Digital Commons Network^™

Evolving Gameplay Elements Into Virtual Terrains, Andrew Pech

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

With advancements in technology, consumers are expecting higher quality and more detailed video game content. This puts a strain on video game companies and their developers as they are required to manually design and create increasingly complex video game content. Procedural content generation can alleviate this burden by using technology to automatically generate video game content, effectively reducing development time and budget. This thesis presents a novel approach towards procedurally generating video game terrains that meet a set of gameplay requirements as specified by the user. This approach uses a genetic algorithm to evolve a set of modifications that, when …

I Am Here Now: A Play – And – Polyvocality, The Unhomely, And The Methods Of Mike Leigh In Playwriting: An Exegesis, Michael Mccall

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of the research was to investigate how the devising methods of theatre and film director Mike Leigh might generate material for a new play text and what the implications were in regards to authorship. Central to the research was an exploration of the collaborative devising processes of Leigh as a point of origin and how this might lead to an intended and deliberate case for a plurality of voices in a written play text. It was conducted with a focus on utilising many voices. In this instance the ‘voices’ were young participants from Perth’s African Australian community. The …

Optimisation Of Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy Systems For Power And Thermal Loads, Barun Kumar Das

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Stand-alone hybrid energy systems are an attractive option for remote communities without a connection to a main power grid. However, the intermittent nature of solar and other renewable sources adversely affects the reliability with which these systems respond to load demands. Hybridisation, achieved by combining renewables with combustion-based supplementary prime movers, improves the ability to meet electric load requirements. In addition, the waste heat generated from backup Internal Combustion Engines or Micro Gas Turbines can be used to satisfy local heating and cooling loads. As a result, there is an expectation that the overall efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of …

Antibiotic Resistance In Gram Negative Bacteria Isolated From Fish Sold In Western Australia, Hannah Kathleen Robinson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background Information The global misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and the animal production industry is contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This is a serious threat to modern medicine and public health. Antibiotic resistant organisms can cause severe infections in humans which are difficult to treat, and in some cases impossible to resolve which can lead to premature death. Several studies have been conducted across the globe to assess the use of antibiotics in the seafood industry and the associated health risks, however, limited studies have recently explored this risk in an Australian setting. …

Jim And Ann Casada Cookbook Collection - Accession 1571, James Allen Casada, Ann Casada

Manuscript Collection

The Jim and Ann Casada Cookbook Collection includes five cookbooks written by Jim and Ann Casada, four of them pertain to cooking wild game while the other one is for grilling. The collection also includes the notes, materials, and research used to write the cookbooks, floppy disks copies and hard copies of drafts, newspaper and magazine clippings of recipes, and recipe drafts to be re-done for the cookbooks. Dr. James “Jim” A. Casada (1942- ) was a history professor at Winthrop University from 1971 to 1996 and was Winthrop’s first men’s soccer coach. He coached the Winthrop Soccer Team for …

On Legitimacy In Impact Assessment: An Epistemologically-Based Conceptualisation, Alan Bond, Jenny Pope, Francois Retief, Angus Morrison-Saunders

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Impact assessment (IA) is carried out as an ex ante process to inform decision-making. It includes requirements for engagement with stakeholders (including the public) regarding actions proposed by a proponent. A key issue with the various stakeholders involved is the perceived legitimacy of the IA, which can have implications both for the reputation of the proponent, and the likelihood of conflict over the decision. But the understanding of legitimacy in the IA literature has changed over time in line with an ontological shift from positivism (that scientifically generated information leads to better informed decisions) to the post-positivist acknowledgement of the …

Interpreting Signal Amplitudes In Surface Electromyography Studies In Sport And Rehabilitation Sciences, Andrew D. Vigotsky, Israel Halperin, Gregory J. Lehman, Gabriel S. Trajano, Taian M. Vieira

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a popular research tool in sport and rehabilitation sciences. Common study designs include the comparison of sEMG amplitudes collected from different muscles as participants perform various exercises and techniques under different loads. Based on such comparisons, researchers attempt to draw conclusions concerning the neuro- and electrophysiological underpinning of force production and hypothesize about possible longitudinal adaptations, such as strength and hypertrophy. However, such conclusions are frequently unsubstantiated and unwarranted. Hence, the goal of this review is to discuss what can and cannot be inferred from comparative research designs as it pertains to both the acute and …

