Digital Commons Network^™

The Specialist Dementia Care Program In Australia: Evidence To Date On A Home-Like Model Of Care For People With Very Severe Behaviours And Psychological Symptoms Of Dementia, Mustafa Atee, Srivalli Vilapakkam Nagarajan, Rebecca Lloyd, Stephen Macfarlane, Angela Raguz, Thomas Morris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: Behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have a serious impact on care and health outcomes, such as inappropriate pharmacotherapy and impaired quality of life. These symptoms are common across care settings but are more prevalent in residential aged care homes (RACHs). BPSD such as aggression and psychosis may pose a high risk of harm to residents, co-residents, caregivers and families, and the severe forms of these BPSD are linked to RACH premature admission. When people with very severe BPSD in Australia cannot be cared for in mainstream RACHs, the Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDCP) is offered. This article …

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 …

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 …

Clostridioides (Clostridium) Difficile In Hospitalised Children In Cambodia, Lengsea Eng, Kefyalew Addis Alene, Deirdre A. Collins, Su Chen Lim, Viso Srey, Choeung Chea, Sotera Yohn, Setha Leng, Archie C.A. Clements, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Children may play an important role in disseminating Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile within hospital and community settings. In many parts of the world, there has been a recent increase in interest in C. difficile infection (CDI) in paediatric populations. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, risk factors for, and molecular types of C. difficile in hospitalised children in Cambodia. Methods: Stool samples were collected from children at the National Paediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, between June 2022 and March 2023, for C. difficile culture. Toxin gene PCR and PCR ribotyping were performed on all isolates. Results: …

Development And Validation Of Competencies For Home-Based Nursing Care: An E-Delphi Study, Khairul Dzakirin Bin Rusli, Ying Lau, Siew Tiang Lau, Laura Schmidt Tham, Michelle Mong Nee Kee, Qi Wen Ng, Shu Fen Ong, Karen Strickland, Sok Ying Liaw

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The expected competencies of nurses in home-based care remain unclear. A list of professional competencies that are agreed upon by a panel of content expert are needed to offer some form of standardized expectations among nurses and home-based care stakeholders. Objectives: To evaluate the content validity of the professional competencies identified for home-based nursing care. Design: An e-Delphi method was used. Settings: A purposive sampling of local and international experts in home-based nursing care or community nursing. Methods: Preliminary competency items were developed inductively from earlier studies and deductively by a steering committee. Sixteen experts performed two rounds of …

Finger Orthoses For Rehabilitation―Part I: Biomedical Insights And Additive Manufacturing Innovations, Alireza Nouri, Lijing Wang, Hamed Bakhtiari, Yuncang Li, Cuie Wen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Finger orthoses are essential for treating injuries, deformities, and disorders of the upper limbs by supporting, immobilizing, or correcting deformities. Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing have significantly enhanced precision and customization compared to traditional fabrication methods such as thermoplastic molding, plaster or fiberglass casting, and the use of prefabricated splints. Methods: The present review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and other databases with keywords such as “hand therapy”, “additive manufacturing”, “finger and thumb”, and “orthosis”. Only English-language publications were considered, with a primary focus on articles published between 2010 and 2025. Key themes were identified and categorized into …

Support Networks And Care Needs: Insights From Older Vietnam-Born Australians Living With Chronic Disease, Thi Ngoc Minh Nguyen, Rosemary Saunders, Gordana Dermody, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explored the support networks and care needs of older Vietnam-born adults living in Australia, using focused ethnography, and guided by Leininger's Culture Care theory. Data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews over 7 months in Perth, Western Australia, and analyzed thematically. Twelve participants were included. Two themes emerged: “The collectivist context of disease management” and “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Chronic disease self-management primarily took place within family and community settings, with ethnic communities playing a significant role. Migration-related stigma influenced perceived care needs, creating a gap between perceived and actual support. Findings …

Longitudinal Associations Between Self-Reported Exercise Levels And Cognition In Adad, Kelsey R. Sewell, James D. Doecke, Ralph N. Martins, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Jeremiah Peiffer, Samantha L. Gardener, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Kirk I. Erickson, Belinda M. Brown

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This study examined longitudinal associations between self-reported exercise and cognition, with moderation by sex, in individuals with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) mutations. We also examined whether changes in exercise over time differed in ADAD mutation carriers versus non-carriers in the years preceding first cognitive symptom onset. Methods: Participants (n = 491) were ADAD mutation carriers (63%) and non-carriers (37%) from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network aged 37.6 ± 11.1 years. Participants reported their average time partaking in various leisure-time exercise activities over the past 12 months. Results: Greater baseline exercise predicted better longitudinal cognitive performance. Sex did not …

