The rare richardsitas betsch (collembola, symphypleona, sminthuridae) : a new species from Australia with comments on the genus and on the sminthurinae
- Medeiros, Gleyce, Greenslade, Penelope, Bellini, Bruno
- Authors: Medeiros, Gleyce , Greenslade, Penelope , Bellini, Bruno
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Insects Vol. 11, no. 8 (2020), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Richardsitas Betsch is a small genus of Sminthurinae with only two species described so far, both from Madagascar. It resembles other Sminthurinae with long antennae, especially Temeritas Richards. Here we provide the first record of Richardsitas from Australia, Richardsitas subferoleum sp. nov., which is similar to R. najtae Betsch and R. griveaudi Betsch in males’ large abdomen chaetotaxy and presence of tenent-hairs on tibiotarsi II–III, but lacks mucronal chaeta and has 28 segments on the fourth antennal segment plus a unique pair of sensilla on the second. We also provide an updated genus diagnosis to Richardsitas, a key to its species, a discussion of the affinities of Temeritas and Richardsitas to other Sminthurinae, and an updated key to this subfamily. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Description: This research was supported by UFRN. B.C.B. was granted by CAPES and CNPq (PROTAX II, process #156828/2016-01 and PQ2018, process # 305426/2018-4, respectively); G.S.M. was granted by CAPES (Master scholarship).
- Authors: Medeiros, Gleyce , Greenslade, Penelope , Bellini, Bruno
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Insects Vol. 11, no. 8 (2020), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Richardsitas Betsch is a small genus of Sminthurinae with only two species described so far, both from Madagascar. It resembles other Sminthurinae with long antennae, especially Temeritas Richards. Here we provide the first record of Richardsitas from Australia, Richardsitas subferoleum sp. nov., which is similar to R. najtae Betsch and R. griveaudi Betsch in males’ large abdomen chaetotaxy and presence of tenent-hairs on tibiotarsi II–III, but lacks mucronal chaeta and has 28 segments on the fourth antennal segment plus a unique pair of sensilla on the second. We also provide an updated genus diagnosis to Richardsitas, a key to its species, a discussion of the affinities of Temeritas and Richardsitas to other Sminthurinae, and an updated key to this subfamily. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Description: This research was supported by UFRN. B.C.B. was granted by CAPES and CNPq (PROTAX II, process #156828/2016-01 and PQ2018, process # 305426/2018-4, respectively); G.S.M. was granted by CAPES (Master scholarship).
'Caring for' behaviours that indicate to patients that nurses 'care about' them
- Henderson, Amanda, Van Eps, Mary Ann, Pearson, Kate, James, Catherine, Henderson, Peter, Osborne, Yvonne
- Authors: Henderson, Amanda , Van Eps, Mary Ann , Pearson, Kate , James, Catherine , Henderson, Peter , Osborne, Yvonne
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 60, no. 2 (2007), p. 146-153
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim. This paper is a report of a study to explore what constitutes nurse-patient interactions and to ascertain patients' perceptions of these interactions. Background. Nurses maintain patient integrity through caring practices. When patients feel disempowered or that their integrity is threatened they are more likely to make a complaint. When nurses develop a meaningful relationship with patients they recognize and address their concerns. It is increasingly identified in the literature that bureaucratic demands, including increased workloads and reduced staffing levels, result in situations where the development of a 'close' relationship is limited. Method. Data collection took two forms: twelve 4-hour observation periods of nurse-patient interactions in one cubicle (of four patients) in a medical and a surgical ward concurrently over a 4-week period; and questionnaires from inpatients of the two wards who were discharged during the 4-week data collection period in 2005. Findings. Observation data showed that nurse-patient interactions were mostly friendly and informative. Opportunities to develop closeness were limited. Patients were mostly satisfied with interactions. The major source of dissatisfaction was when patients perceived that nurses were not readily available to respond to specific requests. Comparison of the observation and survey data indicated that patients still felt 'cared for' even when practices did not culminate in a 'connected' relationship. Conclusion. The findings suggest that patients believe that caring is demonstrated when nurses respond to specific requests. Patient satisfaction with the service is more likely to be improved if nurses can readily adapt their work to accommodate patients' requests or, alternatively, communicate why these requests cannot be immediately addressed. © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Description: C1
A survey on latest botnet attack and defense
- Zhang, Lei, Yu, Shui, Wu, Di, Watters, Paul
- Authors: Zhang, Lei , Yu, Shui , Wu, Di , Watters, Paul
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Conference proceedings
- Full Text: false
- Description: A botnet is a group of compromised computers, which are remotely controlled by hackers to launch various network attacks, such as DDoS attack and information phishing. Botnet has become a popular and productive tool behind many cyber attacks. Recently, the owners of some botnets, such as storm worm, torpig and conflicker, are employing fluxing techniques to evade detection. Therefore, the understanding of their fluxing tricks is critical to the success of defending from botnet attacks. Motivated by this, we survey the latest botnet attacks and defenses in this paper. We begin with introducing the principles of fast fluxing (FF) and domain fluxing (DF), and explain how these techniques were employed by botnet owners to fly under the radar. Furthermore, we investigate the state-of-art research on fluxing detection. We also compare and evaluate those fluxing detection methods by multiple criteria. Finally, we discuss future directions on fighting against botnet based attacks. © 2011 IEEE.
