Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing First Year Student Engagement: Collaborative Practice In A Core Business Unit, Tina Fleming, Alicia Stanway

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this paper, informed by an action research framework, was to evaluate how a collaborative approach between unit facilitators and learning advisors in a first-year core business unit contributes to an environment where students are actively engaged in their learning. Student engagement in their learning is a key priority for university faculties, particularly in first year, as it is a key factor in student performance and persistence in their studies. Using the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement as a benchmark, a mixed-methods approach was adopted using an online survey (n_171) and focus groups

(n _ …

Improving Health Professional's Knowledge Of Hepatitis B Using Cartoon Based Learning Tools: A Retrospective Analysis Of Pre And Post Tests, Moira G. Sim, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Toni D. Wain Ms, Eric L. Khong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Hepatitis B serology is complex and a lack of knowledge in interpretation contributes to the inadequate levels of screening and referral for highly effective hepatitis antiviral treatments. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed so that current and future healthcare professionals are more confident in the detection and assessment of hepatitis B to improve the uptake of treatment and reduce long-term complications from the disease. Cartoons have been used effectively as a teaching tool in other settings and were considered as a potentially useful teaching aid in explaining hepatitis B serology. This study examines the impact of cartoons in …

Australian Smes: Waste Sent To Landfill, Janice Redmond, Elizabeth A. Walker, Craig M. Parker, Mike Simpson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Landfill waste has a negative impact on the environment and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are believed to be significant contributors. There is little government or scholarly research, however, quantifying the collective volume of waste SMEs send to landfill. The limited studies instead measure total volumes (landfill and recycling combined) and/or do not distinguish between specific waste streams (e.g. wood) and subcategories (e.g. dust). This paper contributes to knowledge by reconceptualising SME waste into subcategories and by measuring landfill volumes. It presents findings from 404 Australian SMEs which found that, in descending order, cardboard, paper, plastic wrap, wood dust and …

Tego - A Framework For Adversarial Planning, Daniel Ashlock, Philip Hingston

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study establishes a framework called ∗-Tego for a situation in which two agents are each given a set of players for a competitive game. Each agent places their players in an order. Players on each side at the same position in the order play one another, with the agent's score being the sum of their player's scores. The planning agents are permitted to simultaneous reorder their players in each of several stages. The reordering is termed competitive replanning. The resulting framework is scalable by changing the number of players and the complexity of the replanning process. The framework is …

Application Of A Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Unit For Power Systems Stability Improvement, Embaiya Salih, Stefan Lachowicz, Octavian Bass, Daryoush Habibi

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) includes a high inductance coil that can act as a constant source of direct current. A SMES unit connected to a power system is able to absorb and store both active and reactive power from this system and to inject these powers into this system when they are needed. The injected power can be controlled by changing both the duty cycle of the dc-dc chopper switches and its operation modes. A SMES is always associated with a power conversion system consisting of two identical converters connected by a de link capacitor. This paper presents …

Investigating Strain Transfer In Polymer Coated Structures For The Health Monitoring Of Aerospace Vehicles Using Polymer Photonic Waveguides, Graham Wild, Bronwyn Fox, Kevin Magniez, Steven Hinckley, Scott Wade, G Carman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this work, we present the concept of planar polymer photonic waveguides for the health monitoring of aerospace structures. Here a polymer layer is deposited onto the material/structure to be monitored. Within the polymer layer, waveguides are created after deposition. These waveguides can then be used as 'optical fibres' for optical fibre sensing methodologies. In investigating the use of polymer photonic waveguides the question to be answered is: does the strain in the test material transfer to the polymer layer, such that the value to be measured optically is reliable and indicative of the true strain in the test structure? …

Remote Beehive Monitoring Using Acoustic Signals, Amro Qandour, Iftekhar Ahmad, Daryoush Habibi, Mark Leppard

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recent developments in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have led to their use in remote data acquisition and automatic data analysis applications, which have proven to be an invaluable tool in a diverse range of fields including biosecurity. Further indications have been found that honeybee health can be monitored and determined through the use of acoustic analysis. In this paper, we present a system that has the ability to remotely detect the presence of pest infestation on a colony of honeybees by comparing the acoustic fingerprint of a hive to a fingerprint of known status. This will aid the goals of …

Expertise And The Representation Of Space, Michael H. Connors, Guillermo Campitelli

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract available.

