Digital Commons Network^™

Concordance Of Molecular Microbiology And Conventional Culture Techniques For Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management, Angela Oates, Sarah T. Brown, Colin C. Everett, Fran Game, Jane E. Nixon, Tim Sloan, Michelle M. Lister, Michael Backhouse, Benjamin A. Lipsky, David Russell, Howard Collier, Joanna Dennett, Rachael Gilberts, E. Andrea Nelson, Jon Deeks, Sue Mallett, Roger Gasdby, Jane Lewis, Julie Brittenden, Andrew Bradbury, Joanne Paton, Zoe Hoare, Deborah Fitzsimmons, Mark Wilcox, Gerry Rayman, Brenda Riley, Christine Thomas, Ravikanth Gouni, Haroon Siddique, Gillian A. Lomax

School of Health Professions

Aim: The management of infected diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) requires balancing the need for timely interventions against the desire for targeted antibiotic therapy, which relies on laboratory results. This study aimed to evaluate concordance between molecular and conventional culture and sensitivity (C&S) methods in identifying bacteria from infected DFUs. Methods: This study was conducted alongside CODIFI2, a Phase III randomised controlled trial comparing tissue sampling with wound swabbing. It assessed C&S and metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing (M16S) in DFUs with suspected mild or moderate infections using both tissue and swab samples. Results: In 145 participants, C&S identified 248 microorganisms …

Automated Methods For Estimating Blood Alcohol Concentration Level From Facial Cues, Ensiyeh Keshtkaran

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigates different approaches for detecting alcohol intoxication in drivers by analysing facial video data. Tackling this issue necessitates the creation of a novel dataset to overcome the limitations of existing datasets. The dataset constructed in this study is the first to include RGB video recordings of individual faces at varying levels of alcohol intoxication during simulated driving, featuring 60 participants with BAC levels ranging from 0 to 0.165 g/100ml. The constructed dataset not only supports this thesis, but also offers the broader scientific community a valuable resource for further study and development.

Building on this, this thesis presents …

A Tale Of Two Publishing Houses, Linda Martin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research explores the use of creative nonfiction in writing an account of two publishing houses established decades apart, and demonstrates how a hybrid approach that incorporates multiple voices can contribute to the field of biographies and memoirs on publishing. Using practice-led research as its primary methodology, ‘A tale of two publishing houses’ is a creative nonfiction work that focusses on the publishing experiences of Fremantle Arts Centre Press (now Fremantle Press) in its first decade of publishing from 1975, alongside present publishing experiences of Night Parrot Press in its formative years of publishing from 2019. The accompanying reflexive exegesis …

Toward Embodied Navigation Through Vision And Language, Muraleekrishna Gopinathan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Embodied AI is a challenging but exciting field in which a robot learns to interact with human-living spaces to perform various tasks. This thesis studies the embodied navigation problem in which a robotic agent navigates in a previously unseen indoor environment based on a challenging task. In particular, the Vision-and-Language Navigation (VLN) task requires a robot to navigate based on a descriptive human-language instruction. This thesis aims to improve VLN agents on four key aspects - their understanding of the environment, training via additional data, correcting navigational errors, and predicting the layout of the environment for better planning.

First, we …

Challenging Behaviour In The Early Years: Investigating Teacher Perceptions, Gillian Anne Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An upward national trend in challenging behaviour amongst young children in Australian schools has prompted widespread concern and garnered frequent media scrutiny. Scholars have established that child-teacher relationships are central to understanding and mitigating challenging behaviour; however, exploration of teacher perceptions of children’s challenging behaviour in the early years has been limited. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating how early childhood teachers perceive and respond to young children’s challenging behaviour in Western Australia’s Kindergarten to Year 2 settings. The research was grounded in Attachment Theory and Ecological Systems Theory, highlighting the relational and environmental factors influencing teacher …

Investigation Of Under-Frequency Load Shedding Prevention Of Isolated Medium-Sized Power Systems Using Energy Storage, Dilan Indoopa Manamperi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Due to the rapid uptake of distributed photovoltaic generation, the visible load to transmission operators in distribution feeders is reducing. Traditional load-shedding schemes are facing challenges due to this low-load situation. The required amount of load reduction cannot be achieved with the same load-shedding scheme as before. In some situations, with reverse power flows, load shedding can further increase the generation reduction. On the other hand, increased Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) due to low inertia can result in false activation of under-frequency load shedding (UFLS) relays. These challenges can cause a serious problem with the power system security. …

