Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Scaring Them Straight: Assessing Alternative Measures Of Persuasion In Road Safety Campaigns, Clara Alida Cutello

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Worldwide, young drivers are involved in more road traffic collisions than any other age group. Comprehensive driver training and various forms of pre- and- post-test road safety interventions (RSIs) are in place, but young drivers continue to be involved in more at-fault, fatal collisions than older, qualified drivers. The evidence base to date is mixed regarding why young drivers are at a heightened risk of collision and so this thesis aims to provide further understanding about the factors underpinning young drivers’ engagement in risky driving. An evaluation of a young driver RSI, found that young males were less likely than …

Hot Food Takeaways Around Schools: Can Fast Food Be Healthier?, Claire Louise Turbutt

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Obesity is the greatest global health challenge facing this generation; over half of the adult population are overweight or obese. Calls for food environment interventions include recommendations for restriction or banning of new fast food retailers (FFRs). The Takeaway Toolkit was published by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and aimed to alter consumption of unhealthy takeaway food through reformulation and behavioural insights. A systematic review assessing evidence on FFRs in the environment around schools in the United Kingdom (UK) was completed and published. This revealed a research gap around food environment interventions. A study was designed to investigate “the …

The Neurotoxic Effects Of Manganese And The Novel Protective Role Of Drp1 In The Autophagy Pathway, Carolina Sportelli

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The precise pathological mechanism of Manganese (Mn) is not yet known however prior evidence suggests a prominent role of mitochondrial dysfunction. Relevant to Parkinson’s disease, Mn is known to bind to α-synuclein and increase its aggregation. Autophagy is also implicated in neurodegeneration however little is known about the effects of Mn on this pathway. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of Mn on autophagy, α-synuclein aggregation and mitochondrial function in multiple paradigms. The effects of inhibiting the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 were also assessed in these cellular contexts following Mn exposure. Acute exposure to sub-lethal Mn …

Creative Technologies For Behaviour Change, Joana Galvao Gomes Da Silva

Other Faculty of Health Theses

This thesis presents innovative uses of technology to support motivation, using motivational interviewing (MI) and functional imagery training (FIT) scripts developed specifically for remote delivery. MI scripts aimed to develop discrepancy, evoke solutions and promote self-efficacy. FIT scripts included multi-sensory mental imagery exercises at key points in the MI scripts. Four methods of delivery were developed: a human video-counsellor, a NAO robot programmed with Choregraphe software, a video robot counsellor for comparison with the human video-counsellor, and a life-sized two dimensional 'holographic' projection. Four empirical studies tested these developments in participants wanting to become more physically active. Study 1 (N=18) …

An Evaluation Of The Incremental Value Of Computed Tomographic Biomarkers In Cardiovascular Risk Prediction, Chun Lap Pang

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Predicting cardiovascular events is an important subject in the developed world as it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Identifying those at risk of developing cardiovascular disease is key as there are treatments available to reduce the risk of future events. The most well-known prediction tool is the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), a multivariate cardiovascular risk prediction model. The Framingham cohort identified some of the most fundamental risk factors that shape modern cardiovascular prevention, however, it is not a perfect model. The imperfect nature of cardiovascular risk prediction based on FRS forms the starting point of this research …

The Skills-Maintenance, Competence Paradigm For The Evolving Role Of A Paramedic, Tristan Henderson

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The UK paramedic profession has undergone significant development since professional regulation almost twenty years ago. Improvement planning within the NHS has also driven change. The result is a large and developing paramedic skill set. The skills performed and incidents attended by paramedics are highly variable in relation to the frequency with which they will be encountered as well as the procedural complexity. This consideration, in the context of the literature around clinical skills practice, competence, confidence and perception of performance invites inquiry in relation to competence of paramedics, as well as their ability to recognise practice issues. The aims of …

Deconstructing, Contextualising And Assessing Management And Leadership Qualities In Dental Professionals: An Ethnographic Study Of Principles In Practice, Sally Hanks

