Digital Commons Network^™

Sugar Consumption In Aboriginal Children Explored From A Social Practice Perspective, Amy Budrikis, Angela Durey, Dan Mcaullay, Paul Ward, Hanny Calache, Thierry Ng, Roma Winmar, Linda Slack-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Australian Aboriginal children have higher sugar intake and are disproportionately affected by sugar-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes and dental caries than non-Aboriginal children. The intention of this paper was to highlight the need for approaches that can capture the complexity of health practices without reducing them to either individual choice or structural determination. We explore sugar consumption in Aboriginal children from a social practice perspective. Here, the unit of analysis is the practice, not the individual, where the elements of a social practice (competence, materials and meanings) are integrated into its performance. We conducted qualitative research using elements of …

Sustaining Caring Mobilities In Immobility Regimes: Adaptive Strategies Of Vietnamese Migrant (Grand)Parents In Australia, Hien Thi Nguyen, Catriona Turnbull, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

(Grand)parents are increasingly traveling internationally to visit and spend time with their transnational families. This mobility is essential to provide informal, unpaid care, driven by globalisation as family members relocate for study and work. However, governments in receiving countries like Australia are implementing restrictive measures, defined in the literature as ‘immobility regimes’, to control the movement of older migrants into their territories, including overseas (grand)parents. Drawing on the lived experiences of 22 Vietnamese migrants (11 (grand)parent visitors and 11 adult migrants who host their (grand)parent visitors), this paper explores the relationship between transnational mobility and institutional migration policies in the …

Next-Generation Virtual Environment Training For Cybersecurity In The Maritime Logistics Industry: A Position Paper, Tyler Cheng, Rory Hopcraft, Kimberly Tam, Ji-Jian Chin

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

The maritime logistics industry is the most dependent on it in the modern world, yet it is not well protected against cyber risks. Recently, the maritime industry has been transitioning into industry-specific tech, and threats of cyberattacks are increasing as the adoption of technology and automation continues. One of the most effective methods to protect industries and ships from such security incidents, is to train seafarers to mitigate and handle such incidents. However, to the best of our knowledge, we did not find anything that addresses this gap. This article will present the idea and benefits of using virtual environments …

When Does Alzheimer's Disease Start? Plasma Aβ42/40 Assays Show Steep Changes At Aβ-Pet Centiloid 15, Mean Age Of 66 Years, Rodrigo Cánovas, Timothy Cox, Vincent Doré, Pierrick Bourgeat, Jurgen Fripp, Azadeh Feizpour, Rosita Shishegar, Christopher J. Fowler, Simon M. Laws, Tenielle Porter, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Leslie M. Shaw, Randall J. Bateman, Yan Li, Ovod Vitaliy, Michael W. Weiner, John C. Morris, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Suzanne E. Schindler, Akinori Nakamura, Takeshi Iwatsubo, Takeshi Ikeuchi, Takashi Kato, Paul Maruff, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Christopher C. Rowe, Ralph Martins, Colin L. Masters, James Doecke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a long pre-clinical phase where amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau begin to accumulate in the brain. The primary objective was to determine the age at which AD starts by finding the average population age when both positron emission tomography (PET) Aβ (Aβ-PET) and plasma Aβ42/40 become abnormal. Methods: Two high performance immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) assays (WashU/C2N and Shimadzu) were tested on samples from 1,450 participants who were diagnosed as cognitively unimpaired (CU), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or AD-dementia across 4 international cohorts. Natural history modeling and trajectory analyses of the combined Aβ-PET …

From Predictions To Explanations: Explainable Ai For Autism Diagnosis And Identification Of Critical Brain Regions: 18th International Joint Conference, Biostec 2025, Kush Gupta, Amir Aly, Emmanuel Ifeachor, Rohit Shankar

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmentalcondition characterized by atypical brain maturation. However, the adaptationof transfer learning paradigms in machine learning for ASD researchremains notably limited. In this study, we propose a computeraideddiagnostic framework with two modules. This chapter presents atwo-module framework combining deep learning and explainable AI forASD diagnosis. The first module leverages a deep learning model finetunedthrough cross-domain transfer learning for ASD classification. Thesecond module focuses on interpreting the model’s decisions and identifyingcritical brain regions. To achieve this, we employed three explainableAI (XAI) techniques: saliency mapping, Gradient-weighted Class ActivationMapping, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis.This framework demonstrates that …

The Effectiveness Of Digital Therapeutics Intervention In Oral Anticoagulation Management: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jiayue Guo, Lili You, Lu Liu, Xitong Jiao, Debasish Kar, Jitendra Jonnagaddala