Measuring children's self-reported sport participation, risk perception and injury history : Development and validation of a survey instrument
- Siesmaa, Emma, Blitvich, Jennifer, White, Peta, Finch, Caroline
- Authors: Siesmaa, Emma , Blitvich, Jennifer , White, Peta , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 14, no. 1 (2011), p. 22-26
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Despite the health benefits associated with children's sport participation, the occurrence of injury in this context is common. The extent to which sport injuries impact children's ongoing involvement in sport is largely unknown. Surveys have been shown to be useful for collecting children's injury and sport participation data; however, there are currently no published instruments which investigate the impact of injury on children's sport participation. This study describes the processes undertaken to assess the validity of two survey instruments for collecting self-reported information about child cricket and netball related participation, injury history and injury risk perceptions, as well as the reliability of the cricket-specific version. Face and content validity were assessed through expert feedback from primary and secondary level teachers and from representatives of peak sporting bodies for cricket and netball. Test-retest reliability was measured using a sample of 59 child cricketers who completed the survey on two occasions, 3-4 weeks apart. Based on expert feedback relating to face and content validity, modification and/or deletion of some survey items was undertaken. Survey items with low test-retest reliability (κ≤ 0.40) were modified or deleted, items with moderate reliability (κ=0.41-0.60) were modified slightly and items with higher reliability (κ≥ 0.61) were retained, with some undergoing minor modifications. This is the first survey of its kind which has been successfully administered to cricketers aged 10-16 years to collect information about injury risk perceptions and intentions for continued sport participation. Implications for its generalisation to other child sport participants are discussed. © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia.
- Authors: Siesmaa, Emma , Blitvich, Jennifer , White, Peta , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 14, no. 1 (2011), p. 22-26
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Despite the health benefits associated with children's sport participation, the occurrence of injury in this context is common. The extent to which sport injuries impact children's ongoing involvement in sport is largely unknown. Surveys have been shown to be useful for collecting children's injury and sport participation data; however, there are currently no published instruments which investigate the impact of injury on children's sport participation. This study describes the processes undertaken to assess the validity of two survey instruments for collecting self-reported information about child cricket and netball related participation, injury history and injury risk perceptions, as well as the reliability of the cricket-specific version. Face and content validity were assessed through expert feedback from primary and secondary level teachers and from representatives of peak sporting bodies for cricket and netball. Test-retest reliability was measured using a sample of 59 child cricketers who completed the survey on two occasions, 3-4 weeks apart. Based on expert feedback relating to face and content validity, modification and/or deletion of some survey items was undertaken. Survey items with low test-retest reliability (κ≤ 0.40) were modified or deleted, items with moderate reliability (κ=0.41-0.60) were modified slightly and items with higher reliability (κ≥ 0.61) were retained, with some undergoing minor modifications. This is the first survey of its kind which has been successfully administered to cricketers aged 10-16 years to collect information about injury risk perceptions and intentions for continued sport participation. Implications for its generalisation to other child sport participants are discussed. © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia.
- Ye, Michelle, Ollington, Nadia, de Salas, Kristy
- Authors: Ye, Michelle , Ollington, Nadia , de Salas, Kristy
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Qualitative Sociology Review Vol. 12, no. 4 (2016), p. 120-137
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Turner’s Three-Process Theory of Power together with Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Self-Categorization Theory (SCT) have been influential in social psychology to examine power-related behaviors. While positivist experimental and survey methods are common in social psychological studies, these approaches may not adequately consider Turner’s constructs due to a comparative lack of ecological validity. Drawing on a methodology-focused review of the existing research of applying aspects of Turner’s theory of power and SIT/SCT, the interpretivist case study approach by using interviews and other data collections is highlighted as an alternative and useful method to the application of Turner’s framework. The applicability of the interpretive case study approach is further emphasized in comparison with the positivist experiments and surveys. This paper also discusses how this new way of exploration may allow us to understand Turner’s work better. © 2016 QSR.
