Digital Commons Network^™

Definitions, Sources And Self-Reported Consumption Of Regionally Grown Fruits And Vegetables In Two Regions Of Australia, Katherine Kent, Stephanie Godrich, Sandra Murray, Stuart Auckland, Lauren Blekkenhorst, Beth Penrose, Johnny Lo, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Regional food systems are complex networks, with numerous retail sources that underpin a local economy. However, evidence is limited regarding how consumers define, identify, and source regionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables (RGFFV). A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tasmania (TAS) and South Western Australia (SWA) to compare how RGFFV are defined, identified and sourced by consumers, including self-reported consumption of selected RGFFV. Survey data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and t-tests. Results (TAS n = 120, SWA n = 123) identified that consumers had mixed perceptions of how RGFFV are defined, including produce sold at farmers markets, or …

Visual Flight Into Instrument Meteorological Condition: A Post Accident Analysis, Ayiei Ayiei, John Murray, Graham Wild

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The phenomenon of encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMCs) while operating an aircraft under visual flight rules (VFRs) remains a primary area of concern. Studies have established that pilots operating under VFRs that continue to operate under IMCs remains a significant cause of accidents in general aviation (GA), resulting in hundreds of fatalities. This research used the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) database, which contained a total of 196 VFR to IMC occurrences, from 2003 to 2019, with 26 having formal reports. An explanatory design was adopted, commencing with a qualitative study of the 26 occurrences with reports followed by a …

Application Of A Brain-Inspired Spiking Neural Network Architecture To Odor Data Classification, Anup Vanarse, Josafath Israel Espinosa-Ramos, Adam Osseiran, Alexander Rassau, Nikola Kasabov

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Existing methods in neuromorphic olfaction mainly focus on implementing the data transformation based on the neurobiological architecture of the olfactory pathway. While the transformation is pivotal for the sparse spike-based representation of odor data, classification techniques based on the bio-computations of the higher brain areas, which process the spiking data for identification of odor, remain largely unexplored. This paper argues that brain-inspired spiking neural networks constitute a promising approach for the next generation of machine intelligence for odor data processing. Inspired by principles of brain information processing, here we propose the first spiking neural network method and associated deep machine …

Summary Of Tobacco Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Summary of tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a plain language publication that provides summarised and updated information from the Review of tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples(2020). It provides key information about tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a style that is easy to engage with and is particularly useful for health workers and those studying in the field as a quick source of general information about:

• the context of tobacco use and how common tobacco use is
• how smoking affects health
• the burden of disease …

Summary Of Respiratory Diseases Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Children, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Summary of respiratory diseases among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is a plain language publication that provides summarised and updated information from the Review of respiratory diseases among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children published by the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet in 2018. The Summaryis useful for health workers and those studying in the field as a quick source of information about respiratory diseases among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. It focuses on:

• factors contributing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children's respiratory diseases
• how common acute and chronic respiratory diseases are
• prevention and management of …

Cyber-Security Constrained Placement Of Facts Devices In Power Networks From A Novel Topological Perspective, Hossein Parastvand, Octavian Bass, Mohammad A. S. Masoum, Airlie Chapman, Stefan Lachowicz

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Optimal placement of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) devices and the cyber-security of associated data exchange are crucial for the controllability of wide area power networks. The placement of FACTS devices is studied in this paper from a novel graph theoretic perspective, which unlike the existing approaches, purely relies on topological characteristics of the underlying physical graphs of power networks. To this end, the maximum matching principle (MMP) is used to find the set of required FACTS devices for the grid controllability. In addition, the cyber-security of the most critical data related to the FACTS controllers is guaranteed by introducing …

Cross-Docking: A Systematic Literature Review, Reza Kiani Mavi, Mark Goh, Neda Kiani Mavi, Ferry Jie, Kerry Brown, Sharon Biermann, Ahmad A. Khanfar

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper identifies the major research concepts, techniques, and models covered in the cross-docking literature. A systematic literature review is conducted using the BibExcel bibliometric analysis and Gephi network analysis tools. A research focus parallelship network (RFPN) analysis and keyword co-occurrence network (KCON) analysis are used to identify the primary research themes. The RFPN results suggest that vehicle routing, inventory control, scheduling, warehousing, and distribution are most studied. Of the optimization and simulation techniques applied in cross-docking, linear and integer programming has received much attention. The paper informs researchers interested in investigating cross-docking through an integrated perspective of the research …