Other Faculty of Health Theses

This study acknowledges the requirement for leadership in dental training and professional standards to improve patient safety, the quality of care and the shaping of culture. Leadership development requires authentic learning outcomes whose meaning and related constructs of leadership are fully understood. The literature is missing empirical studies at operational level; this study addresses that gap. The innovative blended methodology, embedding case study, recording and observation of dentists, and use of the think aloud technique optimised the co-construction of knowledge via the zones of maximum complexity in Video Reflexive Ethnography (VRE) and proximal development in Activity Theory. This bottom-up, context …

Evaluation Of An Orthotic Intervention For The Management Of Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle Pain (Pgp), Lee Cameron

Other Faculty of Health Theses

The overall aim of the thesis was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel orthotic intervention, a customised Dynamic Elastomeric Fabric Orthosis (DEFO), in the management of both antenatal and post-partum pelvic girdle pain (PGP). In the first instance the fabric, from which the DEFO was constructed, underwent testing to determine if the different colour fabrics available possessed the same underlying fabric stiffness and elastic hysteresis to ensure that each orthotic was standardised. Laboratory testing identified significant differences in both fabric stiffness and elastic hysteresis, between colours. The findings of this study enabled standardisation of the intervention by using a …

Advanced Glycation End Products As A Biomarker For Accelerated Ocular Ageing And Glaucoma, Leanne Smewing

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have a large impact on the healthy ageing population and those diagnosed with pathology. Studies have linked AGEs to glaucomatous optic neuropathy, however there is little consensus on the role AGEs play in glaucoma development. Furthermore, it is known that diet is an exogenous source of AGEs, however it is not clear how dietary AGE (dAGE) influences tissue-bound levels in the body. The overarching theme of this thesis was to assess the impact of AGE level, measured both through diet and tissue-bound levels in the skin (skin autofluoresence, SAF), on retinal vessels and the cornea …

Skype On Wheels: Implementation Of Video-Calls To Reduce Feelings Of Loneliness And Social Isolation For Older People Living In Care, Sonam Zamir

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Background: Older people in care may be lonely with insufficient contact if families are unable to visit. Face-to-face contact through video-calls may help reduce loneliness, but little is known about the processes of engaging older people living in care in using video-calls. Aims: 1-To explore how to normalise the use of video-calls within the care environment, 2-To examine how video-call communication for older people might reduce loneliness and social isolation. Sub aims: 3- To identify the barriers and facilitators to using video-calls within a care environment for older people, care staff and social contacts, 4-To explore how staff and social …

Influenza A Virus Infection And Innate Immunity In An Established Murine Alveolar-Like Macrophage Model, Connor Wood

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Influenza is both a seasonal and occasional pandemic respiratory infection in humans, with the most vulnerable of society at the highest risk. With vaccine efficiency dropping and resistance against treatments, better understanding of the host-viral interactions is required to find novel therapy targets. Much of the current understanding for the host-viral interactions comes from epithelial cells or imperfect macrophage models. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are crucial in the first stages of infection, but due to limited availability, true functional experiments have been impossible. By using the novel AM-like macrophage, Max Plank Institute (MPI) cells, which are available in practically unlimited numbers, …

Metagenomic Identification And Characterisation Of Emerging And Re-Emerging Viruses Causing Disease In Febrile Patients., Emma Louise Wise

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) significantly impact public health and have the potential to cause pandemics. Outbreaks of EID have increased in recent decades, with RNA viruses responsible for a substantial proportion of them. Outbreaks are more likely to occur in areas with high biodiversity, poor sanitation and public health infrastructure, and limited resources for EID control. Furthermore, clinical symptoms of many viral infections overlap, making them challenging to diagnose correctly. Metagenomic sequencing (metagenomics) negates the need for targeted detection assays, generates virus genome information and can detect novel or genetically divergent viruses. Through combining targeted PCR-based assays with untargeted metagenomics, …

Prison Space, Social Control And Relationships In A Post-Soviet Women’S Prison, Arta Jalili Idrissi

