Digital Commons Network^™

A Vision-Based Machine Learning Method For Barrier Access Control Using Vehicle License Plate Authentication, Kh Tohidul Islam, Ram Gopal Raj, Syed Mohammed Shamsul Islam, Sudanthi Wijewickrema, Md Sazzad Hossain, Tayla Razmovski, Stephen O’Leary

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Automatic vehicle license plate recognition is an essential part of intelligent vehicle access control and monitoring systems. With the increasing number of vehicles, it is important that an effective real-time system for automated license plate recognition is developed. Computer vision techniques are typically used for this task. However, it remains a challenging problem, as both high accuracy and low processing time are required in such a system. Here, we propose a method for license plate recognition that seeks to find a balance between these two requirements. The proposed method consists of two stages: detection and recognition. In the detection stage, …

Prevalence Of Somatic-Mental Multimorbidity And Its Prospective Association With Disability Among Older Adults In China, Haibin Li, Anxin Wang, Qi Gao, Xiaonan Wang, Yanxia Luo, Xinghua Yang, Xia Li, Wei Wang, Deqiang Zheng, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We aimed to identify prevalent somatic-mental multimorbidity (SMM) and examine its prospective association with disability among a nationally representative sample. A total of 6728 participants aged 60 years and older in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included. A total of 14 somatic or mental conditions were assessed in 2013. SMM was defined as any combination of two or more conditions in which at least one condition was somatic and at least one condition was mental. Disability risk was measured using the combined Activities of Daily Living (ADL)-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) index (range 0–11; higher index …

Global Database Of Ratios Of Particulate Organic Carbon To Thorium-234 In The Ocean: Improving Estimates Of The Biological Carbon Pump, Viena Puigcorbe, Pere Masque, Frederic A.C. Le Moigne

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The ocean's biological carbon pump (BCP) plays a major role in the global carbon cycle. A fraction of the photosynthetically fixed organic carbon produced in surface waters is exported below the sunlit layer as settling particles (e.g., marine snow). Since the seminal works on the BCP, global estimates of the global strength of the BCP have improved but large uncertainties remain (from 5 to 20 Gt C yr−1 exported below the euphotic zone or mixed-layer depth). The 234Th technique is widely used to measure the downward export of particulate organic carbon (POC). This technique has the advantage of allowing a …

Docosahexaenoic Acid-Rich Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Kinase Associated With Insulin Resistance In Overweight And Obese Midlife Adults, Rohith N. Thota, Jessica I. Rosato, Tracy L. Burrows, Cintia B. Dias, Kylie A. Abbott, Ralph N. Martins, Manohar L. Garg

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Targeting kinases linked to insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation may help in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in its early stages. This study aimed to determine whether DHA-rich fish oil supplementation reduces glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3), which is linked to both IR and AD. Baseline and post-intervention plasma samples from 58 adults with abdominal obesity (Age: 51.7 ± 1.7 years, BMI: 31.9 ± 0.8 kg/m2) were analysed for outcome measures. Participants were allocated to 2 g DHA-rich fish oil capsules (860 mg DHA + 120 mg EPA) (n = 31) or placebo capsules …

Absolute And Relative Strength, Power And Physiological Characteristics Of Indian Junior National-Level Judokas, Dale M. Harris, Kristina Kendall, G. Gregory Haff, Christopher Latella

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The physical qualities that underpin successful junior judokas requires continuing investigation. We investigated the physical and physiological characteristics of junior national level judokas. We tested 25 (15 male, 10 female) Indian judokas for absolute and relative strength (back-squat and bench-press one-repetition maximum (1RM) as well as isometric handgrip), aerobic (RAMP test) and lower-body anaerobic power (Wingate 6-s sprint and countermovement jump), change-of-direction (5-0-5 test) and speed (30 m sprint). Athletes were grouped according to national-level competition placing (gold-medal winners (GM; n = 8), all medal winners (MW; n = 13), non-medallists (NM; n = 12), and NM plus silver and …

The Relationship Between Isometric Force-Time Characteristics And Dynamic Performance: A Systematic Review, Danny Lum, G. Gregory Haff, Tiago M. Barbosa

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this article was to review the data on the relationship between multi-joint isometric strength test (IsoTest) force-time characteristics (peak force, rate of force development and impulse) and dynamic performance that is available in the current literature. Four electronic databases were searched using search terms related to IsoTest. Studies were considered eligible if they were original research studies that investigated the relationships between multi-joint IsoTest and performance of dynamic movements; published in peer-reviewed journals; had participants who were athletes or active individuals who participate in recreational sports or resistance training, with no restriction on sex; and had full …