Top Management Green Commitment And Employee In-Role Green Performance: An Emerging Economy Study, Hung Trong Hoang, Nhat Tan Pham, Pi Shen Seet, Janice Jones, Nga Thi Thuy Ho

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines how and when top management green commitment influences in-role employee green performance, by investigating the mediating role of employee green passion and employee green commitment, and the moderating role of adverse working conditions. Based on a two-wave survey of 397 hotel employees in an emerging economy, Vietnam, the results show that top management green commitment, directly and indirectly, influences in-role employee green performance through employee green passion and employee green commitment. Additionally, the indirect effect of management green commitment on employee in-role green performance through employee green commitment has a stronger effect than through employees’ green passion. …

A Predictive Model For The Shear Capacity Of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Deep Beams Reinforced With Fibers Using A Hybrid Ann-Anfis Algorithm, Hossein Mirzaaghabeik, Nuha S. Mashaan, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has attracted considerable attention from both the construction industry and researchers due to its outstanding durability and exceptional mechanical properties, particularly its high compressive strength. Several factors influence the shear capacity of UHPC deep beams, including compressive strength, the shear span-to-depth ratio (λ), fiber content (FC), vertical web reinforcement (ρsv), horizontal web reinforcement (ρsh), and longitudinal web reinforcement (ρs). Considering these factors, this research proposes a novel hybrid algorithm that combines an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the shear capacity of UHPC deep beams. To achieve this, ANN and …

Consumers' Perspectives On The Design Of A New Digital Frailty Education Course, ‘Focus On Frailty’: A Qualitative Co-Design Study, Kristiana Ludlow, Benignus Logan, Jhalak Arora, Sarah Martin, Elizabeth Miller, Ruth E. Hubbard, Nicola Warren, Olivia Gallagher, Rosemary Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Frailty-focused care in hospitals is hindered by systemic barriers, ageism and stereotypes about older adults and frailty. There is a need for frailty education to increase healthcare professionals' and students' understanding of frailty. Objective: As part of a larger study to co-design a new digital frailty education course, ‘Focus on Frailty’, this study aimed to explore consumers' and caregivers' perspectives on (i) how frailty and older adults should be represented in frailty education and (ii) what healthcare professionals should be taught about caring for older adults and people who are frail in hospitals. Design: This was a qualitative co-design …

Stress Reactivity And Sociocultural Learning: More Stress-Reactive Individuals Are Quicker At Learning Sociocultural Norms From Experiential Feedback, Shilpa Madan, Krishna Savani, Pranjal H. Mehta, Desiree Y. Phua, Ying-Yi Hong, Michael W. Morris

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

When interacting with others in unfamiliar sociocultural settings, people need to learn the norms guiding appropriate behavior. The present research investigates an individual difference that helps this kind of learning: stress reactivity. Interactions in an unfamiliar sociocultural setting are stressful, particularly when the actor fails to follow its rules. Although stress is typically considered a liability, more stress-reactive individuals may be more motivated to improve, and, thus, quicker to learn these rules. Consistent with this idea, a pilot study found that people genetically inclined to stress reactivity, as computed by a genetic profile score across 59 single nucleotide polymorphisms on …

Microplastics In Urine, Sputum And Lung Lavage Fluid From Patients With Respiratory Illnesses, Faezeh Jahedi, Neamatollah Jaafarzadeh Haghighi Fard, Mehdi Ahmadi, Afshin Takdastan, Maryam Haddadzadeh Shoushtari, Reza Dehbandi, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Because of the ubiquity of microplastics (MPs) in the environment there are concerns regarding human exposure. In this study, MPs have been determined in three physiological fluids: urine, sputum and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF); from 30 adult patients in Iran with respiratory conditions. A total of nine small (20–100 μm) and mainly green and red fibres of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene construction were detected in urine samples of eight participants. By contrast, 358 MPs that were dominated by small, white and transparent fibres, but also included larger (100–500 μm) fibres and fragments and spherules of various sizes, were detected in sputum …

The Silicon Shrink: How Artificial Intelligence Made The World An Asylum By Daniel Oberhaus: Reviewed By Hannah Drayson, Hannah Drayson

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

The Gender Effects Of Covid: Evidence From Equity Analysts, Frank Weikai Li, Baolian Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We use COVID-19 and sell-side analysts as an experiment to study the effects of gender on labor productivity. We find that the forecast accuracy of female analysts declined more than that of male analysts, especially when schools were closed and among analysts who were more likely to have young children, were inexperienced, were busier, or lived in southern states of the US. Relative to male analysts, females also reduced their forecast timeliness and resorted to more heuristic forecasts but did not reduce coverage or updating frequency. Relative to pre pandemic, female analysts’ careers were more negatively affected than male analysts’. …

Quality Of Life And Patient Experience In Black Women With Alopecia, Annyella Douglas, Jayson Suriano, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Business Schools And The External Environment: Where Are They Now?, Kai Peters, Howard Thomas, Michael Thomas

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The article, the first of a two-part series, takes a look at the external environment facing business schools today. Major factors considered include the global landscape and related populism, funding shortfalls, increasing regulatory burdens, increased competition, and artificial intelligence. This combination of challenges, together with factors that are internal to business schools and universities and will be examined in an article later in the year, means that it is not an easy time to be the dean of a business school. Protecting present income streams, developing new sources of funds, and being agile are all paramount.