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis attempts to capture, at the macro, meso and micro levels, the ideological rupture, which has emerged after the breakdown of the Soviet project in Latvia, and in particular its effect on penality and women’s imprisonment. This rupture has been conceptualized as a ‘clash of the titans’, which is the ongoing struggle between a Soviet legacy that refuses to die and an increasingly dominant neoliberal regime. While the breakdown of Soviet hegemonic power signaled a victory for democracy and market economics, the spread of western liberal democracies has been a challenge for post-Soviet societies. While democratic traditions took centuries …

Digital Porosity And Its Impact On The Mediation Of Networked Images, Claudia Pilsl

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This doctoral research examines digital porosity and how this effect of the Internet influences the mediation of networked images. This practice research is informed by the hypothesis that digital porosity affects the communication of data with it the perception of context and chronological order of events. Digital porosity, intended as a loose analogy to the kind of porosity depicted by Benjamin and Lacis (1925) in their description of everyday life in ‘Naples’, is a neologism that I devised to describe one of the consequences of the Internet since web 2.0. As the area afflicted by digital porosity is potentially large, …

Thermal Efficiency Of Courtyards For Residential Buildings In Iraq, Omar Al-Hafith

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis investigates adopting the courtyard pattern in Iraq to provide a thermally efficient architectural solution that contributes towards solving the housing challenges in the country. As a result of more than three decades of wars and instability, the country suffers from having a large housing shortage and a major production shortfall. This shortage is estimated at around 1.0 million housing units, which is equivalent to one-quarter of the total housing stock in the country. The current housing production is around 30000 housing units per annum only, which, therefore, does not alleviate the housing needs in the country. The country …

Role Of Mirnome In Meningioma Tumours: Identification Of Potential Molecular Biomarkers And Therapeutic Targets For High-Grade Meningioma, Caterina Negroni

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Meningioma is the most common intracranial tumour, accounting for one third of all primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumours. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), meningiomas are classified as grade I, II, and III based on the histological features of tumours, with higher grades associated with greater morbidity and mortality. In most cases, meningioma can be managed by surgery alone; however, adjuvant treatment may be required in case of recurrent or higher-grade tumours. To date, chemotherapy has proven ineffective in treating meningioma patients, highlighting the need to identify novel molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets, establishing effective non- …

Investigation Of Drp1 Inhibition As Potential Therapy In Pesticide-Based Models Of Parkinson's Disease, Jennifer Rhea Pinnell

Other Faculty of Health Theses

In this study I explored the impact of Drp1 inhibition on pathology in two different pesticide-based models of Parkinson’s disease, and found that paraquat induced autophagy blockade in vitro, which was abrogated by inhibition of Drp1 function through siRNA knockdown or expression of the Drp1K38A dominant negative. Rotenone and paraquat are two pesticides implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of Parkinson’s disease, a hypokinetic neurodegenerative disorder which results in motor and cognitive changes in patients. Previous studies confirmed pesticide-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta in animal models, however further research was necessary to explore the …

An Exploration Of Religious Practice As A Valued Occupation, Patricia Eyres

Other Faculty of Health Theses

Background: Religion touches our everyday lives. Some have a deeply held faith while others engage infrequently in rites of passage such as marriage or funerals, but religion is a common worldwide phenomenon. Globally, millions of people engage in religious practice or religious ‘doing’ daily, but occupational science has not explored this common occupation widely, and occupational therapists continue to struggle to consider religious practice within the occupational needs of their clients. Within increasingly multi-cultural and multi-faith communities, it is imperative that the occupation of religious practice is better understood and considered within practice. Method: An auto/biographical overarching research orientation is …

Social Work Students Managing Emotions: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Utilising Poetry And Prose As An Autoethnographic Turn, Beth Moran