Summary Of Cardiovascular Health Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This Summary describes different types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and how common they are among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It highlights the differences in how groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – such as women and men, or older and younger people – experience CVD. It describes some improvements in the cardiovascular health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It also gives examples of the many good things that are being done on the ground to prevent illness and improve CVD care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Seagrass Losses Since Mid‐20th Century Fuelled Co2 Emissions From Soil Carbon Stocks, Cristian Salinas, Carlos M. Duarte, Paul Lavery, Pere Masque´, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Javier X. Leon, David Callaghan, Gary A. Kendrick, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Seagrass meadows store globally significant organic carbon (C_org) stocks which, if disturbed, can lead to CO₂ emissions, contributing to climate change. Eutrophication and thermal stress continue to be a major cause of seagrass decline worldwide, but the associated CO₂ emissions remain poorly understood. This study presents comprehensive estimates of seagrass soil C_org erosion following eutrophication‐driven seagrass loss in Cockburn Sound (23 km² between 1960s and 1990s) and identifies the main drivers. We estimate that shallow seagrass meadows ( < 5 m depth) had significantly higher C_org stocks in 50 cm thick soils (4.5 ± 0.7 kg C_org/m²) …

Summary Of Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Summary of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a plain language publication that provides summarised and updated information from the Review of methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(2019). It provides key information about methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a style that is easy to engage with. It is particularly useful for health workers and those studying in the field as a quick source of general information about:

• the physical and mental impacts of methamphetamine
• historical and social factors of use
• how common methamphetamine use is …

A New Development In Front Group Strategy: The Social Aspects Public Relations Organization (Sapro), Rachel Pietracatella, Danielle Brady

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Increased pressure on risk industries to reduce their negative impact on society has resulted in an increasing volume of “risk” and “responsibility” communications from interest groups known as Social Aspects Public Relations Organizations (SAPROs). SAPROs have been criticized for being the “front groups” of risk industries (e.g., the tobacco, gambling, sugar, and alcohol industries). Operating within the neoliberal policy framework, SAPROs seek to forestall regulation and prioritize industry profits over public health. Building on risk industry research from the public health sphere, this article examines the SAPRO phenomenon and situates it in the political public relations (PR) literature. Specifically, it …

Sport Coaches As Policy Actors: An Investigation Of The Interpretation And Enactment Of Disability And Inclusion Policy In Swimming In Victoria Australia, Andrew M. Hammond, Dawn Penney, Ruth Jeanes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper draws upon education policy sociology, and sport coaching literature, in critically examining sport coaches as policy actors. Stephen Ball and colleagues’ conceptualisation of different policy actor positions and roles provided the framework for research that investigated how eight professional swimming coaches in Victoria, Australia, interpreted and enacted disability and inclusion policy. A discourse analysis of semi-structured interviews with the eight coaches reveals the complexities associated with how and why different coaches interpret and enact disability and inclusion policy imperatives in different ways in their specific club contexts. Data are presented that shows coaches adopting multiple and hybrid policy …

Intelligent Building Systems: Security And Facility Professionals’ Understanding Of System Threats,Vulnerabilities And Mitigation Practice, David J. Brooks, Michael Coole, Paul Haskell-Dowland

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Intelligent Buildings or Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) are becoming common in buildings, driven by the commercial need for functionality, sharing of information, reduced costs and sustainable buildings. The facility manager often has BACS responsibility; however, their focus is generally not on BACS security. Nevertheless, if a BACS-manifested threat is realised, the impact to a building can be significant, through denial, loss or manipulation of the building and its services, resulting in loss of information or occupancy. Therefore, this study garnered a descriptive understanding of security and facility professionals’ knowledge of BACS, including vulnerabilities and mitigation practices. Results indicate …

Cost-Effectiveness Of An Environmental Cleaning Bundle For Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections, Nicole M. White, Adrian G. Barnett, Lisa Hall, Brett G. Mitchell, Alison Farrington, Kate Halton, David L. Paterson, Thomas V. Riley, Anne Gardner, Katie Page, Christian A. Gericke, Nicolas Graves

