Digital Commons Network^™

Accelerated Statistical Eye Diagram Estimation Method For Efficient Signal Integrity Analysis, Junyong Park, Youngwoo Kim, Donghyun Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article proposes an accelerated statistical eye diagram estimation method for efficient signal integrity (SI) analysis. An eye diagram is a critical metric in the SI analysis, however obtaining an eye diagram is time-consuming in simulation. The required time might be a few weeks depending on the complexity. Because the eye diagram is obtained by superposition of the received waveforms. Statistical eye diagram estimation methods were proposed to make the eye diagram acquisition efficient, however, it still has a limited improvement due to a large number of convolution operations. To address this limitation, the proposed method includes two approaches: (i) …

Gender Equity In Early Childhood Picture Books: A Cross-Cultural Study Of Frequently Read Picture Books In Early Childhood Classrooms In Australia And The United States, Helen Adam, Laurie Harper

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Children’s picture books contribute to children’s development of gender identity and can impact aspirations and expectations of roles in families and society. However, the world represented in children’s books reflects predominantly middle class, heterosexual, male heroes and characters. This paper reports on a cross-cultural study investigating gender representation in frequently read picture books across eight early learning centres in the United States and Australia. Forty-four educators working with 271 children participated. Data were collected from book audits and observations. Unique to this study is the presentation of a new data analysis instrument, Harper’s Framework of Gender Stereotypes Contained in Children’s …

Primary Specialisations In Australia: Graduates’ Perceptions Of Outcome And Impact, Susan Main, Matt Byrne, Joseph Scott, Kevin Sullivan, Annamaria Paolino, Eileen Slater, Jason Boron

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods …

Inhibition Of Mirna Associated With A Disease-Specific Signature And Secreted Via Extracellular Vesicles Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Suppresses Target Organ Inflammation In A Humanized Mouse Model, Nicholas A Young, Emily Schwarz, Braden M Zeno, Shane Bruckner, Rosana A Mesa, Kyle Jablonski, Lai-Chu Wu, Elisha D O Roberson, Wael N Jarjour

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Distinct, disease-associated intracellular miRNA (miR) expression profiles have been observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients. Additionally, we have identified novel estrogenic responses in PBMCs from SLE patients and demonstrated that estrogen upregulates toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and TLR8 expression. TLR7 and TLR8 bind viral-derived single-stranded RNA to stimulate innate inflammatory responses, but recent studies have shown that miR-21, mir-29a, and miR-29b can also bind and activate these receptors when packaged and secreted in extracellular vesicles (EVs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of EV-encapsulated small RNA species in SLE …

Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange And Other Mass Spectrometry-Based Approaches For Epitope Mapping, Prashant N Jethva, Michael L Gross

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Antigen-antibody interactions are a fundamental subset of protein-protein interactions responsible for the "survival of the fittest". Determining the interacting interface of the antigen, called an epitope, and that on the antibody, called a paratope, is crucial to antibody development. Because each antigen presents multiple epitopes (unique footprints), sophisticated approaches are required to determine the target region for a given antibody. Although X-ray crystallography, Cryo-EM, and nuclear magnetic resonance can provide atomic details of an epitope, they are often laborious, poor in throughput, and insensitive. Mass spectrometry-based approaches offer rapid turnaround, intermediate structural resolution, and virtually no size limit for the …

‘We And Our Stories’: Constructing Food Experiences In A Unesco Gastronomy City, Eerang Park, Kaewta Muangasame, Sangkyun Kim

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The experiential elements of food tourism can be transformed into meaningful experiences of local food heritage and identity in the context of a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. From a local stakeholder perspective, six key drivers at three phases of the food experience are identified, and each driver involves several local elements that are coordinated and staged in various modes to create and develop four sequential food experiences. The pre-travel stage should focus on enhancing potential tourist’s awareness of the UNESCO designation. The on-site food experience is found to be twofold: exposure to the local food environment and the actual …

Cooperative Deep $Q$ -Learning Framework For Environments Providing Image Feedback, Krishnan Raghavan, Vignesh Narayanan, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Article, We Address Two Key Challenges in Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) Setting, Sample Inefficiency and Slow Learning, with a Dual-Neural Network (NN)-Driven Learning Approach. in the Proposed Approach, We Use Two Deep NNs with Independent Initialization to Robustly Approximate the Action-Value Function in the Presence of Image Inputs. in Particular, We Develop a Temporal Difference (TD) Error-Driven Learning (EDL) Approach, Where We Introduce a Set of Linear Transformations of the TD Error to Directly Update the Parameters of Each Layer in the Deep NN. We Demonstrate Theoretically that the Cost Minimized by the EDL Regime is an Approximation …

