Digital Commons Network^™

Body Mass Index, Prebiotic Supplementation During Pregnancy And Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Risk: An Effect Modification Analysis From A Randomised Controlled Trial, Rachelle A. Pretorius, Thomas R. Sullivan, Summer V.M. Walker, Johan Garssen, Jeffrey A. Keelan, Desiree Silva, Susan L. Prescott, Debra J. Palmer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Prebiotic dietary supplementation has been shown to improve glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes patients. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) modifies the effect of prebiotic supplementation from mid-pregnancy on reducing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: In a double-blinded, randomised controlled trial, pregnant women < 21 gestational weeks were randomly assigned (1:1) to consume daily prebiotics (14.2 g galacto-oligosaccharides and fructo-oligosaccharides) or placebo (8.7 g maltodextrin) powder. An effect modification analysis was performed to assess the heterogeneity of the effect of prebiotic supplementation in relation to pre-pregnancy BMI on GDM diagnosis. Results: Between June 2016 and November 2021, 329 women were assigned to the prebiotic group (50.4%), and 323 (49.5%) were assigned to the placebo group. Overall, 288 of 652 women (44.2%) were classified as overweight/obese prior to pregnancy (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). The distribution was balanced, with 146/329 (44.4%) randomised to the prebiotics group and 142/323 (44.0%) in the placebo group. Pre-pregnancy BMI modified the effect of prebiotic supplementation, with the intervention reducing GDM rates in women with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m^{2 …}

Co-Design And Feasibility Testing Of A Midwife-Led Birth Debrief: An Implementation Science Project, Kate Buchanan, Phoebe Backhouse, Leanne Graham, Amy O’Meagher, Sara Bayes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The period spanning pregnancy, birth and postpartum is characterised by psychosocial as well as physiological changes: many women experience new or worsening mental ill-health during the perinatal period. Midwives play a critical role in supporting and promoting psychosocial health by providing mental health education, counselling and screening. Often this includes a post-birth conversation, guided reflection, or debrief. Information about the effectiveness and experiences of specific and structured midwife-led birth debrief is scant. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the perceived effectiveness, experiences and implementability of a midwife-led birth debriefing intervention in one Australian maternity unit. Methods: A Type II …

Generative Ai Adoption And Solvers' Popularity On Supply-Driven Crowdsourcing Platforms: The Dual Role Of Price Signals, Zimeng Zhu, Carol Hsu, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah, Na Liu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Purpose – We investigate the effect of solvers’ adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) on their popularity in a supply-driven crowdsourcing platform. We also examine the impact of price signals as well as their heterogeneous impact based on the solvers’ membership duration on the platform. Design/methodology/approach – Our analysis focuses on solvers who adopt GenAI for design-related gigs on the supply-driven crowdsourcing platform. By combining propensity score matching (PSM) with multi-period difference-in-differences (DID), we examine how GenAI adoption impacts solvers’ popularity and how price signals affect this main effect. Findings – Our findings reveal that solvers who adopt GenAI tend to …

Assessing Content Validity Of The Osteo-Taq(Aus) Using Cognitive Interviews: Cross-Jurisdictional Evidence From Uk Osteopathic Practice​​, Oliver P. Thomson, Elena Golder, Gopi Anne Mcleod, Jerry Draper-Rodi, Steven Vogel, Brett Vaughan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The Osteopaths’ Therapeutic Approaches Questionnaire (Osteo-TAQ) has demonstrated content, construct, and face validity across multiple jurisdictions but required cognitive validation for use in the United Kingdom (UK). Objectives: To assess the cognitive content and face validity of the Australian-adapted Osteo-TAQ (Osteo-TAQ(Aus)) with practising UK osteopaths, and to determine whether any revisions were necessary. Methods: Cognitive interviews were conducted with six (n = 6) UK osteopaths using a combination of think-aloud and verbal probing techniques, informed by the Cognitive Interview Reporting Framework (CIRF). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using team-based content analysis to identify issues of item interpretation, clarity …

Depression, Psychological Distress, And Coping Strategies Among African Migrants In Australia: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Study, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu, Lillian Mwanri, Edith N. Botchway-Commey, David Chisanga, Agness Tembo, Nnaemeka Meribe, Kathomi Gatwiri, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Kerrie P. Doyle, Frank Darkwa Baffour, Ahmed A. Moustafa

