Digital Commons Network^™

The Distribution And Trophic Ecology Of Golden Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Convexa), Caitlin Rae

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sandy beaches make up approximately three-quarters of the world’s shorelines. They are important ecosystems, hosting abundant invertebrate macrofaunal communities that provide food resource for vertebrate predators such as shorebirds, seabirds, marine mammals and fish. Although possessing a terrestrial appearance, food input on sandy beaches is derived predominantly from the sea. Such food input includes detrital matter, mostly in the form of wrack, and has the potential to support a great diversity of species, as well as stabilising energy fluxes and dynamics of consumer populations. The movement of detritus, along with other vectors such as organisms and nutrients, across ecosystem boundaries …

Comparative Pairs Judgements For High-Stakes Practical Assessments, Hendrati Nastiti

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Assessment of practical tasks, as opposed to that of theoretical tasks, has been considered to be problematic, mainly because it is usually resource intensive and the scoring is subjective. Most practical tasks need to be assessed on site or involve products that need to be collected, stored, or transported. Moreover, because practical tasks are generally open-ended, and therefore subjective, there is concern over the reliability of the scores. In high-stakes assessment, these problems are even more challenging. There is a need for an assessment method that could overcome these problems. In this study, such a method that will be referred …

Breathing New Life: Investigating Ways To Improve The Mental Health Of People Living With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease In Western Australia, Tina Phan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Anxiety and depression are common comorbidities in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), contributing to greater morbidity and mortality in an already vulnerable population. Despite the prevalence, few recommendations exist in global management guidelines for the detection and treatment of these comorbidities, reflecting the limited literature available on effective strategies for dealing with mental health issues in COPD populations. There is promising evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) improves mental health outcomes in people with COPD. However, investigational studies have commonly reported participants’ lack of transport, lack of time and illness as barriers to recruitment and successful completion. This …

Within-Fire Patchiness Associated With Prescribed Burning In The Northern Jarrah Forests Of Western Australia, Zigourney Nielsen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There is growing understanding of the importance of landscape mosaics and heterogeneity for biodiversity outcomes in Western Australia. However, there is limited information on the patchiness (spatial configuration of unburnt and burnt patches which occur at a range of spatial scales) within the perimeter of a single prescribed burn. Of particular concern is the idea that prescribed burning operations, carried out under very restricted weather and environmental conditions, can lead to structural and floristic homogenization of the area within a burn perimeter. This may be evident as reduced post-fire vegetation patchiness. Western Australian Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests are managed to …

Young People Who Fireset In Western Australia: Peer Group Influences And Impulsiveness Trump Consequences, Catherine Analise Timms

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The paradoxical character of fire is perfectly captured by the juxtaposition between the initial ease and excitement of lighting fires, and fire’s destructive and uncontrollable nature. Australia is fire prone with its hot, dry climate, volatile vegetation and urban sprawl surrounded by bushland. Since an estimated 50% of fires lit in Australia are deliberate (Stanley & Read, 2016) the problem of intentional firesetting cannot be overstated. This thesis argues that youth firesetting requires both macro- and microlevel approaches to appreciate the complexities of the problem, and aims to identify applicable and directed responses to minimise youth firesetting. Study one analysed …

Development, Manufacture And Application Of A Solid-State Ph Sensor Using Ruthenium Oxide, Wade Lonsdale

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The measurement of pH is undertaken frequently in numerous settings for many applications. The common glass pH probe is almost ideal for measuring pH, and as such, it is used almost ubiquitously. However, glass is not ideal for all applications due to its relatively large size, fragility, need for recalibration and wet-storage. Therefore, much research has been undertaken on the use of metal oxides as an alternative for the measurement of pH.

Here, a solid-state potentiometric pH sensor is developed using ruthenium metal oxide (RuO2). Initially, pH sensitive RuO2 electrodes were prepared by deposition with radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) …

Exploring The Preparedness Of Novice (Student) Paramedics For The Mental Health Challenges Of The Paramedic Profession: Using The Wisdom Of The Elders, Lisa Holmes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates the preparedness of novice (student) paramedics for the mental health challenges of the paramedic profession and identifies the coping strategies used by veteran paramedics to successfully meet these challenges. The lived experience of veteran paramedics is utilised to provide this important assistance.