Evaluation Of Gold Helical Microwire Structure Electrode For Long-Term Rodent Nerve Stimulation, Danny V. Lam, Kevin Yang

Faculty Scholarship

Objective. The development of electrodes for chronic peripheral nerve stimulation faces several challenges, including complex compositions, intricate manufacturing processes, and high costs associated with the availability and fabrication of suitable materials. These limitations hinder the accessibility and feasibility of producing effective devices for chronic preclinical studies. This study evaluated the feasibility of a simple-to-manufacture gold helical microwire structure electrode (Au-HMSE) for peripheral nerve stimulation, electromyography (EMG) recording, and preliminary tissue response on the rat sciatic nerve. Approach. Manufactured electrodes were used for up to 8 weeks in rats for nerve stimulation and EMG recordings, with electrode-tissue impedances and motor thresholds …

Measuring The Relationship Between Oil Revenues And The Parallel Exchange Rate In Iraq For The Period (2003-2023): An Empirical Study, Saif Nihad Salim, Safaa Ali Hussein Al-Bakri

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study is an empirical investigation into the relationship between oil revenues and the parallel exchange rate in Iraq during the period from 2003 to 2023, highlighting the susceptibilities of a rentier economy dependent overwhelmingly on oil exports. The study adopted a deductive procedure coupled with econometric analysis using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method to analyze the impacts of oil revenues and GDP without oil on the parallel exchange rate. Annual data were gathered from official Iraqi agencies and subjected to unit root tests, bounds cointegration tests, and error correction model (ECM) tests. The results indicate a statistically significant …

Strategic Monitoring And Its Impact On Organizational Sustainability: An Analytical Study In Baghdad Health Directorates (Karkh, Rusafa, And Medical City), Rawad Ali Rahal, Suheir Adel Hamed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper analyzes how Strategic Monitoring (SM) affects the Organizational Sustainability (OS) of some selected Baghdad Health Directorates in Iraq and attempts to establish how economic, social, and environmental sustainability can be achieved through SM, which includes strategic intelligence, strategic thinking, and strategic vigilance. A descriptive-analytical methodology has been used in which data was gathered using a structured questionnaire administered to 60 middle management officials of the directorates. The data were processed through suitable statistical tools using regression and correlation methods with the help of SPSS software. Results indicate that there exists a strong and significant positive relationship between SM …

Addressing Urban Traffic Congestion: A Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Approach, Tairan Liu

Mineta Transportation Institute

In an innovative venture, the research team embarked on a mission to redefine urban traffic flow by introducing an automated way to manage traffic light timings. This project integrates two critical technologies, Deep Q-Networks (DQN) and Auto-encoders, into reinforcement learning, with the goal of making traffic smoother and reducing the all-too-common road congestion in simulated city environments. Deep Q-Networks (DQN) are a form of reinforcement learning algorithms that learns the best actions to take in various situations through trial and error. Auto-encoders, on the other hand, are tools that help simplify complex data, making it easier for the DQN to …

Periodontal Diseases In Africa, Mojisola Olujitan, Patricia O. Ayanbadejo, Kehinde Umeizudike, Afolabi Oyapero, Christopher Okunseri, Azeez Butali

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Periodontal diseases, a group of complex conditions marked by an excessive immune response and periodontal tissue destruction, are a global health concern. Since 1990, the incidence of these diseases has doubled, with Western sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the highest burden. Accurate diagnosis and case identification are crucial for understanding the etiology, features of disease, research, treatment and prevention. Modern perspectives on periodontal disease classification are based on commonality among those affected. However, current literature is often plagued by methodological inconsistencies and focused on disease mechanisms in European populations. Health inequalities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are exacerbated by these challenges, …

Enabling Automatic Solar Pv Array Identification Using Big Satellite Imagery, Qi Li, Keyang Yu, Carson Snow, Dong Chen

Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

Recently, there has been a growing interest in automatically collecting distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) installation information in smart grid systems, including the quantity and locations of solar PV deployments, as well as their profiling information across a given geospatial region. Most recent approaches are still suffering low detection accuracy due to insufficient sample and principal feature learning when building their models and also separation of rooftop object segmentation and identification during their detection processes. In addition, they cannot report accurate multi-deployment results. To address these problems, we design a new system-SolarDetector+, which can automatically and accurately detect and profile distributed …

