Digital Commons Network^™

Source-Specific Nitrate Intake And All-Cause Mortality In The Danish Diet, Cancer, And Health Study, Nicola P. Bondonno, Pratik Pokharel, Catherine P. Bondonno, Dorit W. Erichsen, Liezhou Zhong, Jörg Schullehner, Kirsten Frederiksen, Cecilie Kyrø, Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Frederik Dalgaard, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, Torben Sigsgaard, Christina C. Dahm, Anne Tjønneland, Anja Olsen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Nitrate and nitrite are naturally occurring in both plant- and animal-sourced foods, are used as additives in the processing of meat, and are found in water. There is growing evidence that they exhibit a spectrum of health effects, depending on the dietary source. The aim of the study was to examine source-dependent associations between dietary intakes of nitrate/nitrite and both all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Methods: In 52,247 participants of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study, associations between source-dependent nitrate and nitrite intakes––calculated using comprehensive food composition and national drinking water quality monitoring databases––and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related, and …

Storms Facilitate Airborne Dna From Leaf Fragments Outside The Main Tree Pollen Season, Mary Hanson, Geoff Petch, Beverley Adams-Groom, Thor Bjørn Ottosen, Carsten A. Skjøth

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bioaerosols are useful indicators of plant phenology and can demonstrate the impacts of climate change on both local and regional scales (e.g. pollen monitoring/flowering phenology). Analysing bioaerosols with eDNA approaches are becoming more popular to quantify the diversity of airborne plant environmental DNA (eDNA) and flowering season of plants and trees. Leaf abscission from broadleaved trees and other perennial species can also indicate the status of plant health in response to climate. This happens primarily during autumn in response to seasonal growth conditions and environmental factors, such as changing photoperiod and reduced temperatures. During this period biological material is released …

Weathering The Storm: Diagnosis And Treatment Of A Life-Threatening Disseminated Nocardia Otitidiscaviarum Infection, Li Yan Zhang, Liang Wang, Zeeshan Umar, Yuan Hong Huang, Bing Gu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Nocardiosis demonstrates a temporal categorization that includes acute, subacute, and chronic stages alongside distinct typical localizations such as pulmonary, cutaneous, and disseminated forms. Disseminated nocardiosis, commonly caused by Nocardia asteroides, N. brasiliensis, and N. farcinica, continues to result in substantial morbidity and mortality. Herein, we report a life-threatening disseminated nocardiosis caused by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in a patient with minimal change disease. This study emphasizes the difficulty in the diagnosis and treatment of unknown infections in clinical settings and highlights the important role played by laboratories in solving infectious diseases caused by rare pathogens.

Young Children And The Creation Of A Digital Identity On Social Networking Sites: Scoping Review, Valeska Berg, Diana Arabiat, Evalotte Morelius, Lisa Kervin, Maggie Zgambo, Suzanne Robinson, Mark Jenkins, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

There is limited understanding of the concept of the digital identity of young children created through engagement on social networking sites.

Objective:

The objective of this scoping review was to identify key characteristics of the concept of digital identity for children from conception to the age of 8 years on social networking sites.

Methods:

This scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. The key databases searched were EBSCO, Web of Science, ProQuest ERIC, and Scopus. Gray literature sources (National Grey Literature Collection, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, …

Achieving Covert Communication With A Probabilistic Jamming Strategy, Xun Chen, Fujun Gao, Min Qiu, Jia Zhang, Feng Shu, Shihao Yan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this work, we consider a covert communication scenario, where a transmitter Alice communicates to a receiver Bob with the aid of a probabilistic and uninformed jammer against an adversary warden's detection. The transmission status and power of the jammer are random and follow some priori probabilities. We first analyze the warden's detection performance as a function of the jammer's transmission probability, transmit power distribution, and Alice's transmit power. We then maximize the covert throughput from Alice to Bob subject to a covertness constraint, by designing the covert communication strategies from three different perspectives: Alice's perspective, the jammer's perspective, and …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of The Montreal Cognitive Assessment For People With Hearing Impairment, Stacey Theocharous, Greg Savage, Anna Pavlina Charalambous, Mathieu Côté, Renaud David, Kathleen Gallant, Catherine Helmer, Robert Laforce, Iracema Leroi, Ralph N. Martins, Ziad Nasreddine, Antonis Politis, David Reeves, Gregor Russell, Marie Josée Sirois, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Chyrssoula Thodi, Christiane Völter, Wai Kent Yeung, Piers Dawes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Cognitive screening tools enable the detection of cognitive impairment, facilitate timely intervention, inform clinical care, and allow long-term planning. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment for people with hearing impairment (MoCA-H) was developed as a reliable cognitive screening tool for people with hearing loss. Using the same methodology across four languages, this study examined whether cultural or linguistic factors affect the performance of the MoCA-H. Methods: The current study investigated the performance of the MoCA-H across English, German, French, and Greek language groups (n = 385) controlling for demographic factors known to affect the performance of the MoCA-H. Results: In a …