Influence Of Maturation Status On Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage And The Repeated Bout Effect In Females, Ming-Ju Lin, Kazunori Nosaka, Chih-Chiao Ho, Hsin-Lian Chen, Kuo-Wei Tseng, Sebastien Ratel, Trevor Chung-Ching Chen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study compared changes in indirect muscle damage markers, proprioception and arterial stiffness after elbow flexor eccentric exercise between pre-pubescent (9–10 y), pubescent (14–15 y), and post-pubescent (20–24 y) healthy, untrained females (n = 13/group). The maturation of the participants was confirmed by the hand bone age. All participants performed two bouts of 30 sub-maximal eccentric contractions (EC1, EC2) using a dumbbell set at 60% of pre-exercise maximal voluntary isometric elbow flexion strength at 90°. Changes in maximal voluntary concentric contraction (MVC) torque, muscle soreness (SOR), plasma creatine kinase activity, proprioception (position sense, joint reaction angle) and arterial stiffness …

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Underutilization Of Antenatal Care Services In Nigeria: A Comparative Study Of Rural And Urban Residences Based On The 2013 Nigeria Demographic And Health Survey, Emmanuel O. Adewuyi, Asa Auta, Vishnu Khanal, Olasunkanmi D. Bamidele, Cynthia P. Akuoko, Kazeem Adefemi, Samson J. Tapshak, Yun Zhao

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction Antenatal care (ANC) is a major public health intervention aimed at ensuring safe pregnancy outcomes. In Nigeria, the recommended minimum of four times ANC attendance is underutilized. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with underutilization of ANC services with a focus on the differences between rural and urban residences in Nigeria. Methods We analyzed the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey dataset with adjustment for the sampling weight and the cluster design of the survey. The prevalence of underutilization of ANC was assessed using frequency tabulation while associated factors were examined using Chi-Square test and multivariable logistic …

The Role Of Adult Day Services In Supporting The Occupational Participation Of People With Dementia And Their Carers: An Integrative Review, Janice Du Preez, J. L. Millsteed, Ruth Marquis, Janet Richmond

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The increasing numbers of people with dementia places considerable stress on health and aged care services and has resulted in the development of community adult day services. Aim: The aim of this integrative review is to determine the extent to which these services support the occupational participation of people with dementia, and how they impact their primary carers. Method: The mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to identify relevant studies in the period 2011–2016. Results: Nine databases were searched and yielded 16 articles with a variety of research designs for inclusion in the review. Conclusions: Findings …

Netnographic Slog: Creative Elicitation Strategies To Encourage Participation In An Online Community Of Practice For Early Education And Care, Ruth Wallace

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Active, participatory netnography, in contrast to passive netnography, is essential if researchers are to gain rich rewards from the rigorous collection of qualitative data. However, researchers should be aware of the ‘netnographic slog’; “the blood, sweat and tears” associated with eliciting quality data and encouraging active participation in online communities.

This article examines the – Supporting Nutrition for Australian Childcare (SNAC) – online community of practice, established to support healthy eating practices in early childhood education and care settings. To ensure research rigour, Kozinets’ netnographic steps were employed. Garnering member participation in this online community was a slog; most community …

Geographic Disparities In Previously Diagnosed Health Conditions In Colorectal Cancer Patients Are Largely Explained By Age And Area Level Disadvantage, Belinda C Goodwin, Sonja March, Michael J Ireland, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Shu-Kay Ng, Peter D Baade, Suzanne K. Chambers, Joanne F Aitken, Jeff Dunn

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Geographical disparity in colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates may be partly due to aging populations and disadvantage in more remote locations; factors that also impact the incidence and outcomes of other chronic health conditions. The current study investigates whether geographic disparity exists amongst previously diagnosed health conditions in CRC patients above and beyond age and area-level disadvantage and whether this disparity is linked to geographic disparity in CRC survival.