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: African migrants constitute a significant proportion of the Australian population. While migration and resettlement offer opportunities, the associated stressors may adversely affect the mental health and well-being of African migrants. This study explored, for the first time, the prevalence of depression and psychological distress among African migrants in Australia and the relationship between coping mechanisms and mental health outcomes. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey of adult African migrants in Australia was conducted between February and May 2022. Participants (N = 167) who did not have a refugee status who resided in Australia for at least 12 months were recruited …

Methylated Cfdna May Distinguish Between High- And Intermediate-Risk Uveal Melanoma: A Pilot Study, Mike Wu, Daniël P. De Bruyn, Ruben G. Boers, Aaron B. Beasley, Daan M. Hazelaar, Stavros Makrodimitris, Joachim B. Boers, Jolanda Vaarwater, Ronald O.B. De Keizer, Robert M. Verdijk, Nicole C. Naus, Dion Paridaens, Saskia M. Wilting, Elin S. Gray, Wilfred F.J. Van Ijcken, Joost Gribnau, Annelies De Klein, Erwin Brosens, Emine Kiliç

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a metastatic risk that depends on the molecular subclass. This subclass can be determined through molecular characterization of tumor-derived tissue. With eye-sparing treatments, tumor tissue is rarely available for molecular testing. We hypothesized that minimal invasive biomarkers such as methylated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used for prognosis and monitoring of patients. Methods: Plasma cfDNA was isolated from healthy blood donors (HBDs, N = 19) and UM patients (N = 22). Plasma was collected at baseline (localized disease, N = 13) and during follow-up (metastatic …

Application Of The Paediatric Medical Traumatic Stress Model To The Mental Health Experience Of Young People Living With Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study, Rigel Paciente, Sara Coombs, Karen Lombardi, Helen Milroy, Keely Bebbington, Heather Roby, Craig E. Taplin, Nicole Wickens, Stella Rose, Alix Woolard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite the various traumatic events that a young person living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may experience, little is known about the burden and manifestation of traumatic stress in this population. Though mental health outcomes have been explored generally, medical trauma-sensitive approaches to understanding these experiences remain limited. We utilised a qualitative descriptive approach to explore the impact of T1D on young people’s mental health through the paediatric medical traumatic stress model (PMTS). Young people aged 13–30 living with T1D were interviewed. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Three main themes were generated: (1) perceived …

Discriminative Performance Of Externally Validated Dementia Risk Prediction Models: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Blossom C.M. Stephan, Jacob Brain, Kaarin J. Anstey, Tanya Buchanan, Claire V. Burley, Elissa Burton, Jennifer Dunne, Linda Errington, Matthew Gorringe, Zhongyang Guan, Bronwyn Myers, Serena Sabatini, Marc Sim, William Stephan, Eugene Yee Hing Tang, Narelle Warren, Mario Siervo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Data on the external validation of current dementia risk prediction models has not yet been systematically synthesised. This systematic review and meta-analysis collated results from three previous reviews to evaluate the predictive discriminative performance of dementia risk models when validated in population-based settings. Methods: Embase (via Ovid), Medline (via Ovid), Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2022 with an updated search conducted up to November 2024. Included studies (1) had a population-based cohort design; (2) assessed incident late-life (i.e. ≥ 60 years) dementia; and (3) reported predictive performance of at least one dementia risk …

Enhancing Independence And Social Connection: The Impact Of A Tailored Exercise Program On New Residents Transitioning Into Australian Residential Care Facilities, Stacey Scott, Annette Raynor, Julie Dare, Jennifer Grieve, Leesa Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Transitioning from independent living to a residential care facility often results in a significant loss of independence, autonomy, and connectedness, leaving new residents with profound feelings of loss and grief. In light of these challenges, this study explored the potential benefits of a tailored in-house exercise program for new residents. Methods: The study took place in an Australian residential care facility and included four new residents (aged 72 to 88, 75% female), who participated in a 12-week tailored exercise program led by an exercise physiologist. A focused ethnographic approach was used to obtain a comprehensive data set, drawing on …