Detection Of Surface Cracks In Metals Using Microwave And Millimeter-Wave Nondestructive Testing Techniques-A Review, Mohamed A. Abou-Khousa, Mohammed Saif Ur Rahman, Kristen M. Donnell, Mohammad Tayeb Al (Tayeb) (Al) Qaseer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Integrity Assessment of Metallic Structures Requires Inspection Tools Capable of Detecting and Evaluating Cracks Reliably. to This End, Many Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E) Methods Have Been Developed and Applied Successfully in the Past. Detection of Fatigue Cracks with Widths Less Than 5 Μ M using Noncontact Microwave-Based Inspection Methods Was Demonstrated in the 1970s. Since their Introduction, These Methods Have Evolved Considerably Toward Enhancing the Detection Sensitivity and Resolution. Undertaking Key Application Challenges Has Attracted Considerable Attention in the Past Three Decades and Led to the Development of the Near-Field Techniques for Crack Detection. to Address …

A Resilience-Oriented Multi-Stage Adaptive Distribution System Planning Considering Multiple Extreme Weather Events, Siyuan Wang, Rui Bo

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Climate Change May Increase the Risk of an Area Being Hit by Multiple Extreme Weather Events, Which Brings Significant Challenges for Distribution System Planners in an Increasing Renewable Penetration Era. There is an Urgent Need for Planning Approaches to Be More Flexible and Allow for Adaptive Adjustments in the Future to Hedge Against High Uncertainties in Extreme Weather Event Scenarios. in This Work, We Propose a Resilience-Oriented Distribution System Planning Approach that Considers Multiple Extreme Weather Events. a Multi-Stage Hybrid-Stochastic-And-Robust Formulation is Developed to Model Decisions Not Only for Initial Investments, But Also for Adaptive Investments and Emergent Operations in …

Extended Kalman Filter Based Resilient Formation Tracking Control Of Multiple Unmanned Vehicles Via Game-Theoretical Reinforcement Learning, Lei Xue, Bei Ma, Jian Liu, Chaoxu Mu, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Paper, We Discuss the Resilient Formation Tracking Control Problem of Multiple Unmanned Vehicles (MUV). a Dynamic Leader-Follower Distributed Control Structure is Utilized to Optimize the Performance of the Formation Tracking. for the Follower of the MUV, the Leader is a Cooperative Unmanned Vehicle, and the Target of Formation Tracking is a Non-Cooperative Unmanned Vehicle with a Nonlinear Trajectory. Therefore, an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) Observer is Designed to Estimate the State of the Target. Then the Leader of the MUV is Adjusted Dynamically According to the State of the Target. in Order to Describe the Interactions between the …

Intersections And Conflicts Between Adolescent Boys’ Musical Possible Selves, University Study, And Parent Values, Jason Goopy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Adolescents require meaningful and achievable musical possible selves to imagine a future that includes music. Previous research has investigated how to support tertiary music students in their career identity development; however, adolescents make consequential decisions regarding future music study and career intentions in secondary school. This article reports on the intersections and conflicts between adolescent boys’ musical possible selves, university study intentions, and parent values. Research was conducted at an Australian independent K-12 boys’ school using one-on-one semi-structured interviews incorporating a “draw and tell” artifact elicitation technique with Year 12 students and their parents. Two resonating narratives of adolescent boys …

3′-Sulfated Lewisa/C: An Oncofetal Epitope Associated With Metaplastic And Oncogenic Plasticity Of The Gastrointestinal Foregut, Koushik K Das, Jeffrey W Brown

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Metaplasia, dysplasia, and cancer arise from normal epithelia

Impact Of Converging Sociocultural And Substance-Related Trends On Us Autism Rates: Combined Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Analysis, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Whilst cannabis is known to be toxic to brain development, it is unknown if it is driving rising US autism rates (ASMR). A longitudinal epidemiological study was conducted using national autism census data from the US Department of Education Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) 1991–2011 and nationally representative drug exposure (cigarettes, alcohol, analgesic, and cocaine abuse, and cannabis use monthly, daily, and in pregnancy) datasets from National Survey of Drug Use and Health and US Census (income and ethnicity) and CDC Wonder population and birth data. Analysis was conducted in R. 266,950 were autistic of a population of 40,119,464 8-year-olds …

Integrated Clinical Pathways For Lower Limb Orthopaedic Surgeries: An Updated Systematic Review, Huaqiong Zhou, Irene M. Ngune, Pam Roberts, Phillip Della

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective

The objective of the study was to comprehensively synthesise the components of integrated clinical pathways (ICPs) and post-operative outcomes of patients undergone total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA & TKA) and hip fracture surgeries.

