Digital Commons Network^™

Regional Homeschool Children’S Experience With Arts-Based Digital Literacy Workshops, Kimberly Maslin, Karen Murcia, Jane Mulcock

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The number of children engaged in homeschool education is increasing, particularly in regional areas of Australia. Homeschool families currently access community-based activities such as theatre productions and sports programs, as well as public library services, to enrich their children’s learning. However, access to quality programs that support digital literacy skills remains limited and the benefits of these programs to home schoolers remain largely unexplored. This study examined the experiences of homeschool families with children aged 6–12 who participated in a series of stop-motion animation workshops held in a regional Western Australian public library. Data were collected from both participating parents …

Semantic Context Improvisational Retrieval-Augmented Generation For Empathic Conversational Ai, Sharjeel Tahir, Judith Johnson, Jumana Abu-Khalaf, Syed Afaq Ali Shah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A fundamental limitation of modern conversational AI is its limited capacity to demonstrate sustained empathy in long-form interactions. We propose SCIRAG (Semantic Context Improvisational Retrieval-Augmented Generation), a feedback-driven retrieval framework for adaptive empathic dialogue. It employs a dual-loop retrieval framework, iteratively optimizing a static counseling dataset through user metadata and feedback memory refinement. To enhance contextual alignment, we deploy retrieval adaptation, enabling the model to retain and leverage past conversational cues based on user preferences. When integrated with Mixtral-8x7B, SCIRAG improves human-rated empathic understanding by +1.26 points and empathic response by +1.00 point on the RoPE scale, while increasing acceptability …

Sliding Mode Control In Grid-Tied Inverters: Techniques, Applications, And Future Directions, Taimoor Muzaffar Gondal, Asma Aziz, Daryoush Habibi, Iftekhar Ahmad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sliding mode control (SMC) has emerged as a robust and adaptive strategy for grid-tied inverters. It has unique attributes which make it an appropriate control choice under increasingly complex power systems. However, there are a limited number of review articles which comprehensively explore the true potential of SMC for grid-tied inverter applications. This systematic review has been structured to explore SMC techniques with respect to certain challenges, i.e., stability challenges, unbalanced conditions, low inertia scenarios, and harmonics distortion. The classification of various SMC techniques is presented with respect to their control law and sliding surfaces design. The comparative analysis indicates …

The Contribution Of Adolescent Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors To Vascular Stiffness And Cardiac Remodelling In Young Adults, Anne E. Barden, Lawrence J. Beilin, Nick S.R. Lan, Amro Sehly, Girish Dwivedi, Rae-Chi Huang, Brendan Adler, Trevor A. Mori

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims: Early identification of abnormalities in vascular and cardiac structure offers an opportunity for intervention to reduce future cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study examined factors contributing to increased CVD risk from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods and results: Raine Study participants (n = 716) classified as low- or high-CVD risk using cluster analysis at 17 years were re-studied at 27 years. Outcomes at 27 years were vascular stiffness assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV), and left atrial (LA) myocardial strain and respective ejection fractions (EF) assessed by cardiac …

Co-Design And Pilot Testing Of A Nurse-Led Gp-Supported Self-Management Intervention For Breast Cancer Survivors With Cardiovascular Diseases: A Study Protocol, Anu Correya, Jing Yu Tan, Xian Liang Liu, Daniel Bressington, Leah East, Tao Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objectives: Self-management intervention strategies are recommended to address the needs of breast cancer survivors (BCSs) who have cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Despite the benefits, these strategies are often suboptimally implemented, resulting in inadequate cardiovascular management among BCS with CVDs. The project aims to develop a nurse-led and GP-supported self-management (NGPS) intervention to reduce cardiovascular risks in BCS with CVDs and evaluate its feasibility and potential effects in primary care settings using the double diamond co-design process and the Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions.

Methods: The study will be conducted in two phases. In phase I, …

Dasyurus Hallucatus Movement Response To Fire In A Complex, Resource Rich Tropical Savanna, Ian J. Radford, Annette Cook, Natasha Harrison, Ben Corey, Roberta Bencini, Harriet R. Mills

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, is part of a suite of threatened native northern Australian mammals that have inappropriate fire regimes listed as a threatening process. However, fire responses reported for D. hallucatus are inconsistent among different studies. Based on the theory that the fire response of D. hallucatus will depend partially on habitat quality, we postulate that home range in high quality savannas of the north Kimberley will be small, post-breeding male mortality low and prey resources little affected by fire. Based on previous research we hypothesised that male D. hallucatus would respond to fire more than females. By …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Experimentally Validated Finite Element Modeling Strategies To Simulate Compression-After-Impact Behavior Of Multidirectional Cfrp Laminates With Barely Visible Impact Damage, Niildiip Chandraa, Vinh Tung Le, Arief Yudhanto, Abhendra K. Singh, Douglas E. Smith