Peninsula Medical School

Objective: To summarize the key intervention characteristics and evaluate the effectivenessand safety of digital therapeutics (DTx) in patients receiving oral anticoagulation, witheffectiveness evaluated using time in therapeutic range (TTR), thromboembolic events (TEE),and mortality, and safety evaluated based on bleeding events.Patients and Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the CochraneLibrary from inception to June 20, 2025, and identified ten randomized controlled trialsinvolving 7,237 patients. The criteria required studies to assess software-based DTxsupporting anticoagulation management and report effectiveness or safety outcomes. Studyquality was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development,and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, and random-effects models were applied.Results: …

Just Be Yourself....But Only If You Are Like Us? A Social Identity Theory Cross-Cultural Meta-Analysis Of Authentic Leadership, Andrei A. Lux, Kevin B. Lowe, Patricio Duran, Darren K. Bharanitharan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We apply social identity theory (SIT) within a culturally endorsed implicit leadership theory (CLT) frame to model how cultural values shape relationships between authentic leadership and follower outcomes. We use meta-analytic methods to test hypotheses with data from 292 studies drawn from over 40 countries, comprised of 100,641 individuals, and including 35 attitudinal, behavioural, and performance outcomes. Meta-analytic regression of cultural values coded at the country level reveals a significant pattern of moderation effects across 42.9% of the correlates we tested, suggesting that authentic leadership theory is culturally embedded. The effects of authentic leadership vary to the extent that it …

Strategizing Success: Advancing Women's Leadership And Careers In Healthcare Through A Positive Gain Spiral, Farveh Farivar, Andrei A. Lux, Nasim Salehi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose – Women’s career progression in healthcare continues to lag men’s, particularly at senior leadership levels, limiting organizational performance and weakening leadership pipelines. This study applies Conservation of Resources (COR) theory’s positive gains cycle to examine how supportive organizational environments and human resource management practices can accelerate women’s advancement from early career stages to senior leadership. Design/methodology/approach – Using a social constructivist approach, we conducted 30 in-depth interviews with Australian healthcare leaders (20 female and 10 male) across multiple organizational levels. Thematic analysis identified the resources and interactions that enable sustained leadership progression for women. Findings – Four interconnected resources, …

A Brunerian Theoretical Framework For Ece: A Review Of Jerome Bruner’S Theoretical Contributions To Early Childhood Education, Samantha Wynne, Christine Robinson, Dee O’Connor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents the findings of an independent study, a systemic narrative literature review, that identifies and synthesises Jerome Bruner’s theoretical propositions related to young children’s knowledge construction and learning from birth to the early years of schooling. The research contributes the Brunerian Theoretical Framework, the first contextualised synthetisation of Brunerian theory as it relates to Early Childhood Education (ECE). Bruner’s postmodern constructivist and culturalist perspectives related to epistemology, theory, and pedagogy are explicated in the review of literature. Importantly, this paper explores Bruner’s culturalist provocation to centre epistemological inquiry in education. Bruner proposes that when educators adopt an epistemic …

A Mass Cytometry-Based Blood Cell Phenotyping Workflow Enabling Inclusion Of Resource-Limited And Rural Sites In Immune System Studies, Natalie J. Smith, Michael Cohen, Lauren Tracey, Julie Alipaz, Christina Loh, David King, Neha Pulyani, Rebecca Auzins, Elin Gray, Sandra Taylor, Rajat Rai, Steven Kao, Barbara Fazekas De St Groth, Helen M. Mcguire

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Insight into disease detection and treatment through comprehensive immune phenotyping relies on the generation of high-quality data. However, the execution of robust immune monitoring in clinical trials by flow cytometry is complex due to logistical challenges in sample preparation and reagent stability. These challenges are exacerbated when considering remote and rural communities in Australia, which are burdened by both an increased prevalence and a worse prognosis of many chronic and infectious pathologies. This is not unique to the Australian context as globally remote and rural communities are underrepresented in biomedical research studies, contributing to persistent health inequities. To address these …

Prevalence And Determinants Of Diabetes-Related Psychological Distress In A Tertiary Care Setting In Tamil Nadu: India: Cross-Sectional Study, Rohit Shankar, Samuel Tromans

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundDiabetes distress, whereby people with diabetes experience distressing psychological symptoms associated with living with their condition, is an emerging problem in India. Diabetes distress leads to self-care deficits, suboptimal glycaemic control (which can lead to increasing risks of complications) and impaired quality of life.AimsTo determine the burden of diabetes distress and its associated factors in an Indian tertiary care centre in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India, covering a population of 1.25 million.MethodThis prospective observational study involved a structured questionnaire covering demographic and clinical details, which was given to patients. The Diabetes Distress Scale 17 (DDS-17) was used to assess diabetes distress …