Initially, two surveys were developed and administered to 16 course coordinators and 302 students of the 16 accredited undergraduate degree paramedicine courses across Australia and New Zealand, to identify the perceived need (for preparation) within the curriculum. In addition, the anticipations, confidence and fears of novice (student) paramedics, course coordinators and veteran paramedics were also …

The Value Of Animal Behaviour As A Bio-Indicator Of Restoration Quality, Floyd Holmes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Woodland restoration is a complex endeavour, and restoration ecology as a scientific discipline requires constant re-assessments and adjustments if it is to improve outcomes and better provide for biodiversity. The promise of effective restoration is often used to justify destructive processes that affect many of the world’s ecosystems. It is therefore imperative that those promises can be met, which comes down to restoration ecologists’ and land managers’ capacity to predict and facilitate desirable ecological changes in a timely and socio-economically responsible manner. As perspectives have changed, and knowledge has been gained over the past few decades there have been several …

Impact Of Biobanks On Research Outcomes In Rare Diseases：A Systematic Review, Monique Garcia

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Rare diseases (RDs) are a global priority yet are still under researched. When combined, RDs are common, with individual diseases numbering approximately 5,000-8,000, equating to approximately 7% of the population in Europe. Extrapolating this figure for Australia suggests that about 1.2 million people are affected by RDs, with about 400,000 of those being children. The WA Rare Diseases Strategic Framework 2015-2018, the first strategy for rare diseases in Australia, recognises that in order to alleviate the significant burden of rare diseases, innovative translational tools that facilitate research into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies should be given priority.

Registries facilitate clinical, …

Genetic Determinants Of Rates Of Cognitive Decline In Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease, Tenielle L. S. Porter

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In 2015 the number of people worldwide living with Dementia was 46.8 million, with approximately 50-75% of these cases being clinically defined as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite extensive efforts, clinical trials have so far failed to yield a treatment that successfully addresses the underlying cause of AD. This lack of treatment has been suggested, in part, to be a result of late stage of intervention in current clinical trial design. For this reason, greater focus has been placed on preclinical trials and in turn both the identification of individuals at-risk for AD and, amongst these, those that are expected to …

Rogue: A Novel - And - Wonderlust: The Value Of Wonder For Readers, Writers, And The Vault: A Critical Essay, Amanda Betts

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis consists of an original novel, Rogue, and an exegesis titled Wonderlust: the value of wonder for readers, writers, and The Vault.

Rogue is the second novel of the series titled The Vault, which is a speculative fiction duology for young adults (thirteen and above) with the possibility for crossover into adult readership. Rogue picks up the story of fifteen-year-old Hayley who, after choosing to leave her previous home of an underwater seed vault, finds herself washed onto the cliffs of Maria Island, off the coast of Tasmania. As Hayley ventures further into the terrestrial ‘real world’ …

Epidemiological Model Of The Transmission And Spread Of Hepatitis B Pandemic In Ghana, Kwaafo Akoto Awuah-Mensah

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The world's attention to the burden and spread of hepatitis B has increased signicantly in the recent past. A number of interventions by way of treatment and immunisation have been initiated to fight the pandemic, especially in high prevalence regions such as Africa and Asia. Lack of good quality information about hepatitis B is a major hindrance to policy direction and comprehensive implementation of interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa designated as an endemic region. Limited studies on hepatitis B, coupled with lack of adequate health care systems and infrastructure, have led to ignorance or misconceptions and stigmatisation about the disease and …

Bone Fracture Incidence, Measurement And Adaptation: An Exploration Through The Continuum From Incidence To Measurement And Adaptation, Mark Jenkins

