Showing items 161 - 180 of 531

Your selections:

A novel ex vivo immunoproteomic approach characterising Fasciola hepatica tegumental antigens identified using immune antibody from resistant sheep

- Cameron, Timothy, Cooke, Ira, Faou, Pierre, Toet, Hayley, Piedrafita, David, Young, Neil, Rathinasamy, Vignesh, Beddoe, Travis, Anderson, Glenn, Dempster, Robert, Spithill, Terry

  • Authors: Cameron, Timothy , Cooke, Ira , Faou, Pierre , Toet, Hayley , Piedrafita, David , Young, Neil , Rathinasamy, Vignesh , Beddoe, Travis , Anderson, Glenn , Dempster, Robert , Spithill, Terry
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal for Parasitology Vol. 47, no. 9 (2017), p. 555-567
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: A more thorough understanding of the immunological interactions between Fasciola spp. and their hosts is required if we are to develop new immunotherapies to control fasciolosis. Deeper knowledge of the antigens that are the target of the acquired immune responses of definitive hosts against both Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica will potentially identify candidate vaccine antigens. Indonesian Thin Tail sheep express a high level of acquired immunity to infection by F. gigantica within 4 weeks of infection and antibodies in Indonesian Thin Tail sera can promote antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against the surface tegument of juvenile F. gigantica in vitro. Given the high protein sequence similarity between F. hepatica and F. gigantica, we hypothesised that antibody from F. gigantica-infected sheep could be used to identify the orthologous proteins in the tegument of F. hepatica. Purified IgG from the sera of F. gigantica-infected Indonesian Thin Tail sheep collected pre-infection and 4 weeks p.i. were incubated with live adult F. hepatica ex vivo and the immunosloughate (immunoprecipitate) formed was isolated and analysed via liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry to identify proteins involved in the immune response. A total of 38 proteins were identified at a significantly higher abundance in the immunosloughate using week 4 IgG, including eight predicted membrane proteins, 20 secreted proteins, nine proteins predicted to be associated with either the lysosomes, the cytoplasm or the cytoskeleton and one protein with an unknown cellular localization. Three of the membrane proteins are transporters including a multidrug resistance protein, an amino acid permease and a glucose transporter. Interestingly, a total of 21 of the 38 proteins matched with proteins recently reported to be associated with the proposed small exosome-like extracellular vesicles of adult F. hepatica, suggesting that the Indonesian Thin Tail week 4 IgG is either recognising individual proteins released from extracellular vesicles or is immunoprecipitating intact exosome-like extracellular vesicles. Five extracellular vesicle membrane proteins were identified including two proteins predicted to be associated with vesicle transport/ exocytosis (VPS4, vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4b and the Niemann-Pick C1 protein). RNAseq analysis of the developmental transcription of the 38 immunosloughate proteins showed that the sequences are expressed over a wide abundance range with 21/38 transcripts expressed at a relatively high level from metacercariae to the adult life cycle stage. A notable feature of the immunosloughates was the absence of cytosolic proteins which have been reported to be secreted markers for damage to adult flukes incubated in vitro, suggesting that the proteins observed are not inadvertent contaminants leaking from damaged flukes ex vivo. The identification of tegument protein antigens shared between F. gigantica and F. hepatica is beneficial in terms of the possible development of a dual purpose vaccine effective against both fluke species. © 2017 Australian Society for Parasitology

A scaled boundary finite element formulation over arbitrary faceted star convex polyhedra

- Natarajan, Sundararajan, Ooi, Ean Tat, Saputra, Albert, Song, Chongmin

  • Authors: Natarajan, Sundararajan , Ooi, Ean Tat , Saputra, Albert , Song, Chongmin
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements Vol. 80, no. (2017), p. 218-229
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: In this paper, a displacement based finite element framework for general three-dimensional convex polyhedra is presented. The method is based on a semi-analytical framework, the scaled boundary finite element method. The method relies on the definition of a scaling center from which the entire boundary is visible. The salient feature of the method is that the discretizations are restricted to the surfaces of the polyhedron, thus reducing the dimensionality of the problem by one. Hence, an explicit form of the shape functions inside the polyhedron is not required. Conforming shape functions defined over arbitrary polygon, such as the Wachpress interpolants are used over each surface of the polyhedron. Analytical integration is employed within the polyhedron. The proposed method passes patch test to machine precision. The convergence and the accuracy properties of the method is discussed by solving few benchmark problems in linear elasticity. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

An exploration of emergency nurses’ perceptions, attitudes and experience of teamwork in the emergency department

