Digital Commons Network^™

Automated Abdominal Aortic Calcification Scoring From Vertebral Fracture Assessment Images And Fall-Associated Hospitalisations: The Manitoba Bone Mineral Density Registry, Marc Sim, Abadi K. Gebre, Jack Dalla Via, Siobhan Reid, Mohammad Jafari Jozani, Douglas Kimelman, Barret A. Monchka, Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, Zaid Ilyas, Cassandra Smith, David Suter, John T. Schousboe, Joshua R. Lewis, William D. Leslie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), a subclinical measure of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that can be assessed on vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) images during osteoporosis screening, is reported to be a falls risk factor. A limitation to incorporating AAC clinically is that its scoring requires trained experts and is time-consuming. We examined if our machine learning (ML) algorithm for AAC (ML-AAC24) is associated with a higher fall-associated hospitalisation risk in the Manitoba Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Registry. A total of 8565 individuals (94.0% female, age 75.7 ± 6.8 years) who had a BMD and VFA image from DXA between February 2010 and …

Blockchain-Based Trust Model For Inter-Domain Routing, Qiong Yang, Li Ma, Sami Ullah, Shanshan Tu, Hisham Alasmary, Muhammad Waqas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), as the standard inter-domain routing protocol, is a distance-vector dynamic routing protocol used for exchanging routing information between distributed Autonomous Systems (AS). BGP nodes, communicating in a distributed dynamic environment, face several security challenges, with trust being one of the most important issues in inter-domain routing. Existing research, which performs trust evaluation when exchanging routing information to suppress malicious routing behavior, cannot meet the scalability requirements of BGP nodes. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based trust model for inter-domain routing. Our model achieves scalability by allowing the master node of an AS alliance to transmit …

Bone Mineral Density In Childhood Cancer Survivors During And After Oncological Treatment: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Anna Maria Markarian, Dennis R. Taaffe, Francesco Bettariga, Hao Luo, Daniel A. Galvão, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Carolyn J. Peddle-Mcintyre, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Osteoporosis poses a significant concern for childhood cancer survivors (CCS). While recommendations for surveillance and management of bone mineral density (BMD) exist, no systematic review and meta-analysis has been undertaken to quantify BMD Z-scores in childhood cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment and survivors who have completed treatments. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic review with a 3-level mixed-effects meta-analysis to examine the course of BMD Z-scores in childhood cancer patients and survivors and identified possible moderators using meta-regression models. A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases from inception to November 2023. We included …

Co-Designing A Children's Transition Charter For The Transition To School: Opening Participatory Spaces To Hear Children's Voices, Lennie Barblett, Leanne Lavina, Fiona Boylan, Amelia Ruscoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This project sought to gather the voices of young children to investigate whether a co-development process could be used to develop a transition to school charter with children and their teachers. Children's experiences of the transition to school can have far-reaching effects on their continuing educational journey. Seven teachers from the early years of school and 52 children (3–5 years) participated in the project over a school year. Participatory action research framed the study, which utilised child-centred methods for children to describe their dreams, hopes and aspirations of what school would be like and how their transition could be improved. …

Co-Opted Directors And Corporate Climate Risk Disclosure, Rashid Zaman, Ummara Fatima, Muhammad Bilal Farooq, Soheil Kazemian

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to examine whether and how the presence of co-opted directors (directors appointed after the incumbent CEO) influences corporate climate risk disclosure. Design/methodology/approach: This study comprehensively analyses 2,975 firm-year observations of US-listed companies, using ordinary least squares with industry and year-fixed effects. To confirm the reliability of the study results, the authors used several techniques, including propensity score matching, to address potential issues with functional form misspecification, analysed a subset of companies where co-option persisted over two consecutive years to mitigate concerns regarding reverse causality and difference-in-differences estimation, using the cheif executive officer’s (CEO’s) sudden death as …

Cultural Values And Practices In Alcohol And Other Drug Use Among Immigrant Youth: A Systematic Review, Abraham Kenin, Justine Dandy, Prince Atorkey, Sonam Pelden, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante, Byron L. Zamboanga

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We systematically reviewed the literature to examine the cultural values and practices that can increase risk for or protect against Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) use among immigrant youth, and the variation of these risk and protective factors across socio-demographic contexts. We followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review (PRISMA) guidelines. We included quantitative studies that were conducted with immigrant youth between 12 and 35 years and measured cultural values as independent variables and AOD use as dependent variables. All studies were identified via PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Scopus databases. We used a two-step screening process for all …

Psychological Implications Of Preterm Birth, Livio Provenzi, Minesh Khashu, Mia Mclean, Evalotte Morelius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Daily, Home-Based, 5-Minute Eccentric Exercise Program On Physical Fitness, Body Composition, And Health In Sedentary Individuals, Benjamin J.C. Kirk, Georgios Mavropalias, Anthony J. Blazevich, Jodie L. Cochrane-Wilkie, Aus Molan, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-week home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program, requiring just 5 min daily, on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals.