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research encompasses four studies exploring bone adaptation, fracture incidence, and preventative measures to decrease fracture risk and increase bone health. Study one was a clinical audit exploring incidence rates for appendicular fractures in children in Western Australia over ten years. Diagnostic and remedial approaches were explored in studies two, three and four by examining the between-day reliability of upper limb scans; reliability of the osteogenic index (OI) for upper-body strength and power exercises; and the diagnostic value or utility of using pQCT in disease profiling, respectively. Fracture rates in the limbs of children were found to be increasing each …

Assessment Of Joint Kinetics In Elite Sprint Cyclists, Lynne Munro

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sprint cycling requires the production of explosive muscle power outputs up to very high pedalling rates. The ability to assess muscular function through the course of the sprint would aid training practices for high-level performers. Inverse dynamics provides a non-invasive means of estimating the net muscle actions acting across any joint contributing to movement. However, analysis of joint kinetics requires motion-capture techniques that present some unique challenges for cycling. This thesis presents three studies investigating the application of a custom-designed force pedal system to examine the joint kinetics of elite trained track sprint cyclists. To provide the basis for selecting …

Mindfulness At Work: Assessing The Impact Of Practising Mindfulness In The Workplace On Engagement, Wellbeing, Happiness And Positivity, Fiona Peters

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aim: The purpose of this study carried out in Perth, Western Australia was to examine the effect of mindfulness training on workers in a university setting, by assessing the impact of mindfulness training on their sense of wellbeing, happiness, positivity and level of engagement in their jobs.

Method: Participants (n = 54) were recruited through the Edith Cowan University staff Health and Wellness Program, Live Life Longer and randomly allocated into two groups of 27. Both groups were invited to take part in 6 weeks of mindfulness training with staggered starts, group 2 began once group 1 had completed the …

Comparing Live To Recorded Music And Stories Using Multiple Psychoneuroendocrine And Psychological Measures, Ronniet Orlando

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Listening to music brings health benefits, according to an expanding opus of empirical research. Studies to date cover a wide range of music interventions and outcome measures. Music has been applied to healthy participants, as well as clinical populations to target anxiety and pain. But little is known about whether live music is more effective than recorded music as an intervention for these common symptoms.

This exploratory study sought answers with the emerging science of saliva analysis, which focuses on biomarkers that indicate stress and immune function. In this case salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, immunoglobulin-A, interleukin- 1beta, and pH levels were …

The Cryopreservation Of Human Semen, And Subsequent Evaluation Of A Commercially-Available Device To Isolate Motile Sperm, Callum Andrew Robinson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The cryopreservation of human semen is a vital asset in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Although advances have been in the freezing of sperm, further refinement is both necessary and ongoing. Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) has been increasingly utilised in both research and diagnostic however there are a range of variables that must first be controlled in order to produce reliable measurements. Following thawing, sperm must be isolated from both the original seminal plasma and the cryoprotectants; the two most used isolation methods include density gradient centrifugation (DGC) and the swim-up method.

The present thesis sought to investigate the following areas …

The Delivery Of Primary Health Care In Remote Australian Communities: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Perspective Of Nurses, Kylie Mccullough

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Around 85% of Australia’s landmass is remote and sparsely populated. Across these vast areas of desert, wilderness and tropical islands, nurses provide the majority of health care services. The residents of Australia’s remote communities have poorer health status than their metropolitan counterparts. The proportion of Indigenous people is high and health and social disadvantage is widespread. The characteristics of each remote community are unique and often reflect challenges associated with distance to tertiary health services and limited health resources. As a result, nursing practice within this context is very different to other nursing contexts. Despite recognition of Primary Health Care …

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. …

N-Glycosylation Profiles As A Risk Stratification Biomarker For Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus And Its Associated Factors, Eric Adua

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Worldwide, the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases, particularly type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to a lesser extent, metabolic syndrome (MetS), has increased dramatically. Despite this increase, there is still a lack of robust biomarkers for cardiometabolic diseases to secure better clinical outcomes. The enzymatic attachment of oligosaccharides (glycans) to proteins-glycosylation is of metabolic and physiological significance, as exploring aberrations of glycosylation profiles can reveal novel biomarkers. In parallel, this process could also explain the biological mechanisms that underpin a suboptimal health status (SHS), a reversible subclinical stage of a cardiometabolic disease. However, studies on the correlation between glycosylation and MetS/T2DM …

