Digital Commons Network^™

“Turning Mirrors Into Windows”: A Study Of Participatory Dynamic Simulation Modelling To Inform Health Policy Decisions, Louise Freebairn

Theses

Introduction: Achieving evidence-based public health policy is challenging. There is increasing recognition that more sophisticated, system-science, analytic methods, such as dynamic simulation modelling (DSM), are needed to better understand the dynamic, interacting and interrelated elements within complex public health systems. This thesis explored the implementation, feasibility and value of a novel participatory DSM approach as a tool for knowledge mobilisation and decision support in Australian health policy settings. An indepth case study of participatory modelling of Diabetes in Pregnancy (DIP) in the Australian Capital Territory (2016-2018) was conducted. Two additional modelling case studies focusing on prevention of childhood overweight and …

Mark Oliphant And The Invisible College Of The Peaceful Atom, Darren Holden

Theses

The weapon first created by atomic scientists of the 1940s was unprecedented in its power and potential to kill. Not only can it destroy infrastructure and all living things over a wide area, it leaves a haunting invisible footprint of radiation that can continue to harm long after its heat has dissipated. The atomic bomb was first conceptualised, proven and built by civilian scientists and overseen by an ambitious military and wary bureaucrats. The scientists belligerently lobbied their governments to take the potential of atomic weaponry seriously and it is hence not surprising that they are often portrayed as ghoulishly …

Hearing And Understanding: Vernacular Liturgical Reform At Holy Trinity Abbey New Norcia 1963-1970, Christopher Kan

Theses

The first fruit of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) was Sacrosanctum Concilium – the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. Within eight years of its promulgation Roman Catholic worship across the world was transformed, as the language and practice of the rites of the Church underwent significant change. One of the most noticeable changes was the relaxation of the requirement for the Church’s liturgy to be celebrated in Latin and instead be in the local language of the people, the vernacular.

Case studies of the implementation of the post-conciliar reform, as advocated by the Council, are infrequent, especially in the context …

Evaluating Local, National, Regional And International Interventions In Northern Uganda Using A Human Security Approach, Davis Kawooya

Theses

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1962, Uganda has been beset by conflicts, the worst of which took place between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda (1988-2006), causing a massive humanitarian crisis. The central argument of the thesis is that the government’s programmes in response would have been more successful if they had been people-centred, directly responsive to the suffering of the people, rather than centralised in the hands of a small Kampala-based elite, which controlled access to funding and political power, without transparency or accountability. This research uses human security as an umbrella concept …

Differentiating Pre-Capillary And Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension By Doppler Echocardiography In A Large Realworld Database, Pyi Naing

Theses

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is common, dangerous and has multiple causes. Vasodilator therapy has significantly improved the prognosis of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the diagnosis can be challenging, requiring right heart catheterisation (RHC). Differentiating pre-capillary PH (prePH) and postcapillary PH (postPH) and measuring pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) are key steps for diagnosing PAH. A novel echocardiographic parameter, the pulmonary to left atrial ratio (ePLAR), which is derived from the tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) divided by the ratio between the early diastolic filling velocity and the early mitral annulus velocity (E/e’), i.e., ePLAR=TRV/E/e’, has been described as a …

The Course Changes In Maximal Strength Velocity Following A Traditional Strength- Or Power Orientated Training Session, Alexander Vernon

Theses

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the return to baseline of movement velocity and maximal strength following a typical strength-orientated and power-orientated session in the full depth, free-weight back squat performed with maximal concentric velocity. Fourteen strength-trained males completed a power-orientated session (3-sets of 6-repetitions @50% of a one-repetition maximum [1RM]) and a strength-orientated session (5-sets of 5-repetitions @80%1RM) in randomised order over two weeks. At 24, 48, 72 and 96-hours following the training session stimulus, sessions were completed with loads of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90% and 100%1RM lifted. Prior to the completion of the training …

Motivation In Knowledge Workers, Carmen Wong

Theses

Traditional theories that form the basis of workplace motivation may be inadequate to manage workers in the knowledge-based economy. Knowledge workers are a growing segment of the workforce, and their needs differ from previous generations of employees. How managers can best motivate knowledge workers towards greater performance and employee satisfaction may not have a definitive answer, however we will explore the effectiveness of some of the commonly used practices in the current workplace.