Cohort Profile: The Resilient Minds National Study Of Mental Health And Cognitive Resilience In Community Dwelling Adults Aged 18 To 93, Kaarin J. Anstey, Brooke Brady, Lidan Zheng, Jana Koch, Md Hamidul Huque, Michelle K. Lupton, Ralph Martins, Daniel Ashworth, Erin Goddard, Nikki Anne Wilson, Claudia M. Hillenbrand, Ralf B. Loeffler, Maria Markoulli, Arun V. Krishnan, Tanya Layton, Ranmalee Eramudugolla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: The Resilient Minds (ReMind) cohort was established to investigate cognitive and mental health resilience across the life course, addressing a gap in longitudinal evidence about resilience. The study collected data on traditional medical and lifestyle risk factors for chronic disease, genetics, and a range of mental health and cognitive outcomes. It also aimed to explore contemporary contextual influences on resilience, including internet use, social engagement, environmental exposures, and life course adversities such as perceived discrimination. Participants: The cohort included 1,640 adults aged 18–93 years, recruited through social media and community groups, to participate in a fully remote, two-year health …

Designing And Evaluating Quality Transdisciplinary Work-Integrated Learning: Insights Into Practice, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert, Sonja Coetzee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Higher education’s role in fostering innovation and enacting social change is increasingly important. Transdisciplinary Work-Integrated Learning (TWIL) offers opportunities to prepare students to address societal issues by transcending disciplinary boundaries and collaboratively tackling real-world global challenges. While extensive literature exists on established WIL models, research on the critical aspects of designing, implementing and evaluating impactful TWIL activities remains scarce. This paper draws together insights from 15 TWIL academics across 14 Australian universities, highlighting important design elements such as training for small group collaboration, open-ended projects, design thinking, sustained mentorship and reciprocal partnerships. Emerging challenges related to online delivery, teamwork, scalability, …

Emerging Stronger From Challenging Times: How Servant Leaders Manage Workplace Spirituality And Employee Flourishing, Mahdi Vesal, Muhammad Aftab Alam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Business leaders, particularly in challenging times like the post-COVID era, grapple with fostering employee well-being and addressing spiritual needs. Our research explores the link between workplace spirituality—marked by meaningful work, community, and value alignment—and employee flourishing, with a focus on the role of servant leadership. Using self-determination theory, we analyzed survey data from SMEs in Iran and India, where employees navigated challenging times amid COVID-related difficulties. Study 1 (303 employees in 128 Iranian firms) found meaningful work and a sense of community positively influence employee flourishing, while value alignment has a curvilinear effect. Study 2 (215 senior Indian employees) replicated …

Evaluating The Impact Of Learning And Development On Staff Motivation In International Non-Governmental And International Non-Profit Organisations, Munira Amidkhonova, Michelle Gander

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The main objective of this study was to understand the impact of learning and development (L&D) on staff motivation in international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) and international non-profit organisations (INPOs), focusing on those organisations operating in the Global South, also known as developing countries. Using a mixed-methods approach, 46 participants with decision-making authority from several INPOs and INGOs completed an online survey to investigate the impact of L&D and organisational factors on staff motivation and how well a model of L&D evaluation was undertaken. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 18 of these participants. It was found that organisations were generally …

Music Teacher Wellbeing And Flourishing In Australian Primary Schools, Han Meng, Jason Goopy, Narelle Lemon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher wellbeing is often generalised across roles, while a nuanced understanding of specialist teachers is often overlooked. This study used the positive psychology strengths-based PERMAH model to investigate factors that support wellbeing and flourishing of primary school music teachers in Australia and opportunities for growth. As part of a larger mixed-methods research project, data for this article were generated through interviews with 14 music teachers who deliver primary school class music and were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that music teacher wellbeing was promoted by joy derived from students’ learning, passion for teaching music, and recognition and support …

Nothing Else Matters: Why Relationships May Be Key To Establishing Healthy Eating Behaviours In Young Children, Therese A. O’Sullivan, Kathryn G. Di Candilo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food is more than its nutritional components. It brings people together, and connects us to family, culture, and heritage. The development of eating habits and relationships with food begins in infancy and continues across the lifespan. Echoing the theme of Metallica’s 72 Seasons, which was being toured in Australia when this work was presented, experiences during the early years may shape later patterns of behaviour and identity. This can include mindsets around food and eating. This review aims to explore how early life parent/caregiver feeding practices may impact this development of children’s eating behaviours. A respectful and responsive approach to …