The Photographic Other: Paradox In The Cathexis Of Longing, Alex Cilla Bradley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A photographic and written examination of paradox in relation to the photograph

This research aims to illuminate the relationship between paradox and photography, elaborated via Julia Kristeva’s notion of the abject. Paradox is considered in relation to photography in terms of repeated and unresolved debates about the status of the photograph as either an ‘index of reality’ (Bate, 2004, p. 1) or as a sign. The significance of this research lies in its re-motivation of abjection in terms of paradox, not in order to resolve such debates but, rather, to illuminate the importance of such unresolved contradictions in terms of …

Ischemic Stroke Is Associated With The Pro-Inflammatory Potential Of N-Glycosylated Immunoglobulin G, Di Liu, Zhongyao Zhao, Anxin Wang, Siqi Ge, Hao Wang, Xiaoyu Zhang, Qi Sun, Weijie Cao, Ming Sun, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Yong Zhou, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Glycosylation significantly affects protein structure and function and thus participates in multiple physiologic and pathologic processes. Studies demonstrated that immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycosylation associates with the risk factors of ischemic stroke (IS), such as aging, obesity, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.

Methods

The study aimed to investigate the association between IgG N-glycosylation and IS in a Chinese population. IgG glycome composition in patients with IS (n = 78) and cerebral arterial stenosis (CAS) (n = 75) and controls (n = 77) were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography.

Results

Eleven initial glycans and 10 …

Conservation Systematics Of The Shield-Backed Trapdoor Spiders Of The Nigrum-Group (Mygalomorphae, Idiopidae, Idiosoma): Integrative Taxonomy Reveals A Diverse And Threatened Fauna From South-Western Australia, Michael G. Rix, Joel J. Huey, Steven J.B. Cooper, Andrew D. Austin, Mark S. Harvey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aganippine shield-backed trapdoor spiders of the monophyletic nigrum-group of Idiosoma Ausserer s. l. are revised, and 15 new species are described from Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia: I. arenaceum Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. corrugatum Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. clypeatum Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. dandaragan Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. formosum Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. gardneri Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. gutharuka Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. incomptum Rix & Harvey, sp. n., I. intermedium Rix …

An Investigation Into The Impact Of Visual-Spatial Difficulties On Learning Geometry, Sridhar Nagubandi

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

This thesis reports the findings of my study of students with visual-spatial deficits in my specialist school in the city of New York. It is comprised of a pilot study, mathematical interviews, and interventions with students and teachers. This study is qualitative and primarily uses case studies to explain the interventions with both the students and the teachers. The study is made up of interventions with two students, and interventions with several teachers who work in my specialist K-12 school which includes both primary and secondary school teachers. Since very little research has been conducted in this field to this …

Nitrate-Rich Vegetables Do Not Lower Blood Pressure In Individuals With Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure: A 4-Wk Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Joshua R. Lewis, Richard L. Prince, Amanda Devine, Nicola P. Bondonno, Catherine P. Bondonno, Lisa G. Wood, Ian B. Puddey, Natalie C. Ward, Kevin D. Croft, Richard J. Woodman, Lawrence J. Beilin, Jonathan M. Hodgson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background - Emerging evidence suggests that increasing intakes of nitrate-rich vegetables may be an effective approach to reduce blood pressure.

Objective - Our primary aim was to determine whether daily consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables over 4 wk would result in lower blood pressure.