Knowledge workers add value to a company's products and services by applying their knowledge. The self-determination theory (SDT) is considered a more encompassing theory than the traditional …

The Educational Leadership Experiences Of Principals And Their Respective Leadership Teams In The Implementation Of A Josephite Approach To Education In Six Schools In The Josephite Tradition, Catherine Mead

Theses

The focus of this research was an exploration of the experiences of Principals and their respective leadership teams in implementing a Josephite approach to education in six schools in the Josephite tradition. In a liminal time characterised by a secularised, pluralistic and a de-traditionalising culture in society and Church (Gowdie, 2017; Green, 2018, Pollefeyt & Bouwens, 2010), Principals and key leaders in schools in the Josephite tradition are challenged to re-contextualise the Josephite tradition to best serve their school communities. It is therefore timely to undertake this research in order to inform the Sisters of St Joseph and relevant governing …

Towards An Aristotelian Theory Of Care: A Comparison Of Neo-Aristotelian Virtue Ethics With Feminist Ethics Of Care, And The Fundaments Of A Virtue Ethical Theory Of Care, Steven Steyl

Theses

The intersection between virtue and care ethics is underexplored in contemporary moral philosophy. This thesis approaches care ethics from a neo-Aristotelian virtue ethical perspective, comparing the two frameworks and drawing on recent work on care to develop a theory thereof. It is split into seven substantive chapters serving three major argumentative purposes, namely the establishment of significant intertheoretical agreement, the compilation and analysis of extant and new distinctions between the two theories, and the synthesis of care ethical insights with neo-Aristotelianism to generate a virtue ethical theory of care. In the first two chapters, I outline virtue ethics and care …

Being On Track: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of Staff Development Nurses’ Transition From A Ward-Based Role To The Role Of Staff Development Nurse In A Hospital In Western Australia, Penny Keogh

Theses

Continuing education is widely accepted as a means to remain competent in nursing and knowledgeable about the numerous changes in health care and the health care environments in which nurses work. The ward-based staff development nurse (SDN) role is considered a vital support for clinical staff (Armstrong & Laschinger, 2006; Conway & Elwin, 2007), with the role responsible for organising orientation and continuing education for nursing staff in their respective area of specialty. There is a dearth of research on the lived experience of the hospital-based SDN, most of whom have no formal training or preparation for their role. Newly …

Assessment Of Pre-Eclampsia Risk In Early Pregnancy, Ziad T.A Al-Rubaie

Theses

My thesis aims to improve pre-eclampsia prevention and outcomes in Australian women by providing evidence that can be used to enhance pre-eclampsia risk assessment in broad antenatal settings. I conducted the thesis in three stages. In stage 1, a systematic review identified major limitations in the existing evidence for current guideline approaches and ‘simple’ risk models incorporating maternal characteristics to identify women at increased risk of pre-eclampsia in early pregnancy. While the review demonstrated models including specialised tests such as uterine artery Doppler and serum biomarkers improved sensitivity to predict pre-eclampsia compared to simple models, there was insufficient evidence to …

A Comparison Of Techniques For Estimating Ndvi For Agricultural Intervention Impact Assessment, Ronan Lucey

Theses

In the context of global environmental change, food security is a major concern for Nepal. Agricultural interventions have been performed in Nepal with a goal of increasing crop productivity to combat food insecurity. In this study, we compare two techniques for estimating NDVI, serving as a proxy for agricultural productivity, over fields in western Nepal - a Multi-Linear Regression approach and a Random Forest approach. Assessment of agricultural productivity is important for understanding the effectiveness of agricultural interventions. The methodology utilizes space-borne remote sensing and surface meteorology datasets to address three research questions: 1) can these datasets be utilized along …

Utilizing Lidar To Quantify Aboveground Tree Biomass Within An Urban University, Maggi Klug

Theses

Urban tree biomass is essential for the vitality of the surrounding ecosystem. This study utilized field measurements and aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing to estimate biomass within The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) campus to assess the importance of biomass on a school campus. LiDAR-derived canopy characteristics were calculated and used in a linear regression analysis in conjunction with in situ measured biomass to yield biomass equations for 14 tree species found on the UAH campus. The regression models had a high fit (R2 = 0.73-0.98) for most species. Some species such as the Pinus taeda, …

Revised Empirical Analysis And Modeling Of Ferroelectric Capacitors For Energy Storage, Naoki Nakajima

Theses

The property of ferroelectricity in these capacitors and the unique behavior due to the materials used are compared with purely dielectric ceramic capacitors in this thesis. Ferroelectric capacitors were analyzed via hysteresis loop measurements. Energy storage, loss, and the efficiency of each capacitor were calculated by analyzing the empirical data with MATLAB. As the effect of humidity, which was completely overlooked in the previous research, was so significant that it needed to be considered, leakage current removal was improved upon and calculated in order to evaluate the effects of leakage current intrinsic to the samples. Finally, an empirical model of …

Miniaturization Of Higher Order Mode Circular Microstrip Patch Antennas, Saininad Chandrakant Naik

Theses

No abstract provided.

