Digital Commons Network^™

Americas Supply Chain: Unforcasted Commerce Challenges Or Leadership Failure, Jon Tobias

Integrated Studies

The current supply chain disruptions are affecting commerce in some manner which leads to scarcities of products and labor globally. The research will show that supply chain issues are directly related to commerce and leadership which plays an important role in our economy. Supply chain operations are defined, and the different levels of supply chain activities are explained. Possible points of failure within the system as well as probable causes leading to empty shelves and unavailable products is explained in detail. The research describes how massive labor shortages, high petroleum prices, and shortages of essential sub-components has led to this …

Association Of Immunoglobulin G N-Glycosylation With Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Phenotypes And Actual Clinical Cardiovascular Events: A Study Protocol For A Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study, Cuihong Tian, Gehendra Mahara, Hongxia Zhang, Xuerui Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction Immune-inflammatory response plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. IgG N-glycosylation is reported to be associated with the 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score and subclinical atherosclerosis. However, the relationship of IgG glycosylation with actual clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and plaque phenotypes has rarely been investigated. Therefore, this study aims to understand whether IgG glycosylation traits are correlated with actual clinical CVD events and plaque phenotypes. Methods and analysis Designed to verify the efficacy of IgG glycosylation as a risk for CVD events and screen potential biomarkers of CVD to prevent atherosclerosis occurrence, this longitudinal prospective …

Application Of Critical Realism In Social Work Research: Methodological Considerations, Lynne Soon-Chean Park, Shajimon Peter

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

INTRODUCTION: Critical realism (CR) provides a unique and robust philosophical framework for social work researchers by attending to the role of individual agency and social structure; however, little practical guidance is available regarding how the ontology and epistemology of CR can be applied as a methodological framework for qualitative research. APPROACH: In this article, we explain what CR is in relation to other ontological and epistemological positions and provide some practical suggestions for CR-informed research by drawing on relevant examples from a study that examined the causes of trust among Korean migrants in Aotearoa New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that …

Improving Musculoskeletal Injury Surveillance Methods In Special Operation Forces: A Delphi Consensus Study, Joanne Stannard, Caroline F. Finch, Lauren V. Fortington

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Musculoskeletal injury mitigation is a priority in military organisations to protect personnel health and sustain a capable workforce. Despite efforts to prevent injury, inconsistencies exist in the evidence used to support these activities. There are many known limitations in the injury surveillance data reported in previous Special Operation Forces (SOF) research. Such studies often lack accurate, reliable, and complete data to inform and evaluate injury prevention activities. This research aimed to achieve expert consensus on injury surveillance methods in SOF to enhance the quality of data that could be used to inform injury prevention in this population. A Delphi study …

Exploring Scientists’ Perceptions Of Citizen Science For Public Engagement With Science, Stephanie A. Collins, Miriam Sullivan, Heather J. Bray

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

It is often assumed that citizen science is inherently participatory in nature. However, citizen science projects exist along a continuum from data contribution to full co-creation. We invited 19 biologists to explore their conceptions of citizen science. Almost all participants defined citizen science as involving non-scientists in data collection. This definition acted as a barrier for scientists who did not see how citizen science could suit their research objectives. While interviewees perceived many societal and experiential benefits of contributory citizen science, deliberate design is needed to realise the full potential of citizen science for public engagement

Sport-Specific Crossover Point Differences During A Maximal Oxygen Consumption Test, Joseph R. Stanzione, George A. Brooks, Michael L. Bruneau, Duncan N. French, Jennifer A. Nasser, Sinclair A. Smith, Stella L. Volpe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction/Purpose: The crossover point occurs during exercise when one transitions energy substrates from fat to carbohydrate predominance. The crossover point varies in an intensity-dependent manner; however, less is known about its specificity in sports with varying metabolic demands. The purpose of our study was to determine if various sports yield differences in the time to crossover and heart rate and percentage of maximal oxygen consumption (V O2max) at crossover during a standardized exercise protocol.