Cardiovascular Disease And Fracture Risk In People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Matched Case–Control Study, Aksayan Arunanthy Mahalingasivam, Annika Vestergaard Kvist, Joop P. Van Den Bergh, Cassandra Smith, Joshua R. Lewis, Peter Vestergaard, Nicklas Højgaard Hessellund Rasmussen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

To examine, among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) phenotypes and cardiovascular medications are associated with any fracture as the primary outcome and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) as a secondary outcome. Nationwide registry-based matched case–control study in Denmark (2013–2021) among people with T2D. Cases were individuals with T2D who sustained an incident fracture (n = 12,390), and controls were fracture-free individuals with T2D matched 1:3 by age, sex, T2D onset date, and weighted Charlson Comorbidity Index (n = 37,170). The exposures were overall CVD, prespecified clinical CVD phenotypes (acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, heart failure, atrial …

Co-Creating An Intervention To Prevent Injuries In Police Force Recruits: A Concept Mapping Study Of Police Force Recruits, Police Force Staff, Health Professionals, And Research Experts, Myles Murphy, Andrea B. Mosler, Garth Allen, Alex Donaldson, Clare L. Ardern, Carolyn A. Emery, Martin Hägglund, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joanne L. Kemp, Debra Langridge, Tiffany Mcalinden, Thomas Mirco, Sophia Nimphius, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Kiera Staley, Vanessa Sutton, Evert Verhagen, Andrea M. Bruder

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Police force recruits have a high musculoskeletal injury burden, which results in a substantial economic burden and can lead to attrition. The objective of this study was to identify and prioritise the strategies perceived as important and feasible to reduce the prevalence, incidence, and burden of injury in police force recruits. Design: Mixed-methods concept mapping study. Methods: Forty-eight participants were recruited from four broad groups: police force recruits/officers; police force staff; health professionals; and research experts. Participants brainstormed statements in response to a prompt (“To prevent injury and/or reduce the impact of injury on law enforcement recruit training, I …

Effects Of Resisted Movement Training On Change-Of-Direction Speed In Recreationally Active And Trained Individuals: A Systematic Review With Network Meta-Analysis And Meta-Regression, Mingyang Zhang, Urs Granacher, Ruixiang Yan, Hallvard Nygaard Falch, Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo, Kai Xu, Xing Zhang, Jinming Li, Shubo Xu, Yulin Luo, Duanying Li, Jian Sun

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The ability to change directions quickly is critical for performance and injury prevention in multidirectional sports, yet the influence of resisted movement training (R-MT) on change-of-direction (COD) speed remains uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of various R-MT methods on COD speed in individuals ranging from recreational to international level and to determine the relationship between test angle and COD adaptations. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar from inception to August 2025. Random-effects pairwise meta-analyses and a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) synthesized effects of vertically resisted plyometric and …

Implementation And Effectiveness Of A Food Education Intervention To Promote Plant-Based Foods: A Partially Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Henna Vepsäläinen, Satu Kinnunen, Sari Niinistö, Leena Forma, Suvi T. Itkonen, Tuuli E. Korhonen, Liisa Korkalo, Heli Kuusipalo, Jelena Meinilä, Kaija Nissinen, Susanna Raulio, Ros Sambell, Mari Åkerlund, Suvi M. Virtanen, Maijaliisa Erkkola

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Legumes can substitute for meat and are thus a particularly important food group for environmental sustainability. As the use of legumes among Finnish children is marginal, there is potential for a substantial increase in their consumption. However, food education delivered through early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings has rarely focused specifically on environmentally sustainable foods, such as legumes. This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of an ECEC-delivered food education intervention within the FoodStep study. Methods: The partially cluster-randomized FoodStep intervention aimed to increase the supply of vegetables, legumes, fruits, berries, and sustainable fish while reducing the provision …

Living Next Door To Mcdonald’S: A Qualitative Study Of Community Submissions And Resident Realities Pre- And Post Development, Roslyn Giglia, Jacinta Francis, Jana Buckle, Clare Whitton, Ros Sambell, Frith Klug, Lukar Thornton, Siobhan Hickling, Katherine Kent, Gina Trapp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The proliferation of fast-food outlets (FFOs) in residential areas has raised growing concerns about their impact on community health, safety, and wellbeing. This qualitative study examined both pre-development community consultation submissions and post-development resident experiences surrounding the development of a McDonald’s outlet in a newly established suburb on the urban fringe of Perth, Western Australia (WA). Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, the study analyzed 183 community submissions lodged with the local council prior to development and conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 residents living within 300 m of the outlet after construction. Results: Content analysis revealed strong opposition, with …