An Interview-Based Study On Writing Instruction In Engineering Programs, Rebecca E. Avgoustopoulos

Theses

No abstract provided.

A Demonstration In Engaging Reluctant Readers : The Wandering Cave, Jonathan Follette

Theses

No abstract provided.

What Affects Do Managers Have On Employee Performance And Turnover?, Devan O'Donnell

Theses

This dissertation focused on whether managers affect employee performance and turnover. In particular, this research focused on multinational organisations in Ireland. The focal point was to gain an understanding of this topic from a manger and employee point of view. For the sake of this research the managers that were involved were only managers of employees and not other managers.

This research project adopts a mixed research method of data collections. It applies both face to face interviews with managers and online questionnaires with employees.

The findings revelled valuable insight into the relationship between managers and employee performance and turnover. …

The Unesco Creative City Network - A Case For Cork City, Colette Scariff-Lalor

Theses

We are all creative, but by the time we are three or four years old, someone has knocked the creativity out of us ~ Maya Angelou

This research study will examine the potential interest and perceived benefits of the UNESCO Creative City designation for Cork City as well as exploring the concept of the Creative City concept and what it may mean for Ireland’s second city. At present, Cork City Council have the intention of applying for Creative City status. Comprising of a network of 180 members with Dublin and Galway currently holding the status, it is important for Cork …

An Investigation Into The Role And Function Of Athlete Monitoring And Its Impact On Training Practice And Performance Among Elite Gaelic Football Players, Jason Hugh Mcgahan

Theses

Background: Ensuring adequate rest and recovery is critical for the avoidance of overtraining and the achievement of optimal performance, therefore it is recommended that training load and recovery be continually monitored throughout the training year. The purpose of this research was to investigate training load and markers of wellness among elite Gaelic footballers to assist the regulation of such loading to optimise performance in an amateur sports setting.

Methods: Participants were selected from two elite Gaelic football teams (Division 1 and 3 respectively) where training load data (global positioning system (GPS), session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and wellness markers) …

Temperature Effects On Sulfuric Acid Aerosol Nucleation And Growth : Initial Results From The Tangent Study, Lee Tiszenkel

Theses

New particle formation (NPF) consists of two steps: nucleation and growth. At present, mechanisms governing these processes are not well understood. Here, we report results obtained from the TANGENT (Tandem Aerosol Nucleation and Growth Environment Tube) experiments. The TANGENT apparatus enables us to study these processes independently. Our results show that lower temperatures enhance both the nucleation and growth rate of sulfuric acid particles. However, at temperatures below 268 K the effects of temperature on the nucleation rate become less significant, indicating that particle formation takes place via barrierless nucleation at lower temperatures. We examined the growth of newly formed …

Inter-Annual Variability Of Tropical And Subtropical Lightning Activity From The Full Trmm Lis Lightning Climatology-Locations, Magnitudes, And Mechanisms, Austin G. Clark

Theses

This study used the Low Resolution Time Series (LRTS) climatological lightning record from the space-based Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Lightning Imaging Sensor (TRMM, LIS) to compare individual years of lightning activity for all locations in the tropics and some in the subtropics. As a first guess from previous literature, the El-Ni ̃no/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was chosen as the most likely cause of inter-annual variability within the TRMM LIS domain. Individual years from the lightning record beginning in 1998 and ending in 2014 were thus classified based on their corresponding phase of ENSO, i.e., warm, cold, or neutral, using the Oceanic …

Applications Of Earth Observations For The Monitoring Of Deforestation Dynamics In The Peruvian Amazon, Andrea Puzzi Nicolau

Theses

In the context of global environmental change, deforestation in the Amazon is a major concern for sustainable resource management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. Understanding the processes of land use and land cover that drive deforestation is relevant towards more sustainable land management and will aid global initiatives such as the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change's (UNFCCC) Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+). This thesis addresses the use of Earth Observations to monitor deforestation dynamics in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Two papers are presented; the first analyzes the spatial patterns of forest …

Isolation And Activation Of B Lymphocytes Using Magnetic Microbeads-Assisted Reversible Bioconjugation, Veena Vinod