Providing services for acute low-back pain : A survey of Australian physiotherapists
- Keating, Jennifer, McKenzie, Joanne, O'Connor, Denise, French, Simon, Walker, Bruce, Charity, Melanie, Page, Matthew, Green, Sally
- Authors: Keating, Jennifer , McKenzie, Joanne , O'Connor, Denise , French, Simon , Walker, Bruce , Charity, Melanie , Page, Matthew , Green, Sally
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Manual Therapy Vol. 22, no. (2016), p. 145-152
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To determine whether physiotherapists avoid lumbar X-rays for acute non-specific low back pain and advise people to stay active. Methods: We conducted a cross sectional survey of Australian physiotherapists. 880 physiotherapists were randomly sampled from Victoria (495), South Australia (158), and Western Australia (227). Physiotherapists were asked which investigations they would order and interventions they would provide for five acute low back pain (LBP) presentations described in vignettes. Four of the five vignettes represented people who would not require a plain lumbar X-ray and would benefit from advice to stay active; one described a patient with a suspected vertebral fracture and would require a plain X-ray. Participants selected from a list of response options or provided free text responses. Results: Questionnaires were completed by 203 of 567 potentially eligible physiotherapists (response rate 36%). Across the four vignettes where an X-ray was not indicated, 75% (95%CI 71-78%) of physiotherapists reported they would practice concordant with the guidelines and not order an X-ray, and 62% (95%CI 57-66%) provided advice to stay active. Conclusions: Most physiotherapists report intended compliance with recommendations in Australian clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) regarding avoiding the use of X-rays and providing advice to stay active for people with simple acute low back pain, given a vignette based scenario. The majority of respondents reported that they would not advise bed rest. Possible opportunities to further enhance compliance need to be developed and tested to reinforce the role of CPGs in informing physiotherapy practice. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
Latrobe City Council Community Engagement Survey 2021 Analysis
- Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Reimers, Vaughan, Prokopiv, Valerie, James, Michelle, Dabkowski, Elissa, Prezioso, Michelle, Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Reimers, Vaughan , Prokopiv, Valerie , James, Michelle , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prezioso, Michelle , Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: As part of Latrobe City’s community engagement strategy, a survey was developed and distributed during May to June 2021, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to capture feedback and suggestions on how Latrobe City could be a better place to live, work, visit and play. The survey also invited residents to share their thoughts on current and future challenges for the City. A total of 1552 responses to the survey were received of which 69 were blank, with 1453 making up the final data set. This report highlights the findings from the survey. The majority of the participants were female (65%, n=744), 33% were from Traralgon, 35% from smaller townships with the remaining 32% from Moe, Newborough, Morwell and Churchill. The participants ranged in age from 17-30 years (15%), 31-40 years (27%), 41-70 years (43%) 70+ years (10%). The majority of the participants were employed in healthcare, education and administrative roles with 89% stating that they live and work in Latrobe City. Friends are family was cited as the most common reason why participants believed that Latrobe City was a good place, with Location in Victoria, Affordability and Natural environment rounding off the top four responses. The most common reason people gave for Latrobe City being a good place to work was Distance from home (n=504) and similarly the most common reason participants gave for it being a good place to study was Close to home. Safety, Economy and Built environment were considered the things most important for Latrobe City Council to focus on this was evident in both the quantitative and qualitative responses. A thematic analysis process was used to analyse the content from the six open-ended questions in the survey. Six main themes emerged; Employment, Safety, Transport, Education, Sport and Entertainment and Hope for the future.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Reimers, Vaughan , Prokopiv, Valerie , James, Michelle , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prezioso, Michelle , Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: As part of Latrobe City’s community engagement strategy, a survey was developed and distributed during May to June 2021, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to capture feedback and suggestions on how Latrobe City could be a better place to live, work, visit and play. The survey also invited residents to share their thoughts on current and future challenges for the City. A total of 1552 responses to the survey were received of which 69 were blank, with 1453 making up the final data set. This report highlights the findings from the survey. The majority of the participants were female (65%, n=744), 33% were from Traralgon, 35% from smaller townships with the remaining 32% from Moe, Newborough, Morwell and Churchill. The participants ranged in age from 17-30 years (15%), 31-40 years (27%), 41-70 years (43%) 70+ years (10%). The majority of the participants were employed in healthcare, education and administrative roles with 89% stating that they live and work in Latrobe City. Friends are family was cited as the most common reason why participants believed that Latrobe City was a good place, with Location in Victoria, Affordability and Natural environment rounding off the top four responses. The most common reason people gave for Latrobe City being a good place to work was Distance from home (n=504) and similarly the most common reason participants gave for it being a good place to study was Close to home. Safety, Economy and Built environment were considered the things most important for Latrobe City Council to focus on this was evident in both the quantitative and qualitative responses. A thematic analysis process was used to analyse the content from the six open-ended questions in the survey. Six main themes emerged; Employment, Safety, Transport, Education, Sport and Entertainment and Hope for the future.
'I am ready' partnership : program evaluation report 1 February 2019-30 June 2020
- Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Bur, Jennifer, James, Michaelle, Prokopiv, Val, Federation University. Gippsland Collaborative Evaluation Unit
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Bur, Jennifer , James, Michaelle , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Gippsland Collaborative Evaluation Unit
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The ‘I Am Ready’ Program was an innovative approach to engaging secondary school students with learning barriers, to think, plan and actively move towards employment and or further education and training. This summary has been divided into five sections which demonstrates the triangulation of the evaluation findings, highlights the key findings and includes; Reach of the program, Lessons learnt, Breaking down barriers, Building confidence and Bright future for participants and the Program.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Bur, Jennifer , James, Michaelle , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Gippsland Collaborative Evaluation Unit
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The ‘I Am Ready’ Program was an innovative approach to engaging secondary school students with learning barriers, to think, plan and actively move towards employment and or further education and training. This summary has been divided into five sections which demonstrates the triangulation of the evaluation findings, highlights the key findings and includes; Reach of the program, Lessons learnt, Breaking down barriers, Building confidence and Bright future for participants and the Program.