Board Responsibility And Corporate Finance, Ahmad Saiful Azlin Puteh Salin, Zubaidah Ismail, Malcolm Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between board responsibility and the performance of the company. It is the ultimate responsibility of the board to properly discharge their duty as stipulated by the laws and prohibit any unnecessary actions and decisions that are detrimental to the company (Salin, Ismail, et al., 2019). Board responsibility in this study is proxied by having a clear board function, formation of sustainability policy, directors’ access to information and existence of a board charter. This study uses archival analysis of the annual report of the top 500 publicly listed companies in Malaysia …

Cross-Sectional Survey Of Staff And Family Perspectives On The Use Of Cctv In Australian Residential Aged Care, Davina Porock, Caroline Vafeas, Mandy Towell-Barnard, Laura Emery, Gemma Doleman, Janine Alan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To describe staff and family members' opinions about closed-circuit television (CCTV) in communal and private areas of residential aged care facilities (RACF), and to investigate how this relates to perceptions of care quality. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was developed to capture perceptions of CCTV's influence on care quality, and acceptable locations for CCTV placement. Data were recorded as ordinal-scale and open responses. Non-parametric tests of association were conducted. Results: The survey was completed by 81 staff and 74 family members. Both staff and family were satisfied with care quality and safety, irrespective of CCTV use. More family members were …

Enhancing Breast Cancer Treatment: Mesoporous Dopamine Nanoparticles In Synergy With Chrysin For Photothermal Therapy, Jing Zhu, Heng Zhang, Haomiao Lan, Bing Bi, Xianfeng Peng, Dandan Li, Haili Wang, Ke Zhu, Fuqiang Shao, Minggang Yin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers, primarily affecting women. Among its subtypes, estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is particularly common. Inhibiting estrogen's effects is crucial for treating ER+ breast cancer, but current therapies often have significant side effects and limitations. Chrysin, a natural flavonoid, has shown potential in reducing estrogen receptor expression, but its poor water solubility hampers clinical application. This study explores the use of mesoporous dopamine nanoparticles (mPDA) to enhance the delivery and efficacy of Chrysin, combined with photothermal therapy (PTT), for breast cancer treatment. Methods: Chrysin-loaded mPDA nanoparticles (Chrysin@mPDA) were synthesized and characterized …

Experiences Of The Change Process During Emotion Focused Group Therapy, Jason M. Sharbanee, Kirra Rauchelle, Marina Nelson, Eyal Gringart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Emotion Focused Group Therapy has demonstrated preliminary efficacy for multiple syndromes. The groups involve individual chair-work in the context of the group, followed by interpersonal processing of the aroused emotions. So far there has been limited investigation of the mechanisms of change, including participants’ experiences of the change process. This study aimed to qualitatively examine participants’ experiences of the change process during Emotion Focused Group Therapy. Sixteen participants were interviewed about their experiences of the change process during the therapy group. The interview was structured to move from overarching reflections on the process of change, to specific experiences of their …

Relational Processes For Transformative Climate Justice Policymaking: Insights From A Western Australian Community Of Practice, Kylie Wrigley, Jaime Yallup Farrant, Brad Farrant, Emma Leigh Synnott, Jason Barrow, Naomi Joy Godden, Lucie O’Sullivan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article explores how relational approaches to policymaking across multiple levels and sectors of society might enable transformative climate justice. It draws on a unique case study from the state of Western Australia (WA), where climate justice is thwarted by the coloniality of climate politics and the hegemony of the fossil fuel industry. It examines the relational processes of a climate and health community of practice (CoP) in WA that involves people across the health sector, public service, non-government, and community. The CoP had an important role in enabling the WA Government’s public inquiry into climate change and health in …