Background

Previous systematic reviews examined components and effectiveness of ICPs for lower limb joint replacement and hip fracture surgeries.

Design and Methods

An updated systematic review guided by the Whittemore and Knafl (2005) framework. Electronic databases, Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCOhost-CINAHL, the Cochrane Reviews and Trails, EMBASE and PubMed, were searched from 2007 to 31 January 2021. Due to the heterogeneity of the methods and data collection …

Toward A Synthesis Of The Board-Strategy Relationship: A Literature Review And Future Research Agenda, Pieter-Jan Bezemer, Amedeo Pugliese, Gavin Nicholson, Alessandro Zattoni

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research Question/Issue

The strategy role of the board of directors is a contentious topic in both theory and practice and the debate on what boards should or should not do around firm strategy has intensified with changes in global corporate governance. Boards face interventionist regulatory developments, calls for changes in their composition, growing owner engagement, and societal questioning on the corporation's very purpose. With this review, we aim to assess how the research agenda in this area has evolved with these developments.

Research Findings/Results

Our analysis of 152 articles published in 45 high-quality journals between 2008 and 2020 reveals that …

The Impact Of Sleep-Wake Behaviour On Tennis Match Performance In Junior State Grade Tennis Players, Mitchell Turner, Philipp Beranek, Ian Dunican, Travis Cruickshank

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

To date, no study has investigated the extent to which sleep-wake behaviour (SWB) influences match performance in junior tennis players. This study aimed to assess the influence of SWB for the week and night before on match performance, particularly match analytics and activity.

Methods:

This study recruited 10 junior state grade tennis players who wore an actigraphy device and completed a sleep diary for the week before their match on two separate occasions throughout their competition season. Players wore a global positioning system device to track their movement during matches, and an experienced tennis coach recorded players' match analytics. …

Injury Profiles Of Police Recruits Undergoing Basic Physical Training: A Prospective Cohort Study, Nicole Merrick, Nicolas H. Hart, Andrea B. Mosler, Garth Allen, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

A lack of published epidemiological data among police recruits presents a major challenge when designing appropriate prevention programs to reduce injury burden. We aimed to report the injury epidemiology of Western Australian (WA) Police Force recruits and examine sex and age as injury risk factors

Methods:

Retrospective analyses were conducted of prospectively collected injury data from WA Police Force recruits between 2018–2021. Injury was defined as ‘time-loss’ and injury incidence rate per 1000 training days (Poisson exact 95% confidence intervals) was calculated. For each region and type of injury, the incidence, severity, and burden were calculated. The association between …

Tourists' Perceptions Of And Reactions To Child Sex Tourism: An Exploratory Qualitative Investigation, Joshua Aston, Jun Wen, Shaohua Yang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Using a qualitative approach, this cross-disciplinary study integrating modern slavery, tourism and marketing expertise outlines Chinese outbound tourists' perceptions of and reactions to issues related to child sex tourism.

Design/methodology/approach: In total, 27 in-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analysed. Manual coding was chosen as an efficient method to process qualitative interview data given the relatively small sample size in this study.

Findings: Three main themes emerged from analysis: (1) tourists' negative perceptions of child sex tourism; (2) tourist boycotts against child sex tourism destinations and activities as reactions to this socially deviant and illegal phenomenon and (3) …

Treg-Specific Deletion Of The Phosphatase Shp-1 Impairs Control Of Inflammation In Vivo, Qinlei Gu, Kenneth S Tung, Ulrike M Lorenz

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: To achieve a healthy and functional immune system, a delicate balance exists between the activation of conventional T cells (Tcon cells) and the suppression by regulatory T cells (Treg). The tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, a negative regulator of TCR signaling, shapes this 'activation-suppression' balance by modulating Tcon cell resistance to Treg-mediated suppression. Treg cells also express SHP-1, but its role in influencing Treg function is still not fully understood.

METHODS: We generated a Treg-specific SHP-1 deletion model,

RESULTS: We show that SHP-1 modulates Treg suppressive function at different levels. First, at the intracellular signaling level in Treg cells, SHP-1 attenuates …

Integrative Review: Factors Impacting Effective Delegation Practices By Registered Nurses To Assistants In Nursing, Carol Crevacore, Elisabeth R. Jacob, Linda L. Coventry, Christine Duffield

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim

To identify the evidence on factors that impact delegation practices by Registered Nurses to Assistants in Nursing in acute care hospitals.