Leg Strength And Lean Mass Symmetry Influences Kicking Performance In Australian Football, Nicolas H. Hart, Sophia Nimphius, Tania Spiteri, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Differential loading patterns during game-based participation may produce or exacerbate strength imbalances between the lower limbs. It is currently unknown whether such imbalances are functionally beneficial or detrimental to performance. This study assessed the influence of lower limb strength and lean mass symmetry on kicking accuracy in Australian Football. Thirty-one Australian footballers were required to perform a kicking assessment, producing ten drop punt kicks over twenty metres to a player target. Athletes were subsequently separated into accurate (n = 15) and inaccurate (n = 16) groups, with lower-body lean mass assessed using whole body DXA scans, and lower-body strength assessed …

The Acquisition Of Expertise In The Classroom: Are Current Models Of Education Appropriate?, Craig P. Speelman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The study of expertise tends to focus on humans who can perform extraordinary feats. Although the way in which expertise is acquired is often characterized as similar to everyday skill acquisition, the attainment of basic numeracy skills is rarely considered in the same context as the attainment of expertise. It is clear, though, that average numeracy skills possess all the hallmarks of expert performance. In this paper I argue that the traditional classroom of Western education systems pays insufficient attention to the idea that effective numeracy skills represent a level of expertise that requires a particular form of training. Using …

Characterizing The Resolvability Of Real Superluminescent Diode Sources For Application To Optical Coherence Tomography Using A Low Coherence Interferometry Model, Paul V. Jansz, Steven Richardson, Graham Wild, Steven Hinckley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The axial resolution is a critical parameter in determining whether optical coherent tomography (OCT) can be used to resolve specific features in a sample image. Typically, measures of resolution have been attributed to the light source characteristics only, including the coherence length and the point spread function (PSF) width of the OCT light sources. The need to cost effectively visualize the generated PSF and OCT cross-correlated interferogram (A-scan) using many OCT light sources have led to the extrinsic evolution of the OCT simulation model presented. This research indicated that empirical resolution in vivo, as well as depending on the light …

Text Extraction In Natural Scenes Using Region-Based Method, Zhihu Huang, Jinsong Leng

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Text in images is a very important clue for image indexing and retrieving. Unfortunately, it is a challenging work to accurately and robustly extract text from a complex background image. In this paper, a novel region-based text extraction method is proposed. In doing so, the candidate text regions are detected by 8-connected objects detection algorithm based on the edge image. Then the non-text regions are filtered out using shape, texture and stroke width rules. Finally, the remaining regions are grouped into text lines. Since stroke width is the intrinsic and particular characteristics of the text, the accuracy of the non-text …

Regulation Of Human Pax6 Expression By Mir-7, M Needhamsen, Robert B. White, Keith M. Giles, Sarah A. Dunlop, Meghan G. Thomas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The paired box gene 6 (PAX6) is a powerful mediator of eye and brain organogenesis whose spatiotemporal expression is exquisitely controlled by multiple mechanisms, including post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). In the present study, we use bioinformatic predictions to identify three candidate microRNA-7 (miR-7) target sites in the human PAX6 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR) and demonstrate that two of them are functionally active in a human cell line. Furthermore, transient transfection of cells with synthetic miR-7 inhibits PAX6 protein expression but does not alter levels of PAX6 mRNA, suggesting that miR-7 induces translational repression of PAX6. Finally, a comparison of …

Implementing An Interdisciplinary Student Centric Approach To Work-Integrated Learning, Gary Marchioro, Maria M. Ryan, Tim Perkins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper describes the implementation of an innovative approach to work-integrated learning using interdisciplinary projects within a university Faculty of Business. Further, it discusses the implementation of integrated and authentic assessments involving academic units in the marketing, urban planning and business communication disciplines. The authors reflect on issues involved with the introduction of interdisciplinary teaching and learning strategies, representing a shift from traditional silo approaches in tertiary education. The paper considers how a student-centered learning approach can support innovation in higher education. It highlights the importance of providing students with an integrated, in situ approach to learning within the context …

Setting Goals And Choosing Appropriate Reference Sites For Restoring Mine Pit Lakes As Aquatic Ecosystems: Case Study From South West Australia, Eddie J. Van Etten, C. D. Mccullough, Mark A. Lund

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Pit lakes may form when open cut mining leaves a pit void behind that fills with ground and surface water. Often replacing terrestrial ecosystems that existed prior to mining, the pit lake may offer an alternative ecosystem with aquatic biodiversity values that can be realised through planned restoration. Restoration theory and mine closure regulatory requirements guides us toward restoring disturbed systems towards landscapes that are of regional value and relevance. However, how do we identify a restoration target for a novel aquatic habitat that did not exist prior to the new post-mining landscape? This paper presents a process of first …