Methods: Twenty-two sedentary but healthy individuals (4 men, 18 women; 32–69 years) completed a two-week control period followed by a 4-week intervention. The intervention involved daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, including progressions if necessary. Assessments included isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), handgrip (HG) strength, push-up and sit-up endurance, sit-and-reach (S&R) flexibility, 3-min step test (3ST), squat …

Exploring The Barriers To Mental Health Help-Seeking Among African Migrants In Australia: A Qualitative Study, Nnaemeka Meribe, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Kathomi Gatwiri, Lillian Mwanri, Frank Darkwa Baffour, Agness Tembo, Edith N. Botchway-Commey, David Chisanga, Ahmed A. Moustafa, Kerrie E. Doyle, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The health of African migrants in Australia is a largely under-researched topic despite the steadily increasing size of the population and its uniqueness. In particular, few studies have explored the mental health of African migrants in Australia or their utilization of mental health services.

Aims: This study explored the barriers to mental health help-seeking among first-generation African migrants in Australia.

Methods: In this qualitative study conducted using the hermeneutical phenomenological research approach, the purposive sampling method was used to recruit participants. In-depth interviews with participants were undertaken online via Zoom, Teams, and WhatsApp calls. Interviews were recorded and transcribed …

Fatigue Properties Of 3d-Printed Polymeric Metamaterials: A Review, Ani Daniel, Hamed Bakhtiari, Alireza Nouri, Barun K. Das, Muhammad Aamir, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The present article provides an in-depth review of the fatigue properties of polymeric metamaterials, with particular emphasis on those manufactured using 3D printing techniques. Despite the significant potential of 3D-printed metamaterial polymers in the biomedical field, there has been limited studies dedicated to their fatigue behaviour. The article highlights the significance of fatigue behaviour in determining the reliability and longevity of polymeric materials under cyclic loading, which is crucial for biomedical applications. The effects of different 3D printing parameters, metamaterial designs, and polymer properties on fatigue life are explored. The fatigue response of metamaterials depends on material properties, geometric factors, …

From Fabrication To Function: Mechanical Insights Into Gelma Microneedle Arrays, Moloud Amini Baghbadorani, Masoumeh Zargar, Asghar Eskandarinia, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) has emerged as a highly suitable material for microneedle (MN) fabrication, offering exceptional biocompatibility and cost-effectiveness. Despite significant advances introduced by GelMA hydrogels, research on GelMA MNs dates back to 2019, yet no review has specifically focused on the manufacturing techniques and mechanical properties of GelMA MNs. For the first time, this review aims to examine the manufacturing methods and mechanical characteristics of GelMA microneedles across various medical applications. Additionally, it discusses different approaches to mechanical characterization and identifies gaps in current manufacturing technologies. The review also explores the potential implications of GelMA MNs in drug delivery …

Health Professional Perceptions Of Delivering Hospital Falls Prevention Education—A Qualitative Study, Anne Marie Hill, Cheng Yen Loo, Steffanie Coulter, Carol Watson, Sharmila Vaz, Meg E. Morris, Leon Flicker, Tammy Weselman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Providing patient falls prevention education can help reduce falls in hospitals, yet research exploring staff perceptions about providing falls education in hospitals is limited. Objective: We sought to determine enablers and barriers to implementing a hospital falls prevention education program (the Safe Recovery Program) from the clinical staff perspective. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit health professionals (N = 40) from 12 acute medical and surgical wards at a 450-bed hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Participants were given the option to take part in a focus group or semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed via directed content analysis. Results: …