- Grover, Elise, Porter, Joanne, Morphet, Julia

  • Authors: Grover, Elise , Porter, Joanne , Morphet, Julia
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal Vol. 20, no. 2 (2017), p. 92-97
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Background Teamwork may assist with increased levels of efficiency and safety of patient care in the emergency department (ED), with emergency nurses playing an indispensable role in this process. Method A descriptive, exploratory approach was used, drawing on principles from phenomenology and symbolic interactionism. Convenience, purposive sampling was used in a major metropolitan ED. Semi structured interviews were conducted, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three major themes emerged from the data. The first theme ‘when teamwork works’ supported the notion that emergency nurses perceived teamwork as a positive and effective construct in four key areas; resuscitation, simulation training, patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. The second theme ‘team support’ revealed that back up behaviour and leadership were critical elements of team effectiveness within the study setting. The third theme ‘no time for teamwork’ centred around periods when teamwork practices failed due to various contributing factors including inadequate resources and skill mix. Discussion Outcomes of effective teamwork were valued by emergency nurses. Teamwork is about performance, and requires a certain skill set not necessarily naturally possessed among emergency nurses. Building a resilient team inclusive of strong leadership and communication skills is essential to being able to withstand the challenging demands of the ED. © 2017 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia

Bioacoustic and multi-locus DNA data of Ninox owls support high incidence of extinction and recolonisation on small, low-lying islands across Wallacea

- Gwee, Chyi, Christidis, Les, Eaton, James, Norman, Janette, Trainor, Colin, Verbelen, Philippe, Rheindt, Frank

  • Authors: Gwee, Chyi , Christidis, Les , Eaton, James , Norman, Janette , Trainor, Colin , Verbelen, Philippe , Rheindt, Frank
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Vol. 109, no. (2017), p. 246-258
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Known for their rich biodiversity and high level of endemism, the islands of Wallacea serve as natural laboratories for the study of spatio-temporal evolution and patterns of species diversification. Our study focuses on the owl genus Ninox, particularly the Southern Boobook (N. novaeseelandiae) and Moluccan Boobook (N. squamipila) complexes, which are widely distributed across Australasia. We conducted bioacoustic and multi-locus DNA analyses of 24 Ninox owl taxa to evaluate relationships and levels of divergence within the two complexes and ultimately assess the relationship between patterns of taxonomic differentiation and bioclimatic factors. We found that taxa that are vocally and/or genetically distinct from populations on the Australian mainland are found on islands that are significantly larger and higher in altitude than taxa that are vocally and/or genetically indistinct from populations on the Australian mainland. This pattern suggests that taxa occurring on small, low-lying Wallacean islands are likely to be recent colonisers that have dispersed from Australia. Overall, our observations demonstrate that the genus Ninox is likely to have colonised the Wallacean region multiple times as small, low-lying islands undergo frequent extinction, whereas populations on large and high-altitude islands are more resilient. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of organic compounds in biochars derived from municipal solid waste

- Taherymoosavi, Sarasadat, Verheyen, Vincent, Munroe, Paul, Joseph, Stephen, Reynolds, Alicia

  • Authors: Taherymoosavi, Sarasadat , Verheyen, Vincent , Munroe, Paul , Joseph, Stephen , Reynolds, Alicia
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Waste Management Vol. 67, no. (2017), p. 131-142
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation has been growing in many countries, which has led to numerous environmental problems. Converting MSW into a valuable biochar-based by-product can manage waste and, possibly, improve soil fertility, depending on the soil properties. In this study, MSW-based biochars, collected from domestic waste materials and kerbsides in two Sydney's regions, were composted and pyrolysed at 450 °C, 550 °C and 650 °C. The characteristics of the organic components and their interactions with mineral phases were investigated using a range of analytical techniques, with special attention given to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metal concentrations. The MSW biochar prepared at 450 °C contained the most complex organic compounds. The highest concentration of fixed C, indicating the stability of biochar, was detected in the high-temperature-biochar. Microscopic analysis showed development of pores and migration of mineral phases, mainly Ca/P/O-rich phases, into the micro-pores and Si/Al/O-rich phases on the surface of the biochar in the MSW biochar produced at 550 °C. Amalgamation of organic phases with mineral compounds was observed, at higher pyrolysis temperatures, indicating chemical reactions between these two phases at 650 °C. XPS analysis showed the main changes occurred in C and N bonds. During heat treatment, N-C/C=N functionalities decomposed and oxidized N configurations, mainly pyridine-N-oxide groups, were formed. The majority of the dissolved organic carbon fraction in both MSW biochar produced at 450 °C and 550 °C was in the form of building blocks, whereas LMW acids was the main fraction in high-temperature-biochar (59.9%). © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Characterizations of minimal elements of topical functions on semimodules with applications