FRRR health & wellness program Yinnar & District Memorial Hall Committee evaluation report
- Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Dabkowski, Elissa, Prokopiv, Val, Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary focus of the Yinnar Health and Wellness Program is to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults in the Gippsland region by removing barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities. This report provides analysis and evaluation of the impact of the Program using the CEU Participatory Evaluation Framework for the period February – December 2019. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, a mixed methods approach was taken and included the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. A literature review was also completed. Results of the data show that the Program successfully delivered weekly classes for a period of twelve months to a consistent number of participants with some significant positive outcomes. The Program was adaptive in design so that it met the individual needs of each participant. Participants reported improvements in their physical health and in their confidence. Results also showed that the Program had a positive impact on the social connectiveness of participants. In confirmation of the literature that was analysed the Program has shown that regular exercise classes have a positive physical, social, and psychological impact on individuals. Although the majority of the participants lived in Yinnar, there were a number of regulars that travelled to attend the program from neighbouring communities. There was a direct impact to the participant’s health with many individuals stating that their overall health, function and movement had improved because of attending the program. A total of 23 out of 24 participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Program had improved their fitness levels and overall confidence. Participants stated that the Program addressed a gap in the service delivery for the region. Not only did the Program improve recovery from illness it helped to maintain overall fitness levels of the participants which ultimately may lead to fewer hospital admissions. It also addressed the need for organised social connection activities for the aging population. The participants agreed that the Program met the needs of the community and the individuals, providing significant physical, mental and social benefits from regular attendance.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary focus of the Yinnar Health and Wellness Program is to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults in the Gippsland region by removing barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities. This report provides analysis and evaluation of the impact of the Program using the CEU Participatory Evaluation Framework for the period February – December 2019. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, a mixed methods approach was taken and included the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. A literature review was also completed. Results of the data show that the Program successfully delivered weekly classes for a period of twelve months to a consistent number of participants with some significant positive outcomes. The Program was adaptive in design so that it met the individual needs of each participant. Participants reported improvements in their physical health and in their confidence. Results also showed that the Program had a positive impact on the social connectiveness of participants. In confirmation of the literature that was analysed the Program has shown that regular exercise classes have a positive physical, social, and psychological impact on individuals. Although the majority of the participants lived in Yinnar, there were a number of regulars that travelled to attend the program from neighbouring communities. There was a direct impact to the participant’s health with many individuals stating that their overall health, function and movement had improved because of attending the program. A total of 23 out of 24 participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Program had improved their fitness levels and overall confidence. Participants stated that the Program addressed a gap in the service delivery for the region. Not only did the Program improve recovery from illness it helped to maintain overall fitness levels of the participants which ultimately may lead to fewer hospital admissions. It also addressed the need for organised social connection activities for the aging population. The participants agreed that the Program met the needs of the community and the individuals, providing significant physical, mental and social benefits from regular attendance.
Quality management practices in SMEs : a comparative study between India and Namibia
- Chakraborty, Ayon, Mutingi, Michael, Vashishth, Abhishek
- Authors: Chakraborty, Ayon , Mutingi, Michael , Vashishth, Abhishek
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Benchmarking Vol. 26, no. 5 (2019), p. 1499-1516
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have now become an important part of economy for not only developed nations but also for emerging economies. Irrespective of the benefits that can be derived, SMEs in emerging economies still lack the will to implement quality management (QM) practices. Using a comparative study, the purpose of this paper is to understand the status of QM practices in SMEs of emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach: A survey-based approach was adopted to understand the established QM practices in the SMEs. A survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on QM initiatives in SMEs. A sample of 270 SMEs across Southern India and 189 SMEs in Namibia was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Findings: The overall response rate was 19.52 percent for India and 26.46 percent for Namibia, respectively. There were similarities and differences in responses from SMEs in both countries. Similarities are in terms of limited implementation of QM practices, and also less use of tools and techniques. Reasons for not implementing include unknown to the authors, and the high cost of training. Differences emerged in the type of market (Indian SMEs catering to one major customer), CSFs and business performance indicators. It was interesting to find that management commitment and involvement do not have a major influence as CSF for SMEs in both the countries. Originality/value: The research is the first attempt in bringing a comparative study about QM practices in SMEs from developing countries. The insights will help emerging economies to develop policies for education and training, and thus facilitate implementation of QM practices in SMEs. © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Chakraborty, Ayon , Mutingi, Michael , Vashishth, Abhishek
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Benchmarking Vol. 26, no. 5 (2019), p. 1499-1516
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have now become an important part of economy for not only developed nations but also for emerging economies. Irrespective of the benefits that can be derived, SMEs in emerging economies still lack the will to implement quality management (QM) practices. Using a comparative study, the purpose of this paper is to understand the status of QM practices in SMEs of emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach: A survey-based approach was adopted to understand the established QM practices in the SMEs. A survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on QM initiatives in SMEs. A sample of 270 SMEs across Southern India and 189 SMEs in Namibia was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Findings: The overall response rate was 19.52 percent for India and 26.46 percent for Namibia, respectively. There were similarities and differences in responses from SMEs in both countries. Similarities are in terms of limited implementation of QM practices, and also less use of tools and techniques. Reasons for not implementing include unknown to the authors, and the high cost of training. Differences emerged in the type of market (Indian SMEs catering to one major customer), CSFs and business performance indicators. It was interesting to find that management commitment and involvement do not have a major influence as CSF for SMEs in both the countries. Originality/value: The research is the first attempt in bringing a comparative study about QM practices in SMEs from developing countries. The insights will help emerging economies to develop policies for education and training, and thus facilitate implementation of QM practices in SMEs. © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Seeking approval from universities to research the views of their staff : do gatekeepers provide a barrier to ethical research?