Study Of Fast Switching Metastable-State Photoacids And Controlled Drug Release From Polycaprolactone (Pcl) Vascular Scaffold, Rana Salman Abbood Abbood

Theses and Dissertations

Metastable-state photoacid (mPAH) has become a common tool for controlling and driving chemical processes with light. mPAHs with fast reverse reactions are desirable for precise temporal control or generating quick pulses of proton concentration. In this work, different approaches towards fast reversing mPAHs are studied. Experimental and computational results showed that stabilizing the charge–transfer intermediate is an effective way to increase the rate. A novel mPAH with a reverse reaction ≈500 times faster than the most widely used mPAH in methanol has been developed. Another water-soluble mPAH exhibited a reverse reaction with a rate constant of 7.8 s−1, the fastest …

Impact Of School Nurse Education On Factors Influencing Hpv Vaccine Communication With Parents, Jihye Choi, Efrat K Gabay, Jeanette Deason, Elizabeth Baumler, Diane Santa Maria, Daisy Mullassery, Lara S Savas, Erika Thompson, Sanghamitra M Misra, Paula M Cuccaro

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause six cancer types but can be prevented with timely vaccination in early adolescence. However, despite the wide availability of the HPV vaccine, uptake remains suboptimal among US adolescents. School nurses are invaluable resources to students and their families regarding adolescent immunization needs. As part of the All for Them vaccination program, we assessed the impact of the continued nurse education (CNE) intervention on school nurses’ HPV vaccine communication with parents. Seventy-two school nurses and nurse administrators in Texas participated in the study. Using a single-arm study design, we measured participants’ potential barriers to and self-efficacy …

Ring Ring Goes The Telephone, Answer That Email: The Immediacy Of Information Communication Technologies And Their Effects On Employee Well-Being, Concepcion Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Rapid technological advances have resulted in information communication technologies (ICTs) with revolutionary capabilities, allowing employees easy access to the workplace without the impediments of time or space. Initial inception of ICTs in the workplace were expected to increase autonomy (Heller, 1989), but the ability to be reachable at any time proved disadvantageous to employee well-being by creating a culture in which immediate responses were expected and precipitating the psychological phenomenon of workplace telepressure, an overwhelming preoccupation and urge experienced by workers to respond to work-related messages (Barber & Santuzzi, 2015; Mazmanian et al., 2013). The current study centered on exploring …

A Critical Review Of Pharmaceutical Pollutants In Soil And Air: Ecotoxicological Impacts On Animal, Plant And Microbial Communities - Health Hazards And Waste Management, Md Faisal Amin, Md. Saydur Rahman

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Pharmaceutical contamination in soil and air has become a critical environmental concern due to its widespread sources, complex behavior, and long-lasting ecological impacts. This review comprehensively explores the presence, fate, and effects of pharmaceutical compounds in soil, highlighting their entry routes, environmental persistence, and biological consequences. Pharmaceuticals infiltrate terrestrial and aquatic environments through various pathways, including agricultural application, pharmaceutical manufacturing waste, sewage sludge, hospital and household discharges, irrigation with contaminated water, and atmospheric deposition. A wide range of drug classes, such as antibiotics, analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, anticancer drugs, and hormones, have been identified in both soil and air …

Primary Breast Sarcoma In Pediatric, Adolescent, And Young Adult Patients: A Single-Institution Retrospective Review, Amelie D. Perrier

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Agricultural Sustainability Under Climate Change: A Multi-Scale Framework Integrating Climate Extremes, Resource Efficiency, And Data-Driven Modeling, Shahryar Fazli

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Agricultural systems are increasingly challenged by climate variability, where shifting temperature regimes, hydrological variability, and the rising frequency of compound and cascading extremes threaten global food security and resource sustainability. Addressing these challenges requires integrated frameworks that bridge biophysical monitoring, predictive modeling, and adaptive decision-making. This dissertation develops a data-driven, multi-scale framework to quantify and enhance agricultural resilience by integrating remote sensing, climate analytics, and machine learning across the United States, with a focus on California and the Western U.S.

