Digital Commons Network^™

Physical Activity In Aging: Biological Outcomes, Functional Autonomy, And Policy Implications, Nathan Albert Schuler

Theses

A 2016 study concluded that the elderly spend 2.5 times the national average on health services (De Nardi 2016). Despite consisting of only 14 percent of the United States population, the elderly accounted for 34 percent of all medical spending, and accounted for 73 percent of all deaths (De Nardi 2016). In addition, current projections estimate that with the aging of the baby boomer generation, the percentage of the population that is older than 65 will swell to approximately 20 percent of the population by 2030 (Ortman 2014). If the medical spending holds, this will coincide with massive increases in …

Gain Enhancement Of On-Chip Wireless Interconnects At 60 Ghz Using An Artificial Magnetic Conductor, Douglas Bean

Theses

The motivation for this work comes from the increased demand for short range high frequency data communication within and between integrated circuit (IC) chips. The use of wireless interconnects introduces flexibility to the circuit design, reduces power consumption and production costs, since the antennas can be integrated into a standard CMOS process. These findings have been well noted in literature. In addition, wireless interconnects operating in the mm-wave frequency range, at 60GHz, allow for a high data rate of over 1Gb/s for short range of transmissions. The drawback of wireless interconnects operating at high frequencies is the distortion in the …

Wearable Antennas Backed By Artificial Magnetic Conductor For Enhanced Gain And Reduced Back Radiation, Steven Jacobson

Theses

A Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a system of wireless sensors and devices attached to a person’s body for continuous monitoring of physiological data. These measurements can be used for a variety of purposes such as fitness tracking, personal health management or as medical diagnostic tools. In many cases, WBANs need to communicate with an off-body device to send information to healthcare providers. Wireless Medical Telemetry provides numerous benefits but has a few challenges that need to be overcome. One of the key components in this system is the antenna, which is worn on the body and typically has …

Investigating The Effects Of Blood Flow On Muscle Fatigue And Recovery In The First Dorsal Interosseous Muscle, Nicole Nugent

Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the physiological principles driving blood flow and fatigue both during and following different levels of intermittent exertion. Utilizing diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) allowed microvascular blood flow (BF) to be observed continuously, providing new insight into the behaviors of BF within the exerting muscle. This experiment was conducted with 11 healthy, adult participants, (5 male, 6 female), fatiguing the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) muscle through the abduction of the index finger. The study monitored BF and fatigue in response to 3 levels of intermittent exertion (20%, 30%, and 40% MVC) under …

Social Media Factors That Influence E-Commerce Buyer Behavior Of Millennials And Post-Millennials, Michele Pomponio

Theses

This research investigated the social media factors that influence the e-Commerce buyer behavior of Millennials and Post-Millennials. In today’s social media savvy environment, it is becoming increasingly important for companies to incorporate effective social media marketing into their business strategies. Further, companies should understand what is most important to customers while engaging on social media platforms. As a result, companies will need to know how to best utilize social media as a tool for increasing sales. This research included a survey that was sent to all undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester …

Yurunnhang Bungil Nyumba: Infusing Aboriginal Ways Of Being Into Teaching Practice In Australia, Lisa Buxton

Theses

In the current educational climate of teacher accountability, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers require teachers to demonstrate their level of competence in meeting the descriptors of the Standards that are grouped into three domains of teaching: Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice and Professional Engagement. The professional knowledge domain includes Standard 1 ‘Know students and how they learn’, and Standard 2 ‘Know the content and how to teach it’ (AITSL, 2011, p. 3). Teachers in New South Wales, Australia, have been familiar with Teaching Standards for many years, however, with the introduction of National Standards across Australia, two new Standards appeared …

Impact Of Lifestyle Factors On Group B Streptococcus Colonization During Pregnancy, Myra Joy Quilatan