Barriers And Motivators To Attending Group Exercise Classes In Women With Anxiety, Depression And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sarah Ford

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research has demonstrated the positive effect of exercise on mental health disorders such as anxiety disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Studies have also investigated the barriers and motivators that women in particular experience when contemplating the ways in which to engage in physical activity. However, a literature gap exists regarding women who experience anxiety disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and the barriers and motivators that they specifically navigate when looking to attend group exercise classes. In this body of research for the award of Master of Medical and Health Science by Research, a scoping review was first conducted …

Machine Learning For Computer-Aided Diagnostics From Complex Medical Images, Afsah Saleem

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Machine learning has significantly transformed medical image analysis in the current age of artificial intelligence offering vast potential in improving disease diagnosis and management. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the leading cause of global mortality, emphasizing the need for early detection for effective intervention and prevention. Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) is an early indicator and contributor to Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases (ASCVDs) and is commonly assessed through imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), X-rays, and Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Among these, lateral spine DXA scans, commonly used for osteoporosis screening, offer a cost-effective and low-radiation opportunity for opportunistic CVD risk …

Applications Of Reservoir Simulation And Machine Learning In Subsurface Energy Systems For Decarbonization, Seyedmohammadmehdi Nassabeh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The transition to a low-carbon future necessitates innovative approaches to carbon management and hydrogen storage, particularly in the context of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study employs advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to optimize carbon management strategies. One key focus of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of flue gas and CO2 in Water Alternating Gas (WAG) injection within a homogeneous fractured carbonate reservoir characterized by low porosity and permeability. A computational model was developed to depict the flow regime in the reservoir and simulate reservoir fluid behavior using Eclipse (E300) software, various hybrid EOR …

Family Members’ Experiences Of Post-Cardiac Surgery Delirium In The Intensive Care Unit: A Narrative Inquiry, Amber Coral Mclean

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aim: This study explores delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU) following cardiac surgery from the perspective of family members.

Background: Delirium is a common complication affecting 28-52% of people following cardiac surgery in the ICU, which can lead to distress for both the person and their family members. While research has been conducted on clinical outcomes of family involvement in delirium care, there is a lack of understanding of how delirium impacts the family members themselves. This study seeks to provide detailed narrative accounts of families’ experience of witnessing delirium in their loved one following cardiac surgery in the …

Return Serve: Exploring The Dialogism Of The Australia-China Relationship In Media Coverage Between 2020-2022, Jordan Hogan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Australia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have a dynamic bilateral relationship that is defined by interdependency and mutual political scepticism. This thesis provides an analysis of Australian and Chinese news media perspectives on this relationship. Via an in-depth examination of opinion pieces from national press, I map the significant developments of a period of deteriorating relations between 2020 and 2022. My study captures the more prominent, parochial and vitriolic media coverage of the unravelling relationship, and investigates the motivations, developments, differences, and similarities in the online publications of Australia’s national daily newspaper The Australian, and China’s Global Times. …

Modelling The Impacts Of Recreational Catch-And-Release Variability On Fish Stock Dynamics, Brett Crisafulli

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Recreational fisheries often lack sufficient data for robust stock assessments, and post-release mortality (PRM) of discarded fish, particularly demersal species, poses a significant threat to sustainability. Because demersal fish often experience higher PRM (often due to barotrauma and stress), the substantial global interest in their recreational fisheries (e.g., Australia, Gulf of Mexico, Western Baltic Sea) raises conservation concerns. This study employs three distinct modelling approaches, applied to four reef-dwelling demersal species, to support effective recreational fisheries management by addressing data uncertainty, unintended consequences of management changes, and PRM effects. Specifically, this thesis (1) evaluates variability in average weights of recreationally-caught …