Methods: Data regarding previously diagnosed health conditions were collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews with a cross-sectional sample of n = 1,966 Australian CRC patients between 2003 and 2004. Ten-year survival …

Semi-Transparent Energy-Harvesting Solar Concentrator Windows Employing Infrared Transmission-Enhanced Glass And Large-Area Microstructured Diffractive Elements, Mikhail Vasiliev, Kamal Alameh, Mohsin Badshah, Seok-Min Kim, Mohammad Alam

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We report on the study of energy-harvesting performance in medium-size (400 cm²) glass-based semitransparent solar concentrators employing edge-mounted photovoltaic modules. Systems using several different types of glazing system architecture and containing embedded diffractive structures are prepared and characterized. The technological approaches to the rapid manufacture of large-area diffractive elements suitable for use in solar window-type concentrators are described. These elements enable the internal deflection and partial trapping of light inside glass-based concentrator windows. We focus on uncovering the potential of pattern-transfer polymer-based soft lithography for enabling both the improved photon collection probability at solar cell surfaces, and the …

The Microbiome Of The Gastrointestinal Tract Of A Range-Shifting Marine Herbivorous Fish, Jacquelyn Jones, Joseph D Dibattista, Michael Stat, Michael Bunce, Mary C Boyce, David V Fairclough, Michael J Travers, Megan J. Huggett

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Globally, marine species' distributions are being modified due to rising ocean temperatures. Increasing evidence suggests a circum-global pattern of poleward extensions in the distributions of many tropical herbivorous species, including the ecologically important rabbitfish

Does Sustainability Engagement Affect Stock Return Volatility? Evidence From The Chinese Financial Market, Junru Zhang, Harian G. Djajadikerta, Zhaoyong Zhang Prof

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper examines the impact of firms’ sustainability engagement on their stock returns and volatility by employing the EGARCH and FIGARCH models using data from the major financial firms listed in the Chinese stock market. We find evidence of a positive association between sustainability engagement and stock returns, suggesting firms’ sustainability news release in favour of the market. Although volatility persistence can largely be explained by news flows, the results show that sustainability news release has the significant and largest drop in volatility persistence, followed by popularity in Google search engine and the general news. Sustainability news release is found …

Developing Reflection Through An Eportfolio-Based Learning Environment: Design Principles For Further Implementation, Pauline Roberts

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article discusses the implementation of an ePortfolio-based learning environment with Bachelor of Education students. The intention was for the platform to be an agency for the development of reflection. The environment scaffolded reflection through (1) exemplars of good practice, (2) the opportunity for discussions and (3) activities to support the development of reflection. There were issues within the research around the introduction of the platform at the particular stage of the students’ degrees but the environment was successful in the provision of a teaching and learning platform. The findings provided design principles for a model to guide the development …

Reimagining The Cultural Significance Of Wetlands: From Perth’S Lost Swamps To The Beeliar Wetlands, Danielle Brady, Jeffrey Murray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The history of Perth, Western Australia, has been characterised by the incremental loss of its wetlands. While disputes about wetlands are often framed solely in terms of the environment, they are places of cultural significance too. The extensive wetlands of central Perth, food gathering and meeting places for Noongar people are now expunged from the landscape. Urban dwellers of Perth are largely unaware that the seasonal lakes and wetlands of the centre of the city were the larders, gardens, hideouts, dumps and playgrounds of previous generations; both Noongar and Settler. The loss of social memory of these lost cultural/natural places …

The Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Implications Of Technological Disruption For Australian Vet, Pi-Shen Seet, Janice Jones, John Spoehr, Ann-Louise Hordacre

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Much discussion has occurred about the impact that technological disruption will have on the Australian workforce. A recent paper by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Skilling for tomorrow (Payton 2017), examines the various ways by which the growth in technological advance is reshaping the labour market, workforce and jobs. Despite uncertainty about the scale and nature of the effect, there is a growing consensus that Australia’s tertiary education system needs to change to meet the requirements of a future labour force focused on innovation and creativity. This research examines the relationship between emerging ─ or disruptive ─ …