- Christian, Katherine, Johnstone, Carolyn, Larkins, Jo-Ann, Wright, Wendy
- Authors: Christian, Katherine , Johnstone, Carolyn , Larkins, Jo-Ann , Wright, Wendy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics Vol. 17, no. 3 (2022), p. 317-328
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A “gatekeeper” controls access to an organization; “gatekeeper approval” is often needed before external research can take place within an organization. We explore the need for gatekeeper approval for research with university staff employing, as a case study, a project which collected data in Australia. This case study addresses known issues, seemingly rarely addressed in the literature. The Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)'s requirement for approval from individual universities to approach their staff brought significant consequences, exacerbated by the lack of university procedures for such approvals. Simultaneously, since invitations could legitimately be distributed via other avenues, such approval was superfluous. We recommend the HREC's blanket requirement for institutional approval instead be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the risk of the research, and perhaps waived for low-risk research where participants are able to provide informed consent, and that universities establish processes to deal with requests from external researchers. © The Author(s) 2022.
- Authors: Christian, Katherine , Johnstone, Carolyn , Larkins, Jo-Ann , Wright, Wendy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics Vol. 17, no. 3 (2022), p. 317-328
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: A “gatekeeper” controls access to an organization; “gatekeeper approval” is often needed before external research can take place within an organization. We explore the need for gatekeeper approval for research with university staff employing, as a case study, a project which collected data in Australia. This case study addresses known issues, seemingly rarely addressed in the literature. The Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)'s requirement for approval from individual universities to approach their staff brought significant consequences, exacerbated by the lack of university procedures for such approvals. Simultaneously, since invitations could legitimately be distributed via other avenues, such approval was superfluous. We recommend the HREC's blanket requirement for institutional approval instead be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the risk of the research, and perhaps waived for low-risk research where participants are able to provide informed consent, and that universities establish processes to deal with requests from external researchers. © The Author(s) 2022.
E-Learning challenges for electronics and mechatronics education during lockdowns
- Jayawardena, Amal, Kahandawa, Gayan, Petty, Mark
- Authors: Jayawardena, Amal , Kahandawa, Gayan , Petty, Mark
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 8th IEEE International Conference on e-Learning in Industrial Electronics, ICELIE 2021, Virtual, Toronto, 13-16 October 2021, Proceedings - 2021 8th IEEE International Conference on e-Learning in Industrial Electronics, ICELIE 2021
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper explains methods used to deliver online electronics and mechatronics courses and clarifies the results obtained by an online survey to understand students' e-learning experience. The purpose of this paper is to outline the challenges of online learning and to explain effective content delivery methods used to overcome those challenges. This study gives detailed descriptions for each content delivery technique, for each online lab delivery method, and for all the online assessment types used while analyzing the effectiveness of those procedures. A case study on the delivery of an online mechatronics project has also been presented. In addition, the paper presents the analyzed results obtained from the survey to improve the future delivery of online electronics and mechatronics courses in a pandemic. © 2021 IEEE.
Delivery of online electronics and mechatronics labs during lockdowns
- Jayawardena, Amal, Kahandawa, Gayan, Piyathilaka, Lasitha
- Authors: Jayawardena, Amal , Kahandawa, Gayan , Piyathilaka, Lasitha
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 8th IEEE International Conference on e-Learning in Industrial Electronics, ICELIE 2021, Virtual, Toronto, 13-16 October 2021, Proceedings - 2021 8th IEEE International Conference on e-Learning in Industrial Electronics, ICELIE 2021
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper provides a detailed explanation of several approaches that can be used to conduct online labs for elec-tronics/mechatronics engineering courses and explains the results obtained from a survey conducted. The detailed explanations provide information on how to implement the method, benefits of the stated process, possible challenges, and how to overcome those challenges. Furthermore, this paper presents the analyzed results from a survey conducted to capture the student experience in online labs. © 2021 IEEE.
BCT-CS : blockchain technology applications for cyber defense and cybersecurity : a survey and solutions
- Kshetri, Naresh, Bhushal, Chandra, Pandey, Purnendu, Vasudha,
- Authors: Kshetri, Naresh , Bhushal, Chandra , Pandey, Purnendu , Vasudha,
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications Vol. 13, no. 11 (2022), p. 364-370
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Blockchain technology has now emerged as a ground-breaking technology with possible solutions to applications from securing smart cities to e-voting systems. Although it started as a digital currency or cryptocurrency, bitcoin, there is no doubt that blockchain is influencing and will influence business and society more in the near future. We present a comprehensive survey of how blockchain technology is applied to provide security over the web and to counter ongoing threats as well as increasing cybercrimes and cyber-attacks. During the review, we also investigate how blockchain can affect cyber data and information over the web. Our contributions included the following: (i) summarizing the Blockchain architecture and models for cybersecurity (ii) classifying and discussing recent and relevant works for cyber countermeasures using blockchain (iii) analyzing the main challenges and obstacles of blockchain technology in response to cyber defense and cybersecurity and (iv) recommendations for improvement and future research on the integration of blockchain with cyber defense. © 2022,International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications. All Rights Reserved.
