheric stilling has not been considered. Stilling is expected to occur in some regions of the world with climate warming, and it will affect lake stratification regimes. We tested if stilling could affect water column Microcystis distributions using a novel individual-based model (IBM). Using the IBM coupled to a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, we assessed responses of colonial Microcystis biomass to wind speed decrease and air temperature increase projected under a …

Indigenous Online Creative Responses To The Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown In Western Australia, Amy Budrikis, Clint Bracknell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In response to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many communities of endangered Indigenous languages have utilised digital technologies and created online language resources with renewed motivation. In this article we explore the ways that Noongar community members have shifted, adapted and persisted in creating new language revitalisation resources for their endangered Aboriginal language, describing three case studies of video content created and shared online through social media as localised responses to the pressing need for easily produced, accessible and engaging online approaches to support Indigenous communities and their languages.

What Are The Benefits And Challenges Of Mentoring In Midwifery? An Integrative Review, Krystyl Wissemann, Dianne Bloxsome, Annemarie De Leo, Sara Bayes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: The aim of this review was to synthesize best available evidence on mentoring programmes for midwives who have worked within the clinical setting for more than 1 year. Background: Lack of job satisfaction, stress, burnout and limited managerial support contributes to midwifery workforce attrition and the ongoing global shortage of midwives. Mentoring may be one way to improve staff retention, leading to positive clinical and organizational outcomes. Design: A five-step integrative review approach, based on a series of articles published by the Joanna Briggs Institute for conducting systematic reviews, was used to develop a search strategy, selection criteria, method …

Regulatory Flexibilities And Access To Covid-19 Vaccines During The Pandemic In Bhutan, Dawa Tshering, Pelden Chejor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Summary Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is rapidly evolving with millions of cases and death reported globally. The first-ever case of COVID-19 in Bhutan was confirmed on 5 March 2020 in a 76-year-old American tourist. The national regulatory authorities have implemented varying degrees of regulatory flexibilities to prevent unnecessary death by ensuring timely access to medical products and technologies during the pandemic. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Bhutan, as a national medicines regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the quality of medical products has implemented several regulatory mechanisms to ensure access to medical products including COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. In this …

The Development Of The Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Complexity Instrument, Linda L. Coventry, Jon Hosking, Evelyn Coral, Mark Jenkins, Chandra P. Salgado Kent, Doris Chan, Wai Lim, Diane E. Twigg, Claire M. Rickard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background The Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Classification instrument was developed to classify the cannulation complexity of the arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft as simple, challenging, or complex. Although the instrument was developed by experts in haemodialysis nursing, the instrument had not undergone formal validity or reliability testing. Objectives Evaluate the Western Australian Haemodialysis Vascular Access Classification instrument for content validity, interrater and test–retest reliability. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants Content validity was assessed by haemodialysis nursing experts (n = 8). The reliability testing occurred in one in-centre and one satellite haemodialysis unit in Western Australia from September to November …

Suffering To Save Lives: Torture, Cruelty, And Moral Disengagement In Australia’S Offshore Detention Centres, Jamal Barnes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Since Australia re-established offshore processing on Manus Island and Nauru in 2012, there have been ongoing reports that asylum seekers and refugees are being subjected to torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CIDT). People in detention have endured indefinite detention, inadequate provision of health care, and sexual, physical, and mental harm as the government attempts to ‘stop the boats’ and prevent deaths at sea. How can Australia continue to violate the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, while at the same time, promote its offshore detention policies worldwide? This article …

Ancestral Sars-Cov-2, But Not Omicron, Replicates Less Efficiently In Primary Pediatric Nasal Epithelial Cells, Yanshan Zhu, Keng Yih Chew, Melanie Wu, Anjana C. Karawita, Georgina Mccallum, Lauren E. Steele, Ayaho Yamamoto, Larisa I. Labzin, Tejasri Yarlagadda, Alexander A. Khromykh, Xiaohui Wang, Julian D. J. Sng, Claudia J. Stocks, Yao Xia, Tobias R. Kollmann, David Martino, Merja Joensuu, Frédéric A. Meunier, Giuseppe Balistreri, Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Asha C. Bowen, Anthony Kicic, Peter D. Sly, Kirsten M. Spann, Kirsty R. Short

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children typically experience more mild symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) when compared to adults. There is a strong body of evidence that children are also less susceptible to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with the ancestral viral isolate. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has been associated with an increased number of pediatric infections. Whether this is the result of widespread adult vaccination or fundamental changes in the biology of SARS-CoV-2 remain to be determined. Here, we use primary nasal epithelial cells (NECs) from children and adults, differentiated at an air-liquid interface to …

Editorial: Fire Regimes In Desert Ecosystems: Drivers, Impacts And Changes, Eddie J. B. Van Etten, Matthew L. Brooks, Aaron C. Greenville, Glenda M. Wardle

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although not commonly associated with fire, many desert ecosystems across the globe do occasionally burn, and there is evidence that fire incidences are increasing, leading to altered fire regimes in this biome. The increased prevalence of megafires (wildfires > 10,000 ha in size and typically damaging) in most global biomes is linked to climate change, although those occurring in deserts have received far less attention, from both a research and policy perspective, than that of forested ecosystems (Linley et al., 2022). Understanding the drivers of desert fires, from climate to landscape patterns of hydrology and soil, and how these may be …