Evaluating An Analytical Model To Predict Subsurface Lnapl Distributions And Transmissivity From Current And Historic Fluid Levels In Groundwater Wells: Comparing Results To Numerical Simulations, Robert J. Lenhard, Kaveh Sookhak Lari, John L. Rayner, Greg B. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A recent analytical model predicts free, entrapped, and residual LNAPL saturations and the LNAPL transmissivity in the subsurface from current and historic fluid levels in groundwater wells. As such, the model accounts for effects of fluid level fluctuations in a well. The model was developed to predict LNAPL specific volumes and transmissivities from current fluid level measurements in wells and either recorded historic fluid level fluctuations in wells or estimates. An assumption is made in the model that the predictions are not dependent on whether the historic highest or lowest fluid level elevations in a well occur first. To test …

Print Versus Digital Preferences Of University Students In Australia, Nicole Johnston, A.M. Salaz

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper presents findings of a survey that investigated the reading preferences of university students at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia. This survey is being undertaken as part of the Academic Reading Format International Study (ARFIS), which is investigating print versus digital reading preferences in 31 countries. A total of 582 students completed the survey. Results from the survey indicate a strong preference for reading in print because of issues such as eyestrain, tactile features, better focus, and ability to highlight and take notes. Issues such as cost, usability and accessibility also impacted on students’ reading decisions.

‘Team Australia?’: Understanding Acculturation From Multiple Perspectives, Justine Dandy, Tehereh Zianian, Carolyn Moylan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this paper we explore mutual acculturation among Australians from Indigenous, majority, immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Our aims were: to develop Berry’s acculturation scales for use in Australia and from multiple perspectives and to explore acculturation expectations and strategies from these multiple perspectives. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 38) in Perth, Western Australia. We investigated participants’ views, guided by the two dimensions underlying Berry’s model of acculturation: cultural maintenance and intercultural contact, and models of culture learning. We found that participants had different acculturation expectations for different groups, as well as different preferred strategies for themselves, although most …

Remobilization Of Heavy Metals By Mangrove Leaves, Hanan Almahasheer, Oscar Serrano, Carlos M. Duarte, Xabier Irigoien

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Several studies have been carried out on heavy metal pollution in mangrove ecosystems. However, the role of mangroves in heavy metal remobilization is still relatively unknown. On one side, mangrove woody organs and soils sequester heavy metals for long time periods, but on the other hand, senescence of mangrove leaves may return these metals collected by roots to the upper layers of the soil. Here, we analyzed the concentration of chemical elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, and Zn) as a function of age in mangrove leaves to understand heavy metals retention by …

Using Nvivo™ For Literature Reviews: The Eight Step Pedagogy (N7+1), Maureen M. O'Neill, Sarah R. Booth, Janeen Therese Lamb

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

While a literature review is a necessary milestone to be completed by all researchers in a timely and efficient manner, it is often one of the most difficult aspects of the research journey. Moreover, traditional approaches often leave novice researchers, to struggle with the conceptualisation of their literature review, now complicated by the overwhelming quantity of research available online. This paper presents a rationale the use of Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS) programs for literature reviews. QDAS tools allow the researcher to explore large amounts of textual documents to see patterns. These programs are often overlooked by novice researchers due …

Understanding The Structure And Processes Of Primary Health Care For Young Indigenous Children, Natalie Strobel, Kimberley Mcauley, Veronica Matthews, Alice Richardson, Jason Agostino, Ross Bailie, Karen Edmond, Dan Mcaullay

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

INTRODUCTION: Primary health care organisations need to continuously reform to more effectively address current health challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations. There is growing evidence that optimal health service structures are essential for producing positive outcomes.