- Authors: Kshetri, Naresh , Bhushal, Chandra , Pandey, Purnendu , Vasudha,
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications Vol. 13, no. 11 (2022), p. 364-370
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Blockchain technology has now emerged as a ground-breaking technology with possible solutions to applications from securing smart cities to e-voting systems. Although it started as a digital currency or cryptocurrency, bitcoin, there is no doubt that blockchain is influencing and will influence business and society more in the near future. We present a comprehensive survey of how blockchain technology is applied to provide security over the web and to counter ongoing threats as well as increasing cybercrimes and cyber-attacks. During the review, we also investigate how blockchain can affect cyber data and information over the web. Our contributions included the following: (i) summarizing the Blockchain architecture and models for cybersecurity (ii) classifying and discussing recent and relevant works for cyber countermeasures using blockchain (iii) analyzing the main challenges and obstacles of blockchain technology in response to cyber defense and cybersecurity and (iv) recommendations for improvement and future research on the integration of blockchain with cyber defense. © 2022,International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications. All Rights Reserved.
Critical measurement issues in the assessment of social media influence on body image
- Jarman, Hannah, McLean, Sian, Griffiths, Scott, Teague, Samantha, Rodgers, Rachel, Paxton, Susan, Austen, Emma, Harris, Emily, Steward, Trevor, Shatte, Adrian, Khanh-Dao Le, Long, Anwar, Tarique, Mihalopoulos, Cathrine, Parker, Alexandra, Yager, Zali, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew
- Authors: Jarman, Hannah , McLean, Sian , Griffiths, Scott , Teague, Samantha , Rodgers, Rachel , Paxton, Susan , Austen, Emma , Harris, Emily , Steward, Trevor , Shatte, Adrian , Khanh-Dao Le, Long , Anwar, Tarique , Mihalopoulos, Cathrine , Parker, Alexandra , Yager, Zali , Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Body Image Vol. 40, no. (2022), p. 225-236
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Progress towards understanding how social media impacts body image hinges on the use of appropriate measurement tools and methodologies. This review provides an overview of common (qualitative, self-report survey, lab-based experiments) and emerging (momentary assessment, computational) methodological approaches to the exploration of the impact of social media on body image. The potential of these methodologies is detailed, with examples illustrating current use as well as opportunities for expansion. A key theme from our review is that each methodology has provided insights for the body image research field, yet is insufficient in isolation to fully capture the nuance and complexity of social media experiences. Thus, in consideration of gaps in methodology, we emphasise the need for big picture thinking that leverages and combines the strengths of each of these methodologies to yield a more comprehensive, nuanced, and robust picture of the positive and negative impacts of social media. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd
Concussion assessment and management — what do community-level cricket participants know?
- Kodikara, Dulan, Plumb, Mandy, Twomey, Dara
- Authors: Kodikara, Dulan , Plumb, Mandy , Twomey, Dara
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 26, no. 9 (2023), p. 448-453
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- Description: Objectives: To explore Australian cricket participants' knowledge of concussion assessment and management, and awareness of current concussion guidelines. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Novel and validated surveys were disseminated online, among over 16 year Australian cricket players and officials at the end of the 2018/19 cricket season. Data were collected on knowledge and awareness of concussion and analysed using descriptive statistics and crosstabulations. Further comparisons were made for the players between injured and non-injured, and helmet wearers and non-helmet wearers using Fisher's exact statistical test. Results: Both players (n = 224, 93 %) and officials (n = 36, 100 %) demonstrated strong knowledge of the importance of immediately evaluating suspected concussions. In comparison with players without helmets (n = 11), those using helmets (n = 135) considered replacing their helmets after a concussion to be vital to concussion assessment (p = 0.02). Overall, 80–97 % of players and 81–97 % of officials understood the importance of many factors regarding concussion management. When concussion management knowledge was compared by injury status, injured players (n = 17, 94 %) believed someone with a concussion should be hospitalised immediately, in contrast to non-injured players (n = 154, 69 %) (p = 0.04). Players (63 %) were less aware of concussion guidelines than officials (81 %). Conclusions: Overall, the knowledge of concussion assessment and management was satisfactory. However, there were discrepancies among players on some aspects of awareness of concussion guidelines. Increasing players' familiarity and experience in using the concussion guidelines is warranted. Targeted campaigns are needed to further improve concussion recognition and treatment at community-level cricket, so all participants play a role in making cricket a safe sport. © 2023
- Authors: Kodikara, Dulan , Plumb, Mandy , Twomey, Dara
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 26, no. 9 (2023), p. 448-453
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To explore Australian cricket participants' knowledge of concussion assessment and management, and awareness of current concussion guidelines. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Novel and validated surveys were disseminated online, among over 16 year Australian cricket players and officials at the end of the 2018/19 cricket season. Data were collected on knowledge and awareness of concussion and analysed using descriptive statistics and crosstabulations. Further comparisons were made for the players between injured and non-injured, and helmet wearers and non-helmet wearers using Fisher's exact statistical test. Results: Both players (n = 224, 93 %) and officials (n = 36, 100 %) demonstrated strong knowledge of the importance of immediately evaluating suspected concussions. In comparison with players without helmets (n = 11), those using helmets (n = 135) considered replacing their helmets after a concussion to be vital to concussion assessment (p = 0.02). Overall, 80–97 % of players and 81–97 % of officials understood the importance of many factors regarding concussion management. When concussion management knowledge was compared by injury status, injured players (n = 17, 94 %) believed someone with a concussion should be hospitalised immediately, in contrast to non-injured players (n = 154, 69 %) (p = 0.04). Players (63 %) were less aware of concussion guidelines than officials (81 %). Conclusions: Overall, the knowledge of concussion assessment and management was satisfactory. However, there were discrepancies among players on some aspects of awareness of concussion guidelines. Increasing players' familiarity and experience in using the concussion guidelines is warranted. Targeted campaigns are needed to further improve concussion recognition and treatment at community-level cricket, so all participants play a role in making cricket a safe sport. © 2023
