Digital Commons Network^™

Transdisciplinary Work-Integrated Learning’S Contribution To Societal Transition: A Scoping Review, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert, Sonja Coetzee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This scoping review explores the perceived value of transdisciplinary work-integrated learning (TWIL) for contributing to social change and the enablers of impactful TWIL offerings. TWIL is a pedagogy-based approach which connects students from diverse disciplines with external partners to engage in authentic, work-focused activities as a formal component of academic study. This review focuses on TWIL where students collaboratively explore and problem-solve on known local community and wider societal issues, such as climate, health, food, and water, to foster transformative practice. Thematic analysis of 31 academic sources highlighted the recognised worth of TWIL for fostering student skills for transformation, developing …

The Multifaceted Interplay Between Covid-19-Induced Psychological Stress, Cognitive Flexibility, Emotional Overeating, And Physical Activity Patterns In Adult Women: A Mediated Path Analysis, Siavash Naddafha, Mandana Sangari, Zohreh Eskandari, Robabeh Shahnahadd, Christopher B. Taber

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To determine how COVID-19-related stress influences food consumption and emotional overeating in adult women, and whether cognitive flexibility and physical activity mediate these relationships. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 303 women (20–50 y) completed validated Persian versions of the COVID Stress Scale-18, Adult Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Self-Regulation of Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Cognitive Flexibility Scale, and Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity. Data were collected online via the ISO-27001-certified “Press Line” platform (end-to-end encryption). Chi-square tests and Spearman’s rank correlations were performed in SPSS 19 (α = 0.05). Results: COVID-19 stress was strongly inversely associated with cognitive flexibility (rₛ = – …

System Dynamics With Insight Maker, Steven D'Alessandro, Fons Wijnhoven

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This book offers a practical, model-driven pathway for reasoning about uncertain futures in business and public policy using system dynamics with Insight Maker. It begins by motivating why historical data alone often fail to predict social change, and it introduces the core language of system dynamics—stocks, flows, feedbacks, delays, and auxiliary variables—alongside the complementary use of agent-based modeling. Through business-relevant cases (e.g., park management trade-offs, epidemic–economy interactions, and industry competition), the book demonstrates how non-linear structure generates counter-intuitive dynamics, why scenario analysis is essential, and how to translate causal loop diagrams into stock-and-flow simulations. Readers are guided step-by-step to build, …

A Scoping Review Of Randomised Controlled Trials Of Vaccines That Recruited Care Home Residents: Lessons For Future Trials, Selvarani Selvarani Subbarayan, Imogen Smith-Dodd, Gabriel Nicolson, Jennifer Kirsty Burton, Janet T. Scott, Seshadri S. Vasan, Susan D. Shenkin, Roy L. Soiza

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Older care home (CH) residents are particularly vulnerable to infections and often experience adverse outcomes. Despite this group being frequently prioritised for vaccinations, trials of vaccines rarely recruit CH residents. Given that the social and biological characteristics of CH residents may influence vaccine effectiveness, it is crucial to test vaccines in this population.

Methods: The Widening Access to Trials in Care Homes project was established to develop best practice guidance on designing and conducting vaccine trials in the CH population. As part of this project, a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was conducted to identify vaccine trials …

Geomorphic And Sedimentary Impact On Beaches Of Eastern Visayas (Philippines) After Typhoon Haiyan In 2013 – Short-Term Recovery And Post-Depositional Changes, Eva Quix, Max Engel, Fabian Boesl, Lia A.L. Gonzalo, Francesca V. Llanes, Mark A.C Bahala, Rodrigo C. Eco, Jan A.M. Galang, Dominik Brill, S. Matthias May, Helmut Brückner

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Tropical cyclones and storm surges are a major threat to coastal communities of the Philippines. On 08th November 2013, category 5 Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) made landfall on the islands of Eastern Visayas and caused more than 6000 casualties and severe damage to infrastructure and habitats. To assess the geomorphic impact of one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, three post-typhoon surveys were conducted in 2014, 2015 and 2016 at two severely affected sites on the islands of Leyte and Samar. They aimed at documenting Haiyan-related erosional features and sand deposits. The sites have different geomorphic and geological …