Kaartdijin Bidi (Learning Journey): Place-Based Cultural Regeneration At University, Sandra Wooltorton, Lauren Stephenson, Kathie Ardzejewska, Len Collard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Imagine being in a university that functions in a place-based culturally regenerative way. In this concept paper, the authors bring together theory, practice, and experience, in the service of transforming universities towards place-based cultural regeneration. At present, Australian universities operate using an economic philosophy of neoliberal corporatism characterised by hierarchical management strategies, competitive tendencies, patriarchal values, and discourse characterised by bifurcation or binary thinking. These features illustrate a worldview that is entangled with the meta crises of our times such as climate change, species loss, hatred/intolerance, and unfathomable violence. The authors consider ways of moving towards a place-based, Indigenous-informed, practical, …

Molecular Testing Of Lung Cancer In Australia: Consensus Best Practice Recommendations From The Royal College Of Pathologists Of Australasia In Collaboration With The Thoracic Oncology Group Of Australasia, Wendy A. Cooper, Benhur Amanuel, Caroline Cooper, Stephen B. Fox, Jon W.A. Graftdyk, Peter Jessup, Sonja Klebe, Wei Sen Lam, Trishe Y.M. Leong, Zarnie Lwin, Rachel Roberts-Thomson, Benjamin J. Solomon, Rebecca Y. Tay, Rebecca Trowman, Janney L. Wale, Nick Pavlakis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Molecular testing plays a critical role in guiding optimal treatment decisions for lung cancer patients across a variety of clinical settings. While guidelines for biomarker testing exist in other jurisdictions, to date no best practice guidelines have been developed for the Australian setting. To address this need, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia collaborated with the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia to identify state-based pathologists, oncologists and consumer representatives to develop consensus best practice recommendations. Sixteen recommendations were established encompassing appropriate biomarkers, lung cancer subtype, tumour stage, specimen types, assay selection and quality assurance protocols that can inform and …

Pleural Infection: Controversies On The Therapeutic Strategies, Ken K.P. Chan, Estee P.M. Lau, Y. C. Gary Lee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose of review Management of pleural infection remains heterogeneous worldwide. This review highlights current controversies in therapeutic strategies for pleural infection, focusing particularly on recent studies and their implications. Recent findings The introduction of intrapleural therapy combining alteplase [a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)] and deoxyribonuclease (DNase) has revolutionized treatment practices, though the optimal delivery and dosing regimen is an area of active investigation. Variations to simplify administration protocols and/or to lower the required drug doses have been published. Most were exploratory studies, but the variations showed maintained therapeutic efficacy. Whether intrapleural alteplase/DNase or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is superior is …

Political Brand Transgression: An Expanded Stimuli-Organism-Response (Sor) Framework Perspective, Cheuk Hang Au

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines political brand transgression (BT) using the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) framework. It explores how voters and opponents perceive political BT and respond through anti-brand behaviors. Understanding these dynamics is essential for political entities to manage their brand and sustain voter support. Employing a qualitative case study with netnographic practices, this research analyzes perceived political BT by Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, particularly regarding migration policies and unmet domestic promises. It identifies key stimuli—expectation disconfirmation and relationship norm violations—that trigger perceptions of transgression. The findings highlight core belief misalignments and performance failures as common drivers of political BT, leading to voter …

Postharvest Methyl Jasmonate Application Delays Softening, And Maintains The Antioxidant Potential Of Cold-Stored Jackfruit Bulbs, Jashanpreet Kaur, Zora Singh, Muhammad Sohail Mazhar, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is widely studied for maintaining fruit quality during storage, but its effects on jackfruit remain unexplored. The efficacy of postharvest MeJA dip application (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) in maintaining postharvest quality of cold stored jackfruit bulbs was evaluated over 20 d cold storage duration at 6 °C and 85–90% relative humidity. Bulbs treated with 1.0 mM MeJA did not exhibit any disease symptoms over the entire cold storage duration. Compared with the control, 1.0 mM MeJA-treated bulbs maintained higher carotenoids (17.3%), phenolics (18.12%), flavonoids (22.3%), and ascorbic acid (28.6%) content at the end of cold …

Rigidity Of Class Ability Grouping Practices In Australia, Olivia Johnston, Christa Norris, Wei Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Inequity in education is pronounced when data is used to form rigid class ability groups. Rigid grouping means that students with backgrounds that disadvantage them in education can be locked into low ‘ability’ class groups. In contrast, informed and flexible use of data can support adaptable and heterogeneous ability grouping, which better accommodates the diverse needs and potentials of students. This approach ensures that students are not permanently categorised but can move between groups as their abilities and needs evolve. Research drawing on international data sources like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) oversimplifies the range of ability grouping …

School Library Professionals’ Perceptions Of Students’ Digital Information Literacy, Margaret Kristin Merga, Saiyidi Mat Roni

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Young people need strong digital information literacy (DIL) skills to effectively source, interpret and evaluate the credibility of online information. As DIL educators and advocates within contemporary schools, school library professionals can provide cross-contextual insights into their students’ DIL knowledge, skills and learning opportunities. Data from the 2024 International School Library Workforce Survey suggest that developing DIL may not be a typical priority in all schools and countries. Students’ DIL was felt to be low. School library professionals may be underutilized for supporting DIL learning in 35% of contexts, highlighting the need for greater understanding of this professional role.