Theses

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in the genital tract of pregnant women is a known contributory factor for infection in the neonate, having an impact on morbidity and mortality especially if unrecognized and untreated prior to vaginal delivery. An understanding on how certain lifestyle factors contribute to the development of GBS colonization during pregnancy will assist in aiding a modification of behavior to promote prevention and improve general health.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various lifestyle factors in isolation or combination on GBS colonization during pregnancy.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design …

Motor Planning In Children With And Without Developmental Coordination Disorder: Behavioural And Neurological Evidence, Ranila Bhoyroo

Theses

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterised by an inability to acquire and execute well-coordinated movements at an age appropriate level (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Converging evidence suggests that children with DCD experience motor planning difficulties compared to typically developing children; however, these difficulties may be task dependent. To our knowledge, the underlying nature of this deficit as well as the task parameters that might affect motor planning are not well established. Also, while it has been reported that alterations in areas of the frontal and parietal lobe may underlie poor motor planning in this population, …

Theorising Leadership Authenticity: An Existentialist-Personalist Perspective, Anthony Howard

Theses

The purpose of this study is to describe authentic leadership theory (ALT), identify its philosophical limitations regarding the meaning of authenticity and what it is to be authentically human. The study also evaluates the contribution of three thinkers—the existentialists Søren Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger, and the personalist Karol Wojtyła—towards overcoming those limitations.

This study straddles the fields of management and philosophy, combining management concepts regarding authentic leadership with the philosophical traditions of existentialism and personalism, to interrogate authenticity and authentic leadership. It finds that the existentialists Kierkegaard and Heidegger offer a more extensive understanding of authenticity than what the authentic …

Population Pharmacokinetics Of Ribavirin In Lung Transplant Recipients And Examination Of Current And Alternative Dosing Regimens, Eliza Milliken

Theses

Ribavirin is used in the treatment of respiratory paramyxovirus infection in lung transplant recipients; however, its pharmacokinetic profile in the transplant population is unknown despite the potential for alterations due to underlying pathology. Furthermore, the ability of current regimens to meet exposure targets has not been established. This study examined the pharmacokinetics of ribavirin in a lung transplant population from which current and alternate dosing regimens were assessed. Population pharmacokinetic modelling was conducted in NONMEM using concentrationtime data from 24 lung transplant recipients and 6 healthy volunteers. Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the ability of dosing regimens to …

Albert Camus: Rebellion Through The Ethical Frameworks Of Emmanuel Levinas And Soren Kierkegaard, Conor Spence

Theses

Albert Camus, in his novel length essay The Rebel, puts forth an argument regarding the nature of rebellion and how it is differentiated from other acts of political violence on account of its fidelity to its initial premise - the fundamental value of all individuals and parties involved. Camus, throughout this text, discusses the limitations of rebellion, its ethical character and how it is differentiated from its fallen counterpart revolution. Due to the fact that this text is primarily a critique of totalising political systems and philosophies, Camus is equivocal about the underlying philosophical foundations of this phenomena, refusing to …

Is Liberal Democracy A Contradiction?: A Study Of Political Participation And Inequality In Australia During The 1960s And 1970s, Daniel A. Elias

Theses

The central concern of this thesis is the disconnect between the premise of democracy and economic realities. The first section of the thesis examines the essential components of a democratic political system by drawing upon political theorists of the past and present. From Aristotle to Robert Dahl the thesis gains an understanding of what democracy is, by identifying and isolating its essential mechanisms. The following section situates liberalism and its origins. Such a history is critical for within liberalism is the sum of many social norms, philosophies, laws, and culture in Australia. Combining political theory and the historical context of …

Domestic Violence In Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (Cald) Communities: Perceptions, Therapeutic Approaches And Responses Of Frontline Workers In New South Wales (Nsw), Oluwatoyin A. Dedeigbo

Theses

Domestic violence is a universal public health concern (VicHealth, 2011; World Health Organisation [WHO], 2013). Domestic violence cuts across all countries, regardless of economic, social, cultural or religious differences (Ali et al., 2020; VicHealth, 2011; WHO 2013). Men are often responsible for perpetrating domestic violence against women (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2019; Australia Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2018).