Optimal Bag Valve Mask Ventilation Efficacy Of Smart Bag Ventilation Compared To Traditional Adult And Paediatric Bag Valve Ventilation During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Ian Dawson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) is one of the world’s leading causes of mortality. Survival rates are low, ranging from 3.1–20.4% internationally. The most effective oxygenation method for patients during pre-hospital cardiac arrest is ventilating using a self- inflating Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM). Yet, extensive research has identified a lack of compliance with ventilator guidelines during OHCA cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). As a result, clinicians often ventilate patients too aggressively using the BVM, delivering breaths excessively higher than the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) recommended rate of 10 breaths per minute (BPM). Hyperventilation can lead to complications such as aspiration, barotrauma, and …

Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy After Stroke: A Process Evaluation Of Implementation In An Early-Supported Discharge Rehabilitation Service, Ashan Bimalka Weerakkody

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) improves upper limb (UL) function after stroke, but its routine delivery in rehabilitation settings remains limited.

Aims

The objectives were to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of implementing mCIMT within an early-supported discharge (ESD) rehabilitation service, using existing resources and staffing.

Aims were to:

• Develop and deliver a multi-modal behaviour change intervention to clinicians to increase mCIMT delivery.
• Explore the acceptability of mCIMT among stroke survivors, carers, therapists, and allied health managers.
• Identify program adaptations to better suit stakeholder needs.
• Evaluate the process of implementing mCIMT in the ESD service.

Methods

This thesis …

Early, Standardised, And Precise Treatment Of Copd Exacerbations And Covid-19, Sanjay Ramakrishnan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common chronic condition causing significant morbidity and mortality. Patients with COPD report sudden episodes of deteriorating respiratory symptoms called exacerbations, often presumed to be precipitated by infections. COPD is in the top 5 causes of death globally. COPD exacerbations drive a large proportion of these deaths. Despite this, there is no standardised model of care for the sickest patients who need hospitalisations for exacerbations. Meanwhile, treatment for COPD exacerbations continues to be guided by symptoms, instead of underlying biology. Most patients are treated with unnecessary and harmful systemic corticosteroids. During the …

The Interplay Between Injury And Body Composition With Performance In Police Recruits, Vanessa Sutton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The occupational demands of policing are challenging and potentially hazardous, with substantial rates of musculoskeletal injuries occurring during recruit training. Academy injury prevalence can be as high as one in five recruits. Injuries impact performance, result in lost training, and impose financial burdens on police agencies. However, limited research has explored pre-injury body composition or musculoskeletal characteristics in relation to police recruit performance. This thesis investigates injuries, body composition and musculoskeletal characteristics in physical performance and injury risk among law enforcement recruits.

Study One quantified prevalence and severity of pre-academy injuries and association with performance. Among 121 recruits, nearly half …

Embodied Ai For Challenging Rearrangement Tasks In The Context Of Service And Assistive Robots, Mariia Khan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Embodied AI explores intelligent agents that learn through interaction with their environment, aiming to replicate human-like learning processes. Achieving this requires agents capable of understanding a scene via various sensors, reasoning about their actions, and reacting accordingly. These abilities are necessary for service domestic robots to assist humans in their day-to-day activities. Embodied AI tasks can include but are not limited to: visual exploration, visual navigation, instruction following and embodied question answering, which typically consider static (unchanging) environments, where objects do not move over time. This thesis addresses one of the most challenging Embodied AI tasks – visual room rearrangement, …

The Role Of Game-Based Learning Simulation To Enhance Leadership In Pandemic Preparedness For Nursing Students, Scott James Andrews

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses around the world suffered with the impact of resource scarcity on the provision of quality nursing care to patients. Nursing staff were at higher risk of infection than all other healthcare workers, with working conditions during the pandemic resulting in significant staffing pressures. The challenges faced by staff during the pandemic inevitably influenced the quality and delivery of clinical education, highlighting the need for innovative solutions such as digital learning to address emerging training needs. Further, the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on clinical education has highlighted the benefits of digital learning environments as alternatives to …

Penggunaan Unconventional Weapons Dalam Konflik Bersenjata Modern, Fadhillah Wahid Pramudya Aldiansyach