Introduction Of The ‘Blue Card’ Concussion Policy To Semi-Elite Australian Football: Medical Staff Experiences And Perceptions, Jacob Raymond Msando, Gill Cowen, Sarah A. Harris, Troy Kirkham, Myles C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background The Western Australian Football League (WAFL) introduced a new umpire driven ‘blue-card rule’ for concussion, but its benefit to the sports medicine team is unknown. Purpose To determine the experiences and perceptions of medical staff within the 2022-2023 Men’s and Women’s WAFL competitions following the introduction of the ‘blue-card rule’. Study Design Cross-sectional study. Method An online survey was delivered through Qualtrics to all WAFL medical staff (doctors, physiotherapists, head trainers). The survey contained four sections (demographics, concussion knowledge, concussion exposure and blue-card perceptions) with closed and multiple-answer questions. Standard methods for reporting descriptive data were applied, including mean …

Levels Of Unrelated Diversification And Firm Performance: A Conceptual Description Of An S-Shaped Hypothesis, Kwaku Alex Gyan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study reconceptualizes the so far inconclusive relationship between unrelated diversification and financial performance by explaining how coordination costs can shape the amount of free cash flow and related agency problems at different levels of unrelated diversification. The study builds upon the notion that coordination requirements and associated coordination costs will vary at levels of unrelated diversification to regulate the amount of free cash flow managers will have at their disposal at each level of unrelated diversification. Based on the agency costs associated with free cash flow, we conceptualize that at different stages of unrelated diversification, the degree of managerial …

Authentic Leadership: 20-Year Review Editorial, Andrei A. Lux, Kevin B. Lowe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Our field has reached a critical juncture. Authentic leadership, which once promised to illuminate how leaders inspire and influence through genuine actions, has become mired in conceptual ambiguity and ideological bias. Much of the research is based on evaluations of behaviour conflated with antecedents and outcomes, presuming an oversimplified, positive view of authenticity. To advance, we must refocus on what authentic leaders actually do – their discrete behaviours – as signals of leadership. In this editorial, we redefine authentic leadership through signalling theory to address unresolved critiques and provide a platform for meaningful progress. We then summarise and synthesise the …

Longitudinal Associations Between Exercise And Biomarkers In Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease, Kelsey R. Sewell, James D. Doecke, Chengjie Xiong, Tammie Benzinger, Colin L. Masters, Christoph Laske, Mathias Jucker, Francisco Lopera, Brian A. Gordon, Jorge Llibre-Guerra, Johannes Levin, Edward D. Huey, Jason Hassenstab, Peter R. Schofield, Gregory S. Day, Nick C. Fox, Jasmeer Chhatwal, Laura Ibanez, Jee Hoon Roh, Richard Perrin, Jae Hong Lee, Ralph N. Martins, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Samantha L. Gardener, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Belinda Brown

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

INTRODUCTION: We investigated longitudinal associations between self-reported exercise and Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related biomarkers in individuals with autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) mutations. METHODS: Participants were 308 ADAD mutation carriers aged 39.7 ± 10.8 years from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network. Weekly exercise volume was measured via questionnaire and associations with brain volume (magnetic resonance imaging), cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and brain amyloid beta (Aβ) measured by positron emission tomography were investigated. RESULTS: Greater volume of weekly exercise at baseline was associated with slower accumulation of brain Aβ at preclinical disease stages β = –0.16 [–0.23 to –0.08], and a slower decline in …

Queering Apocalyptic Methodologies: Enacting The Utopian Performative Through Extended Reality Artwork, Cassandra Tytler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper takes its cue from Koro and Wolgemuth's conceptual writing on Apocalyptic Methodologies as an extended prompt to enact the utopian performative as a form of generative Queer Ecopedagogy. A utopian performative is the performance of future potential that critiques our present political moment, highlighting that the present is not enough. The paper offers a troubling of "nature"and place, in its suggestion that digital space can be a refuge for EE practice. It looks to virtual reality as a realm used to create space free from the constraints of colonial history or normative prescriptions of the non/human binary. The …