First, hyperspectral and thermal remote sensing data from EMIT and OpenET are integrated to characterize crop nitrogen–water interactions and assess …

Changing Expectations In Higher Education Post-Pandemic, Gregory R. Mackinnon, Tyler Maclean, Mohamad El Maouch, William Yuan, Zhao Kaibin, Bi Dandan, Marwa Saab

Journal of Global Education and Research

A sample of higher education students in Canada and China was surveyed and interviewed to ascertain any changes in their educational expectations given their experiences with emergency remote teaching during the pandemic. In addition, the instructors of these students were interviewed to corroborate student feedback. The research suggested that students in Canada and China expressed expectations of increased flexibility and improved pedagogy. Whereas Canadian students were overtly demanding of the instructor and the educational system, Chinese students were comparatively subtle in their expectation that the post-pandemic level of support be maintained. The primary concern of the Chinese cohort was a …

Advancing Blended Education: Caribbean Lecturers’ Reflective Narratives Of Caution, Creativity, And Change, Mia A. Jules, Donna-Maria B. Maynard, Grace A. Fayombo, Jason E. Marshall, Tanya Newton, Kamilah Hutson, Amanda Kellman, Cherise Bynoe, Mikaila Collymore, Jo-Ann Prosper-Chase, Laura Lee Foster, Adicia Clarke

Journal of Global Education and Research

Blended teaching requires lecturers to constantly self-reflect on their pedagogical practice to enhance student learning. However, there is yet to be a significant corpus of literature that highlights the cognitive resources that lecturers in higher education should possess to effectively use blended learning strategies. It is important to understand the intellectual resources required for blended pedagogy so that such capabilities can be fostered during faculty-training programs; ultimately resulting in innovative strategies to ensure quality learning outcomes and the advancement of university-level blended teaching mandates. This qualitative case study explored how twelve Caribbean lecturers experienced and navigated the teaching process in …

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Variability In Prediction Of Target Organ Injury: The Ship Ahoy Study, Coral D Hanevold, Jang Dong Seo, Stephen R Daniels, Bonita E Falkner, Michael A Ferguson, Joseph T Flynn, Julie R Ingelfinger, Philip R Khoury, Marc B Lande, Kevin E Meyers, Mark Mitsnefes, Joshua Samuels, Elaine M Urbina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Ambulatory hypertension is associated with elevated left ventricular mass index (LVMI), cardiac dysfunction, and increased arterial stiffness in adolescents. Whether the addition of measures of BP variability improves the prediction of subclinical cardiovascular target organ damage (TOD) over mean BP measures is not known.

Methods: We assessed clinic and ambulatory BP (ABP), anthropometrics, and TOD in 397 adolescents. ABP means standard deviation (SD), BP, and heart rate (HR) dipping were calculated; coefficients of variability (CV) were calculated (SD/mean) to assess ABP variabilities. Measures of TOD included LVMI, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), LV systolic shortening, LV diastolic function (e'/a'), and …

In-Hospital Mortality Patterns And Readmissions In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Analysis Of The Role Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Saad Afzal Khan, Trishna Parikh, Adishwar Rao, Akriti Agrawal, Aarohi Parikh, Farah Kazzaz, Sarah Shin, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Maulin Patel, Kha Dinh, Bela Patel, Bindu Akkanti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to understand the impact of PH on in-hospital mortality and quantify the 30-day readmission rate among patients with COPD. For this cross-sectional study, we used the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2017-2020 to identify adults ≥18 years with COPD. Patients were stratified according to PH diagnosis. Baseline characteristics between groups were compared using the Pearson chi-square test and two-sample t-test. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for demographics and confounders. The 30-day readmission rate and prevalence of PH subgroups by baseline …

Gender Gap In Returns To Publications, Piotr Śpiewanowski, Ivan Stetsyuk, Oleksandr Talavera

All Works

Gender equity in science depends not only on who participates in research, but also on how their work is rewarded. We examine gender gaps in monetary returns to research productivity, pay, and credit attribution using a novel dataset linking salary and publication records for professors at U.S. public universities. While our main contribution shows that there is no robust evidence of a significant gender gap in monetary returns to publications, we uncover substantial heterogeneity across disciplines and authorship structures. Women in medical and health sciences experience a negative gap in returns of 10.7% relative to men for equivalent research output. …