The Autonomy Paradox, Working From Home And Psychosocial Hazards, Alexis Vassiley, Azadeh Shafaei, Mehran Nejati, Leigh Ann Onnis, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article investigates the experience of knowledge workers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand their exposure to psychosocial hazards, specifically: workload and work pace; the work-home interface and social isolation. We explored how the increased autonomy afforded by working from home fitted with workers’ actual experience during the pandemic. Drawing on interviews with 33 NSW remote workers and 19 line-managers conducted in early 2021, this article argues that the increased autonomy afforded to employees by remote work is paradoxical. Many interviewees worked longer hours and experienced work intensification, as well …

Toward Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing - An Australian Healthcare Perspective, Kimley Foster, Nectarios Costadopoulos, Arash Mahboubi, Sabih Ur Rehman, Md Zahidul Islam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rise of big data has brought increased urgency to the importance of privacy-preserving data sharing in healthcare. In Australia, health records exist in various databases; however data sharing is limited. While many consumers and healthcare professionals recognise the advantages of sharing data for research and health care services, misgivings about privacy and security persist. This study examined current perspectives on data sharing, investigating the trust level in privacy preserving data sharing tools and techniques among healthcare professionals and organisations, and their openness to adopting technology for secure data sharing. We incorporated participants from various healthcare professions across Australia. We …

Us-China Competition, World Order And Economic Decoupling: Insights From Cultural Realism, Naoise Mcdonagh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines how US-China geopolitical rivalry is reshaping global economic order. It identifies gaps in existing research on hegemonic state behaviour and presents an alternative theory based on cultural realism. This latter builds on realism by arguing that political culture influences the intensity of geopolitical tensions. Drawing on domestic political discourse, this study demonstrates that US and China geopolitical tensions are driven by conflicting national political cultures that generate competing visions of global order, reducing the capacity of international institutions to sustain cooperation. This divergence manifest in geoeconomic competition and weaking multilateralism. Theoretical expectations suggest an emerging geoeconomic world …

What Is Informal Sport? Negotiating Contemporary Sporting Forms, Justen O’Connor, Ruth Jeanes, Jonathan Magee, Ramón Spaaij, Dawn Penney, Satoshi Miyashita

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As traditional sport participation stagnates or declines, flexible informal sporting forms are increasingly a focus for those with a vested interest in maximising participation in sport and physical activity. This study critiques existing definitions of informal sport as overly binary, largely unhelpful, and conceptually diffuse. We propose a more nuanced understanding of informal sport that explores participant proximity to the negotiation of practices that come to shape the sporting experience and therefore levels of (in)formality. Drawing on qualitative data from three Australian case studies, we examine how participants negotiate key features of their sporting experience, such as affiliation, environment, scheduling, …

Why We Must Stop Assuming And Estimating Menstrual Cycle Phases In Laboratory And Field-Based Sport Related Research, Kirsty Jayne Elliott-Sale, Marco Altini, Patricia Doyle-Baker, Eva Ferrer, Tessa Rose Flood, Rachel Harris, Franco Milko Impellizzeri, Xanne Janse De Jonge, Katrine Okholm Kryger, Gary Lewin, Constance M. Lebrun, Alan Mccall, Sophia Nimphius, Stuart M. Phillips, Paul A. Swinton, Madison Taylor, Evert Verhagen, Richard James Burden

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The increased growth, popularity, and media interest in women’s sport has led to calls for greater prioritisation of female-specific research and innovation. In response, science and medicine researchers have increased the volume of sport-related studies investigating female-specific matters, such as the menstrual cycle. Whilst the accelerated rate of published studies with female participants is welcome, the emerging trend of using assumed or estimated menstrual cycle phases to characterise ovarian hormone profiles is a significant concern. Replacing direct measurements of key characteristics of the menstrual cycle (e.g. the surge in luteinising hormone prior to ovulation via urine detection and sufficient luteal …