Theses

B cells mature within the microenvironment called germinal center and undergo affinity maturation through rounds of selective clonal expansion and somatic hypermutation, isotype class switching, and differentiation to plasma cells and memory B cells. Induction of such complex germinal center reactions artificially in vitro has not been achieved. Here we first develop and evaluate the use of reversible bioconjugation chemistry for surface modification of magnetic microbeads with model proteins using desthiobiotin-streptavidin pair. Second, we employed the same reversible bioconjugation chemistry and magnetic sorting for isolation of antigen-specific B cells with a minimal amount of potentially toxic magnetic beads for the …

Effect Of Scytovirin And Testosterone On Cryptococcus Neoformans, Marjan Berenji Jalaei

Theses

Pathogenic fungi have become increasingly important due to a wide range of fungal infections worldwide and emergence of drug resistant strains. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes mostly pulmonary infections, meningitis and meningoencephalitis. The rate of mortality in males is higher compared to females. Testosterone, the major steroid hormone in males, has been shown to affect the C. neoformans pathogenicity. Searching for an effective antifungal drug against C. neoformans, in particular for males, is a matter of importance. Scytovirin is a lectin with newly discovered antifungal activity associated with cell wall interaction. Scytovirin was tested against two …

A Comparative Analysis Of Trna[Superscript Ala] Production, Brandie Byler

Theses

With more and more antibiotic-resistant infections occurring worldwide each year, it is imperative that a new class of antibiotics be developed in order for modern medical treatments to continue to advance. To do so effectively, new antibacterial targets must be found and analyzed for their potential as novel antibiotic drugs. Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase I (Pth1) is potentially one such target. During protein translation, approximately 10% of the time the ribosome stalls. When this happens, and rescue mechanisms fail, the ribosome is disassembled. This leaves the nascent peptide attached to the P-site tRNA, creating peptidyl-tRNA. If peptidyl-tRNA is not recycled, the cell …

Indoor Positioning Using Multiple Signal Sources (Modes), Vishal Chummar Perekadan

Theses

Computation of accurate indoor positioning information is important in several application areas like mobile robotics, navigation, virtual reality and ubiquitous computing. In spite of its importance we still do not have an indoor positioning system equivalent to the Global Positioning System~(GPS), which is the standard for large scale outdoor positioning, but is unreliable or unavailable in indoor environments. In this work, we present a multi-source radio frequency(RF) based system for automatic indoor positioning using the received signal strength (RSS) and demonstrate its efficacy by simultaneously using broadcast FM radio & GSM signals for position estimation. This method is data driven …

Structural Engineering Of The Antifungal High Mannose Binding Lectin Myxovirin, Jessica L. Osier

Theses

The pathogenic encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans causes a majority of fungal disease related deaths worldwide from pulmonary infections, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis. Loss of efficacy in current treatment options against C. neoformans and the emergence of antifungal drug resistance call for the development of new therapeutics. High mannose binding lectins such as Scytovirin have been shown to be promising anticryptococcal drug candidates. In this work, a homologous antifungal lectin, Myxovirin, was structurally engineered in an effort to improve both its carbohydrate binding affinity and its anticryptococcal activity. Carbohydrate binding was studied using both isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and nuclear magnetic resonance …

Ground-Based Remote Sensing And Excavations At A Middle Woodland Platform Mound (1la111) In Lawrence County, Alabama, Travis Rael

Theses

A common goal of many archaeological studies is to locate anthropogenic features, which provide occupational and chronological information. Anomalies detected in ground-based geophysical remote sensing data assist in locating such features and provide guidance for placement of excavations. Research conducted on a large platform mound located in northwest Alabama utilized a quantitative method for detecting and interpreting anomalies in gradiometer data collected on the structure’s summit. Results from systematical ground truthing and subsequent excavations of several of the anomalies suggest that this method provides an effective approach for locating areas containing significant subsurface archaeological deposits within the mound. Soil core …

Evaluating And Forecasting Development Within Riparian Corridors In North Alabama For Conservation, Leah Parker

Theses

As urban development continues to spread from urban centers, natural riparian corridors and their ecosystem services are becoming at risk. This study utilized the Riparian Buffer Delineation Model, the National Land Cover Database, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to evaluate and summarize historical land cover changes and vegetation health within variable-width riparian corridors between 2001 and 2016 in Madison County and Limestone County of North Alabama. The TerrSet Land Change Modeler was used to predict the risk of urban development by 2030 based on historical land cover trends and driver variables. The predicted future risk of urban development …