When Task Constraints Delimit Movement Strategy: Implications For Isolated Joint Training In Dancers, Paige E. Rice, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Athletic performance is determined by numerous variables that cannot always be controlled or modified. Due to aesthetic requirements during sports such as dance, body alignment constrains possible movement solutions. Increased power transference around the ankle-joint, coupled with lower hip-joint power, has become a preferential strategy in dancers during leaps and may be considered a dance-specific stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) demand. Newell's theoretical model of interacting constraints includes organismic (or individual), environmental, and task constraints describing the different endogenous and exogenous constraints individuals must overcome for movement and athletic performance. The unique task constraints imposed during dance will be used as a …

Indonesian Migrant Workers In Hong Kong: Smartphone Culture And Activism, Irfan Wahyudi, Panizza Allmark

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article focuses on contemporary smartphone culture and activism performed by female Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. There are around 330.000 migrant workers in Hong Kong, and wherein 150.000 originated from Indonesia. Most of the Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong work in the domestic sectors: housemaid, babysitter, and career. They are obliged to live with their employer and start working from five mornings until late at night for six days a week. The smartphone is their primary medium in keeping a connection with friends and families back home and reduces social isolation. Interestingly, Indonesian migrant workers also …

The Study Protocol For A Pseudo-Randomised Pre-Post Designed Controlled Intervention Trial To Study The Effects Of A 7-Week Cooking Program On Self-Efficacy And Biomarkers Of Health: The Ecu Lifestyle And Biomarkers Get Connected Study (Eculabjmof) Including The Jamie’S Ministry Of Food Wa Participant Experience, Joanna Rees, Claus C. Christophersen, Joshua R. Lewis, Johnny Lo, Ros Sambell, Leesa Costello, Cailyn Walker, Matt F. Byrne, Mary C. Boyce, Robert U. Newton, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Australia, like other nations, has experienced a shift in dietary patterns away from home cooking of nutritious foods, towards a reliance on pre-prepared convenience meals. These are typically energy-dense, nutrient-poor and contribute to the rising prevalence of obesity and chronic disease burden. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether a community-based cooking program instigated a change to participants’ skills, attitudes, knowledge, enjoyment and satisfaction of cooking and cooking confidence (self-efficacy). Methods: The pseudo-random, pre-post study design consisted of an intervention and a control group. Participant recruitment and group allocation was based on their program start dates. Intervention …

The ‘Obvious’ Stuff: Exploring The Mundane Realities Of Students’ Digital Technology Use In School, Neil Selwyn, Selena Nemorin, Scott Bulfin, Nicola F. Johnson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper explores the ways in which students perceive digital technology as being helpful and/or useful to their schooling. Drawing upon survey data from students (n=1174) across three Australian high schools, the paper highlights seventeen distinct digital ‘benefits’ in domains such as information seeking, writing and composition, accessing prescribed work, scheduling and managing study tasks. While these data confirm the centrality of such technologies to students’ experiences of school, they also suggest that digital technology is not substantially changing or ‘transforming’ the nature of schools and schooling per se. Instead, students were most likely to associate digital technologies with managing …

A Measure Of Classroom Management: Validation Of A Pre-Service Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, Eileen Slater, Susan Main

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Classroom management skills are essential for effective teaching and consequently form an integral part of undergraduate teaching degrees. Self-efficacy in classroom management influences an individual’s willingness to undertake specific actions and their perseverance in the face of difficulties in executing these actions. In order to track the progress of pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy in classroom management, an easy to administer Classroom Management Self Efficacy Instrument (CMSEI) was developed and piloted with a third year cohort of pre-service teachers. This article reports on the psychometric properties of the CMSEI as determined through a Rasch analysis. The analysis supports the Classroom Management Self …

Informing Retention In Longitudinal Cohort Studies Through A Social Marketing Lens: Raine Study Generation 2 Participants’ Perspectives On Benefits And Barriers To Participation, Leesa Costello, Julie Dare, Manon Dontje, Leon Straker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Longitudinal cohort studies have made significant contributions to medical discoveries and provide the impetus for health interventions which reduce the risk of disease. Establishing and maintaining these cohorts is challenging and costly. While some attrition is unavoidable, maintaining a sufficient number of participants ensures that results remain representative and free from bias. Numerous studies have investigated ways to reduce attrition but few studies have sought to understand the experience of participants, and none have examined this through a social marketing framework. This first paper in a two part-series describes participants’ experiences according to: benefits, barriers, motivators and influencers. The …

