Digital Commons Network^™

Little Aussie Bugs: Piloting Health Literacy Educational Resources At Early Childhood Education And Care, Ruth Wallace, Amelia Ruscoe, Leesa Costello, Gillian Kirk, Ros Sambell, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Building health literacy in early childhood is essential for lifelong health and underpins children's learning and developmental trajectories. This study assessed the efficacy of the Little Aussie Bugs books, designed to enhance health literacy in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centres. The books, featuring inclusive characters and key health literacy catchphrases, were distributed to >1200 early learning settings Australia-wide. Exploratory research design used online surveys (n = 110) and in-depth interviews with ECEC teacher participants (n = 8) to determine the compatibility of the books with ECEC contexts and practices to facilitate the delivery of health literacy education. …

The Association Of Body Composition And Musculoskeletal Characteristics With Police Recruit Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study, Vanessa R. Sutton, Myles C. Murphy, Callum J. Mccaskie, Paola T. Chivers, Nicolas H. Hart, Jodie L. Cochrane Wilkie, Garth Allen, Jack Dalla Via

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Exploring how body composition and musculoskeletal characteristics relate to physical performance may provide insights for optimising training outcomes. We explored if body composition and musculoskeletal characteristics were associated with tactical and cardiorespiratory performance.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of police recruits within the Western Australia Police Force was performed. Total and regional body composition was assessed using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry, with the tibial morphology and mid-thigh muscle cross-sectional area assessed using peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography. Tactical performance was measured with a Physical Performance Evaluation, and cardiorespiratory fitness assessed using the Beep Test. Variables that were significant in univariate regressions progressed …

Baseline Habitual Dietary Nitrate Intake And Alzheimer's Disease Related Neuroimaging Biomarkers In The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers And Lifestyle Study Of Ageing, Anjana Rajendra, Nicola P. Bondonno, Kevin Murray, Liezhou Zhong, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Samantha L. Gardener, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Vincent Doré, Victor L. Villemagne, Simon M. Laws, Belinda M. Brown, Kevin Taddei, Colin L. Masters, Christopher C. Rowe, Ralph N. Martins, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Catherine P. Bondonno

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Dietary nitrate, as a nitric oxide (NO) precursor, may support brain health and protect against dementia. Objective: Our primary aim was to investigate whether dietary nitrate is associated with neuroimaging markers of brain health linked with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Participants: Study participants were cognitively unimpaired individuals from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of Ageing (AIBL) who had β-amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) scans (n = 554) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans (n = 335) and had completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire at baseline. Methods: Source-specific nitrate intakes were estimated using comprehensive nitrate food composition databases. Rates …

Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction In Patients With Cancer: Exploring The Role Of Physical Exercise, Anita Borsati, Linda Toniolo, Christian Ciurnelli, Francesco Bettariga, Silvia Teresa Riva, Paolo Frada, Lorenzo Belluomini, Ilaria Trestini, Daniela Tregnago, Jessica Insolda, Marco Sposito, Federico Schena, Michele Milella, Robert U. Newton, Sara Pilotto, Alice Avancini

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of non-cancer mortality among patients with cancer, with cardiac autonomic dysfunction identified as a significant predictor of future cardiovascular conditions. Despite the importance of autonomic dysfunction as a prognostic marker being well-established in healthy individuals and other chronic conditions, its role in patients with cancer remains underexplored. This narrative review aims to synthesize existing literature on the role of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with cancer and explore the potential of physical exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention to modulate the autonomic nervous system positively. Methods: This review examines methods for assessing cardiac autonomic …

Exposure To Different Motives Of Scientists Moderates Responses To Scientific Consensus: The Case Of Cultured Meat, Kimin Eom, Bryan Kwok Cheng Choy

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This research examines how exposure to different motives of scientists affects the impact of scientific consensus on public attitudes toward cultured meat. While scientific consensus on the safety of cultured meat generally increased positive attitudes toward it, this effect depended on information about scientists’ motives. Exposure to information about scientists’ financial motives weakened the positive effect of scientific consensus because it undermined trust in scientists. Information about scientists’ prosocial motives did not influence the scientific consensus effect. These findings suggest that perceived motives can shift trust in experts, thereby affecting the influence of experts on public attitudes.