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

The use of unconventional weapons such as cluster munitions, white phosphorus, nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence-based autonomous systems (AI/LAWS), and military neurotechnology is increasingly dominating modern armed conflicts. The characteristics of these weapons, particularly their widespread effects, uncertainty of control, and potential for automatic escalation, can pose serious challenges to the application of the principles of distinction and proportionality in International Humanitarian Law (IHL), especially when used in densely populated areas. The modernization of nuclear systems, the accelerated integration of AI into military command, and the emergence of neurotechnology indicate a regulatory gap that could potentially undermine humanitarian protection. This study …

Ius Constituendum Pengaturan Ambang Batas Parlemen Berdasarkan Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Nomor 116/Puu-Xxi/2023, Arsyianti Mega Nanda, Erland Ferdinansyah

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Pemilu merupakan wujud pelaksanaan kedaulatan rakyat di Indonesia yang menganut sistem presidensial dan multipartai. Namun, banyaknya partai memicu instabilitas koalisi dan melemahkan dukungan terhadap presiden. Untuk mengatasi hal ini diterapkan ambang batas parlemen (Parliamentary Threshold). Putusan MK No. 116/PUU-XXI/2023 menyatakan ambang batas 4% konstitusional untuk Pemilu 2024, namun inkonstitusional untuk Pemilu selanjutnya. Putusan ini menegaskan perlunya ambang batas baru yang tidak hanya menyederhanakan sistem kepartaian, tetapi juga menjamin keadilan suara dan proporsionalitas sesuai prinsip kedaulatan rakyat. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode yuridis normatif dengan pendekatan kualitatif-deskriptif. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui studi kepustakaan. Kerangka teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini meliputi teori …

Menguak Status Dan Legalitas Rupiah Digital Sebagai Legal Tender (Perspektif Teori Keadilan Bermartabat), Sylvia Setjoatmadja, Jeferson Kameo

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Digital technology and modern telecommunications have been and will continue to be key factors in the emergence of various innovative products. One such innovative product is digital currency, specifically Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). In Indonesia, advancements in digital technology and telecommunications have encouraged the government to issue a CBDC, which will be named Digital Rupiah. The initiative to issue Digital Rupiah also responds to global trends and the public's need for secure, efficient, and sustainable payment instruments.

However, the plan to issue Digital Rupiah is not without challenges, particularly regarding the clarity of its legal status as a lawful …

Extracting The Future: An Analysis Of Petroculture In Apocalyptic Works, Cailey Poirier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the critique of petroculture seen in mid- and post-apocalyptic literature. Chapter One, “Parable of the Sower: A Pre-Apocalyptic World Planting Petrocultures Destiny” argues Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower critiques American petroculture by demonstrating the destruction and devastation society is heading for under current societal structures. Chapter Two, “The Road: The Crumbling Remains of Petroculture” argues Cormac McCarthy’s The Road critiques American petroculture through its infrastructural collapse. Chapter Three, “‘Covehithe’: A Weird, Post-Apocalyptic Story Birthing the Future of Petroculture” explores how China Miéville’s “Covehithe” employs magical realism to communicate a different view …

Praktyka Komitetów Strategii. Perspektywa Członków I Członkiń Rad Nadzorczych, Małgorzata Kuczara

Monografie/Monographs

Monografia koncentruje się na praktyce komitetów strategii, stanowiących formalne struktury powoływane przez rady nadzorcze i rady dyrektorów. Książka ukazuje komitety strategii jako formalne mechanizmy wspierające nieformalne procesy strategizowania, angażujące nie tylko oficjalnych członków, lecz również innych członków rad, kadrę zarządzającą i konsultantów.

Publikacja oparta jest na unikalnych badaniach własnych, dzięki czemu może zainteresować nie tylko środowisko akademickie i studentów zajmujących się ładem korporacyjnym i strategią, lecz także członków organów spółek publicznych, inwestorów indywidualnych oraz instytucjonalnych. Stanowi cenny wkład w refleksję nad możliwością pogłębienia zaangażowania rad nadzorczych w procesy strategiczne, inspirując do wdrażania bardziej otwartych form współpracy w spółkach publicznych.