The effects of domestic violence on victims can be serious and long-term; affecting their physical and mental wellbeing, and lingering even after the exposure to violence has ended (Mitchell, 2011). That is, the effect on victims’ mental health is …

Using Digital Health Technology To Optimise Older People’S Pain Self-Management Capabilities: A Mixed Methods Study (The Digitech Pain Project), Priyanka Bhattarai

Theses

Background

Arthritic pain is a major cause of illness and disability among older people. As the use of smartphones and apps increases in the lives of older people, there is an opportunity to explore the role of these apps in helping older people better manage their arthritic pain.

Aim

To explore the feasibility and acceptability of older people using an arthritic pain selfmanagement app to improve their pain symptoms.

Methods

A parallel convergent, mixed methods design underpinned by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model 2; comprising of the following five studies:

(i) Study 1a: an integrative review;

(ii) …

Causes Of Variable Jarrah (Eucalyptus Marginata) And Marri (Corymbia Calophylla) Seedling Density At Establishment Following Bauxite Mining In The Northern Jarrah Forest Of Western Australia, Tai White-Toney

Theses

Seedling densities at establishment of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata D. Don ex Sm.) and marri (Corymbia calophylla (Lindl). K. D. Hill & L. A. S. Johnson) following bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest of south-western Australia are variable and few factors explored during 40 years of field studies have explained this variability. This study explored establishment within the framework of limitation due to amount of seed supply and number of suitable microsites for establishment. First, relationships were identified between seedling establishment densities on 654 mine sites restored between 1998 and 2017 and restoration practices (seed and fertiliser application rates), climate …

Historical – Grammatical Analysis Of Worship In Spirit And Truth, Steven Sunthang

Theses

Since the creation of humankind, God interacts and communicates with them, blessing them to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and have dominion over the creation (Gen. 1:28). God provides clear instructions how to approach him and their surroundings. The method of approaching God is later called “worship.” Over a period of time, humans learned “worship” by themselves, without necessarily following the proper guidelines from God. As a consequence, certain form of worship displeased God. Later, God who became flesh in Jesus (John 1:14) set the rule for worship, that is, “in spirit and truth,” a phrase that is subject …

Evaluating Information Flow In Medication Management Process In Australian Acute Care Facilities: A Multi-Professional Perspective, Seyi Lagoke

Theses

Over the years, various interventions have been introduced to improve the medication management process. While these interventions have addressed some aspects predisposing the process to inefficiencies, significant gaps are still prevalent across the process. Studies have suggested that the goal of optimal medication therapy is achievable when information flow integrates across the various medication management process phases, stakeholders and departments involved as the patient moves through the process. To provide a cross-sectional view of the process, this study utilised a systemic philosophy to evaluate the information flow integration across the process.

The research approach adopted for this study takes a …

Effect Of Mptp On Α-Synuclein Spreading, Accumulation And Toxicity In Mice With Intrastriatal Innoculation Of Human Α-Synuclein Preformed Fibril, Madiha Mohieldin Merghani

Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by abnormal accumulation of interneuronal inclusions of α-synuclein (α-syn) known as Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), and significant loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) region of the brain. Recent evidence suggests that intrastriatal inoculation of α-syn Preformed Fibril (PFF) into mice induces PD-like LBs and LNs pathology formed by aggregated α-syn in anatomically interconnected brain regions which needs several months of incubation to develop the pathology. In the present study, we have evaluated the effect of different doses of 1-methyl, 4-phenyl, …

Development Of A Composite Sustainability Index For Roadway Intersecttion Design Alternatives In The Uae, Maryam Juma Al-Kaabi

Theses

Many studies had been carried out to evaluate the sustainability of transportation systems, but little attention was given in these studies to the design of roadway intersections. The objective of this study was to define a framework to assess intersection sustainability from a road-user perspective and to develop a visual tool that helps decision-makers to support a more sustainable design of roadway intersections. Suitable sustainability indicators that would serve as elements in the built framework at the strategic and early planning level were extracted from the literature. The extracted indicators were utilized with relative weights to develop basic dimensional indices …