The Aga Khan University's Economic Impacts In Pakistan

University press releases and calendars

No abstract provided.

Aga Khan University Medical Centre

University press releases and calendars

No abstract provided.

Rapid Riparian Ecosystem Decline In Rocky Mountain National Park, David J. Cooper, E William Schweiger, Jeremy R. Shaw, Cherie J. Westbrook, Kristen Kaczynski, Hanem Abouelezz, Scott M. Esser, Koren Nydick, Isabel De Silva, Rodney Chimner

Michigan Tech Publications

Understanding the drivers of ecosystem collapse is critical for resource management, particularly for protected areas mandated to preserve biodiversity. In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, tall willows (Salix spp.) dominated riparian vegetation, and a beaver-willow state was the natural ecosystem type in the Colorado River headwaters. However, willows comprise a portion of elk diets and are a preferred food for recently introduced moose, and the vegetation structure has changed dramatically since the early 2000s. To assess ecosystem changes, we analyzed time-series data on willow height from 1997 to 2021 inside and outside 3 exclosures built to exclude ungulates, area of …

Cohabitation At Threshold: Carpenter House Reimagined For Multispecies Living, Zhixiao Yang

Masters Theses

With the rapid growth of the human population, we are encroaching further into wildlife habitats, particularly those surrounding urban environments. This accelerating urbanization leads to biodiversity loss, the degradation of ecological services essential to human health and well-being, and a diminishing connection between city dwellers and the natural world.

Today, urban planners, architects, economists, and other advocates for the future of humanity and the health of the planet are actively questioning how we might build greener, more resilient cities. While much of the focus has been on large-scale interventions — such as the use of sustainable materials, the creation of …

Do Myths Ever Die? Social-Cultural Changes And Mythical Transformations In Indigenous Amazonia: A Dialogue With Peter Gow, Aparecida M. N. Vilaça

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This is the first Peter Gow Memorial Lecture, given at the University of St Andrews in February 2024. Based on the analysis of different versions of Wari’ myths (Rondônia, Brazil) collected over forty years, the paper has two central objectives. The first is to engage with Peter Gow’s analysis of the mythical transformations resulting from the historical changes experienced by the Piro/Yine Indigenous people of Peru. The second is to discuss Lévi-Strauss’s suggestion that a myth can “die” after successive transformations, exhausting itself, taking the form of romantic tale or legendary tradition.

Challenges In Managing Recurrent Small Bowel Obstruction In A Patient With Concurrent Hepatic Dysfunction And Alcohol Use Disorder: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Kaan Sevgi, Logan Enman, Francisco Lucero, Sinan Nazif Aran

Student Publications

This case report describes a 63-year-old Black man with recurrent small bowel obstruction (SBO), persistent abdominal pain, and hepatic dysfunction, set against a complex background of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, chronic hepatomegaly, an indeterminate adrenal mass, and long-term alcohol use. Imaging revealed dilated bowel loops with partial obstruction, while laboratory findings showed elevated liver enzymes indicative of hepatic impairment. His clinical course highlighted the multifactorial nature of SBO, likely influenced by anatomical disruptions, hepatic pathology, and systemic metabolic factors, including potential adrenal involvement. The case emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach integrating gastroenterology, hepatology, and endocrinology to manage such intricate …

From Industrial Building To Affordable Senior Housing: An Idea Book Beyond Code, Weiyi Ma