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Abstract The finite element-based approaches to predict compression-after-impact (CAI) performance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) subject to a low-velocity impact rely on assumptions about compressive failure mechanisms within the barely visible impact damage (BVID). Comprehensive evaluations of finite element (FE) models concerning accuracy, efficiency, and validity with respect to experimental tests are limited. This study explores several finite element-based approaches developed in ABAQUS Explicit to predict the residual strength and related compressive failure mechanisms of multidirectional CFRP laminates. Drop-weight impact experiments followed by CAI tests employing 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) were used to validate our FE models by …

Tailoring Crushing Responses Of Hexagonal Crash Box Filled With Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures By Assessing The Influence Of Material Parameters, L. D. Lumanauw, A. Jusuf, M. H. Jarwadi, L. Gunawan, T. Sebaey, A. Yudhanto

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hexagonal crash boxes offer superior crashworthiness compared to other cross-sectional geometries, and their performance can be further enhanced by integrating additively manufactured lattice fillers. This study investigates the quasi-static crushing behavior of hexagonal crash boxes filled with hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice structures fabricated via stereolithography (SLA). Finite element models developed in ABAQUS/Explicit, validated against quasi-static compression experiments, show discrepancies below 5%, indicating that polymeric lattice fillers provide modest performance gains, achieving a crushing force efficiency (CFE) of 20%–25%. Replacing polymeric lattices with metallic fillers, namely 316L stainless steel and Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy, substantially increases energy absorption, with Ti–6Al–4V delivering the …

Nascent Titanium-/Silicon-Containing Particle Formation In Corona-Discharge-Assisted Combustion, Chanakya Bagya Ramesh, Frank Daoru Han, Yang Wang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Adding plasmas to a flame has been shown to introduce high concentrations of charges, ions, and radicals to the said flame. This technique of adding plasma to a flame is called plasma-assisted combustion (PAC), and this addition has been shown to make a flame more stable and efficient. At the same time, PAC has also been shown to alter particle formation during combustion. Here, we investigate the effect of a high-frequency (∼21 kHz) alternating current (AC) corona discharge on particle formation and growth in a premixed flame, especially at the initial stages (with particle sizes below 10 nm). We first …

Sachi Prasad Ray-Chaudhuri: Drosophila Genetics And Mutagenesis In Indian Science, Rajiva Raman, Awadhesh Jha

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

This article summarizes the scientific contributions of Professor Sachi Prasad Ray-Chaudhuri and his unwavering commitment to advancing research and teaching in mutagenesis and genetics in post-independence India, following his postgraduate training in the United Kingdom under the mentorship of Professor H. J. Muller. His contributions in basic mutagenesis, radiation protection, animal cytogenetics, and population genetics using a range of model and native species laid the foundation of scientific research in India in these contemporary fields. This played a pivotal role in advancing genetics and biological sciences in India at a time when scientific infrastructure and resources were limited. He also …

Skilful Attacking Trades Off With Defensive Ability In Hermit Crabs, Joshua Le Pla, Sarah M. Lane, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The ability to win contests is crucial for securing the valuable resources individuals need to survive and reproduce. Fighting ability can thus be a vital determinant of fitness, and much research has been carried out to characterize the traits that influence fighting ability, or resource-holding potential (RHP). RHP is known to be influenced by a wide range of traits including morphology, physiology, vigour and, more recently, skill. These traits are typically analysed in isolation to identify their individual contributions to winning fights. However, relatively little is known about how different RHP traits may interact and potentially trade off against one …

Beyond Lactate: Real-Time Resuscitation Targets For Septic Shock During Critical Care Transport, James L Li, Aaron J Lacy, Michael J Defilippo

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Impact Of A Pathology Trainee-Driven Manual Review Process For Reference Testing At A Large Academic Center, Carly Maucione, Christopher W Farnsworth, Mark A Zaydman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Increasing reliance on and complexity of laboratory testing necessitates laboratory stewardship initiatives to ensure appropriate test ordering, especially as reference testing costs continue to rise. Prospective manual review processes, although demanding of resources, have been shown to be cost-effective, but literature addressing the value of such a process is lacking.