Individual And Household Factors Associated With Tungiasis In A Marginalized Population In Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda, Lynne Elson, Abneel K. Matharu, Berrick Otieno, Hermann Feldmeier, Charles Waiswa, Amina Abubakar, Jürgen Krücken, Ulrike Fillinger, Francis Mutebi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Tungiasis is a neglected tropical skin disease caused by adult female fleas which burrow into the skin of people and animals, causing considerable pain and itching. The distribution of the disease is heterogeneous, with Napak district, Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda having the highest disease burden recorded globally. We aimed to determine the factors associated with this high prevalence to inform future intervention strategies. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to identify factors associated with infection of individual children and adults, and a nested case–control study to identify factors for whole households (families). Infected children were identified through mass-screening …

The Impact Of Testing-Parameter Variability On Force Production In The Isometric Single-Leg Long-Lever Bridge: Implications For Training And Testing Rigor In Sporting Environments, Adam E. Sundh, Nicholas J. Ripley, A. J. Lamb, Conor J. Cantwell, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of knee angle variability on force production outcomes during the single-leg isometric long-lever bridge, thus providing monitoring guidelines for testing rigor with direct implications for feasibility across a variety of high-performance sporting environments. Methods: Thirty men (age: 19.4 ± 1.3 years; height: 179.8 ± 6.3 cm; body mass: 80.4 ± 10.3 kg) and 14 women (age: 20.0 ± 1.3 years; height: 166.9 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 64.4 ± 7.4 kg) all of whom were Division 3 athletes with no recent injury history volunteered to participate in the study. …

Body Composition And Muscle Health Changes After Providing Vascular Imaging Results In Older Adults: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Jack Dalla Via, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Marc Sim, Abadi K. Gebre, Catherine P. Bondonno, Kun Zhu, Shelby Mullin, John T. Schousboe, Richard J. Woodman, Markus P. Schlaich, Moira Sim, Pawel Szulc, Douglas P. Kiel, Wai H. Lim, Robin M. Daly, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Provision of vascular imaging results has been investigated to prompt changes towards healthy lifestyle behaviours, but effects on body composition and muscle health are unknown. Aim: This secondary analysis of a 12-week parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to explore body composition and muscle health effects of providing healthy lifestyle education (Ed) with and without abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) results. Methods: A total of 240 Australian community-dwelling older men and women (mean ± SD age 68 ± 5 years; 58% female; 57.1% with evidence of AAC) were randomised to AAC + Ed (n = 121) or Control + Ed …

Green Waste Biochar And Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Enhance Tomato Growth Under Combined Nutrient Deficiency And Salinity Stress, Soumaya Tounsi-Hammami, Munawwar Ali Khan, Mahra Alqemzi, Salama Ali Almehairi, Aneesa Rasheed Anwar

All Works

This study characterized a green-waste-derived biochar from date palms and ghaf trees and investigated its potential as a soil amendment with halotolerant Bacillus spp. to improve tomato seedling quality under dual stress of salinity and nutrient deficiency. Biochar was produced through pyrolysis at 450 °C and then characterized for yield, pH, electrical conductivity, proximate analysis, surface morphology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and heavy-metal content. Its effectiveness was tested both alone and in combination with a Bacillus sp. mix, using a completely randomized design with varying NPK fertilizer levels and saline irrigation. Tomato seedlings were evaluated 45 days after planting for various …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) For Social Innovation In Health Education: Promoting Health Literacy Through Personalized Ai-Driven Learning Tools – A Systematic Review, Dina Mansour Tbaishat, Maha Waleed Elfadel

All Works

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming health education by enabling personalized, adaptive, and scalable approaches that may enhance aspects of health literacy. Despite rapid adoption, comprehensive synthesis of AI tools’ impact on health literacy as social innovation is limited. Understanding these effects guides educators, developers, and policymakers in designing potentially effective, inclusive, and ethical AI interventions. This review examines generative AI models, chatbots, and adaptive learning systems in supporting health literacy globally. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Literature was identified primarily through PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Connectedpapers.com was used exclusively as a citation chasing tool, performing …