AIM: To determine if there is an association between process of care indicators (PoCIs) for important young indigenous child health and social issues and: (i) primary health-care service and child characteristics; and (ii) organisational health service structures.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 1554 clinical child health audits and associated system assessments from 74 primary care services from 2012 to 2014. Composite PoCIs were …

The Nasa/Ipac Teacher Archive Research Program (Nitarp), L. M. Rebull, Michael Fitzgerald, T. Roberts, D. A. French, W. Laurence, V. Gorjian, G. K. Squires

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

NITARP, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, partners small groups of predominantly high school educators with research astronomers for a year-long research project. This paper presents a summary of how NITARP works and the lessons learned over the last 13 years. The program lasts a calendar year, January to January, and involves three ~week-long trips: to the American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter meeting, to Caltech in the summer (with students), and back to a winter AAS meeting (with students) to present their results. Because NITARP has been running since 2009, and its predecessor ran from 2005-2008, there have been many …

Characterizing The Metabolic Intensity And Cardiovascular Demands Of Walking Football In Southeast Asian Women, D. P. Heil, Robert U. Newton, Dee Dee Ayra Salle

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Given that the recent rise in obesity rates throughout Southeast Asia is disproportionately driven by women, part of the regional solution may be to encourage more habitual physical activity within this population. Taking advantage of the regional popularity of walking football, this study sought to characterize the cardiovascular demands and metabolic intensity of Southeast Asian women competing in walking football matches to determine the sports’ suitability for promoting physical health. It was hypothesized that both cardiovascular and metabolic intensity measures (≥65% HR% and ≥3.0 METs, respectively) would meet or exceed established thresholds for improving fitness and health. Methods: Women’s teams …

The Continuance Intention Of User’S Engagement In Multiplayer Video Games Based On Uses And Gratifications Theory, Ira Puspitasari, Elzha Odie Syahputra, Indra Kharisma Raharjana, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

One of the key success factors in video game industry, including multiplayer video game (MVG), is the user’s continuance intention. The MVG industry runs in a highly competitive market. Users can shift to another game as soon as they discover a slightly inconvenient issue. Thus, maintaining the user’s enthusiasm in playing MVG for a long time is challenging for most games. The solution to prolong the users’ engagement can be initiated by identifying all factors that facilitate the continuance use of playing MVG. This study applied uses and gratifications theory to examine seven variables (enjoyment, fantasy, escapism, social interaction, social …

Do Nonparametric Measures Of Extreme Equity Risk Change The Parametric Ordinal Ranking? Evidence From Asia, Robert J. Powell, Duc H. Vo., Thach N. Pham

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

There has been much discussion in the literature about how central measures of equity risk such as standard deviation fail to account for extreme tail risk of equities. Similarly, parametric measures of value at risk (VaR) may also fail to account for extreme risk as they assume a normal distribution which is often not the case in practice. Nonparametric measures of extreme risk such as nonparametric VaR and conditional value at risk (CVaR) have often been found to overcome this problem by measuring actual tail risk without applying any predetermined assumptions. However, this article argues that it is not just …

Are Current Effectiveness Criteria Fit For Purpose? Using A Controversial Strategic Assessment As A Test Case, Jenny Pope, Alan J. Bond, Carolyn Cameron, François P. Retief, Angus N. Morrison-Saunders

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of this paper is to test the broader utility of the sustainability assessment effectiveness framework of Bond et al. (2015) by applying it to a controversial strategic assessment case study. The effectiveness framework comprises six dimensions: procedural effectiveness, substantive effectiveness, transactive effectiveness, normative effectiveness, pluralism, and knowledge and learning. It was originally developed to evaluate sustainability assessment at a system-wide level and it has not been previously applied to a specific case study. The analysis was conducted through document review and the first-hand experience of two of the authors who were involved in the case study …

How Does Destination Social Responsibility Contribute To Environmentally Responsible Behaviour? A Destination Resident Perspective, Lujun Su, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Joanna Pearce

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Based on stakeholder theory and social exchange theory, this study developed an integrated model to demonstrate that destination social responsibility (DSR) influences tourism impacts (both positive and negative impacts), overall community satisfaction, and both directly and indirectly influences resident environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). The model was examined using a sample of 453 residents living on the Gulangyu Island, a famous island tourism destination of Xiamen, China. Results show that DSR enhances residents’ perception of positive tourism impacts, improves overall community satisfaction and contributes to resident ERB. However, the effect of DSR on negative tourism impacts was not significant. Thus, positive …