Overexpression Of Phospholipase A2 Group Iia In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma And Association With Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression, Yan Chun Zhai, Bin Dong, Wen Qiang Wei, Yan He, Xin Qing Li, Robert T. Cormier, Wei Wang, Fen Liu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. The esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common histological type of esophageal cancer worldwide. Materials and Methods: Our goal in this study was to detect phospholipase A2 Group IIA (PLA2G2A) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) immuno-expression in ESCC in a high-risk population in China. Results: Positive expression of PLA2G2A protein was observed in 57.2% (166/290) of the cases, while COX-2 was found in 257 of 290 samples (88.6%), both PLA2G2A and COX-2 being expressed in 153 cases (52.8%), …

Pax Genes: Regulators Of Lineage Specification And Progenitor Cell Maintenance, Judith A. Blake, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Pax genes encode a family of transcription factors that orchestrate complex processes of lineage determination in the developing embryo. Their key role is to specify and maintain progenitor cells through use of complex molecular mechanisms such as alternate RNA splice forms and gene activation or inhibition in conjunction with protein co-factors. The significance of Pax genes in development is highlighted by abnormalities that arise from the expression of mutant Pax genes. Here, we review the molecular functions of Pax genes during development and detail the regulatory mechanisms by which they specify and maintain progenitor cells across various tissue lineages. We …

A New Troglobitic Ideoroncid Pseudoscorpion (Pseudoscorpiones: Ideoroncidae) From Southern Africa, Mark S. Harvey, Gerhard Du Preez

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The first blind African species of Ideoroncidae is described from a cave in northwestern Botswana, Botswanoncus ellisi, representing a new genus and a new species. Apart from the complete lack of eyes, it is also unusual in having the lowest recorded number of trichobothria of any adult ideoroncid with 17 on the fixed finger and nine on the movable finger.

A Review And Redescription Of The Cosmopolitan Pseudoscorpion Chelifer Cancroides (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferidae), Mark S. Harvey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The taxonomy of the cheliferid pseudoscorpion genus Chelifer Geoffroy 1762 is reviewed with a single cosmopolitan species, Chelifer cancroides (Linnaeus 1758), with the subspecies C. cancroides orientalis Morikawa 1954 from Japan newly synonymised with C. cancroides. Adults and the final two nymphal stages (tritonymph and deutonymph) are redescribed based on numerous specimens from Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia. The large size variation evident in the samples is documented. The latero-ventral process of the tarsal claws characteristically found in adults (except leg I of the male) is lacking in nymphs, a pattern that is also confirmed in the genera Lissochelifer …

Prevalence And Risk Factors For Cervical Neoplasia: A Cervical Cancer Screening Program In Beijing, Lixin Tao, Lili Han, Xia Li, Qi Gao, Lei Pan, Lijuan Wu, Yanxia Luo, Wei Wang, Zihe Zheng, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and cause of cancer-related death for women worldwide. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of cervical neoplasia and examine factors associated with high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) among women taking part in a cervical cancer screening program in Beijing.

Dystonia Type 6 Gene Product Thap1: Identification Of A 50 Kda Dna-Binding Species In Neuronal Nuclear Fractions, Maitane Ortiz-Virumbrales, Marta Ruiz, Eugene Hone, Georgia Dolios, Rong Wang, Andrika Morant, Jessica Kottwitz, Laurie J. Ozelius, Sam Gandy, Michelle Ehrlich

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Mutations in THAP1 result in dystonia type 6, with partial penetrance and variable phenotype. The goal of this study was to examine the nature and expression pattern of the protein product(s) of the Thap1 transcription factor (DYT6 gene) in mouse neurons, and to study the regional and developmental distribution, and subcellular localization of Thap1 protein. The goal was accomplished via overexpression and knock-down of Thap1 in the HEK293T cell line and in mouse striatal primary cultures and western blotting of embryonic Thap1-null tissue. The endogenous and transduced Thap1 isoforms were characterized using three different commercially available anti-Thap1 antibodies and validated …

Urinary And Breast Milk Biomarkers To Assess Exposure Ro Naphthalene In Pregnant Women: An Investigation Of Personal And Indoor Air Sources, Amanda J. Wheeler, Nina A. Dobbin, Marie-Eve Heroux, Mandy Fisher, Liu Sun, Cheryl F. Khoury, Russ Hauser, Mark Walker, Tim Ramsay, Jean-Francois Bienvenu, Alain Leblanc, Eric Daigle, Eric Gaudreau, Patrick Belanger, Mark Feeley, Pierre Ayotte, Tye E Arbuckle

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Naphthalene exposures for most non-occupationally exposed individuals occur primarily indoors at home. Residential indoor sources include pest control products (specifically moth balls), incomplete combustion such as cigarette smoke, woodstoves and cooking, some consumer and building products, and emissions from gasoline sources found in attached garages. The study aim was to assess naphthalene exposure in pregnant women from Canada, using air measurements and biomarkers of exposure.