Environmental Health Responses To Covid 19 In Western Australia: Lessons For The Future, Jacques Oosthuizen, Melissa Stoneham, Toni Hannelly, Edmore Masaka, Giverny Dodds, Victor Andrich

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic tested the health system of Western Australia (WA) and the relatively new overarching legislative framework that guided the state-wide public health response to the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the experiences and roles of environmental health officers (EHOs) in WA during the management of COVID-19 and to identify any policy changes that are needed to facilitate the rapid deployment of EHOs during a future public health crisis. An online survey with 78 respondents was administered and analysis was both qualitative and quantitative. It was found that participants believed there was inadequate resourcing, workforce shortages, increased workloads, …

Responses Of Calcareous Sand Foundations To Variations Of Groundwater Table And Applied Loads, Dingfeng Cao, Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Linqing Yang, Chengchao Guo, Jinghong Wu, Fuming Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The long-term settlement of calcareous sand foundations caused by daily periodic fluctuations has become a significant geological hazard, but effective monitoring tools to capture the deformation profiles are still rarely reported. In this study, a laboratory model test and an in situ monitoring test were conducted. An optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR) with high spatial resolution (1 mm) and high accuracy (±10-6) was used to record the soil strain responses to groundwater table and varied loads. The results indicated that the fiber-optic measurements can accurately locate the swelling and compressive zones. During the loading process, the interlock between calcareous sand …

The Relationship Between Psychedelic Use, Mystical Experiences, And Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Kelly Paterniti, Stephen Bright, Eyal Gringart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Expanding on the work of Forstmann and Sagioglou, this study investigated the differences in personality and pro-environmental behavior (PEB) as a function of psychedelic-occasioned mystical experiences. A sample of 240 participants with prior psychedelic experience completed an online survey. Data were collected on participants’ psychedelic-occasioned mystical states, personality, and self-reported PEB. A measure of behavioral PEB was also included (Charity Task). The mean scores on self-reported PEB, openness and agreeableness of participants who met the criteria for a “complete” mystical state, were significantly higher than those who did not. Specifically, those who experienced a mystical state scored higher on the …

A Scoping Review Of Non-Pharmacological Health Education Provided To Families Of Children With Idiopathic Childhood Constipation Within Primary Health Care, Davina Houghton, Diana Arabiat, Deborah Ireson, Evalotte Mörelius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: Idiopathic childhood constipation is a prevalent condition that initially brings the child under the care of the primary health care team. Although it is acknowledged that health education is crucial to reducing chronicity, the range of evidenced-based non-pharmacological health education provided to families has not previously been reviewed. For this scoping review, 4 research questions sought to identify papers that provide information on the utilization of guidelines, the range of health education, who provides it, and whether any gaps exist. Methods: Following a registered protocol and using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping …

The Role Of Early Childhood Pedagogical Leaders In Schools: Leading Change For Ongoing Improvement, Amie Fabry, Lennie Barblett, Marianne Knaus

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Early childhood pedagogical practice in primary schools is often challenged by academic demands, debate about best practice and ongoing change through new policy initiatives. This paper reports an investigation of how early childhood pedagogical leaders assist early years teachers in schools to embrace change and embed early childhood pedagogy. Framed within a constructivist epistemology, this paper reports on findings from three case studies drawn from a larger mixed-methods study from Perth, Western Australia. Data collected through shadowing pedagogical leaders, undertaking contextual interviews and analysing school documents revealed that pedagogical change was promoted, encouraged and sustained through a number of strategies. …

Show, Attend And Detect: Towards Fine-Grained Assessment Of Abdominal Aortic Calcification On Vertebral Fracture Assessment Scans, Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, Naeha Sharif, David Suter, John T. Schousboe, Siobhan Reid, William D. Leslie, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

More than 55,000 people world-wide die from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) each day. Calcification of the abdominal aorta is an established marker of asymptomatic CVD. It can be observed on scans taken for vertebral fracture assessment from Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry machines. Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) and timely intervention may help to reinforce public health messages around CVD risk factors and improve disease management, reducing the global health burden related to CVDs. Our research addresses this problem by proposing a novel and reliable framework for automated “fine-grained” assessment of AAC. Inspired by the vision-to-language models, our method performs sequential …

Building The Plane While It’S Flying: Implementation Lessons From Integrating A Co-Located Exercise Clinic Into Oncology Care, Mary A. Kennedy, Sara Bayes, Robert U. Newton, Yvonne Zissiadis, Nigel A. Spry, Dennis R. Taaffe, Nicolas H. Hart, Daniel A. Galvão

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

Despite its therapeutic role during cancer treatment, exercise is not routinely integrated into care and implementation efforts are largely absent from the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate a strategy to integrate the workflow of a co-located exercise clinic into routine care within a private oncology setting in two clinics in the metropolitan region of Western Australia.

Methods:

This prospective evaluation utilised a mixed methods approach to summarise lessons learned during the implementation of an integrated exercise workflow and supporting implementation plan. Data collection was informed by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework. Reports …