Methods: A total of 77 athletes (39 women, 38 men; 39.1 + 10.4 yr of age) were measured for respiratory exchange ratio during a modified Taylor …

Gender-Specific Psychological And Social Impact Of Covid-19 In Pakistan, Fauziah Rabbani, Hyder Ali Khan, Suneel Piryani, Areeba Raza Khan, Fahad Abid

Community Health Sciences

Background: COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the world. Women may be especially vulnerable to depression and anxiety as a result of the pandemic.
Aims: This study attempted to assess how gender affects risk perceptions, anxiety levels and behavioural responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, to recommend gender-responsive health policies.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted. Participants were asked to complete a sociodemographic data form, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and questions on their risk perceptions, preventive behaviour and information exposure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effects of factors such as age, gender and …

Lacking Clarity Or Strategic Ambiguity? Comment On “Competing Frames In Global Health Governance: An Analysis Of Stakeholder Influence On The Political Declaration On Non-Communicable Diseases”, Angela Carriedo, Kathrin Lauber, Margaret M. Miller, Rob Ralston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This commentary engages with Suzuki and colleagues’ analysis about the ambiguity of multi-stakeholder discourses in the United Nations (UN) Political Declaration of the 3rd High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (HLM-NCDs), suggesting that blurring between public and private sector in this declaration reflects broader debates about multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) in health governance. We argue that the ambiguity between the roles and responsibilities of public and private actors involved may downplay the role (and regulation) of conflicts of interest (COI) between unhealthy commodity industries and public health. We argue …

“Give Me A Path To Follow”: A Deweyan Inquiry Into Training Volunteer Eal Tutors Of Adult Refugees, Maria Enriquez Watt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Volunteer English as an additional language (EAL) tutors working through adult community education (ACE) organisations play a key role in the development of adult refugee literacy and language skills in Australia. There are few requirements to work as an EAL volunteer tutor (VT), other than fluency in English. Yet refugee learners are known to have complex learning problems potentially resulting from their pre-migratory experiences. However, as the ACE sector is unregulated, provision for training VTs is uncoordinated, with many VTs receiving little or no training. Available training has largely been found to be ineffective and to support ideologies that potentially …

The Assessment Of Movement Demands And Neuromuscular Fatigue In Female Softball Players, Kathryn Cardwell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Softball has experienced an increase in worldwide popularity over the last 15 years, and it is expected to rise following the reinstatement of softball as an Olympic sport in 2021. Previous softball research has primarily focused on the biomechanical characteristics of its athletes. However, there is a current lack of research concerning the movement demands occurring in gameplay and the development of neuromuscular fatigue in softball players during sportspecific movements, training sessions, or in competition play. Prior research has demonstrated that a majority of power generated during a bat swing or overhand throw comes from the lower body, with the …

Computer Vision Based Classification Of Fruits And Vegetables For Self-Checkout At Supermarkets, Khurram Hameed

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The field of machine learning, and, in particular, methods to improve the capability of machines to perform a wider variety of generalised tasks are among the most rapidly growing research areas in today’s world. The current applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence can be divided into many significant fields namely computer vision, data sciences, real time analytics and Natural Language Processing (NLP). All these applications are being used to help computer based systems to operate more usefully in everyday contexts. Computer vision research is currently active in a wide range of areas such as the development of autonomous vehicles, …

Drama, Education, Artistry: Australian Practitioners Fostering Connections Across Cultures And Disciplines In China, Jessica-Anne Wellman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study examines the experience of Australian drama educators working as professional development facilitators in China between 2017-2019. Limited literature exists that highlights the perspectives of professional development facilitators in this field. This thesis highlights the impact of engaging in this role on the practice of drama educators. Using an autoethnographic approach, data were collected from five individuals through semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 2004) highlighted that the participants' experiences acted as critical moments that led to positive personal and professional outcomes. Three key supporting factors for positive outcomes were identified: 1) critically reflective practice; 2) knowledge and experience …

Preparing Providers For Advanced Life Support In The Prehospital Environment, David N. Reid

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death and Ambulance Victoria estimated over 30,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospital each year in Australia (1, 2). When an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurs, first responders, paramedics or other clinicians attached to ambulance, industrial or aeromedical services are often the first providers on scene with the skills and equipment to implement advanced life support (ALS). Despite the essential role of prehospital advanced emergency care in the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, at the time this research was commenced, ALS training courses had been designed for those responding to cardiac arrests in …