Masters Theses

This thesis envisions a proposal to adaptively re-purpose Rhode Island’s extant industrial building stock into affordable housing tailored to the needs of its older and more vulnerable citizens. Architectural dignity, in terms of older citizens amidst this housing crisis, is the creation of living environments that honor their autonomy, comfort, and identity through design interventions that provide accessible, luminous, breathable, and socially enriching spaces, reaffirming their rightful place within the community. With humanistic care and logical rigor, it establishes a mathematical framework for assessment and execution, anchored in five criteria: light, air, space, accessibility, and livability, and presents itself in …

Material Values Black Locust Exploration, Benjamin N. Riley

Masters Theses

As individuals many facets of our lives do not offer us significant control over our impact on the environment around us. We are limited by access, time, and information- funneled into making less than sustainable choices. To live sustainably we must have opportunities to strike a balance between what we extract and what we produce. Through our consumption of resources this balance is achieved when we take only what we need and can replace while fostering a cultural appreciation of the extracted materials that we utilize.

Material Values Investigates how we can approach utilizing materials in landscape construction that are …

Terrashift, Mill Jignesh Shah, Mill Shah

Masters Theses

Keywords: Adaptive Reuse, Vernacular Craftsmanship, Food Security, Urban Agriculture, Community Revitalization, Heritage Preservation, Regenerative Design

In India’s rapidly urbanizing landscape, Tier-I cities continue to dominate as aspirational centers, leaving smaller towns to face depopulation, economic drift, and cultural amnesia. Terrashift challenges this imbalance by proposing a regenerative model that reclaims the vitality of Tier-II and Tier-III towns through the layered strategies of adaptive reuse, vernacular craftsmanship, and integrated food systems.

Centered in Sidhpur, Gujarat—a town rich with Bohra Muslim architectural heritage and centuries of Hindu-Muslim cultural synthesis—this project envisions the transformation of abandoned havelis into vibrant community anchors. These spaces, …

Site-Specific Nurseries: Reconnecting Nurseries To Time And Place Through Ecotypic Bare-Root Production, Tryn Collins

Masters Theses

We surround ourselves with empty landscapes, landscapes that are stagnant and decorative. Lawns edged with cultivated non-native species are inert spaces, devoid of complexity and serve little function beyond their appearances. These spaces that symbolize wealth through controlling nature are in fact the end of nature. Most of us are completely unaware of the intricate webs of life, the ecologies, that are our real habitat, hidden under the concrete and turf, pushed to the edges of our developments. They are relationships established over thousands of years between plants, insects, animals, weather and soil. This kind of complexity scares us, it …

Space, Life And Capital: The Metabolic Rift, Zhongsu Cheng

Masters Theses

The recent avian influenza crisis exposes the fundamental contradictions of capitalist spatial production. By compressing life into optimized enclosures, industrialized poultry farming has effectively transformed these spaces into "laboratories of viral evolution" breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases in the pursuit of maximum efficiency. This crisis is not an isolated event but rather a spatialized metabolic rift: the logic of capital disrupts natural cycles, accelerating ecological and systemic collapse. At the heart of this crisis lies a critical architectural question: If capitalism organizes and encloses life within space to maximize value, can architecture be reimagined not merely as an instrument of …

Biology And Larval Morphology Of Agrilus Subcinctus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), With Comparisons To The Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus Planipennis, Toby R. Petrice, Robert A. Haack, John S. Strazanac, Jonathan P. Lelito

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an exotic invasive pest of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees that was first discovered in North America in 2002. There has been concern that surveyors could confuse immature stages of EAB with A. subcinctus Gory, an ash borer native to North America. We conducted studies in 2006-2009 in southern Michigan to determine biological and morphological characters for distinguishing immature A. subcinctus and EAB life stages. Agrilus subcinctus adults were captured on yellow sticky cards from late May through mid-August, with peak flight occurring in June. Agrilus subcinctus egg laying began in …

Habitat Distribution Of Carabid Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) In Northern Hardwood Forests Of Michigan, Holly A. Petrillo, John A. Witter