Sorghum And Sorghum-Based Products: Nutritional Composition, Prebiotic Potential And Health Benefits In Gut Microbiota Interactions, W. M.A.D.Binosha Fernando, Rasheed A. Abdulraheem, Kalmee Pramoda Kariyawasam, Amal Sudaraka Samarasinghe, W. M.Kendrea T. Fernando, Hannah Barnes, Malina Robertson, D. P.W. Jayatunga, B. G.D.N.K. De Silva, Vijay Jayasena

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is a member of the Poaceae family and is the fifth most important crop globally. Sorghum grains (SGs) are rich in health-promoting macro- and micronutrients and phytochemicals. SGs are commonly consumed as food or as ingredients in food, especially in African countries. Therefore, food products such as ogi, bread and flour have been and are still being developed from SGs to provide nutritional and health benefits. However, the nutritional and prebiotic potential of SGs, especially the pigment pericarps, has not been fully exploited. This review describes micronutrients in different varieties of sorghum and the health benefits …

Sources Of Underwater Noise, Christine Erbe, Alec J. Duncan, Alexander Gavrilov, Montserrat Landero, Robert D. Mccauley, Iain Parnum, Evgeny Sidenko, Chandra Salgado-Kent, Evgeny Sidenko

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The marine soundscape, whether in coastal areas or the deepest ocean, in the tropics or at the poles, contains a myriad of sounds. Sounds may be grouped by their origin into geophony (e.g., wind, precipitation, waves, earthquakes, volcanoes, and ice), biophony (e.g., invertebrates, fishes, and marine mammals), and anthropophony (e.g., port construction, mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and production, renewable energy installation, and shipping). This chapter gives a brief overview of the geophony and biophony, and then focuses on the anthropophony. The sounds of boats and ships of various types, marine seismic surveys, drilling, dredging, pile driving, windfarms, geotechnical site investigations, …

Asian Women’S Studies After Three Decades: Institutional Success, Epistemic Limitations, And The Imperative Of Transnational Solidarity, Trimita Chakma

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article examines the three-decade project of Asian Women’s Studies (AWS), an institutional and epistemic endeavor that, while successfully challenging Western-centric feminism, inadvertently reproduced center–periphery dynamics. Drawing on archival research, interviews with AWS pioneers, and a systematic analysis of 414 articles from the Asian Journal of Women’s Studies (AJWS) between 2001 and 2021, this study explores AWS’s central paradox: efforts to decenter the West inadvertently created new regional hierarchies. The analysis reveals patterns including minimal personnel overlap (2.7%) between AJWS authors and Asian Association of Women’s Studies (AAWS) members, concentration in East Asia (58.5%, declining to 44.93% by 2022-2025) with …

Finding Time-Proximity Communities In Temporal Heterogeneous Information Networks, Yifu Tang, Chengfei Liu, Lu Chen, Rui Zhou, Jianxin Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Community search in heterogeneous information networks (HINs) often neglects temporal dynamics, yielding structures that poorly reflect real-world interactions. We introduce the Temporal HIN Community Search (THCS) problem and propose a novel core model that captures both structural cohesiveness and temporal relevance. Our model uses a time span constraint to ensure interaction recency and a query interval for flexible temporal exploration, filtering irrelevant connections while preserving structural density. We develop two efficient online algorithms—Center-based Sliding Window search and Incremental Center Expansion—that exploit meta-path symmetry and dynamic connectivity tracking. For frequent queries, we design a Temporal HIN Core Interval-Index (TCI-Index), organising minimal …

Australia’S Rare Earths Lie Between Economic Security And Liberal Markets, Naoise Mcdonagh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

China’s dominance over the global supply of processed critical minerals and rare earth elements is well documented, as is its willingness to use such dominance for geopolitical leverage. Beijing has applied export controls to restrict supply on numerous occasions. Recent examples include new restrictions applied to gallium and germanium in 2023, antimony in 2024, and seven rare earths in 2025. This has constrained global supply and elevated spot prices of these metals that serve as critical inputs to advanced industry. The frequency of restrictions is growing, as geoeconomic competition heats up and Beijing turns its mineral dominance into a key …