Moving Towards Communication-Oriented Language Teaching At The Primary English Level: A Vietnamese Perspective, Hien Thi Tran

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vietnam has been attempting to build its English learners’ communicative abilities to improve the country’s competitiveness in the global market. As a result, English language Teaching (ELT) reforms have been introduced in the educational system. Part of the reforms involves the implementation of mandatory primary English education following the Communicative Language Teaching approach (CLT) despite a difficult history of CLT implementation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Primary English teachers have been a critical challenge for the success of a communicative curriculum in Vietnam. Teachers’ CLT understanding and pedagogies from a socio-cultural perspective have been underresearched, especially those …

A Study Of The Emergence, Impacts, And Responses To Trolling In The Australian News Media, Delysha Pick

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study analyses the impact of trolling on journalists in the Australian news media between 2015 and 2021, mapping its emergence and the responses of a variety of stakeholders. By 2015, trolling had cemented itself as a complex social issue prevalent in media discourse and has been the subject of a growing body of media and communications research over two decades.

A grounded theory approach,informed by feminist critical theory, functionalism and Ackoff’s (1974) Systems Theory,was used to investigate the impact of trolling on victims,and responses to trolling by anti-trolling campaigners, Twitter, Facebook, newsrooms, and the legal profession. Ackoff’s theory suggests …

Who We Are Getting It Right For: The Practitioners’ Experience Of Program Evaluation, Andrea S. Highman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Program delivery staff are important stakeholders in program evaluation and social service organisations that intend to undertake quality evaluations must effectively engage these staff in the process (Zarinpoush, 2006). A starting point for this is recognising that staff perceptions of evaluation are influenced by professional and personal factors including their understanding of evaluation, how they think it may benefit them or their clients and the character of their prior experiences of evaluation (Taut & Alkin, 2003; Dunkley & Franklin, 2017; van Koperen et.al, 2016; Herbert, 2015).

This study interprets the experiences of staff delivering social programs in not-for-profit services in …

Deep Learning Augmentation For Medical Image Analysis, Fouzia Altaf

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Deep learning is at the center of the current rise of computer aided diagnosis in medical imaging. This technology has the ability to mimic extremely complex mathematical functions for predictive tasks. These functions are encoded as computational models that are learned directly from data. Deep learning models are known to achieve human-level accuracy for predictive tasks. However, such a performance requires that the model is trained on a huge amount of training data. For computer aided diagnosis tasks, the relevant training data needs to be carefully annotated by medical experts. This process is laborious and expensive, which generally results in …

Integrating The Ohif Viewer Into Xnat: Achievements, Challenges And Prospects For Quantitative Imaging Studies, Simon J. Doran, Woonchan Cho, Dan Marcus, Et Al

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Patients With Serious Injection Drug Use-Related Infections Who Experience Patient-Directed Discharges On Oral Antibiotics Have High Rates Of Antibiotic Adherence But Require Multidisciplinary Outpatient Support For Retention In Care, Sophia Lewis, Stephen Y. Liang, Evan S. Schwarz, David B. Liss, Rachel P. Winograd, Nathanial S. Nolan, Michael J. Durkin, Laura R. Marks

Open Access Publications

Background: Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are frequently admitted for serious injection-related infections (SIRIs). Outcomes and adherence to oral antibiotics for PWID with patient-directed discharge (PDD) remain understudied.

Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter bundled quality improvement project of PWID with SIRI at 3 hospitals in Missouri. All PWID with SIRI were offered multidisciplinary care while inpatient, including the option of addiction medicine consultation and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). All patients were offered oral antibiotics in the event of a PDD either at discharge or immediately after discharge through an infectious diseases telemedicine clinic. Additional support services included …

Perspectives And Experiences With Covid-19 Vaccines In People With Ms, John R Ciotti, Dana C Perantie, Brandon P Moss, Kathryn C Fitzgerald, Jeffrey A Cohen, Ellen M Mowry, Robert T Naismith, Salim Chahin

Open Access Publications

Background: People with MS may have unique perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines due to their condition and/or medications.