Plymouth Institute of Education Theses

This thesis reports on research exploring how student social workers experience, express and manage the emotional content of practice learning in a relational context. It considers how social/supervisory support promotes emotional management for student social workers. Student respondents reflect on a variety of placement experiences ranging from a third-sector advice centre; a service supporting people who are homeless; local authority child protection services; a hospital discharge team and statutory adult mental health teams. Their responses reveal organisational interventions with a wide range of people from children and families to adults engaging with health and social care services. New knowledge is …

Quantum Cascade Laser-Based Reflectance Spectroscopy: A Robust Approach For The Classification Of Plastic Type, Anna P.M. Michel, Alexandra E. Morrison, Beckett C. Colson, William A. Pardis, Helen K. White

Chemistry Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Toward Best Practice Methods For Delirium Biomarker Studies: An International Modified Delphi Study, Ingrid Amgarth-Duff, Annmarie Hosie, Gideon Caplan, Meera Agar

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Delirium is a serious and distressing neurocognitive condition common in people with advanced illness. The understanding of delirium pathophysiology is limited and largely hypothetical. To accelerate empirical understanding of delirium pathophysiology, robust scientific methods for conducting and reporting delirium biomarker studies are urgently needed. The aim of this study was to develop international consensus on the core elements of high‐quality delirium biomarker studies.

Methods: A three‐round modified Delphi survey was conducted from February to August 2019. Participants were international researchers experienced in conducting delirium studies from a range of settings (hospital, university, research centres). Round one commenced with open‐ended …

Exploring Enablers And Barriers To Accessing Health Services After A Fall Among People With Intellectual Disability, Portia Ho, Caroline Bulsara, Shane Patman, Jenny Downs, Anne-Marie Hill

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Adults with intellectual disability experience high rates of falls making falls prevention an important health need. The purpose of the study was to seek perspectives of older adults with intellectual disability and their caregivers to (a) explore the experiences of older adults with intellectual disability when seeking healthcare services after a fall and (b) identify enablers and barriers when taking up evidence-based falls recommendations.

Method: A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken as part of a prospective observational cohort study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample. Data were analysed thematically using Colaizzi's method.

Results: Seventeen interviews were conducted …

Delirium Point Prevalence Studies In Inpatient Settings: A Systematic Review, Binu Koirala, Bryan R. Hansen, Annmarie Hosie, Chakra Budhathoki, Stella Seal, Adam Beaman, Patricia M. Davidson

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Aims: To examine the delirium point prevalence studies conducted in different inpatient settings and to discuss the implication of the findings for delirium screening, assessment, prevention and management.

Background: Delirium—a common and distressing condition manifesting as an acute decline of attention and cognition—is frequently overlooked, misdiagnosed or treated inappropriately. This neuropsychiatric syndrome manifests as changes in attention, cognition and awareness, with resultant impact on behaviour, function and emotions. Delirium is recognised as a patient management challenge in the inpatient setting, and there is a need to understand the current point prevalence and assessment practices of delirium.

Design: A systematic review …

Development And Content Validation Of A Questionnaire Measuring Patient Empowerment In Cancer Follow-Up, Nanna Bjerg Eskildsen, Lone Ross, Caroline Bulsara, Susanne Malchau Dietz, Thora Grothe Thomsen, Mogens Groenvold, Susanne S. Pedersen, Clara Rubner Jorgensen, Anna Thit Johnsen

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and ensure the content validity of a new patient-reported outcome measure, the Cancer Patient Empowerment Questionnaire (CPEQ), to measure the level of, desire for, and enablement of empowerment among cancer patients in follow-up.

Methods: An iterative process based on: (i) empowerment theories by Zimmerman and Tengland, (ii) a systematic review of questionnaires measuring empowerment or related concepts among cancer patients, (iii) qualitative data from 18 semi-structured interviews with Danish cancer patients in follow-up, (iv) input from a group of eight cancer patients involved as co-researchers and from an expert steering group, …

Enhancing Access To Parenting Services Using Digital Technology Supported Practices, Elaine Bennett, Wendy Simpson, Cathrine Fowler, Ailsa Munns, Jane Kohlhoff

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Early parenting services (EPS) in Australia provide a range of expanding and rapidly changing services, including innovative digital technologies to improve service access for metropolitan and rural families.