Design - Thirty participants with prehypertension or untreated grade 1 hypertension were recruited to a randomized controlled crossover trial with 4-wk treatment periods separated by 4-wk washout periods. Participants completed 3 treatments in random order: 1) increased intake (∼200 g/d) of nitrate-rich vegetables [high-nitrate (HN); ∼150 mg nitrate/d], 2) increased intake (∼200 g/d) of nitrate-poor …

Comment On 'Geoengineering With Seagrasses: Is Credit Due Where Credit Is Given?', Peter I. Macreadie, Carolyn J. Ewers-Lewis, Ashley A. Whitt, Quinn Ollivier, Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, Paul Carnell, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Over the past decade scientists around the world have sought to estimate the capacity of seagrass meadows to sequester carbon, and thereby understand their role in climate change mitigation. The number of studies reporting on seagrass carbon accumulation rates is still limited, but growing scientific evidence supports the hypothesis that seagrasses have been efficiently locking away CO2 for decades to millennia (e.g. Macreadie et al 2014, Mateo et al 1997, Serrano et al 2012). Johannessen and Macdonald (2016), however, challenge the role of seagrasses as carbon traps, claiming that gains in carbon storage by seagrasses …

The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Sprint-Interval Training On Cytokine Responses Are Independent Of Prior Caffeine Intake, Guilherme Ferreira, Leandro Felippe, Rômulo Bertuzzi, David Bishop, Emiliano Barreto, Fernando De-Oliveira, Adriano Lima-Silva

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We examined the effect of acute and chronic sprint interval training (SIT), with or without prior caffeine intake, on levels of exercise-induced inflammatory plasma cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α]. Twenty physically-active men ingested either a placebo (n = 10) or caffeine (n = 10) 1 h before each SIT session(13-s × 30-s sprint/15 s of rest) during six training sessions (2 weeks). The early (before, immediately after, and 45 min after the exercise) and late (24 and 48 h after the exercise) cytokine and creatine kinase (CK) responses were analyzed for the first and last …

Organic Carbon Sequestration And Storage In Vegetated Coastal Habitats Along The Western Coast Of The Arabian Gulf, M Cusack, V Saderne, A Arias-Ortiz, Pere Masque, P K. Krishnakumar, L Rabaoui, M A. Qusem, P Prihartato, R A. Loughland, A A. Elyas, C M. Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Certain coastal ecosystems such as mangrove, saltmarsh and seagrass habitats have been identified as significant natural carbon sinks, through the sequestration and storage of carbon in their biomass and sediments, collectively known as 'blue carbon' ecosystems. These ecosystems can often thrive in extreme environments where terrestrial systems otherwise survive at the limit of their existence, such as in arid and desert regions of the globe. To further our understanding of the capability of blue carbon ecosystems to sequester and store carbon in such extreme climates, we measured carbon sediment stocks in 25 sites along the Western Arabian Gulf coast. While …

Can Exercise Delay Transition To Active Therapy In Men With Low-Grade Prostate Cancer? A Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial, Daniel A. Galvao, Dickon Hayne, Mark Frydenberg, Suzanne K. Chambers, Dennis R. Taaffe, Nigel Spry, Paul A. Scuffham, Robert S. Ware, Nicolas H. Hart, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction

Active surveillance is a strategy for managing low-risk, localised prostate cancer, where men are observed with serial prostate-specific antigen assessments to identify signs of disease progression. Currently, there are no strategies to support active surveillance compliance nor are there interventions that can prevent or slow disease progression, ultimately delaying transition to active treatment before it is clinically required. Recently, we proposed that exercise may have a therapeutic potential in delaying the need for active treatment in men on active surveillance.

Methods and analysis

A single-blinded, two arm, multicentre randomised controlled trial will be undertaken with 168 patients randomly allocated …

A Diagnostic Autoantibody Signature For Primary Cutaneous Melanoma, Pauline Zaenker, Johnny Lo, Robert L. Pearce, Phillip Cantwell, Lester Cowell, Mark Lee, Christopher Quirk, Henry Law, Elin S. Gray, Mel R. Ziman Dr

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer that is curable by surgical excision in the majority of cases, if detected at an early stage. To improve early stage melanoma detection, the development of a highly sensitive diagnostic test is of utmost importance. Here we aimed to identify antibodies to a panel of tumour associated antigens that can differentiate primary melanoma patients and healthy individuals. A total of 245 sera from primary melanoma patients and healthy volunteers were screened against a high-throughput microarray platform containing 1627 functional proteins. Following rigorous statistical analysis, we identified a combination of 10 autoantibody biomarkers …