Objective: Assess perspectives and experiences with COVID-19 vaccination, and quantify variables impacting COVID-19 vaccine willingness in people with MS.

Methods: A survey captured demographics, MS characteristics, and COVID-19 infection and exposures data; opinions on COVID-19 vaccine safety, side effects, and efficacy; and experiences following vaccination. Chi-square tests and a logistic regression model were used to denote between-group differences and variables predicting vaccine willingness, respectively.

Results: Most (87.8%) of the 237 participants were willing to receive the vaccine. Fifteen percent held or delayed a …

Analysis And Classification Of Postcatheterization Femoral Arteriovenous Fistulas Based On Color Doppler Examinations, William D Middleton, Kathryn A Robinson

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and classify arterial supply and venous drainage of postcatheterization femoral arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs).

METHODS: A review of extremity Doppler reports identified 77 femoral AVFs in 75 patients. Doppler exams were reviewed retrospectively. Fistulas were classified as above or below the common femoral artery bifurcation and subclassified based on the location of arterial inflow and venous outflow.

RESULTS: Arterial inflow originated above the femoral bifurcation in 32 cases. The communication was between the common femoral artery and the superficial circumflex iliac vein in 25 of 32 cases and between a branch of the common femoral or external iliac …

Pleiotropic Effects Of Simvastatin And Losartan In Preclinical Models Of Post-Traumatic Elbow Contracture, Michael A David, Alex J Reiter, Chelsey L Dunham, Ryan M Castile, James A Abraham, Leanne E Iannucci, Ishani D Shah, Necat Havlioglu, Aaron M Chamberlain, Spencer P Lake

Open Access Publications

Elbow trauma can lead to post-traumatic joint contracture (PTJC), which is characterized by loss of motion associated with capsule/ligament fibrosis and cartilage damage. Unfortunately, current therapies are often unsuccessful or cause complications. This study aimed to determine the effects of prophylactically administered simvastatin (SV) and losartan (LS) in two preclinical models of elbow PTJC: an

Salaries, Degrees, And Babies: Trends In Fertility By Income And Education Among Japanese Men And Women Born 1943-1975-Analysis Of National Surveys, Cyrus Ghaznavi, Haruka Sakamoto, Lisa Yamasaki, Shuhei Nomura, Daisuke Yoneoka, Kenji Shibuya, Peter Ueda

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: While fertility rates have decreased during the second half of the 20th century in Japan, little is known regarding trends in the number of children that men and women have across birth cohorts and whether these differ by education and income.

METHODS: We used data from four rounds of the National Fertility Survey (1992, 2005, 2010 and 2015) and included men and women aged 40-49 years (16728 men and 17628 women). By 5-year birth cohorts, we assessed the distribution of number of children (0, 1, 2 and 3 or more) and total fertility (the mean number of children) at …

Wormbase In 2022-Data, Processes, And Tools For Analyzing Caenorhabditis Elegans, Paul Davis, Tim Schedl, Et Al

Open Access Publications

WormBase (www.wormbase.org) is the central repository for the genetics and genomics of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We provide the research community with data and tools to facilitate the use of C. elegans and related nematodes as model organisms for studying human health, development, and many aspects of fundamental biology. Throughout our 22-year history, we have continued to evolve to reflect progress and innovation in the science and technologies involved in the study of C. elegans. We strive to incorporate new data types and richer data sets, and to provide integrated displays and services that avail the knowledge generated by the …

Sarm1 Activation Produces Cadpr To Increase Intra-Axonal Ca++ And Promote Axon Degeneration In Pipn, Yihang Li, Maria F. Pazyra-Murphy, Daina Avizonis, Mariana De Sá Tavares Russo, Sophia Tang, Chiung-Ya Chen, Yi-Ping Hsueh, Johann S. Bergholz, Tao Jiang, Jean J. Zhao, Jian Zhu, Kwang Woo Ko, Jeffrey Milbrandt, Aaron Diantonio, Rosalind A. Segal