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant patient safety issue, with point prevalence estimates being ~5% in high-income countries. In 2016–2017, the Researching Effective Approaches to Cleaning in Hospitals (REACH) study implemented an environmental cleaning bundle targeting communication, staff training, improved cleaning technique, product use, and audit of frequent touch-point cleaning. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the environmental cleaning bundle for reducing the incidence of HAIs. Methods: A stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial was conducted in 11 hospitals recruited from 6 Australian states and territories. Bundle effectiveness was measured by the numbers of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, Clostridium difficile infection, and vancomycin-resistant …

Sport Event Sponsorship Management From The Sponsee’S Perspective, Ashlee Morgan, Tracy Taylor, Daryl Adair

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Sponsorship plays a critical role in the delivery of major sport events. To date, the majority of sponsorship research has focused on the sponsors’ perspective or consumer responses. Drawing upon brand alliance literature and relationship marketing theory, this paper discusses learnings from the management of sponsor-sponsee relationships at a major sport event. We provide insights from the sponsee (i.e., the event) perspective: this is intended to further our understanding of relationship management in the context of event sponsorship, as well as providing practical information for both event industry and sport industry practitioners. This case study produced three main findings in …

The Effect Of Switching Cost And Product Return Management On Repurchase Intent: A Case Study In The B2b Distribution Channel Context In Indonesia, Stanley Utomo Lesmono, Thomas Santoso, Serli Wijaya, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Business-to-Business (B2B) market normally deals with fewer customers; thus it creates a close relationship between customers and sellers. This relationship must be managed in a way so that it can encourage customer willingness to purchase again. As such, switching cost risk will become less as the customers keep buying from the same channel. At the same time, good return management system also plays an important role for stimulating re-purchase intent in addition to other factors such as customer satisfaction and customer value. This study aimed to analyse the effect of switching cost and product return management on re-purchase intent with …

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Optimise Participation In Stroke Rehabilitation – A Sham-Controlled Cross-Over Feasibility Study, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Yee Lui, Miranda Radalj, Ann-Maree Vallence, Barby Singer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Fatigue and attentional decline limit the duration of many therapy sessions in older adults poststroke. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may facilitate participation in rehabilitation, potentially via reduced fatigue and improved sustained attention poststroke. Objective: To evaluate whether tDCS results in an increase in the number of completed rehabilitation therapy sessions in stroke survivors. Methods: Nineteen participants were randomly allocated to receive 10 sessions of 2-mA anodal (excitatory) tDCS, or sham tDCS, applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for 20 minutes within 1 hour prior to the first rehabilitation therapy session of the day. After a 2-day …

Finding The Familiar In The Strange: Transcultural Learning As Rihla رحلة At An Australian University, T. Dobinson, Maggie Mcalinden, P. Mercieca, T. Bogachenko

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Diverse university campuses present an ideal context for fostering transcultural learning. Despite the potential that this diversity presents, universities in Australia have yet to make use of this opportunity. The pilot study described here investigates an informal learning experience created by the hosting of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) funded Arab Film Festival Australia (AFFA) on an Australian university campus. By imagining and exploring new ways in which universities can encourage transcultural learning and bring students and academics together, this …

Motivation To Write: Conversations With Emergent Writers, Caroline Barratt-Pugh, Amelia Ruscoe, Janet Fellowes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020, The Author(s). This article describes the processes and outcomes of a research project exploring children’s motivation to write, undertaken by four pre-primary teachers in Western Australia. The teachers adopted a sociocultural theoretical framework using child centred participatory methodology, in which 109 children aged between five and six years shared their views of writing in conversation with their teacher. Thematic analysis in conjunction with statistical analysis indicated that the majority of children were motivated to write. They had a positive attitude towards writing, evidenced by their self-efficacy and were developing aspects of self-determination evidenced by their sense of ownership …

Making Meaning Of Being Bereaved By Suicide: An Everyday Experience, Colleen Carlon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This autoethnography explores the experience of societal meanings of suicide from the perspective of people bereaved by suicide. The research focuses on three autoethnographic stories of everyday experiences in which personal meaning making and societal meanings of suicide intersect in contemporary Australian settings. Personal perspectives are positioned alongside broader discussions of suicide taboo to consider the implications for agency and meaning making. Key differences between conventional notions of stigma and structural stigma, and ways in which suicide taboo influences meaning making for people bereaved by suicide are explored. The paper proposes a recasting of action previously framed as internalised stigma …