Infrastructural Splintering Along The Bri: Catholic Political Ecologies And The Fractious Futures Of Sri Lanka’S Littoral Spaces, Orlando Woods

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This article considers the ways in which the material infrastructures of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) intersect with other infrastructural formations, and how the resulting overlaps can trigger processes of what I call “infrastructural splintering”. These processes cause infrastructure to be experienced in differentiating ways, creating divisive politics where there might once have been unity. Embracing these politics as an analytical starting point undermines the techno-material stability of the BRI, and reveals its more-than-material affects. I illustrate these ideas by developing a case study of the effects of the China-backed Colombo Port City project on Catholic fishing communities that …

Emulating Empire: Washington’S Preoccupation With British Counterinsurgency In Malaya And U.S. Commitment To Vietnam, Wen-Qing Ngoei

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This essay examines how Washington’s deep preoccupation with the British-Malayan counterinsurgency tactics–tactics that routed the guerilla fighters of the Malayan Communist Party–shaped US commitment to Vietnam. This US preoccupation, stoked by Britain’s (and Malaya’s) promotion of their counterinsurgency knowledge to US leaders, also influenced the lessons that US analysts and thinkers absorbed from the United States’ defeat in Indochina. Most studies of British-Malayan counterinsurgency and its connection to the Vietnam War fixate upon debating the relevance of the former to the latter and how this bears on US failures in Indochina. However, this essay focuses on the understudied fervor with …

Strategized Reduction Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Predicting And Extending The Service Life Of Concrete Pavements And Bridges, Fariborz M. Tehrani

Mineta Transportation Institute

Strong, durable concrete is key to resilient, long-lasting transportation infrastructure—especially in the face of climate change. This project explores innovative strategies for predicting and enhancing the service life of concrete in pavement and bridge systems, addressing the pressing need for sustainable transportation infrastructure. As concrete is pivotal to the durability and resilience of such structures, its environmental impact demands urgent attention. This project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout their lifecycle by extending the service life of concrete pavements and bridge decks. A significant focus of the research is on the indications of chloride ion penetration in concrete, which …

A Standardized Bathing Protocol To Prevent Central Line–Associated Bloodstream And Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections, Lindsy L. Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, in medical–surgical inpatients increase mortality, length of stay, and readmissions. In this project, the investigator sought to decrease CLABSIs and MRSA infections through quality improvement by implementing a standard chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing process. An urban hospital in the Midwestern United States experienced more CLABSIs and MRSA infections than expected in 2024. This unit had a standardized infection ratio of 1.4, with three CLABSIs rather than the 2.1 predicted. Also, they had 10 hospital-acquired MRSA isolates, which was higher than the 3.3 average of the other medical–surgical units. The …

Exploring Effective Institutional Strategies To Retain Adult Learners In Undergraduate Online Programs At A Faith-Based Institution, Fernando Rodriguez-Ramos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative research study was to identify dynamic advising and high-impact educational practices employed by advisors and faculty that prevent dropout and improve online adult learners’ performance and retention in undergraduate courses at a 4-year private, faith-based institution in the southwestern United States. This study explored the impact of these practices from the students’, faculty’s, and advisors’ perspectives to provide suggestions for improvement that would help retain these students in the classroom and the institution. The problem this study explored was that adult learner dropout from online higher education institutions is a persistent and increasing issue faced …

Investigating The Effects Of Brief Video Interventions On White Undergraduate Students’ Racial Attitudes, Alyssa Powers

Dissertations

In this experimental study, a pretest posttest between-groups design was utilized to investigate the efficacy of two brief multicultural educational video interventions in improving the colorblind and affective racial attitudes of White undergraduate students. Ninety-eight self-identified White undergraduate students from a large, Midwestern university were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) viewing a video on the pervasiveness of individual racism and White privilege in the United States (True Colors); (b) viewing a video on institutional racism in the United States (Segregated by Design); (c) viewing a study tips video as the neutral control condition. Participants’ colorblind and affective …

I-280/Wolfe Road Interchange Redesign, Mitchell Wong, Dave Liang

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

With the increasing population, there is an increasing need for traffic efficiency and road safety. Roadways that were once considered adequate may be unable to accommodate the growing number of vehicles on the road. In this paper, we analyze the I-280/Wolfe Road Interchange to determine its safety and efficiency inadequacies and propose an improved interchange design to fix these issues. Our analysis reveals that there is room for improvement in the safety of drivers, bikers, and pedestrians, as well as opportunities to enhance the efficiency of sections of the road that require it. We identified the lack of protective barriers …