Enhancing Phygital Customer Experience Through Generative Ai: A Social Listening Method For Strategic Retail Decision-Making, Zahra Dahish, Shah J. Miah, Ameet Pandit, Sanjit K. Roy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) to transform vast amounts of textual content for strategic insights have been a rapidly growing trend for business researchers. Although various studies have identified applications of GAI in business operations, aspects related to strategic support are yet to be fully developed in the relevant literature. This paper introduces a new GAI-enabled social listening solution that integrates advanced text analytics techniques: (a) Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)–a specialized form of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) adept at capturing long-term dependencies through its memory function over time, and (b) Google BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers). Our …

Investigating The Environmental Awareness And Attitudes Among Fisher Folks In Ghana: A Sustainability Threat, Nana Akua Okyerewa Djandoh, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Environmental concerns, such as human alteration, pollution, and the effects of climate change, have had a significant impact on the survival of beaches worldwide. In Ghana, beaches face numerous threats stemming from human activities, such as deforestation, construction, sand mining, open defecation, and disposal of waste into the sea. Moreover, other factors such as strong winds, high waves, and the effects of climate change contribute to beach vulnerability. This paper is part of a broader study that investigated the environmental attitude and behavior of the Fisher Folks along coastal beaches in the Winneba Municipality in Ghana. Although the broader study …

Infant Diet Recommendations Reduce Ige-Mediated Egg, Peanut, And Cow's Milk Allergies, Summer V.M. Walker, Nina D'Vaz, Rachelle A. Pretorius, Johnny Lo, Claus Christophersen, Susan L. Prescott, Debra J. Palmer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have found that introducing eggs and peanuts earlier during infancy reduced egg and peanut allergy risk. Hence, infant feeding advice has dramatically changed from previous recommendations of avoidance to current recommendations of inclusion of common food allergens in infant diets. Objective: To compare the prevalence of IgE-mediated food allergies at 1 year of age between 2 cohorts, before and after infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines changed. Methods: In cohort 1 (506 infants born 2006-2014), no infant feeding advice was provided to participants. In cohort 2 (566 infants born 2016-2022), when the infants were …

Pre-Storage Application Of Oxalic Acid And Modified Atmosphere Packaging Delays Degradation Of Cell Wall Polysaccharides In Persimmon Fruit, Mahmood Ul Hasan, Zora Singh, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Andrew Woodward, Jashanpreet Kaur

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Persimmon is a climacteric fruit that is highly prone to chilling injury (CI) and softening, which limits its long-term marketability. This study investigated the effectiveness of treatments on persimmon fruit: a 5 mM oxalic acid (OA) dip treatment for 2 min, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), their combination (OA + MAP), and untreated fruits were considered as control, followed by storage at 0 ± 1 °C for up to 60 days with subsequent 1 day at shelf conditions. The combined OA + MAP treatment alleviated CI incidence, followed by MAP alone and OA treatment in persimmon fruit. Additionally, the OA + …

Speculative Documentary As World-Building: Contaminated Knowledge And Future-Making, Cassandra Tytler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In the context of climate emergency and growing mistrust in knowledge institutions, both science and documentary practice have often been positioned as neutral authorities. Yet the knowledge they produce is shaped by political, social, and material conditions. This paper presents a creative practice research project that uses speculative documentary to trouble dominant narratives of truth and objectivity. Rather than rejecting science, it critiques the authority of singular truth claims in both scientific and documentary domains, asking how knowledge is constructed and maintained. The analysis centres on It Will Not Be Pure, a multi-channel video installation created as a form of …

Volumetric Comparison Of Overall Brain And Neuropil Size Between Social And Non-Social Spiders: Exploring The Social Brain Hypothesis, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Donald James Mclean, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The social brain hypothesis predicts that the relative size of specific brain regions is driven by the cognitive capacity required to manage complex (social) situations. Spiders are intriguing models to test this hypothesis, as sociality is rare in this usually solitary and aggressive group. Here, we used microCT to compare the central nervous system and brain volumes between social and solitary females of the species in two taxonomic groups, huntsman and crab spiders. Overall, we found no difference in relative CNS and brain volume between social and solitary species. However, social huntsman spiders Delena cancerides had larger arcuate and mushroom …