Assessment Of Different Seismic Retrofit Systems Of Rc Buildings For Earthquake Risk Mitigation, Aya Ragab Mohamed Abou Ei-Hamd

Theses

Many existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures were designed and constructed at a time when design codes were insufficient according to current standards. This class of structures is at risk of damage when subjected to strong earthquake loading. Therefore, several seismic retrofit techniques have been investigated experimentally to increase the earthquake resistance and damage-control potential of pre-seismic code structures using different methods such as quasi-static and pseudo-dynamic testing. However, a limited number of studies have focused on investigating the overall seismic performance of retrofitted RC structures using shake table testing. The first task of this study assesses analytically and experimentally the …

Perceptions, Impact And Scope Of Medication Errors With Opioids In Australian Specialist Palliative Care Inpatient Services: A Mixed Methods Study (The Periscope Project), Nicole Heneka

Theses

Background: Opioids are a high-risk medicine, and one of the most frequently reported drug classes causing patient harm. In specialist palliative care inpatient services opioids are widely used to manage cancer pain and other symptoms. Palliative care inpatients are vulnerable to both exposure to, and harm from, opioid errors due to a combination of their: advanced age, comorbidities which affect drug metabolism, polypharmacy, and the seriousness of their illness. Despite this potential for harm, and the frequency of opioid administration in this specialist setting, little is known about opioid errors in palliative care. Better understanding the prevalence, patient impact and …

Safety And Effectiveness Of Stoss Therapy In Children With Vitamin D Deficiency, Paul Tannous

Theses

Objectives: Paediatric vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D - 25OHD) deficiency can lead to nutritional rickets and extra-skeletal complications. Compliance with daily therapy can be difficult, making high dose, short-term vitamin D (stoss) therapy attractive to correct vitamin D deficiency. We compared the effectiveness and safety of standard versus stoss therapy in treating childhood 25OHD deficiency.

Study Design: Children aged 2 - 16 years with 25OHD <50nmol/L were randomized to either standard (5,000IU daily for 80 days) or stoss (100,000 IU weekly for 4 weeks) cholecalciferol. Participants underwent evaluation of effectiveness and safety. 25OHD, random spot calcium: creatinine ratio (Ca:Cr) and compliance were measured at 12 weeks.

Results: 151 children were enrolled in the study (68 standard and 83 stoss), median age 9 years (IQR: 6 - 12 years). Baseline 25OHD levels were 26 nmol/L (IQR: 19 - 35 nmol/L) and 32 nmol/L …

Encountering The Living God: The Integral Formation Of Teachers As Witnesses In Catholic Elementary And Secondary Schools, Amy E. Roberts

Theses

An examination of the Catholic Church’s documents on Catholic schools shows that the Church holds the primary mission of Catholic schools to be making disciples of Jesus Christ. Because the fulfillment of the mission of Catholic schools depends upon the teacher, teachers need ongoing formation as witnesses, just as they need professional formation. This thesis contends that in order for teachers to be the witnesses that Catholic schools need to fulfill their mission of making disciples, they themselves need an integral formation that puts every dimension of their human nature – body, heart, and mind – in ongoing communio with …

Optimising Refurbishment In Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities Using A Mixed Methods Approach, S Neylon

Theses

The growth in ageing populations in addition to an increase in rates of chronic diseases such as dementia, has led to projections that this upsurge will be matched by increased demand for residential aged care placements for the foreseeable future. Currently, significant proportions of aged care government funding both locally and internationally are directed towards the residential sector. Australia has recently released Aged Care Quality Standards whereby the outcomes to residents need to be verified specifically across a range of domains (including the living and built environment) in order to maintain this government funding. Building new facilities is not always …

Hysterical Women: Moral Treatment Of Female Patients In The Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, 1858 – 1908, Alexandra Wallis

Theses

From 1858 to 1908, at least 452 women were admitted to the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum. Through an exploration of nineteenth-century theories of moral treatment, new insights into female patient experiences will allow for greater understanding of Fremantle’s working-class women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including those behaviours that were considered insane. The appraisal of moral treatment techniques also allows for a new investigation into the enforcement of nineteenth-century, socially-accepted ideas of womanhood.