Listing Requirements Lose Ipo-Screening Functions: Evidence From The Emerging Growth Enterprise Market Of China, Hai Long, Zhaoyong Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Using two multivariate regression models based on prior studies, this paper aims to examine whether the listing requirements of the GEMC are able to help the exchange to screen high quality IPO firms. It suggests that the approved IPO companies have better performances than failed ones, but listing requirements of the GEMC are unable to screen high quality issuers to go public, because the majority of listed companies performed poorly rather than better after their IPOs. This result is against previous findings that regard an IPO market as a screening device.

Cerebral Responses To Innocuous Somatic Pressure Stimulation Following Aerobic Exercise Rehabilitation In Chronic Pain Patients: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, Peter S. Micalos, Mayuresh S. Korgaonkar, Eric J. Drinkwater, Jack Cannon, Frank E. Marino

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this research was to assess the functional brain activity and perceptual rating of innocuous somatic pressure stimulation before and after exercise rehabilitation in patients with chronic pain.

The Extent Of Heat On Health And Sustainable Farming In Ghana - Bawku East, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Little is known about the health effects of heat in outdoor work and appropriate work and rest schedules for farmers working in developing countries. As temperatures continue to increase in tropical regions, such as Northern Ghana, it is necessary to evaluate how farmers experience and respond to high heat exposures. In this study, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) estimates and the ISO work / rest standards were applied to a cohort of farmers in the rural areas of Bawku East, Northern Ghana, to assess how farmers respond to high heat and how much they rest to protect their health, as …

Recent Trends In Temperature And Relative Humidity In Bawku East, Northern Ghana, Kwasi Frimpong, Jacques D. Oosthuizen, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Extensive analyses of trends in mean annual and mean seasonal minimum and maximum temperatures and relative humidity were examined for Bawku East, northern Ghana, for the period 1961 to 2012. Mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures were used to analyse and establish recent temperature trends on an annual and seasonal basis. The year was divided into rainy and dry seasons for the seasonal trends. Mean monthly relative humidity at 6 am and 3 pm from 1961 to 2012 were considered to show recent trends in humidity since temperature and humidity interact to determine the heat exposure for outdoor workers. Regression …

Factors Influencing Pacing In Triathlon, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Jeremiah P. Peiffer, Jeanick Brisswalter, Kazunori Nosaka, Chris Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Triathlon is a multisport event consisting of sequential swim, cycle, and run disciplines performed over a variety of distances. This complex and unique sport requires athletes to appropriately distribute their speed or energy expenditure (ie, pacing) within each discipline as well as over the entire event. As with most physical activity, the regulation of pacing in triathlon may be influenced by a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The majority of current research focuses mainly on the Olympic distance, whilst much less literature is available on other triathlon distances such as the sprint, half-Ironman, and Ironman distances. Furthermore, little is …

Personality Traits In Australian Business Graduates And Implications For Organizational Effectiveness, Denise A. Jackson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Five-Factor model is widely accepted as a robust model of personality that influences workplace behaviour and performance. Given evidence of persistent skills gaps in Australia, it is important to explore personality traits in business graduates to understand whether they have the necessary characteristics to enable the country to perform successfully nationally and to compete on a global level, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. This study examines personality traits in 674 Australian business graduates, using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), and variations in traits across demographic/background characteristics. The results indicate that graduates are relatively high in extroversion, conscientiousness and …

Toward An Ethics Of Reciprocity: Ethnobotanical Knowledge And Medicinal Plants As Cancer Therapies, John C. Ryan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article develops a reciprocity ethics of the environment through a discussion of ethnobotanical medicines used in the treatment of cancer. The moral virtue of reciprocity, defined as the returning of good when good is received or anticipated, is central to the posthumanist rethinking of human relationships to the plant world. As herbal medicines are used progressively more around the globe and as plant diversity decreases as a result of habitat loss and climate change, an ethics of reciprocity should be a concern for environmental philosophers and conservationists. Aldo Leopold’s land ethic and J. Baird Callicott’s distinction between deontological and …

Recent Developments In R.F. Magnetron Sputtered Thin Films For Ph Sensing Applications - An Overview, Devendra Maurya, Ali Sardarinejad, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

pH sensors are widely used in chemical and biological applications. Metal oxides-based pH sensors have many attractive features including insolubility, stability, mechanical strength, electrocatalyst and manufacturing technology. Various metal oxide thin films prepared by radio frequency (R.F.) magnetron sputtering have attractive features, including high pH sensitivity, fast response, high resolution, good stability and reversibility as well as potential for measuring pH under conditions that are not favourable for the commonly used glass electrodes-based pH sensors. In addition, thin film pH sensors prepared by R.F. magnetron sputtering offer many advantages, such as ease of packaging, low cost through the use of …