Design

An integrative review.

Data Sources

Database searches were conducted between July 2011 and July 2021.

Review Methods

We used the 12-step approach by Kable and colleagues to document the search strategy. The (Whittemore & Knafl. 2005. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546–553) integrative review framework method was adopted and the methodological quality of the studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs critical appraisal instruments.

Results

Nine studies were included. Delegation between the Registered Nurse and the …

Nursing Students Doing Gender: Implications For Higher Education And The Nursing Profession, Lesley J. Andrew, Ken Robinson, Julie Dare, Leesa N. Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The average age of women nursing students in Australia is rising. With this comes the likelihood that more now begin university with family responsibilities, and with their lives structured by the roles of mother and partner. Women with more traditionally gendered ideas of these roles, such as nurturing others and self-sacrifice, are known to be attracted to nursing as a profession; once at university, however, these students can be vulnerable to gender role stress from the competing demands of study. A qualitative research design, guided by Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy, explored the gendered behaviours and experiences of 22 women nursing students, …

Mora And Ensembletfpredictor: An Ensemble Approach To Reveal Functional Transcription Factor Regulatory Networks, Kevin Boyer, Louis Li, Tiandao Li, Bo Zhang, Guoyan Zhao

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MOTIVATION: Our study aimed to identify biologically relevant transcription factors (TFs) that control the expression of a set of co-expressed or co-regulated genes.

RESULTS: We developed a fully automated pipeline, Motif Over Representation Analysis (MORA), to detect enrichment of known TF binding motifs in any query sequences. MORA performed better than or comparable to five other TF-prediction tools as evaluated using hundreds of differentially expressed gene sets and ChIP-seq datasets derived from known TFs. Additionally, we developed EnsembleTFpredictor to harness the power of multiple TF-prediction tools to provide a list of functional TFs ranked by prediction confidence. When applied to …

Designing Implementation Strategies To Improve Identification, Cascade Testing, And Management Of Families With Familial Hypercholesterolemia: An Intervention Mapping Approach, Laney K Jones, Ross C Brownson, Anne C Goldberg, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited cholesterol disorder that, without early intervention, leads to premature cardiovascular disease. Multilevel strategies that target all components of FH care including identification, cascade testing, and management are needed to address gaps that exist in FH care. We utilized intervention mapping, a systematic implementation science approach, to identify and match strategies to existing barriers and develop programs to improve FH care.

METHODS: Data were collected utilizing two methods: a scoping review of published literature, related to any component of FH care, and a parallel mixed method study using interviews and surveys. The scientific …

Autonomy Versus Support: Self-Reliance And Help-Seeking For Mental Health Problems In Young People, Amelia Ishikawa, Debra Rickwood, Emily Bariola, Navjot Bhullar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

Many young people with mental ill-health do not seek support, and developmental growth in self-reliance may be a barrier to help-seeking. Increasing autonomy is a positive developmental task for youth and a key aspect of resilience. This study examined the influence of perceived social support and resilience on the previously unexamined relationship between self-reliance and intentions to seek help from informal, professional, and self-help sources for mental health problems.

Methods:

An online survey was completed by a representative Australian community sample of 5,203 young people aged 12–25 years (half female), in May–June 2020.

Results:

Path analysis showed the hypothesised …

Communety: Deep Learning-Based Face Recognition System For The Prediction Of Cohesive Communities, Syed Afaq Ali Shah, Weifeng Deng, Muhammad Aamir Cheema, Abdul Bais

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Effective mining of social media, which consists of a large number of users is a challenging task. Traditional approaches rely on the analysis of text data related to users to accomplish this task. However, text data lacks significant information about the social users and their associated groups. In this paper, we propose CommuNety, a deep learning system for the prediction of cohesive networks using face images from photo albums. The proposed deep learning model consists of hierarchical CNN architecture to learn descriptive features related to each cohesive network. The paper also proposes a novel Face Co-occurrence Frequency algorithm to quantify …

Covid-19 Two Years On: A Review Of Covid-19-Related Empirical Research In Major Tourism And Hospitality Journals, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Xuequn Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to provide a timely review of the COVID-19-related empirical research published in 19 quartile one (Q1) and quartile two (Q2) tourism and hospitality journals in social science citation index (SSCI).