Application Of Additive Manufacturing In The Development Of Polymeric Bioresorbable Cardiovascular Stents: A Review, Farhana Yasmin, Ana Vafadar, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Polymeric vascular bioresorbable stents (BRSs) have been widely used for the treatment of coronary artery diseases. While additive manufacturing (AM) is changing the landscape of the healthcare sector by enabling the realization of patient-specific stents with highly complex structures. There are, however, challenges associated with the use of polymeric BRS, particularly in-stent restenosis (ISR), related to its poor mechanical properties. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of recent advancements in the development of polymeric BRSs designed to meet both mechanical and biological requirements. First, biopolymers as well as shape memory polymers (SMPs) that are suitable …

Boardroom Dissent: An Integrative Review And Future Research Agenda, Aira Eirola, Pieter Jan Bezemer, Stephan Reinhold

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research Question/Issue: Scholars and practitioners view boardroom dissent as central to the functioning of boards of directors. However, there is a lack of consensus on what dissent is, who is involved, when and where it happens, and whether it is a behavioral or cognitive phenomenon. This conceptual unclarity and related fragmentation of empirical results call for an integrative literature review to build a coherent agenda for future research. Research Findings/Results: A content-analysis of 73 articles published between 1997 and 2023 reveals three distinct research clusters that explore the empirical phenomenon: (1) dissent as expressed through voting, (2) dissent as diverging …

Experimental Investigation On Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Production Via Gasification Of Common Wood Pellet In Bangladesh: Optimization, Mathematical Modeling, And Techno-Econo-Environmental Feasibility Studies, Md Sanowar Hossain, Mujahidul Islam Riad, Showmitro Bhowmik, Barun K. Das

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Since hydrogen produces no emissions, there is increasing interest in its production throughout the world as the need for clean and sustainable energy grows. Bangladesh has an abundance of biomass, particularly wood pellets, which presents a huge opportunity for gasification to produce hydrogen. Gasification of mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni-SM) and mango (Mangifera indica-MI) wood is performed in a downdraft gasifier to evaluate the impact of particle size, equivalence ratio, and temperature on hydrogen gas composition and gasifier performance. Under the optimal conditions determined by central composite design-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) optimization, gasification of SM and MI wood can greatly increase hydrogen …

Gans And Synthetic Financial Data: Calculating Var*, David E. Allen, Leonard Mushunje, Shelton Peiris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Generative Adversarial Neural nets (GANs) are a new branch of machine learning techniques. A GAN learns to generate new data from the training data set. We examine the characteristics of the fake financial data using GANs trained on samples of daily S&P 500 and FTSE 100 index values. GANs feature two competing neural networks in a game theoretic context. The Generator net generates pseudo data that is presented to the discriminator net which then attempts to distinguish between the real and the fake data. This facilitates unsupervised learning on the dataset. The generative network generates data sets, while the discriminative …

Physiological Plateaus During Normal Labor And Birth: A Novel Definition, Marina Weckend, Kylie Mccullough, Christine Duffield, Sara Bayes, Clare Davison

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Diagnoses of labor dystocia, and subsequent labor augmentation, make one of the biggest contributions to childbirth medicalization, which remains a key challenge in contemporary maternity care. However, labor dystocia is poorly defined, and the antithetical concept of physiological plateaus remains insufficiently explored. Aim: To generate a definition of physiological plateaus as a basis for further research. Methods: This qualitative study applied grounded theory methods and comprised interviews with 20 midwives across Australia, conducted between September 2020 and February 2022. Data were coded in a three-phase approach, starting with inductive line-by-line coding, which generated themes and subthemes, and finally, through …

Sleep Discrepancy And Cognitive Function In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Nadia Soh, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, James D. Doecke, Rodrigo Canovas, Romola S. Bucks, Melissa Ree, Michael Weinborn

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This was the first study to use cluster analysis to characterise sleep discrepancy (the discordance between self-reported and objective sleep) across multiple sleep parameters, in community-dwelling older adults. For sleep efficiency, negative discrepancy (the tendency to self-report worse sleep than objectively-measured) was associated with poorer memory, independent of insomnia severity, depressive symptoms and objective sleep. This suggests a unique role for sleep discrepancy as a possible risk factor for future cognitive decline, and warrants the need for further research.