Aim: This research aims to provide comprehensive information required for the planning, implementation and evaluation of the use of digital technologies for service delivery with parenting/child and family services in Australia and New Zealand in metropolitan and rural settings.

Methods: An interpretive descriptive approach was applied using semi-structured interviews from 23 EPS practitioners and managers in five sites.

Findings: These are presented as five main themes – preparing the way, practitioner …

Older Persons’ And Their Caregivers’ Perspectives And Experiences Of Research Participation With Impaired Decision-Making Capacity: A Scoping Review, Annmarie Hosie, Slavica Kochovska, Nola Ries, Imelda Gilmore, Deborah Parker, Craig Sinclair, Caitlin Sheehan, Aileen Collier, Gideon A. Caplan, Mandy Visser, Xiaoyue Xu, Elizabeth Lobb, Linda Sheahan, Linda Brown, Wai Lee, Christine R. Sanderson, Ingrid Amgarth-Duff, Anna Green, Layla Edwards, Meera R. Agar

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background and Objectives: Human research ethics statements support equitable inclusion of diverse groups. Yet older people are under-represented in clinical research, especially those with impaired decision-making capacity. The aim of this study was to identify perspectives and experiences of older persons and their caregivers of research participation with impaired decision-making capacity.

Research Design and Methods: Scoping review of literature and online sources in January-February 2019 (updated June 2020) according to Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. English-language peer-reviewed research articles and Australian online narratives were included. Data were tabulated and narratively synthesized.

Results: From 4171 database …

Trauma Exposure And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Regional Journalists In Pakistan, Sayyed Fawad Ali Shah, Faizullah Jan, Tamar Ginossar, J. Patrick Mcgrail, Danish Baber, Rahman Ullah

Research, Publications & Creative Work

This study sought to examine work-related exposure to trauma and predictors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms among regional journalists in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, a conflict-ridden area in northwest Pakistan. We recruited 216 KP journalists. Analysis of the surveys revealed a high prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms. All of the participants had covered at least one trauma inducing event. Exposure to work-related trauma, active emotional coping and avoidant emotional coping were statistically significant factors associated with PTSD symptoms. This study is the first to highlight the severity of the impact of trauma on regional journalists in …

Comparing The Perceptions Of Interprofessional Socialization Among Health Profession Students, Karen Aul, Jody Long

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Introduction: Based on a review of literature, there is a gap of knowledge on how students perceive the professional roles and responsibilities of other disciplines. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of interprofessional socialization among health profession students. Subjects: Participants included 300 undergraduate and 114 graduate students from eight health disciplines: nursing, communication disorders, physical therapy, social work, radiological science, occupational therapy, clinical lab science, and nutritional science. Methods: Data were collected using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21). The participants rated 21 items about their beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes of interprofessional socialization on a …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, Life Satisfaction, And Stress Management, Necmettin Gül

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study examines whether students' stress management levels from Azerbaijan and Turkey are predicted by life satisfaction and emotional intelligence and differ by gender. The research was conducted with the participation of 435 university students. The research data were obtained through the Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Coping with Stress Scale. The study results found that university students' emotional intelligence, life satisfaction, and stress management significantly differed by gender. In the path analysis, where stress management was the dependent variable, it was found that the combination of emotional intelligence and life satisfaction of the students …

The Leading Role Of The Language Phenomenon In Brain Activity, Minaxanum Hajiyeva

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

One of the most prime examples of a multidisciplinary field, Cogntive Lingusitics explores language as a cognitive mechanism in the coding and transformation of information. On the other hand, Neurolinguistics, combining two major sciences and studying the functional course of consciousness, deals with cognitive processes and the relationship between the brain and them. In the scientific development of its History/ Archaeology, a number of different research areas related to the study of the functionality of the brain hemispheres are noteworthy. The different functions in the brain mechanism benefit from cognition, concepts, conceptsphers, and other necessary elements. Cognitive linguistics dealing with …