Publikacja …

Gender And The ‘Natural’ Environment In The Middle Ages, Edited By Theresa L. Tyers And Patricia Skinner, Danielle Allor

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Non-Line-Of-Sight Classification In Urban Areas Based On Machine Learning Algorithms, Mohamed Ali Ezzelarab, Mohamed Abdelazim Mohamed, Eman Abdelhalim, Ashraf Abosekeen

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) and multipath errors are significant causes of poor accuracy in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). These errors occur when satellite signals are diffracted or reflected by obstacles instead of traveling directly along the Line-Of-Sight (LOS), particularly in urban environments. Such diffracted or reflected signals can reach GNSS receivers, skewing pseudorange measurements and posing challenges to accurate GNSS positioning. This study introduces an innovative approach using supervised Machine Learning (ML) models to detect and mitigate NLOS error. To develop and validate these models, GNSS data collected during the smartLoc project from Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany were leveraged, representing …

Sustainable Hospitals Lighting Design Optimization To Enhance Patient Well-Being, Merna R. Ashac, Rania F. Ismail, Nasreen Fathy Abdelsalam

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This research investigates the critical role of lighting design in hospitals environments, focusing on its impact on patient outcomes and environmental sustainability. By integrating energy-efficient LEDs and natural light, the study aims to enhance patient well-being and staff performance. To achieve this, the research explores aligning artificial lighting with circadian rhythms to improve both patient outcomes and staff performance. Using mixed-methods approach, the research includes a literature review, case studies, and analysis using DIALux simulation software. The literature review achieves a framework for sustainable, human-centric lighting, while case studies provide practical insights into effective designs in patient rooms. DIALux simulations …

Strengthening Of R.C. Beams Subjected To Shear And Torsion Using Externally Bonded Cfrp Sheets, Hazem Elbakry, El-Tony Mahmoud El-Tony, Momen M. Ali

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The primary objective of this study was to examine the behavior of reinforced concrete beams subjected to shear and torsion and strengthened with external CFRP sheets. To achieve this, seven reinforced concrete beams with identical cross section dimensions (300 mm × 200 mm), shear span (530 mm) were fabricated and tested under combined shear and torsion. Similar flexural and shear reinforcements were used for all specimens. The experimental program included one control specimen, without CFRP sheets, and six strengthened specimens utilizing different strengthening configurations of CFRP sheets. The key variables in the study were the strengthening configuration and the width …

Monitoring And Analysing Billboards On The Ring Road In Cairo To Promote Energy Saving Behaviour, Sherif Elsayed Elsaid Mohamed

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Billboards in Egypt are one of the means of outdoor advertising widely used on highways for commercial or governmental purposes, and their spread has been observed on the ring road in an unsystematic manner, in addition to the use of very many lighting units in all areas. These billboards result in the consumption of large amounts of electricity, in addition to the non-compliance of some of the commercial institutions that own these billboards with the security and safety requirements for the places where the billboard is installed, as well as the methods of construction and installation, in addition to the …

Evaluating The Efficiency Of "Axial Roads"As A Tool For Increasing Connectivity In Mega Cities, A Case Study In Egypt – "Cairo New Axial Roads", Doaa Abd El Latif Mohammed, Marwa Mohamed Abbas, Nehal M. Elmahdy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Mega cities always suffer from many problems concerning connectivity. Hence this research is trying to understand how axial roads can contribute in solving these problems. This Research aims at evaluating the efficiency of axial roads as a tool for increasing connectivity in mega cities in terms of three items ( Distance - Time- Traffic Congestion) This Research handles the topic in terms of three themes. First Theme Handles the axial roads, second theme handles Connectivity in cities, While third theme handles the analytical part by comparing between moving from one destination to another using the axial roads one time and …

Achieving Urban Resilience Strategies For Cities, Rehab Abdelfatah Abdel Aziz. Mahmoud

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The concept of the Resilient City is a relatively recent addition to urban planning discussions, gaining global attention due to the increasing need for cities to withstand urban, social, and environmental challenges. Urban resilience, alongside adaptability, plays a vital role in addressing these dynamic transformations. This research investigates how to implement urban resilience strategies to effectively respond to ongoing changes and sudden crises, such as terrorist attacks and natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The research identifies a critical gap in the absence of a comprehensive theoretical framework for evaluating the success of urban resilience strategies within cities’ planning …