Dual Tasking Impairments Are Associated With Striatal Pathology In Huntington’S Disease, Johnny Lo, Alvaro Reyes, Timothy S. Pulverenti, Timothy J. Rankin, Danielle M. Bartlett, Pauline Zaenker, Grant Rowe, Kirk Feindel, Govinda Poudel, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Mel R. Ziman, Travis M. Cruickshank

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Recent findings suggest that individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD) have an impaired capacity to execute cognitive and motor tasks simultaneously, or dual task, which gradually worsens as the disease advances. The onset and neuropathological changes mediating impairments in dual tasking in individuals with HD are unclear. The reliability of dual tasking assessments for individuals with HD is also unclear. Objectives: To evaluate differences in dual tasking performance between individuals with HD (presymptomatic and prodromal) and matched controls, to investigate associations between striatal volume and dual tasking performance, and to determine the reliability of dual tasking assessments. Methods: Twenty individuals …

Tropomyosin Autoantibodies Associated With Checkpoint Inhibitor Myositis, Pauline Zaenker, David Prentice, Melanie Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Treatment plan adherence is recognized as a worldwide health issue, particularly important in the management of cardiovascular patients. Healthcare professionals are the primary sources of information and support for people diagnosed with CVD and those who have experienced a cardiac event, yet we know little about how healthcare professionals contribute to the process of adherence to treatment plans that aim to prevent and/or reduce disease and adverse events. Qualitative evidence that explores factors that influence adherence to treatment plans is limited.

Objective

This systematic review identified and synthesised the best available evidence on factors that influence adherence to treatment …

Leveraging Inter-Industry Spillovers Through Diy Laboratories: Entrepreneurship And Innovation In The Global Bicycle Industry, Peter Galvin, Nicholas Burton, Richard Nyuur

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

DIY laboratories have the potential to advance new technologies, products and services through the leveraging of low-cost facilities by entrepreneurial individuals. We add to this emerging understanding of the DIY phenomenon by investigating the prevalence, operations and contextual factors that impact the use of DIY laboratories in the bicycle industry. We find two contexts in which DIY laboratories are utilised to develop component-level innovations: first, DIY laboratories are utilised as a low-cost way to enter an industry where the entrepreneur lacks the necessary financial resources and rely upon bootstrapping to build their enterprise. Second, and more frequently, DIY laboratories were …

Perceived Barriers To Healthcare Utilization Among Jordanian Families: A Family Centered Approach, Abeer M. Shaheen, Khaldoun M. Hamdan, Maha Alkaid Albqoor, Diana H. Arabiat

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim: This study aimed to understand the barriers to health services utilization by Jordanian families.

Background: Access to quality healthcare services is a significant issue facing healthcare systems. Healthcare systems must identify and apply measures to overcome barriers that face utilizing health services and thus increase clients' satisfaction.

Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative research design was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five families to elicit the model of health services barriers.

Results: The analysis of the family interviews led to four main themes related to health services barriers: service system, structural/physical barriers, equipment and medication, and staff …

Navigating Coasts Of Concrete: Pervasive Use Of Artificial Habitats By Shorebirds In The Asia-Pacific, Micha V. Jackson, Chi-Yeung Choi, Tatsuya Amano, Sora M. Estrella, Weipan Lei, Nial Moores, Taej Mundkur, Danny I. Rogers, Richard A. Fuller

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Loss and degradation of wetlands has occurred worldwide, impacting ecosystems and contributing to the decline of waterbirds, including shorebirds that occur along the heavily developed coasts of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Artificial (i.e. human-made) wetlands are pervasive in the EAAF and known to be used by shorebirds, but this phenomenon has not been systematically reviewed. We collated data and expert knowledge to understand the extent and intensity of shorebird use of coastal artificial habitats along the EAAF. We found records of 83 species, including all regularly occurring coastal migratory shorebirds, across 176 artificial sites with eight different land uses. …

An Efficient And Robust Exfoliated Bentonite/Ag3po4/Agbr Plasmonic Photocatalyst For Degradation Of Parabens, Jianchao Ma, Shurong Yang, Huixian Shi, Jin Pang, Xiaopeng Zhang, Yuxing Wang, Hongqi Sun