School Is No Longer A Lone Wolf Effort: Leadership Strategies For Inclusive, Community-Based School Cultures, Stuart Woodcock, Elias Avramidis, Umesh Sharma, Pearl Subban, Caroline Sahli Lozano, Harry Kullman, Tim Lorman, Sergej Wüthrich, Margarita Knickenberg

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Based on the premise that the successful implementation of inclusion is largely dependent on the educators’ commitment to inclusive ideals, this study sought to examine the ways principals promote an inclusive vision and foster the development of associated practices in their school community. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 principals of highly-ranked inclusive schools from four countries: Australia, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. In so doing, the emphasis was placed on the principals’ perspectives and practices that contribute to the development of an inclusive school culture. The iterative process …

Selective Human Resource Practices, Psychological Safety Climate And Employee Wellbeing, Yvonne Brunetto, Matthew J. Xerri, Geremy Farr-Wharton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Engineers and healthcare professionals perceive higher levels of stress compared with the general population, suggesting that past human resource management (HRM) systems have failed to manage them appropriately. This study examines whether psychosocial safety climate (PSC) acts as a psychological conduit in translating HRM practices and mediating their impact on wellbeing using the common good HRM (CGHRM) and Conservation of Resources theoretical frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using surveys collected at two points – one-month apart, and then analysed using structural equation modelling (Analysis of Moment Structures) to manipulate survey data from 300 matched employees.

Findings – The variance …

The Ecology Of Hope: Building Rainbows In Education Systems, Jennifer Achari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Hope is frequently invoked in education, yet rarely theorised. Where it has been theorised, it has been understood in two largely separate ways: as an individual psychological capacity, in the positive-psychology tradition and as a critical-emancipatory stance, in the pedagogy of hope. This article proposes a third: a theory, the ecology of hope, that locates hope not in the individual alone but in the relationship between a person and the systems that surround them. Bringing the cognitive psychology of hope into dialogue with ecological systems theory, the social-ecological account of resilience, and utopian methodology, in which a better society is …

Trends And Indications For Cesarean Section In The Origins Birth Cohort, Kristjana Einarsdottir, Lisa Gibson, Sarah Whalan, Jacqueline Davis, Laurence Amy Payette, Ravisha Srinivasjois, Desiree T. Silva

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Cesarean section (CS) rates have increased substantially in Australia, with particularly high use observed in private maternity care and for pre-labor CS. The aim of the present study was to describe the CS rates and the clinical indications for pre-labor CS in the ORIGINS birth cohort.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the ORIGINS birth cohort, a large birth cohort in Western Australia, including 9473 births occurring at Joondalup Health Campus between 2016 and 2024. Rates of CS and pre-labor CS were compared across study periods (2016–2020 and 2021–2024) and by facility type (public vs. private). Indications for pre-labor …

Fostering Relational Leadership Skills In Mining: The Signal Online Program, Arian Kunzelmann, Armaghan Shafaei, Esme Franken, Kate Blackwood, Tim Bentley, R. Xia, L. Deacon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Summary: Leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace well-being, respect, and mental health in mining. This study examined the relational leadership capabilities underpinning the SIGNal program and explored the contextual factors that influence leadership development and the application of learning in mining workplaces. The quantitative findings showed that supportive, inclusive, growth-oriented, and adaptive leadership behaviours tend to co-exist and are strongly associated with positive worker outcomes. Workers who perceived their leaders as highly relational reported substantially higher levels of job satisfaction, work engagement, well-being, and respect at work. The findings also highlighted the importance of organisational factors, with psychosocial …

A Delicate Balance: Experiences And Wellbeing Of Pre-Service Teachers Navigating Demands And Benefits Of Studying While Working As A Teacher, Caroline F. Mansfield, Jane Kirkham, Narelle Lemon, Lisa Papatraianou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In the face of a global teacher shortage various strategies are being used to bolster the teaching workforce. In Australia, one such strategy has been to employ pre-service teachers under alternative permission to teach contracts. Given the recency of this phenomenon, there is little empirical evidence about the impact of this strategy on pre-service teachers, specifically how this experience may influence their wellbeing and retention in the profession. Utilising the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, this study explores the benefits and demands of alternative permission to teach arrangements on pre-service teachers, and in particular the impact on their wellbeing and career …

A Survey Of Australian Healthcare Practitioners’ Perspectives On Goal Setting In Occupational Rehabilitation, Grace Redden, Christopher J. Stevens, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Syeda Farah Zahir, Christian Swann