Design/methodology/approach: A total of 407 COVID-19-related empirical papers were collected from the 19 SSCI Q1 and Q2 tourism and hospitality journals via Scopus database. Thematic content analysis was supplemented with Leximancer software to identify the research themes/subthemes, research methods and countries/regions of research.

Findings: The study found studies of COVID-19’s impact on consumer behaviour predominate in number, followed by studies on response actions and recovery strategies, …

Care Visits: Obligations, Opportunities And Constraints For Vietnamese Grandparent Visitors In Australia, Hien Thi Nguyen, Loretta Baldassar, Raelene Wilding

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In examining the ageing-migration nexus from a Global South perspective, this paper explores the obligations, opportunities and constraints of caregiving performed by Vietnamese grandparent visitors during their sojourns in Australia. Employing a grounded theory approach and care circulation framework, we investigate how grandparent visitors and adult migrant children experience and understand care and ageing in contexts of mobility, including an analysis of how gender, age, socio-economic contexts and culture shape and affect their care norms and practices. The analysis emphasizes the critical contributions that Vietnamese grandparents make to the reproductive labour of their adult migrant children who often face challenges …

Relationship Between Dietary Intake And Erythrocyte Pufa In Adolescents From A Western Australian Cohort, Fuzhen Wan, Feng Pan, Trevor A. Mori, Therese A. O’Sullivan, Lawrence J. Beilin, Wendy H. Oddy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

Population-based studies show that the intake of omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are associated with a range of health conditions. Therefore, the reliability of food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) as rapid and easily accessible screening tools for PUFA intake deserve investigation.

Objective:

We aimed to assess the relationship between erythrocyte fatty acids and fatty acid intake collected using the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food frequency questionnaire in an adolescent cohort.

Design:

A cross-sectional study using data from 1155 young adolescents participating in the 14-year follow-up of the Raine Study. Bland–Altman plots were used …

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Common Errors In Meta-Analyses And Meta-Regressions In Strength & Conditioning Research, Daniel Kadlec, Kristin L. Sainani, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Objective:

Meta-analysis and meta-regression are often highly cited and may influence practice. Unfortunately, statistical errors in meta-analyses are widespread and can lead to flawed conclusions. The purpose of this article was to review common statistical errors in meta-analyses and to document their frequency in highly cited meta-analyses from strength and conditioning research.

Methods:

We identified five errors in one highly cited meta-regression from strength and conditioning research: implausible outliers; overestimated effect sizes that arise from confusing standard deviation with standard error; failure to account for correlated observations; failure to account for within-study variance; and a focus on within-group …

The Impact Of Acute Calcium Intake On Bone Turnover Markers During A Training Day In Elite Male Rowers, Bronwen Lundy, Alannah K. A. Mckay, Nikita C. Fensham, Fensham, Nicolin Tee, Bryce Anderson, Aimee Morabito, Megan L. R. Ross, Marc Sim, Kathryn Ackerman, Louise M. Burke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: While an acute exercise session typically increases bone turnover markers (BTM), the impact of subsequent sessions and the interaction with pre-exercise calcium intake remains unclear despite the application to the ‘real life’ training of many competitive athletes. Methods: Using a randomized crossover design, elite male rowers (n = 16) completed two trials, a week apart, consisting of two 90-minute rowing ergometer sessions (Ex1, Ex2) separated by 150 minutes. Prior to each trial, participants consumed a high (CAL: ~1000 mg) or isocaloric low (CON: < 10 mg) calcium meal. Biochemical markers including parathyroid hormone: PTH; serum ionised calcium (iCa) and bone turnover markers (C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen: β-CTX-I; osteocalcin: OC) were monitored from baseline to 3 hours post Ex2. Results: While each session caused perturbances of serum iCa, CAL maintained calcium concentrations above those of CON for most time points, 4.5 and 2.4 % higher post EX1 and EX2 respectively. The decrease in iCa in CON was associated with an elevation of blood PTH (p < 0.05) and β-CTX-I (p < 0.0001) over this period of repeated training sessions and their recovery, particularly during and after Ex2. Pre-exercise intake of calcium-rich foods lowered BTM over the course of a day with several training sessions. Conclusions: Pre-exercise intake of a calcium-rich meal prior to training sessions undertaken within the same day had a cumulative and prolonged effect on the stabilisation of blood iCa during exercise. In turn, this reduced the post-exercise PTH response, potentially attenuating the increase in markers of bone resorption. Such practical strategies may be integrated into the athlete’s overall sports nutrition plan, with the potential to safeguard long term bone health and reduce the risk of bone stress injuries.