A study on critical failure factors of Design for Six Sigma in Indian companies : results from a pilot survey
- Bhat, Shreeranga, Antony, Jiju, Gijo, E., Koul, Rajesh, Cudney, Elizabeth, Chakraborty, Ayon
- Authors: Bhat, Shreeranga , Antony, Jiju , Gijo, E. , Koul, Rajesh , Cudney, Elizabeth , Chakraborty, Ayon
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 4 (2023), p. 1072-1093
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- Description: Purpose: While Six Sigma (SS) has been deployed effectively in Indian manufacturing and service sectors as a process improvement methodology, the implementation of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) for robust product and service development has not shown noticeable results. Therefore, this article aims to determine the critical failure factors (CFFs) of DFSS in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the results of a pilot survey on the CFFs of DFSS in Indian companies. The survey participants were specialists in DFSS who have been involved in DFSS projects in their past and present companies. Moreover, the pilot study participants were DFSS Champions, Master Black Belts, Black Belts and Green Belts from the manufacturing and service sectors. Findings: Company-wide applications of DFSS are very limited in India. Most of the DFSS project failures are reported in the Analyse phase of the project. The results indicated that all 18 CFFs used in the survey have a significant impact on project failures. Also, it was determined that all CFFs are positively correlated with each other. Further, a strong correlation was observed between the voice of the customer (VOC) and project selection and prioritisation. In addition, effective training showed a strong correlation with the right selection of tools. Research limitations/implications: The pilot survey was based on a limited sample size. Moreover, the study is confined to only the Indian context and data were collected through the authors' networks. However, respondents were proficient, certified and involved in DFSS project deployment in the manufacturing and service sectors. Therefore, the study's findings are useful and meaningful to draw robust inferences. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study conducted in the Indian context to identify the reasons for DFSS project failures. The study's findings can aid academicians and practitioners in comprehending and critically examining the CFFs of DFSS before executing a project. Moreover, the research outcome motivates policymakers to create an ecosystem to effectively adopt DFSS for start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) to ensure a circular economy and support the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Bhat, Shreeranga , Antony, Jiju , Gijo, E. , Koul, Rajesh , Cudney, Elizabeth , Chakraborty, Ayon
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 4 (2023), p. 1072-1093
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: While Six Sigma (SS) has been deployed effectively in Indian manufacturing and service sectors as a process improvement methodology, the implementation of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) for robust product and service development has not shown noticeable results. Therefore, this article aims to determine the critical failure factors (CFFs) of DFSS in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the results of a pilot survey on the CFFs of DFSS in Indian companies. The survey participants were specialists in DFSS who have been involved in DFSS projects in their past and present companies. Moreover, the pilot study participants were DFSS Champions, Master Black Belts, Black Belts and Green Belts from the manufacturing and service sectors. Findings: Company-wide applications of DFSS are very limited in India. Most of the DFSS project failures are reported in the Analyse phase of the project. The results indicated that all 18 CFFs used in the survey have a significant impact on project failures. Also, it was determined that all CFFs are positively correlated with each other. Further, a strong correlation was observed between the voice of the customer (VOC) and project selection and prioritisation. In addition, effective training showed a strong correlation with the right selection of tools. Research limitations/implications: The pilot survey was based on a limited sample size. Moreover, the study is confined to only the Indian context and data were collected through the authors' networks. However, respondents were proficient, certified and involved in DFSS project deployment in the manufacturing and service sectors. Therefore, the study's findings are useful and meaningful to draw robust inferences. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study conducted in the Indian context to identify the reasons for DFSS project failures. The study's findings can aid academicians and practitioners in comprehending and critically examining the CFFs of DFSS before executing a project. Moreover, the research outcome motivates policymakers to create an ecosystem to effectively adopt DFSS for start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) to ensure a circular economy and support the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
An empirical study into the use of 7 quality control tools in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
- Mathur, Swati, Antony, Jiju, Olivia, McDermott, Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli, Shreeranga, Bhat, Raja, Jayaraman, Ayon, Chakraborty
- Authors: Mathur, Swati , Antony, Jiju , Olivia, McDermott , Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli , Shreeranga, Bhat , Raja, Jayaraman , Ayon, Chakraborty