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We compared carabid beetle communities in northern hardwood forests and divided these forests into three categories based on overstory composition and geographic location: Northern red oak-American beech (Quercus rubra L.-Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) in the Lower Peninsula (OBLP), sugar maple- American beech (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in the Lower Peninsula (MBLP), and sugar maple- American beech in the Upper Peninsula (MBUP). Carabid beetles were collected using pitfall traps in 36 stands in 2003-2004. We found that carabid composition changed throughout the collection periods. Pterostichus pensylvanicus LeConte and Sphaeroderus lecontei Dejean comprised 76% of the trap catches in May while Synuchus impunctatus (Say) …

Insights Into Fatty Liver, Pancreatic Fat, And The Development Of Diabetes In India, Harpreet Kour

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

No abstract provided.

Addressing Sarcopenia As A Growing Public Health Concern, Shihari L Kulkarni

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

No abstract provided.

A Rare Case Of Plummer Vinson Syndrome With Hypothyroidism, Akshay Kumar, Kale Ajay P, Chandrashekhar V. Shettar, Himanshu Binji

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Plummer Vinson Syndrome (PVS) is a rare illness. PVS is most frequently observed in women between the ages of 40. Exact pathogenesis of PVS is still not know but it is interconnected with iron deficiency Anaemia. One of the important features of PVS is Dysphagia which is because of Post Cricoid web. Hypothyroidism is the term for a condition in which the body produces less thyroid hormone. It is believed that thyroid hormone is necessary for bone marrow to undergo proper erythropoiesis. Thyroid hormone increases the production of erythropoietin and directly stimulates the proliferation of erythrocyte precursors. Additionally, it has …

Enhancing Childhood Development With Vedic Manas Yoga: A School-Based Intervention Study, Acharya Balkrishna, Upasana Agarwal, Arvind Rana, Devika Balagopalan, Ajit Sharma, Shubhangi Shrivastava, Vedpriya Arya

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

In today’s world, with rapid technological growth and rising mental health concerns among youth, there’s an urgent need to reconnect with holistic practices that promote overall well-being. Vedic Manas Yoga offers a comprehensive approach through activities like Sun gazing, Yajna, breathing exercises, meditation, yogic practices, sound frequencies, laughter, and brain exercises to stimulate the brain and pineal gland. However, there’s limited research on replicating these benefits in school environments. This study explores the effects of integrating Vedic Manas Yoga into a school curriculum for children aged 5 to 11.

The study involved 169 participants, with a majority of 77.5% female …

Impact Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus On Thyroid Function: A Clinical Investigation Of Endocrine Interactions, Garima Chauhan, Bijita Dutta, Tanushree Ghosh

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Background: Endocrine disorders frequently manifest in clinical settings, with diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction standing out as particularly prevalent conditions. These two ailments exhibit a complex relationship, each capable of influencing the other’s pathophysiology. Diabetes mellitus exerts its effects on thyroid function through hypothalamic regulation and peripheral mechanisms. Conversely, thyroid abnormalities, particularly unmanaged hyperthyroidism, can significantly disrupt insulin dynamics affecting the glycemic control.

Aim: To investigate the effect of glycemic status on thyroid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus in a hospital setting.

Methodology: The investigation employed a cross-sectional, observational design, conducted in a hospital setting over period of one …

Enrichment Of Foods By Increasing Folate Content Using Lactic Acid Bacteria By Fermentation, Saipriya S. Kambalapalli, Ramesh Paranjape, Basavaraj Hungund

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Aim of the study: This study was conducted to enrich folate content of fermented foods by fermentation using Lactic Acid Bacteria.