Open Access Publications

Cancer patients frequently develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a painful and long-lasting disorder with profound somatosensory deficits. There are no effective therapies to prevent or treat this disorder. Pathologically, CIPN is characterized by a "dying-back" axonopathy that begins at intra-epidermal nerve terminals of sensory neurons and progresses in a retrograde fashion. Calcium dysregulation constitutes a critical event in CIPN, but it is not known how chemotherapies such as paclitaxel alter intra-axonal calcium and cause degeneration. Here, we demonstrate that paclitaxel triggers Sarm1-dependent cADPR production in distal axons, promoting intra-axonal calcium flux from both intracellular and extracellular calcium stores. Genetic or …

Perceptions Of Telemedicine And Costs Incurred By A Visit To A General Infectious Diseases Clinic: A Survey, Emily C. Evers, Stephanie A. Fritz, Graham A. Colditz, Jason P. Burnham

Open Access Publications

Background: The costs of attending in-person general infectious diseases clinics and preferences for visit type (telemedicine vs in-person) are not well known. We aimed to measure the time-related, monetary, social, and societal costs associated with travel to an in-person clinic visit and to assess patients' preferences, questions, and concerns regarding telemedicine.

Methods: Patients (≥18 years, living ≥25 miles from clinic at time of clinic visit) were recruited for this survey study from the general infectious diseases (ID) clinic at Washington University from June 2019 to February 2020. We calculated time and money potentially saved by telemedicine, as well as carbon …

What Sort Of ‘Inclusion’ Is Continuing Professional Development Promoting? An Investigation Of A National Cpd Programme For Inclusive Physical Education, Kyriaki Makopoulou, Dawn Penney, Ross Neville, Gary Thomas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Inclusion is positioned at the forefront of global educational reform. The study reported focused on a national Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for Inclusive Physical Education (IPE) in England. The research was designed to critically explore how CPD providers (i.e. tutors) variously conceptualised and practiced inclusion in the context of running a day-long CPD course for physical education teachers. Using qualitative methodology, data were collected via course observations (n = 27), informal interviews with tutors (n = 10), and a tutor questionnaire (n = 18). Findings suggest that although tutors’ theoretical interpretations of inclusion were largely consistent …

Assessing The Benefit Of Adopting Erp Technology And Practicing Green Supply Chain Management Toward Operational Performance: An Evidence From Indonesia, Ruben Wahyu Santoso, Hotlan Siagian, Zeplin Jiwa Husada Tarigan, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The recent concern on the environmental protection and COVID-19 issue is increasingly affecting the manufacturing industry. This research assessing the benefit of adopting ERP technology and practicing green supply chain management toward operational performance in manufacturing industry. The study is essential to provide insight for the manufacturing industry regarding the consequences and benefits of practicing the green supply chain and adopting ERP technology amid the current constraints of the environmental protection issue and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study has surveyed 122 companies domiciled in Indonesia. Data collection used a questionnaire designed with a seven-point Likert scale. Questionnaire created in Google …

Rethinking The Classification Of Games And Sports In Physical Education: A Response To Changes In Sport And Participation, Justen O'Connor, Laura Alfrey, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background Through changing the way games are represented, classification systems have increased possibilities for teaching game forms beyond structured adult and singular official versions of popular sports. At the time of inception, the four-game form approach to classification (target, net/wall, striking/fielding, and invasion games) enabled modified, small sided conditioned games to be adapted to suit individual attributes, whilst reinforcing a core set of tactical and technical elements for transfer. With global shifts in patterns of sport participation, it is timely to review this dominant classification frame and the role it plays within physical education (PE). Purpose This paper proposes changes …

Exploring Issues Of Resilience And Technology Use For Older People - A Scoping Review Protocol, Timothy J. Smith, Khui Hung Lee, Kan Yu, Leisa Armstrong, David M. Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The aim of this scoping review is to understand the extent of issues of resilience implied by the interactions of older people with financial, social, and health related technologies. Older people aged 60+, technology use or non-use, and issues of resilience studied over the last four years (2019-2022) demarcate the scope of this review. Key exclusion criteria are older adults living in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, care homes and hospital in-patients. It also excludes studies on the perspectives of older peoples’ clinicians. The review will be carried out according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. The …