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Efficient visible-light-driven heterojunction photocatalysts have attracted broad interest owing to their promising adsorption and degradation performances in the removal of organic pollutants. In this study, a mesoporous exfoliated bentonite (EB)/Ag3PO4/AgBr (30%) photocatalyst was obtained by stripping and exfoliating bentonite as the support for loading Ag3PO4 and AgBr. The particle size ranges of Ag3PO4 and AgBr were about 10-30 nm and 5-10 nm, respectively. The exfoliated bentonite could greatly improve the dispersion and adsorption of Ag3PO4 and AgBr, and significantly enhance the stability of the material during paraben photodegradation. 0.2 g L-1 methylparaben (MPB) was completely decomposed over the EB/Ag3PO4/AgBr (30%) …

Supporting New Graduate Registered Nurse Transition For Safety: A Literature Review Update, Melanie Murray, Deborah Sundin, Vicki Cope

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Reports suggest higher incidence of medical errors occur during times of transition for new practitioners, in part due to general staff disruption in the health services and inexperience of those entering the workplace. NGRNs experience a range of challenges on transition to professional practice and their transition experience will impact their ability to provide high quality patient care.

Aim: The aim of this review was to critically appraise the contemporary literature concerning the transition of new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) and their patient safety knowledge and practices.

Design: A scoping review of research literature.

Methods: The review used key …

The Influence Of Adaptive Challenge On Engagement Of Multidisciplinary Staff In Standardising Aseptic Technique In An Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study, Amanda Towell-Barnard, Susan Slatyer, Helen Cadwallader, Michelle Harvey, Susan Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims and objectives: To explore the challenge of engaging multidisciplinary staff in standardising aseptic technique (AT) in an emergency department (ED) in an Australian tertiary hospital, and to better understand the enablers and barriers to implementing practice change within this setting.

Background: Healthcare‐associated infections are the most common complication for patients in acute care. A clinical practice framework developed in the United Kingdom (UK) standardised AT practice to reduce potential infection risk. One Australian tertiary hospital drew upon this framework to similarly improve clinical practice. It was understood that standardising practice would require some practitioners only to revisit and demonstrate …

A Network Perspective Of Knowledge Transfer In Tourism, Hossein Raisi, Rodolfo Baggio, Llandis Barratt-Pugh, Gregory Willson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Efficient transfer of knowledge is the prerequisite for innovation and competitiveness of tourism destinations. This paper uses network analysis to examine inter-organizational knowledge transfer in Western Australian tourism. The findings indicate that Western Australian network has low connectivity and is highly centralized around public bodies with a hierarchical pattern. The network also exhibits few reciprocal relationships with limited boundary spanners. The findings improve the understanding of the Western Australian tourism knowledge network, its weaknesses and strengths, which can be used to make policies to have a more efficient and innovative destination. In addition, this research provides a model for future …

The Impact Of A Residential Camp On Grandchildren Raised By Grandparents: Grandparents’ Perspectives, J. Dare, R. Marquis, E. Wenden, S. Gopi, D. A. Coall

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This research aimed to investigate grandparents’ perspectives on the impact of Leadership and Respite Camps, designed for children being raised by their grandparents, on their grandchildren. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 grandparents whose grandchildren had participated in 1 of 3 camps held between September 2018 and January 2019, in Perth and the south-west of Western Australia. Findings highlighted how grandcarers’ perceived the camps created unique opportunities for grandchildren to share their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Grandparents reported significant psychosocial benefits to their grandchild, including feeling they fitted in with their peers and were not alone in …

Ethical Issues When Working With Terminally Ill People Who Desire To Hasten The Ends Of Their Lives: A Western Perspective, Alfred Allan, Maria Allan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Terminally ill people might want to discuss the options they have of hastening their deaths with their psychologists who should therefore know the law that regulates euthanasia in the jurisdictions where they practice. The legal, and therefore ethical, situation that influences psychologists’ position and terminally ill people’s options, however, differs notably across jurisdictions. Our aim is to provide a brief moral-legal historical context that explains how the law reform processes in different jurisdictions created these different legal contexts and options that, in turn, influence psychologists’ ethical position. We conclude by considering 8 specific ethical issues at a conceptual level that …

The External Validity Of A Novel Contract-Relax Stretching Technique On Knee Flexor Range Of Motion, Anthony D. Kay, Joshua Dixon, Liam D. Bligh, Anthony J. Blazevich

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: Compromised joint range of motion (ROM) can negatively affect the capacity to perform activities of daily living in clinical populations. Recently, similar improvements in dorsiflexion ROM were reported following dynamometry‐based contract‐relax (CR) stretching and modified CR stretching technique (stretch‐return‐contract [SRC]) where the contraction phase was performed “off stretch.” As neither the impact of SRC on other muscle groups nor the ecological validity of SRC performed in an applied environment has been tested, the acute effects of both techniques in dynamometry‐ (CR_dyna and SRC_dyna) and field‐based (CR_field and SRC_field) environments were compared with the …

Power Output, Cadence, And Torque Are Similar Between The Forward Standing And Traditional Sprint Cycling Positions, Paul F. J. Merkes, Paolo Menaspà, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: Compare power output, cadence, and torque in the seated, standing, and forward standing cycling sprint positions.