Dismantling Pervasive Gender Stereotypes In Healthcare Leadership Contexts With An Ecological Systems Theory Approach, Andrei A. Lux, Nasim Salehi, Diarmuid Hurley, Elizabeth Emanuel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Leadership emergence is fraught with pervasive gender stereotypes, and women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles, particularly in healthcare organisations. We apply ecological systems theory to explain how environmental factors enable or inhibit women’s leadership emergence in healthcare settings. We interviewed 17 senior female leaders in the Australian healthcare sector to explore how gender-related perceptions affected their leadership journeys. Five themes emerged that challenge existing narratives: men supported women’s advancement; women impeded other women’s progress; vulnerability was a leadership strength; ambitious women were ostracised; and women were ‘given’ leadership opportunities rather than actively pursuing them. By situating these findings within …

Developing An 'Eportfolio Of Evidence' Towards Employment And Registration For Early Childhood Teachers, Pauline Roberts, Leonie Menzel, Bev Adkin, Lennie Barblett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

ePortfolios have been in use in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses for many years. The link to employability has been part of these initiatives, however, recent concerns over workforce and employment requires additional focus to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the ePortfolio. Ensuring teachers are 'classroom ready' led to increased pressure on pre-service teachers (PSTs) to demonstrate achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2017). The goal of this project was to explore and influence PST's thinking towards the ePortfolio through changes in practice. The research entailed a rapid systematic review …

Editorial: Dietary Nitrate: Friend Or Foe, Liezhou Zhong, Nicola P. Bondonno, Mario Siervo, Catherine P. Bondonno

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Exploratory Analysis Of Fight-Ending Punches In The Ultimate Fighting Championship™ Mixed Martial Arts Promotion, Oliver R. Barley, Colin S. Doherty, Mark Scanlan, Liam C. Tapsell, Corey Wilson, Julian Giustiniano, Matthew G. Plush, Shayne Vial

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Punching is a crucial element of mixed martial arts (MMA), often leading to knockouts (KO) or technical knockouts (TKOs). This study explored the relative foot positions of athletes, their stances, punch type executed, and the reliability of these variables to provide insights into effective punch application in MMA. We retrospectively examined MMA contests from the Ultimate Fighting Championship that ended via KO/TKO (2020 to 2022). Data were sourced from publicly available videos on the internet. Three analysts, each with at least three years of experience in striking combat sports and competitive MMA, conducted observations independently. Only critical strikes where all …

Mapping Metaverse Research To The Sustainable Development Goal Of Good Health And Well-Being, Raghu Raman, Laurie Hughes, Santanu Mandal, Payel Das, Prema Nedungadi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rise of the metaverse - a convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and persistent virtual spaces - presents transformative potential for the healthcare sector. This study systematically explores how metaverse technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and digital twins, contribute to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3), which focuses on good health and well-being. By integrating these technologies, the metaverse offers innovative solutions for telemedicine, medical training, mental health support, public health education, and global medical research collaboration. This study maps the current research landscape, highlighting the capacity of metaverse technologies …

Mining Through Pandemic Crisis: A Systematic Review Of The Impacts Of Covid-19 Management Strategies On Mining Industries In West Africa And Western Australia, Esther Ayaaba, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante, Victor Fannam Nunfam, Krassi Rumchev, Samuel Kofi Amponsah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The mining sector plays a crucial role in the economies of West Africa and Western Australia, contributing to GDP, employment, and foreign exchange earnings. However, the sector also faces environmental, social, and health challenges, including land and water degradation, human rights violations, and occupational hazards. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened these challenges, affecting aspects of the mining industry. This systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for literature search and selection. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for relevant articles published from 2019 to 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies focusing on COVID-19 management strategies …

Seeing The Forest For The Trees: The Role Of Growth-Oriented Leadership In Shaping Public Servants’ Work Experiences In The Post-Npm Environment, Esme Franken, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Ben Farr-Wharton, Fleur Sharafizad, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In recent years, growth-oriented leadership (GOL) has come to the fore as a salient predictor of positive employee outcomes in public sector contexts. This empirical paper examines the role of GOL in shaping perceptions of quantitative demands as a product of an evolved New Public Management (NPM) context and the subsequent impact on stress and well-being for 419 local government employees working in Western Australia. While latent in previous GOL-oriented studies, this paper is the first to explore the intersection of GOL and quantitative demands, noting that the former has an established positive effect on employee wellbeing, and the opposite …