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 7 (2023), p. 1777-1798
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- Description: Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to revisit Ishikawa's statement: “95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the original 7 Quality Control (QC) tools”. The paper critically investigates the validity of this statement in higher education institutions (HEIs). It involves analysis of the usage of the 7 QC tools and identifying the barriers, benefits, challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) for the application of the 7 QC tools in a HEI setting. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey instrument was developed, and as this is a global study, survey participants were contacted via social networks such as LinkedIn. Target respondents were HEIs educators or professionals who are knowledgeable about the 7 QC tools promulgated by Dr Ishikawa. Professionals who work in administrative sectors, such as libraries, information technology and human resources were included in the study. A number of academics who teach the 7 basic tools of QC were also included in the study. The survey link was sent to over 200 educators and professionals and 76 complete responses were obtained. Findings: The primary finding of this study shows that the diffusion of seven QC tools is not widespread in the context of HEIs. Less than 8% of the respondents believe that more than 90% of process problems can be solved by applying the 7 QC tools. These numbers show that modern-quality problems may need more than the 7 basic QC basic tools and there may be a need to revisit the role and contribution of these tools to solve problems in the higher education sector. Tools such as Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram have been widely used in the context of HEIs. The most important barriers highlighted are related to the lack of knowledge about the benefits and about how and when to apply these tools. Among the challenges are the “lack of knowledge of the tools and their applications” and “lack of training in the use of the tools”. The main benefits mentioned by the respondents were “the identification of areas for improvement, problem definition, measurement, and analysis”. According to this study, the most important factors critical for the success of the initiative were “management support”, “widespread training” and “having a continuous improvement program in place”. Research limitations/implications: The exploratory study provides an initial understanding about the 7 QC tools application in HEIs, and their benefits, challenges and critical success factors, which can act as guidelines for implementation in HEIs. Surveys alone cannot provide deeper insights into the status of the application of 7 QC tools in HEIs, and therefore qualitative studies in the form of semi-structured interviews should be carried out in the future. Originality/value: This article contributes with an exploratory empirical study on the extent of the use of 7 QC tools in the university processes. The authors claim that this is the first empirical study looking into the use of the 7 QC tools in the university sector. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Mathur, Swati , Antony, Jiju , Olivia, McDermott , Fabiane Letícia, Lizarelli , Shreeranga, Bhat , Raja, Jayaraman , Ayon, Chakraborty
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 7 (2023), p. 1777-1798
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to revisit Ishikawa's statement: “95% of problems in processes can be accomplished using the original 7 Quality Control (QC) tools”. The paper critically investigates the validity of this statement in higher education institutions (HEIs). It involves analysis of the usage of the 7 QC tools and identifying the barriers, benefits, challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) for the application of the 7 QC tools in a HEI setting. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey instrument was developed, and as this is a global study, survey participants were contacted via social networks such as LinkedIn. Target respondents were HEIs educators or professionals who are knowledgeable about the 7 QC tools promulgated by Dr Ishikawa. Professionals who work in administrative sectors, such as libraries, information technology and human resources were included in the study. A number of academics who teach the 7 basic tools of QC were also included in the study. The survey link was sent to over 200 educators and professionals and 76 complete responses were obtained. Findings: The primary finding of this study shows that the diffusion of seven QC tools is not widespread in the context of HEIs. Less than 8% of the respondents believe that more than 90% of process problems can be solved by applying the 7 QC tools. These numbers show that modern-quality problems may need more than the 7 basic QC basic tools and there may be a need to revisit the role and contribution of these tools to solve problems in the higher education sector. Tools such as Pareto chart and cause and effect diagram have been widely used in the context of HEIs. The most important barriers highlighted are related to the lack of knowledge about the benefits and about how and when to apply these tools. Among the challenges are the “lack of knowledge of the tools and their applications” and “lack of training in the use of the tools”. The main benefits mentioned by the respondents were “the identification of areas for improvement, problem definition, measurement, and analysis”. According to this study, the most important factors critical for the success of the initiative were “management support”, “widespread training” and “having a continuous improvement program in place”. Research limitations/implications: The exploratory study provides an initial understanding about the 7 QC tools application in HEIs, and their benefits, challenges and critical success factors, which can act as guidelines for implementation in HEIs. Surveys alone cannot provide deeper insights into the status of the application of 7 QC tools in HEIs, and therefore qualitative studies in the form of semi-structured interviews should be carried out in the future. Originality/value: This article contributes with an exploratory empirical study on the extent of the use of 7 QC tools in the university processes. The authors claim that this is the first empirical study looking into the use of the 7 QC tools in the university sector. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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