In its three parts, using patient records, case books, and other sources, this thesis examines understandings of women’s insanity as they evolved in nineteenth-century Britain. It …

The Barren Bear Fruit: Towards A Theology Of Marital Fruitfulness For Sterile Catholic Couples In Light Of Hans Urs Von Balthasar’S Theology Of Fruitfulness, Briony Mowbray

Theses

It is estimated that between 4.0% and 11.2% of married Catholic couples remain undesirably childless after exhausting licit medical treatments for their infertility. Yet, a critical appraisal of the documents of the Magisterium highlights an absence of substantial and constructive dialogue about fruitfulness for sterile Catholic couples. This thesis draws upon the insights of Hans Urs von Balthasar in order to construct a preliminary theology of marital fruitfulness that is specifically applicable to Christian couples unable to have biological children. Following the aforementioned appraisal of relevant Magisterial documents, this thesis is divided into two further sections. In the first section, …

From Valuable Resource To Valued Person: Ontologies Of Human Resource Management, Gregory M. Latemore

Theses

This thesis examines the conceptualisations of those who do the work of organisations as evidenced in human resource management (HRM) scholarship. It contrasts three perspectives in the HRM discourse: strategic, humanistic and personalistic, and distinguishes the world-views and philosophies within them. The four papers in the thesis address these perspectives and indicate implications for HRM theory, research and practice.

The primary research question is ‘how is the person conceptualised in the HRM discourse?’ which is answered by affirming that such conceptualisation has varied throughout the HRM tradition wherein the ‘human’ in HRM is regarded as both a valuable resource and …

Incorporating An Interdisciplinary Approach To Examine The Relationship Between Physical Capacity, Perceptual Motor Skill, Mental Toughness And Match Performance In Australian Football, Benjamin Piggott

Theses

Performance in sports involves a combination of components such as physiological, psychological and perceptual-cognitive-motor. Yet, despite a call in the literature dating back more than 20 years for an interdisciplinary approach, the majority of studies in sports science have used a monodisciplinary approach focusing on one component to understand sport performance. Accordingly, the primary aim of this thesis was to investigate the value of an interdisciplinary approach to understand match performance using Australian Football (AF) as the exemplar sport. The secondary aim of this thesis was to quantify individual differences in performance and representative task design (RTD) of tests used …

Study Of The Health Needs Of Older Women Experiencing Homelessness In The Perth Metropolitan Area, Gloria Sutherland

Theses

Women aged over 50 years represent the most rapidly growing cohort of the Australian homeless population. Despite an increasing awareness of older Australian women being at risk of homelessness, little is known of how their health contributes to, and changes due to their homelessness. Drawing on the principles of the World Health Organisation’s social determinants of health, this study sought to investigate the personal life circumstances of older homeless women who live in the Perth metropolitan area, their healthcare needs and to identify any barriers to their accessing healthcare.

The study used a convergent mixed methods approach using quantitative and …

A Western Australian Story: A Mixed Method Study Exploring Nutrition Knowledge, Food Intake, Influences On Food Choice, Body Image And Eating Attitudes Of University Students, Michelle Lambert

Theses

Emerging adults are fast gaining recognition as an important target group for health promotion as previous research indicates very few are meeting dietary guidelines, often consuming foods that have increased saturated fats, sugar and sodium. These eating patterns place this group at higher risk of developing chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Understanding how and why these eating patterns develop is important to help establish healthy eating behaviours and greater compliance to Australian Dietary Guidelines – Recommended Daily Serves (ADG-RDS) for emerging adults. International research has focused on eating habits, weight gain patterns and possible influences …