METHODS: The pathology trainee-driven manual review process of 444 chemistry and microbiology tests on approval at a large academic center was reviewed. Data were extracted from an internal-use call-log and analyzed for test volumes, cancellation rates, and cost savings. A hypergeometric distribution was used to model random variation in …

Delayed Diagnosis Of A Rare Metabolic Disorder In Adulthood, Isaiah K Mensah, Angie Carreno Martinez, Taylor Wilson, Miguel Valdez, Maria Laura Duque Lasio

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Enhances Bidirectional Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability In Glioblastoma, Ryan T Cleary, Yiwei Fu, David Giles, Jinyun Yuan, Diogo P Moniz Garcia, Danny Palmer, Rowland H Han, Timothy Woodiwiss, Alicia B Yang, Dimitrios Mathios, Hong Chen, Albert H Kim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive treatment for glioblastoma that increases blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. However, the mechanisms and spatiotemporal features of this effect remain unclear. It is also unknown whether LITT promotes release of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).

METHODS: Using our previously developed LITT mouse model, we employed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate gene expression changes in endothelial cells following LITT in the naive mouse brain. Brains were also harvested at multiple time points to assess LITT effects on tight junction (TJ) integrity and transcytosis via immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Human glioblastoma tissues were …

Can Laws Be Flexible? Rethinking Legislation For Innovation, Nicholson W. Price Ii, Nick K. Schneider, Ariel Dora Stem, Jochen K. Lennerz

Articles

Agile legislation adapts principles from agile software development to lawmaking, emphasizing iteration, multi-stakeholder feedback, and embedded revision. We outline this learning-oriented governance model using three case studies: Germany’s stepwise digital health legislation, the EU AI Act, and U.S. FDA user-fee reauthorization. These examples highlight legislative designs that enable structured generation of real-world data and evidence during implementation, informing regulatory interpretation and iterative refinement in rapidly evolving technological domains.

Forecast: An Exhibition Inviting Slow Feeling Through Participation In Unstable Weather States, Jo Pollitt, Helena Grehan, Lilly Blue, Peggy Attkinson, Justine Dandy, Naomi Joy Godden, Leanda Mason, Renee Esther Newman, Alexa Taylor, Danielle Gilson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents a series of responses from Western Australian based artists and scholars from a range of disciplines including: meteorology, science, education, social work, psychology, art and performance studies, to a year-long exhibition titled Forecast in Gallery 09 at The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA). Forecast is a collaboration between AGWA's Head of Learning and Creativity Research, Lilly Blue, Edith Cowan University's Centre for People, Place and Planet artist-scholar, Jo Pollitt, together with artists Dianne Jones and Eva Fernández. The exhibition invites audiences to contribute to two participatory works: Weather Patterns, a daily changing installation that makes room …

Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences And Perspectives On Self-Management Education For Breast Cancer Survivors In Australian Primary Care: A Qualitative Study, Meng Yuan Li, Tao Wang, Daniel Terry, Haiying Wang, Isabella Zhao, Jing Yu Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Breast cancer has been recognised as a chronic condition, with survivors experiencing long-term physical and psychosocial effects following treatment. Supporting breast cancer survivors to self-manage their health can optimise health-related quality of life and reduce symptom burden. Self-management education (SME) has been advocated at the policy and programme level in Australian primary care, but its uptake is often limited. This study explores healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) experiences and perceptions of SME in primary care, aiming to identify factors influencing its implementation and to support survivorship care for breast cancer survivors in Australia.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted involving …

Introducing Contested Weather: Art And The Power Of Collaborative Response In Times Of Crisis, Jo Pollitt, Helena Grehan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Muscle–Tumor Crosstalk In Exercise Oncology: Exercise-Induced Myokines And Cancer Cachexia, Amirhossein Ahmadi Hekmatikar, Francesco Bettariga, Álvaro López Llorente, Diego Fernández-Lázaro, Katsuhiko Suzuki, D. Maryama Awang Daud

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Exercise-induced myokines, such as IL-6, irisin, and myostatin, play crucial roles in mediating systemic adaptations and modulating tumor progression. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on how regular moderate-intensity exercise affects the myokine network within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of solid tumors. Results from the 86 included studies indicate that structured training (aerobic: 45–65% VO2 max; resistance: 45–70% 1RM) enhances the expression of beneficial myokines that support immune surveillance, reduce inflammation, and improve muscle–tumor cross-talk. IL-6 demonstrates a dual modulatory effect on inflammation and immunity; irisin contributes to tumor apoptosis, while myostatin downregulation supports muscle integrity and metabolic balance. Evidence suggests …