Methodology: Isolation of Lactobacillus from four different samples (rice batter 1, rice batter 2, curd and wheat) was done. Biochemical tests were performed to confirm Lactobacillus. Screening was performed to determine the ability of Lactobacillus for production of folate. Folate was quantified using UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu 1900). Finger millet (Ragi) malt and Pearl millet (Bajra) malt were fermented with Lactobacillus isolated from curd, Rice batter 1 and Lactobacillus plantarum (std) for 96 hrs. Readings for increased folate content …

Assessment Of Socio-Economic Impact Of Covid-19 In Households Of Rural Field Practice Area Of Belagavi - A Community Based Cross Sectional Study, J Soundarrajan, M. S Shivaswamy, Deepti M. Kadeanangadi, Anjali B. Patil

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Introduction: On February 11, 2020 WHO termed the disease caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus as ‘Corona virus disease 2019 (Covid-19)’. WHO declared that ‘Covid-19 as a pandemic’ on March 11, 2020. In India, first Covid-19 case was reported in Kerala on 30^th January, 2020. Impact of Covid-19 is not only restricted to health, the devastating effects are widespread ranging from health, society, politics and economy. Unvaccinated individuals were more likely to report ‘Long Covid’ symptoms as well as a higher mortality due to Covid-19.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural field practice area among …

The Precarious Paradox: An Observational Study On The Prevalence And Correlates Of Known Risk Factors For Coronary Artery Disease Among Healthcare Workers In Thiruvalla, Kerala, Nanda Prasad, Neeraj Rajeev, Krishna Theerth Anil, Shaliet Rose Sebastian

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Background: India, a nation grappling with the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, faces a peculiar paradox within its healthcare system. While its medical professionals work tirelessly to combat these very ailments, they themselves harbour an alarming threat: a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This underscores the importance of Doctors prioritizing their own health and wellbeing.

Objective: To assess prevalence and correlates of known risk factors of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) among doctors in Thiruvalla, Kerala.

Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 280 doctors of both genders Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district, Central Kerala from June to December 2023. …

Effect Of Vitamin D3 And Omega 3 Fatty Acids Against Multidrug Resistant Clinical Pathogens, Shreya Naik, Suneel Dodamani, Sheetal Harakuni, Masoodahmed Tahashildar

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

Many common drugs are becoming a major threat to global health since they are no longer effective against germs that are resistant to antibiotics. This study focuses on the antibacterial properties of vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid, against these drug-resistant pathogens. Laboratory tests including Minimum Bactericidal Concentration and Minimum inhibitory Concentration were performed to assess their effectiveness. Vitamin D3 showed strong antimicrobial benefits by boosting the immune system and promoting the production of natural defense proteins like catheclicidins, which can stop the growth of harmful bacteria. Additionally, DHA was found to be effective, causing bacterial mortality …

Probiotics: A Powerful Ally In Alleviating Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis In Head And Neck Cancer, Punnya V. Angadi

Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU

No abstract provided.

Effective Strategies For Developing And Implementing Metrics For Successful Social Marketing Campaign Performance, Annette M. Wolf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective use of marketing metrics by social marketers poses a risk of inconsistent and subjective interpretations of campaign success. Social marketing managers and stakeholders are concerned because unreliable metrics hinder their ability to evaluate performance, justify funding, and replicate effective strategies. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry, grounded in general systems theory and foundational social marketing literature, was to explore effective strategies that social marketing campaign managers use to implement metrics sufficient to measure successful campaigns. The participants were ten experienced members of the Social Marketing Association of North America, with effective strategies to implement marketing metrics to measure …

Food Hygiene And Sanitation Of The University Canteens In South Sumatra Province, Indonesia, Anita Rahmiwati, Fatmalina Febry, Fenny Etrawati, Indah Purnama Sari, Yeni Yeni, Virgina Putri Sabila, Erike Septa Prautami, Maretalinia Maretalinia

Kesmas

Food safety is a critical public health issue, especially in institutional settings such as university canteens, where large populations are served daily. Inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices by food handlers can lead to foodborne illnesses, placing students and staff at risk. This study evaluated hygiene and sanitation conditions in the canteens of a leading public university in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia, known for its active food service facilities. This study examined food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices and assessed the microbiological safety of chicken curry by testing for Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination and total plate count. Using a cross-sectional …