Racial Diversity, Interracial Trust, And Mental Distress In Post-Apartheid South Africa, Isaac Koomson, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The emerging difficulties and tensions in establishing inclusive and multicultural societies in the contemporary globalised world have necessitated the generation of ample empirical evidence in support of the socioeconomic and health benefits of racial diversity. This study contributes to the scholarly and policy discourses by examining the effect of racial diversity on mental distress in post-apartheid South Africa after several decades of racial segregation. We used all five waves (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2017) of the National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS). After addressing the endogeneity problem in the racial diversity–mental distress nexus, our findings show that an increase in …

Summary Of Epidemiology, Prevention And Management Of Blood-Borne Viruses Experienced By Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This Summary is based on the Review of epidemiology, prevention and management of blood-borne viruses experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (2024).

It aims to provide a synthesis of key information on blood-borne viruses (BBVs) experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, focusing primarily on hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus.

It covers: the historical, social and cultural context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and BBVs the extent of BBVs, including incidence, prevalence, health service utilisation, hospitalisation, mortality, and burden of disease prevention and management of BBVs relevant programs, …

Mhair: A Dataset Of Audio-Image Representations For Multimodal Human Actions, Muhammad Bilal Shaikh, Douglas Chai, Syed M. S. Islam, Naveed Akhtar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Audio-image representations for a multimodal human action (MHAiR) dataset contains six different image representations of the audio signals that capture the temporal dynamics of the actions in a very compact and informative way. The dataset was extracted from the audio recordings which were captured from an existing video dataset, i.e., UCF101. Each data sample captured a duration of approximately 10 s long, and the overall dataset was split into 4893 training samples and 1944 testing samples. The resulting feature sequences were then converted into images, which can be used for human action recognition and other related tasks. These images can …

Work-Integrated Learning In The Humanities, Arts And Social Sciences: Where To From Here?, Denise Jackson, Elizabeth Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Amidst increasing pressures on Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines regarding graduate career readiness, this study examines HASS student participation in work-integrated learning (WIL) and its impacts on employability and short-term employment outcomes, using data from the Australian Graduate Outcomes Survey from 2020 to 2023. The research examined the extent of participation across WIL types (work-based, non-workplace and global) and its influence on graduates’ perceived employability and employment outcomes (full-time employment and perceived overqualification), while investigating demographic differences using descriptive analysis and logistic regression models. Results indicated rising WIL participation yet identified disparities by activity type and among student …

A Lack Of Tourism-Based Health Services Amid Global Aging: How Tourism And Health Practices Can Combine To Benefit The Aging Population, Jun Wen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Exhibiting Slavery In Australia: Personal Narratives And Legacies, Paul Longley Arthur, Isabel Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The history of slavery has often been located on the same continuum as that of incarceration. This article explores the development of an exhibition representing the legacies of slavery in Australia, analysing Australian and international exhibitions alongside theories of museology, historiography and memory. It begins by considering the growth of slavery memory since the latter twentieth century, and Australia's own slavery heritage. The second half of the article focuses on curatorial directions and decisions taken in the exhibition, which our research team is currently developing in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum as part of an Australian Research Council …

The Delta Concept Does Not Effectively Normalise Exercise Responses To Exhaustive Interval Training, Arthur Henrique Bossi, Wouter Timmerman, Diana Cole, Louis Passfield, James Hopker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: This study was designed to quantify inter- and intra-individual variability in performance, physiological, and perceptual responses to high-intensity interval training prescribed using the percentage of delta (%Δ) method, in which the gas exchange threshold and maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) are taken into account to normalise relative exercise intensity. Design: Repeated-measures, within-subjects design with mixed-effects modelling. Methods: Eighteen male and four female cyclists (age: 36 ± 12 years, height: 178 ± 10 cm, body mass: 75.2 ± 13.7 kg, V̇O2max: 51.6 ± 5.3 ml·kg−1·min−1) undertook an incremental test to exhaustion to determine the gas exchange threshold and V̇O2max as prescription …