Activate Or Inhibit? Implications Of Autophagy Modulation As A Therapeutic Strategy For Alzheimer’S Disease, Sharmeelavathi Krishnan, Yasaswi Shrestha, Dona P.W. Jayatunga, Sarah Rea, Ralph Martins, Prashant Bharadwaj

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Neurodegenerative diseases result in a range of conditions depending on the type of proteinopathy, genes affected or the location of the degeneration in the brain. Proteinopathies such as senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain are prominent features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Autophagy is a highly regulated mechanism of eliminating dysfunctional organelles and proteins, and plays an important role in removing these pathogenic intracellular protein aggregates, not only in AD, but also in other neurodegenerative diseases. Activating autophagy is gaining interest as a potential therapeutic strategy for chronic diseases featuring protein aggregation and misfolding, including AD. Although autophagy activation …

Time-Layered Cultural Map Of Australia, Paul Longley Arthur, Erik Champion, Hugh Craig, Ning Gu, Mark Harvey, Victoria Haskins, Andrew May, Bill Pascoe, Alana Piper, Lyndall Ryan, Rosalind Smith, Deb Verhoeven

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). This paper reports on an Australian project that is developing an online system to deliver researcher-driven national-scale infrastructure for the humanities, focused on mapping, time series, and data integration. Australian scholars and scholars of Australia worldwide are well served with digital resources and tools to deepen the understanding of Australia and its historical and cultural heritage. There are, however, significant barriers to use. The Time Layered Cultural Map of Australia (TLCMap) will provide an umbrella infrastructure related to time …

A Randomized Control Trial Of Intensive Aphasia Therapy After Acute Stroke: The Very Early Rehabilitation For Speech (Verse) Study, Erin Godecke, Elizabeth Armstrong, Tapan Rai, Natalie Ciccone, Miranda L. Rose, Sandy Middleton, Anne Whitworth, Audrey Holland, Fiona Ellery, Graeme J. Hankey, Dominic A. Cadilhac, Julie Bernhardt, Verse Collaborative Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Effectiveness of early intensive aphasia rehabilitation after stroke is unknown. The Very Early Rehabilitation for SpEech trial (VERSE) aimed to determine whether intensive aphasia therapy, beginning within 14 days after stroke, improved communication recovery compared to usual care.

Methods

Prospective, randomized, single-blinded trial conducted at 17 acute-care hospitals across Australia/New Zealand from 2014 to 2018. Participants with aphasia following acute stroke were randomized to receive usual care (direct usual care aphasia therapy), or one of two higher intensity regimens (20 sessions of either non-prescribed (usual care-plus or prescribed (VERSE) direct aphasia therapy). The primary outcome was improvement of communication …

Sustainable International Experience: A Collaborative Teaching Project, Thomas Mejtoft, Helen Cripps, Stefan Berglund, Christopher Blocker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Within engineering education, there is an increasing need for providing our students with international experiences. This is most often done by exchange studies abroad. However, a majority of the students on engineering programs do not engage in any international exchange. This paper presents insights from a collaborative cross-disciplinary international project to give students international experience without having to travel. From both a sustainability perspective and a situation where e.g. a global virus outbreak stop students from travelling, solutions that give engineering students experience of working in an international setting are becoming increasingly important. Initial challenges, for the teachers involved in …

Rural Dialysis Nurses’ Experiences With Challenging Patients: A Thematic Qualitative Analysis, Alycia Jacob, Caroline Vafeas, Laurita Stoneman, Elisabeth Jacob

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: This study explored the experience of nurses encountering challenging patient behaviour while working at a rural hospital-based haemodialysis unit.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted with haemodialysis nurses at a rural hospital. Five participants across two focus groups were asked questions regarding their experiences of challenging patients, including impacts that the experiences may have had on their ongoing professional practice. Transcripts of the focus groups were analysed thematically.