Rhetorical Physics And The Laws Of Language: A Comparative Analysis Of President Trump And President Macron At The United Nations 2025, David Edmund Allen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The paper features a textual analysis of the UN speeches made by the US President Donald Trump and by France’s President Macron. President Trump’s speech was made in the absence of a teleprompter and lasted almost an hour. President Macron’s speech was representative of a more standard diplomatic speech. Both speeches are analyzed using a variety of models and techniques. The analysis incorporates an exploration of Manin’s link of Zipf’s law to concepts from information theory and algorithmic complexity, Tao’s concepts applied to power laws, ‘E pluribus unum’, out of many, one, plus a completely new application of Villermaux’s universal …

Story, Mapping And “Jarriny”: A Collaborative Exploration Of Artistic Responses To Extreme Weather In The Work Of Natalie Davey And The 2023 Fitzroy River Floods, Natalie Davey, Renée Newman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Extreme weather events caused by human created climate change not only cause catastrophic impact on human and the more-than-human populations but can also trigger permanent changes to place. With these changes, stories shift, in turn influencing knowledge and cultural systems. This article is a dialogue between Natalie Davey and Renée Newman, about the role of art, story, mapping and “jarriny” (translating to totem) as a tool for education on extreme weather events and climate crisis. We also consider the vital role custodianship plays in response to and recovery from an extreme weather event, as was the case for Natalie Davey …

The Moderating Effect Of Dietary Fiber And Protein On The Relationship Between Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety And Cognitive Decline, Samantha L. Gardener, Hilal Salim Said Al Shamsi, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Kevin Taddei, Colin L. Masters, Ralph N. Martins, W. M.A.D. Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Depression and anxiety often co-occur with Alzheimer's disease, exacerbating the associated cognitive impairment. This study examined moderating effects of dietary protein and fiber intake on relationships between depressive and anxiety symptoms, and cognitive decline.

Methods: Cognitively unimpaired (n = 553; 39.4% male, 70.6 ± 9.6 years) provided baseline fiber and protein intake, and had repeated cognitive testing and symptoms of depression/anxiety measured (baseline and up to eight follow-ups over 144 months). Moderation and simple slope analyses were employed in the cohort as a whole and following stratification by sex.

Results: Fiber intake moderated the relationship between change in depressive …

The Poly-Arginine Peptide R18d Inhibits Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) Aggregation And Aβ-Induced Cytotoxicity, Reduces Intracellular Tau Aggregation, And Exhibits Oral Bioavailability, Vaishali Bagda, Zainab H. Farooz, Neville W. Knuckey, Samantha M. South, Stuart K. Gribble, Maitri Tomar, Prashant Bharadwaj, Ajish Ariyath, Kevin Taddei, Ralph N. Martins, Bruno P. Meloni

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objectives: Effective disease-modifying therapies targeting pathogenic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remain limited. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of the neuroprotective, cationic arginine-rich peptide R18D to mitigate the pathogenic effects of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau associated with AD.

Methods: R18D was examined for its ability to inhibit Aβ aggregation in a cell-free assay, attenuate Aβ-induced cytotoxicity in MC65 cells, and suppress intracellular tau aggregation in two neural cell models. Intracellular tau aggregation was quantified using a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assay. Additionally, a pilot pharmacokinetic study of R18D was conducted in mice following oral gavage administration.

Results: In the …

Urinary Sodium, Table Salt Use And Incidence Of Late-Onset Asthma In Females And Males: Evidence From A Large Prospective Cohort, Selma Kronsteiner-Gicevic, Alysha S. Thompson, Martina Gaggl, Aedín Cassidy, Nicola P. Bondonno, Charmaine J.M. Lim, Robab Breyer-Kohansal, Tilman Kühn

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The contribution of dietary sodium to asthma development remains unclear, particularly for adult-onset disease. We examined associations between estimated 24-h urinary sodium excretion, table salt use and incident asthma in a large prospective cohort.

Methods: We analysed 420 041 adults aged 40–69 years without prior asthma. Incident asthma was ascertained through linked health records. Urinary sodium was estimated using the INTERSALT equation from spot urine samples. Frequency of adding salt at the table was self-reported. Associations were evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical factors.