Methods: On three separated occasions (ie, one for each position), 11 recreational male road cyclists performed a 14 seconds sprint before and directly after a high-intensity lead-up. Power output, cadence, and torque were measured during each sprint. Results: No significant differences in peak and mean power output were observed between the forward standing (1125.5 ± 48.5 W and 896.0 ± 32.7 W, respectively) and either the seated or standing positions (1042.5 ± 46.8 W and 856.5 ± 29.4 W; 1175.4 ± 44.9 W …

Characterizing The Composition Of The Pediatric Gut Microbiome: A Systematic Review, Kane E. Deering, Amanda Devine, Therese A. O’Sullivan, Johnny Lo, Mary C. Boyce, Claus T. Christophersen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The consortium of trillions of microorganisms that live inside the human gut are integral to health. Little has been done to collate and characterize the microbiome of children. A systematic review was undertaken to address this gap (PROSPERO ID: CRD42018109599). MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched using the keywords: “healthy preadolescent children” and “gut microbiome” to 31 August 2018. Of the 815 journal articles, 42 met the inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the relative abundance of bacteria at the phylum, family, and genus taxonomic ranks. α-diversity, short chain fatty acid concentrations, diet, 16S rRNA sequencing region, and geographical location were …

Associations Between Dietary Flavonoids And Retinal Microvasculature In Older Adults, Bamini Gopinath, Gerald Liew, Joshua Lewis, Nicola P. Bondonno, Catherine P. Bondonno, George Burlutsky, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Paul Mitchell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: In this study, we assessed whether there are independent associations between dietary total flavonoid intake and major flavonoid classes with retinal arteriolar and venular calibre.

Methods: Blue Mountains Eye Study participants aged 49+ years who had complete data on diet and retinal vessel measures were analysed (n = 2821). Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative Food-Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Flavonoid content of foods in the FFQ was estimated using the US Department of Agriculture Flavonoid, Isoflavone and Proanthocyanidin databases. Fundus photographs were taken and retinal vascular calibre was measured using validated computer-assisted techniques. The associations of intake of …

A Third Dimension In The Mirror? How Senior Managers Design Products And Organizations, Norbert Bach, Peter Galvin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Individual CEO characteristics may affect architectural choices through the application of managerial discretion. Systems such as organizations and their products are not purely driven toward modularity because of external forces. Individual CEO characteristics may constitute an additional dimension to established mirroring considerations that impacts both the choice of architecture and the correspondence between product and organization architectures.

Creating Books In Communities: A Book Making Program With Families In A Remote Community In Western Australia, Caroline Barratt-Pugh, Yvonne Haig

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article describes the needs analysis, implementation and outcomes of a pilot program aimed at creating books with families in ways that represent their language and culture. Creating Books in Communities is part of Better Beginnings, a state-wide program, developed by the State Library of Western Australia, for children and their families, that aims to develop literacy skills through fostering a love of books and language. Literature about the importance of recognising and valuing home languages and culture in supporting early literacy learning and the impact of family literacy programs is explored to provide a background to the program. The …

Exercise Twice-A-Day Potentiates Markers Of Mitochondrial Biogenesis In Men, Victor Amorim Andrade-Souza, Thaysa Ghiarone, Andre Sansonio, Kleiton Augusto Santos Silva, Fabiano Tomazini, Lucyana Arcoverde, Jackson Fyfe, Enrico Perri, Nicholas Saner, Jujiao Kuang, Romulo Bertuzzi, Carol Gois Leandro, David John Bishop, Adriano Eduardo Lima‐Silva

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Endurance exercise begun with reduced muscle glycogen stores seems to potentiate skeletal muscle protein abundance and gene expression. However, it is unknown whether this greater signaling responses is due to performing two exercise sessions in close proximity-as a first exercise session is necessary to reduce the muscle glycogen stores. In the present study, we manipulated the recovery duration between a first muscle glycogen-depleting exercise and a second exercise session, such that the second exercise session started with reduced muscle glycogen in both approaches but was performed either 2 or 15 hours after the first exercise session (so-called "twice-a-day" and "once-daily" …