Accessible Tourism: Tourists With Physical Disability - Segmentation Based On Perceived Travel Barriers, Changjiang Tao, Songshan Huang, Jin Wang, Guanghui Qiao

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to explore the heterogeneity of the tourist market for people with a physical disability (PwPD) based on travel barriers, to serve them better, from a tourism marketing perspective. Design/methodology/approach: A market segmentation analysis was conducted on a sample of 480 PwPD in Sichuan Province, China, based on their perceived travel barriers. Data were obtained through three on-site and four online surveys. A four-step factor-item mixed segmentation, including factor analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis and chi-square tests, was applied to examine the differences among PwPD tourist market segments in terms of various demographic characteristics, disability conditions (e.g. …

Academic Literacy In Enabling Education Programs In Australian Universities: A Shared Pedagogy, Charmaine Davis, Kathryn Lawson, Lisa Duffy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Widening participation in higher education has led to the global expansion of universities, increased student and program diversity, and greater provision of flexible pathways into university. Critical to supporting a growing student body is helping all students develop their ability to communicate confidently and effectively in their academic communities. This research employs a collaborative benchmarking framework to explore academic literacy instruction in pathway or ‘enabling’ programs across nine Australian universities. While prevailing assumptions hold that such programs are overly diverse, the findings demonstrate that these programs have developed remarkably similar approaches; in particular, the investigation found that the programs all …

Investigating The Acceptability Of Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Among Stroke Survivors And Carers: A Qualitative Study, Ashan Weerakkody, Erin Godecke, Barby Singer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: To investigate the acceptability of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) among stroke survivors and carers within an early-supported discharge (ESD) service, and to inform further adaptations of the program to enhance acceptability. Methods: Qualitative study within a mixed methods process evaluation of mCIMT implementation. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and mapped to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation- Behaviour (COM-B) model. Results: Fifteen stroke survivors and ten carers participated. Five themes were generated and mapped to the COM-B. Participants attributed functional improvements to the program whilst also encountering several challenges with returning home after stroke (Capability- physical); the …

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 …

Exercise In Cancer Care For People With Lung Cancer: A Narrative Synthesis, Kellie Toohey, David Mizrahi, Nicolas H. Hart, Ben Singh, Pedro Lopez, Maddison Hunter, Robert U. Newton, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Diana Adams, Lara Edbrooke, Sandi Hayes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide, resulting in significant physical and psychological consequences. In this narrative review, we explore the role of exercise as an adjunct therapy to counteract health issues experienced by people before, during and after treatment for lung cancer, and offer recommendations for exercise prescription and future research. Design: Narrative cornerstone review. Methods: A narrative review was conducted to explore the role of exercise in cancer care for people diagnosed with lung cancer. Results: Improvements in fitness, strength and quality of life have been demonstrated in people with lung cancer following participation …

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, …

Responding To Children’S Voices: The New Frontier In Education Policy Reform, Amelia Ruscoe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

More than thirty years on from the United Nations Convention of the Child honouring a child’s right to be heard (Article 12) has unlocked a new frontier in ethical research. In education, children have demonstrated competence to contribute with insight to recent policy development in Australia. This paper provides further evidence of the critical role children stand to play in education reform. A post-structural perspective is adopted and underpinned with Foucauldian theory of discursive power in the context of school-based affordances. Visual and dialogic qualitative methods are used to compare the impact of powerful discourses upon children’s affordances in the …

The Nutbush Dance Reframed: Further Analysis Related To ‘Doing The Nutbush’, Jon Stratton, Panizza Allmark

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article supplements our earlier article on the Nutbush dance, ‘Doing the Nutbush’. After that was published, there was a media frenzy which resulted in many comments on The Guardian site and on the ABC Facebook site. We also received a number of emails. All these contributions have helped fine-tune the history of the dance that we have been examining. Two key things became clear. Around 1970 there was a push in state education departments across Australia to substitute the American line dance, the Madison, for bush dances as a way of updating and making more relevant dance for primary …