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Nearly half a million Australians experience workplace injury or illness each year, and return-to-work rates have declined, particularly for psychological conditions. Practitioners use goal setting to structure return-to-work planning and are directed by national guidance to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals. How practitioners apply these criteria across different injuries and illnesses is not well understood. This study examined practitioners’ perspectives on goal setting in workers’ compensation rehabilitation in Australia, with a focus on SMART goals.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of Australian healthcare practitioners who treated physical conditions, psychological conditions, or both, was conducted. Quantitative data …

A Comparison Of Haemodialysis And Renal Transplantation On Male Sexual Function And Hormonal Abnormalities, Hala Ibrahim Mohamed, Ahmad Mohamad Abbas Elseasi

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Sexual dysfunction and hormonal imbalance are common in males with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), particularly among those on chronic hemodialysis. Kidney transplantation may restore endocrine homeostasis and improve sexual function. This study aimed to compare the effects of hemodialysis and renal transplantation on male sexual function and related hormonal profiles. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 married men (≥18 years) with ESRD at National Institute of Urology and Nephrology from October 2024 to October 2025. Participants were divided into two groups: Group I (hemodialysis) and Group II (renal transplantation). Clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and hormonal assays (Folliclestimulating …

The Impact And Prevalence Of Pain In Adolescents And Children Living With Type-One Diabetes Mellitus, Randa Mohamed Darwish, Ayat Ibrahim Ghanem, Lamis Safwat Mubarak

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background: Pain is frequent but often underrated and even overlooked in adolescents and children living with type-one diabetes mellitus and can negatively impact their quality of life(QoL) and their cooperation within the management plan. Objective: To discern the common types , severity and prevalence of pain in pediatrics living with type-one-diabetes;compared to the group of diabetes-free control, and to probe associations with glycemic control, fatigue, and (QoL). Methods: This cross-sectional study incorporated 102 adolescents and children withtype -one- diabetesmellitus; and 99 age- and sex-matched healthy peers aged 8- 16 years. Pain intensity was evaluated using the (body-pain) domain in the …

Prevention Beyond Deterrence, Benjamin A. Barsky

Faculty Scholarship

This Article reconceptualizes preventive justice—the public safety paradigm that seeks to prevent harm before it occurs. Scholars have long documented how cities have advanced this paradigm through largely punitive measures, notably variants of broken windows policing, which posit that aggressive misdemeanor enforcement deters more serious crime. Yet in the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd protests, and as underscored recently in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, these measures have faced a legitimacy crisis—prompting calls for nonpunitive responses to nonviolent incidents.

This Article establishes a preventive justice approach that advances health and safety without emphasizing crime deterrence. It draws on …

Los Estudios Latinoamericanos Ante El Renacimiento Psicodélico, Alberto Ribas-Casasayas

Modern Languages & Literature

The chapter analyzes erasures and appropriations that the discourse of the psychedelic renaissance arising in the Global North imposes on long-standing practices in indigenous societies and countercultural environments. It also suggests ways in which a critical Humanities can, from a Latin American perspective, offer more inclusive understandings of the psychedelic experience.

El capítulo analiza las oclusiones y apropiaciones que el discurso del renacimiento psicodélico en el Norte global impone sobre prácticas de largo recorrido en sociedades indígenas y entornos contraculturales.  También sugiere formas en que unas humanidades críticas pueden, desde una perspectiva latinoamericanista, ofrecer comprensiones más inclusivas sobre la experiencia …

Match Or Mismatch? : The Effects Of Fingerprint Evidence And Expert Testimony On Jury Decisions, Kassie N. Thallas

Dissertations

Fingerprint evidence is widely perceived as objective and reliable, yet is typically presented to jurors through expert testimony rather than directly evaluated. The present study examined how fingerprint match status and expert testimony influence juror decision-making. Participants (N = 225) read a mock criminal trial summary and were randomly assigned to one of five conditions. Four conditions were derived by crossing Expert Condition (fingerprint expert alone vs. conflicting experts) and Match Status (match vs. no match), with an additional control condition without fingerprint evidence. The participants made verdict decisions and rated the credibility, honesty and believability of the expert. The …

Investigation Of A Flux Compression Magnetic Nozzle For Pulsed Plasma Propulsion, Zachary K. White

Dissertations

A key part of any propulsion system is how the energy of the propellants is used for thrust. Because of the high temperatures of nuclear fusion plasma, traditional methods like guiding the propellant with walls are not feasible, so instead, electromagnetic forces must be used to avoid physical contact between the propellant and the vehicle. Usually, to do so the physical nozzle is replaced by a magnetic nozzle where the physical walls are replaced by magnetic fields. This thesis focuses on the direct imaging and probe measurements of a laser produced plasma expanding into a magnetic field as analogous event …