Results: Over a median 10.9-year follow-up, 11 …

Waste Material Utilization In Civil Engineering Applications: Advances, Challenges, And Future Directions—A Scoping Review, Chathurika Dassanayake, Nuha S. Mashaan, Ridmi Galagedara

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This PRISMA-guided scoping review examines the use of waste materials in civil engineering as a sustainable approach to reducing environmental impacts, conserving natural resources, and supporting circular economy principles. The rapid growth of urbanization, industrialization, mining, and agricultural activities generates large amounts of waste materials, including fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, bauxite residue, mining tailings, waste rock, acid-mine drainage sludge, waste plastics, post-consumer vulcanized rubber, recycled construction materials, and agricultural ashes. The disposal of these materials often creates serious environmental and land-use problems, making their reuse increasingly important. In this context, civil engineering is one of the most promising …

Weathering In-Beyond Hydro(S)Cenes, Bronwyn Bailey-Charteris, Kathryn Mcmahon, Mary Christina Rapp, Natalie Davey

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper examines the cultural, ecological and political dimensions of the contemporary water crisis through a curatorial and environmental humanities lens. Through the watery conceptual epoch of the Hydrocene, it highlights the work of artists and interdisciplinary practitioners whose hydro-Artistic methods propose ways to realign human-water relations. Central to this analysis is the role of curatorial care, here understood as a practice of convening, holding and enabling reciprocal encounters between bodies of water, artists and communities. Bringing these diverse practices into dialogue, the paper proposes water not only as subject matter but as a potential collaborator and leaky agent. It …

Enhancing Validation Of Case-Control Omics Signatures Through "Minimalist" Single-Subject Analysis (N-Of-1 Trials): Proof Of Concept In Sepsis, Liam S Wilson, Nima Pouladi, Rachel F Nelson, Elizabeth A Middleton, Neal D Tolley, Mahdieh Shabanian, Colleen Kenost, Robert A Campbell, Matthew T Rondina, Yves A Lussier

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if a single-subject study (S3) design, utilizing paired transcriptome samples from the same patient (eg, "sepsis" vs "recovered"), can replicate transcriptomic signatures from small case-control studies, addressing challenges in patient accrual for rare or sub-stratified diseases.

METHODS: We generated a sepsis gene signature (SGS) comprising 300 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; FDR <  5%) from a human sepsis case-control cohort using general linear models (GLMs). Reproducibility of SGS was assessed through three approaches applied to sub-sampled independent datasets: single-subject analyses (N-of-1-MixEnrich), anticipated to perform better; conventional paired-sample GLM analyses; and a traditional case-control GLM analysis.

RESULTS: SGS reproducibility in GLM analyses was inconsistent at smaller cohort sizes (∼80% reproducibility; n = 5) but stabilized at cohort sizes >6. Remarkably, the single-subject-study approach consistently reproduced SGS in each of the 18 subjects individually (100% reproducibility; n = 1).

DISCUSSION: Conventional GLMs are …

Association Between Thumb Hypoplasia, Radial Longitudinal Deficiency, And Radial Polydactyly, Emma Payne, Charles A Goldfarb, M Claire Manske, Apurva Shah, Andrea Bauer, Lindley B Wall, Could Study Group

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: The expression of the sonic hedgehog protein has been associated with induction of both radial longitudinal deficiency (RLD) and radial polydactyly in animal studies. We sought to investigate the co-occurrence of thumb hypoplasia/RLD and radial polydactyly in a large registry patient cohort and to investigate the clinical presentations of such patients.

METHODS: The Congenital Upper Limb Differences (CoULD) registry was queried for all patients with contralateral diagnoses of thumb hypoplasia/RLD and radial polydactyly, as defined by the Oberg-Manske-Tonkin classification system, between June 2014 and January 2026. The demographic information, medical and musculoskeletal comorbidities, radiographs, and clinical images were collected. …

Brain Volumes In Fetuses With Congenital Heart Disease And Placental Vascular Abnormalities, Erin A O'Brien, Kaylin Taylor, Joshua S Shimony, Cynthia M Ortinau, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the association between placental vascular abnormalities and regional brain volumes in congenital heart disease (CHD) fetuses with and without genetic abnormalities.

STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and placental pathology data from 121 CHD fetuses enrolled in prospective neuroimaging studies at two centers.

RESULTS: Placental vascular abnormality was present in 46% of fetuses, and genetic abnormality was present in 19%, including 12% with both abnormalities. Fetuses with the combination of placental and genetic abnormalities had smaller brain volumes compared to fetuses without either abnormality for total brain, subcortical gray matter, brainstem, and cerebellum, with …