Work Smarter Not Harder: Mapping Interprofessional Education Collaboration Core Competencies Across Curricula, Hanlie Pitout, Paula Barnard-Ashton, Fasloen Adams, Sanetta H.J. Du Toit

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Integrating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) into health professions curricula is recognized as a challenging task due to factors such as timing, curriculum overload, and resource availability. This study aimed to identify opportunities within courses across all health professions that would help students achieve the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies. These competencies include (1) Values and Ethics, (2) Roles and Responsibilities, (3) Interprofessional Communication, and (4) Teams and Teamwork. A quantitative, cross-sectional document review was conducted, analyzing curriculum maps and documents from 11 healthcare professions at a South African university. This process involved 22 participants, comprising two representatives …

A Ramble On Prayer: A Collaboration Between An Artist And A Writer, Alberta Natasia Adji, Harrison Waed See

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A Ramble on Prayer is a collaborative project that involves multiple stages of interpretation, as creative works are exchanged in response to one another during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This article explores the authors’ experiences of collaboration from the positions of painter, creative writer, and researchers. This collaboration is a reflexive and dialogic space for creative self-narration/expression, allowing Adji’s and See’s imagination and subjectivities to discern, develop, and reciprocate each other’s work. In parallel to these creative reciprocations, also sits a dialogue concerning their collaborative processes to reflexively analyse how the collaborators’ use of visual …

A Turning Point In Cardiac Remodelling In Obesity: Obesity, Mariella R. Huaman, Carlos J. Toro-Huamanchumo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cardiac remodelling in obesity has received growing attention in the past two decades, particularly as the prevalence of obesity continues to rise globally. In 2013, Aurigemma and colleagues published a seminal study that provided crucial insights into the structural changes in the heart associated with obesity. This study summarized advances in understanding how the disproportionate growth of adipose tissue affects cardiac function, and challenged and reshaped previously established paradigms. Before the publication of this report, the standard paradigm held that obesity-induced haemodynamic stress primarily drove eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy. However, this study instead demonstrated that in individuals with obesity, concentric …

Characterization, Optimization, And Performance Evaluation Of Pcm With Al2o3 And Zno Hybrid Nanoparticles For Photovoltaic Thermal Energy Storage, Md Golam Kibria, Utpol K. Paul, Md Shahriar Mohtasim, Barun K. Das, N. N. Mustafi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The electrical efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) panel is affected significantly with increased cell temperature. Among various approaches, the use of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) with nanoparticles is currently one of the most effective for reducing and managing the temperature of PV panels. In this study, paraffin wax as PCM with different loading levels (0.5 %, 1 %, and 2 %) of hybrid nanoparticles Al2O3 and ZnO were successfully synthesized and their effects on the performance of the Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) system were investigated experimentally. Additionally, a prediction model was developed to analyze the interaction between the operating factors (independent variable) …

Epidemiological Principles In Claims Of Causality: An Enquiry Into Repetitive Head Impacts (Rhi) And Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (Cte), Lauren V. Fortington, J. David Cassidy, Rudolph J. Castellani, Andrew J. Gardner, Andrew S. Mcintosh, Michael Austen, Zachary Yukio Kerr, Kenneth L. Quarrie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Determining whether repetitive head impacts (RHI) cause the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)-neuropathological change (NC) and whether pathological changes cause clinical syndromes are topics of considerable interest to the global sports medicine community. In 2022, an article was published that used the Bradford Hill criteria to evaluate the claim that RHI cause CTE. The publication garnered international media attention and has since been promoted as definitive proof that causality has been established. Our counterpoint presents an appraisal of the published article in terms of the claims made and the scientific literature used in developing those claims. We conclude that …

Outdoor Adventure Education For Adolescent Social And Emotional Wellbeing: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michael J.A. Down, D. Picknoll, T. Edwards, F. Farringdon, G. Hoyne, B. Piggott, M. C. Murphy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines the effects of OAE on adolescent social and emotional wellbeing and their contributors. Intervention studies (single or multi-arm) assessing the effects of OAE on wellbeing were included. Meta-analysis was conducted on outcomes of interest, and the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) Tool assessed RoB in multi-arm studies. Four studies assessed within-group change (n = 368), and six assessed between-group change (n = 1,143). Findings indicate significant between-group improvements in resilience, self-esteem and social belonging when OAE was compared to no intervention, but no self-efficacy and overall wellbeing changes were observed. Studies were at high risk of bias, …