Findings: Three themes arose from the focus group discussion – experiencing challenging behaviour, long-term relationships with patients, and nursing professionalism. Participants described challenges arising when caring for patients who were aggressive, did …

Evaluating Environmental Impact Assessment Report Quality In South African National Parks, Luke A. Sandham, Carla Huysamen, Francois P. Retief, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Alan J. Bond, Jenny Pope, Reece C. Alberts

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This research evaluates Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report quality for a selected sample of development projects in South African national parks. It applies an adapted version of an international EIA report quality review package to 24 developments within 10 national parks, across three EIA regimes. The results suggest good EIA report quality across all four quality review areas, with improvement over time, but also highlight particular weaknesses in terms of dealing with waste and, to a lesser extent, with significance and mitigation. To build on this research, the development of a sector-specific EIA report …

Implementation, Mechanisms Of Impact And Key Contextual Factors Involved In Outcomes Of The Modification Of Diet, Exercise And Lifestyle (Model) Randomised Controlled Trial In Australian Adults: Protocol For A Mixed-Method Process Evaluation, Reindolf Anokye, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Catherine P. Bondonno, Marc Sim, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Emma Connolly, Nicola P. Bondonno, John T. Schousboe, Richard Woodman, Kun Zhu, Pawel Zhu, Ben Jackson, James Dimmock, Markus P. Schlaich, Kay L. Cox, Douglas P. Kiel, Wai H. Lim, Amanda Devine, Peter L. Thompson, Jenny Gianoudis, Belinda De Ross, Robin M. Daly, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua Lewis, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction

The Modification of Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle (MODEL) study aims to examine the impact of providing visualisation and pictorial representation of advanced structural vascular disease (abdominal aortic calcification), on ‘healthful’ improvements to diet and lifestyle. This paper reports the protocol for the process evaluation for the MODEL study.

Methods and analysis

The overall aim of the process evaluation is to understand the processes that took place during participation in the MODEL study trial and which elements were effective or ineffective for influencing ‘healthful’ behavioural change, and possible ways of improvement to inform wider implementation strategies. A mixed-method approach will …

Nursing And Midwifery Students' Experiences And Perception Of Their Clinical Learning Environment In Malawi: A Mixed-Method Study, B. C. Mbakaya, F. W. Kalembo, Maggie Zgambo, A. Konyani, F. Lungu, B. Tveit, A. Kaasen, M. Simango, T. Bvumbwe

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: The clinical learning environment is an important part of the nursing and midwifery training as it helps students to integrate theory into clinical practice. However, not all clinical learning environments foster positive learning. This study aimed to assess the student nurses and midwives' experiences and perception of the clinical learning environment in Malawi. Methods: A concurrent triangulation mixed methods research design was used to collect data from nursing and midwifery students. Quantitative data were collected using a Clinical Learning Environment Inventory, while qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory …

We Have The Program, What Now? Development Of An Implementation Plan To Bridge The Research-Practice Gap Prevalent In Exercise Oncology, Mary A. Kennedy, Sara Bayes, Robert U. Newton, Yvonne Zissiadis, Nigel A. Spry, Dennis R. Taaffe, Nicolas H. Hart, Michael Davis, Aileen Eiszele, Daniel A. Galvão

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: Exercise has emerged as a promising therapy for people with cancer. Novel programs have been developed to translate research into practice; however, implementation barriers have limited their success in part because successful translation of exercise oncology research into practice requires context-specific implementation plans. The aim of this study was to employ the implementation mapping protocol to develop an implementation plan to support programming of a co-located exercise clinic and cancer treatment center. Methods: The Implementation Mapping protocol, which consists of five specific iterative tasks, was used. A stakeholder advisory group advised throughout the process. Results: …

A Bitter Pill To Swallow: Registered Nurses And Medicines Regulation In Remote Australia, Katie R. Pennington, Kim D. Clark, Sabina Knight

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

INTRODUCTION: Access to essential medicines is a human right and an objective of the National Medicines Policy in Australia. Health workforce distribution characteristics in remote Australia implies registered nurses (RNs) may find themselves responsible for a broader range of activities in the medication management cycle than they would be elsewhere in the nation. The regulation of health professionals and their training requirements provides essential but complex protections for the public. These protections include the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for health practitioners and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Other levels of control or regulation are also exerted over health …