- Hassani, Sara, Mohebi, Hossein

  • Authors: Hassani, Sara , Mohebi, Hossein
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Linear Algebra and Its Applications Vol. 520, no. (2017), p. 104-124
  • Full Text:
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: In this paper, we first give characterizations of the superdifferential of extended valued topical functions defined on a semimodule with values in a semifield. Next, we characterize minimal elements of the upper support set of extended valued topical functions. Finally, as an application, we present a necessary and sufficient condition for global maximum of the difference of two strictly topical functions defined on a semimodule. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cloninger's personality dimensions and ADHD : A meta-analytic review

- Gomez, Rapson, Van Doorn, George, Watson, Shaun, Gomez, Andre, Stavropoulos, Vasileios

  • Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Van Doorn, George , Watson, Shaun , Gomez, Andre , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 107, no. (2017), p. 219-227
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: A meta-analysis of up to 20 datasets is reported that examined the relationships between Cloninger's personality dimensions and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Cloninger's model comprises four temperament (Novelty-Seeking, Harm-Avoidance, Reward Dependence, and Persistence) and three character (Self-Directedness, Cooperation, and Self-Transcendence) dimensions. Major findings were that all personality dimensions, except Self-Transcendence, were significantly associated with ADHD. These associations had different directions and magnitudes of relationship with ADHD. The associations were especially strong for Novelty-Seeking and Self-Directedness, being positive for Novelty-Seeking and negative for Self-Directedness. In addition, the association between ADHD and Persistence was moderated by age (stronger in children than adults) and source (stronger in clinical samples than community samples). Further, the association between harm avoidance and ADHD was moderated by age (strong and significant in adults, but not significant in children). Findings are discussed in relation to past work and the different strengths of the associations found between Cloninger's personality dimensions and ADHD, developmental differences in these relationships, implications for theoretical models of ADHD, the influence of biological and environmental factors in the expression of ADHD, implications for treatment and diagnosis, and the underlying processes for the relationships between personality and ADHD. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Cloud robotics in smart manufacturing environments : challenges and countermeasures

- Yan, Hehua, Hua, Qingsong, Wang, Yingying, Wei, Wenguo, Imran, Muhammad

  • Authors: Yan, Hehua , Hua, Qingsong , Wang, Yingying , Wei, Wenguo , Imran, Muhammad
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Computers and Electrical Engineering Vol. 63, no. (2017), p. 56-65
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: In Smart Manufacturing Environments (SME), the use of cloud robotics is based on the integration of cloud computing and industrial robots, which provides a new technological approach to task execution and resource sharing compared to traditional industrial robots. However, research on cloud robotics in SME still faces some challenges. First, highly flexible load scheduling mechanisms are immature. Second, traditional optimization mechanisms for the network service quality do not meet the requirements of smart manufacturing due to time variability and service quality dynamics. And, finally, existing learning algorithms used without cloud-assisted resources cause great resource wasting. Accordingly, this paper explores main technologies related to cloud robotics in SME. The research contents include self-adaptive adjustment mechanisms for the service quality of a cloud robot network, computing load allocation mechanisms for cloud robotics, and group learning based on a cloud platform. The results presented in this paper are helpful to understand the internal mechanisms of perception and interaction, intelligent scheduling and control of cloud robot systems oriented to smart manufacturing, and the design of a cloud architecture oriented to group learning. © 2017

Dependable large scale behavioral patterns mining from sensor data using Hadoop platform

- Rashid, Md. Mamunur, Gondal, Iqbal, Kamruzzaman, Joarder

  • Authors: Rashid, Md. Mamunur , Gondal, Iqbal , Kamruzzaman, Joarder
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Information Sciences Vol. 379, no. (2017), p. 128-145
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) will be an integral part of the future Internet of Things (loT) environment and generate large volumes of data. However, these data would only be of benefit if useful knowledge can be mined from them. A data mining framework for WSNs includes data extraction, storage and mining techniques, and must be efficient and dependable. In this paper, we propose a new type of behavioral pattern mining technique from sensor data called regularly frequent sensor patterns (RFSPs). RFSPs can identify a set of temporally correlated sensors which can reveal significant knowledge from the monitored data. A distributed data extraction model to prepare the data required for mining RFSPs is proposed, as the distributed scheme ensures higher availability through greater redundancy. The tree structure for RFSP is compact requires less memory and can be constructed using only a single scan through the dataset, and the mining technique is efficient with low runtime. Current mining techniques in the literature on sensor data employ a single memory-based sequential approach and hence are not efficient. Moreover, usage of the. MapReduce model for the distributed solution has not been explored extensively. Since MapReduce is becoming the de facto model for computation on large data, we also propose a parallel implementation of the RFSP mining algorithm, called RFSP on Hadoop (RFSP-H), which uses a MapReduce-based framework to gain further efficiency. Experiments conducted to evaluate the compactness and performance of the data extraction model, RFSP-tree and RFSP-H mining show improved results. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and installation of subsea cable, pipeline and umbilical crossing interfaces

- Reda, Ahmed, Howard, Ian, Forbes, Gareth, Sultan, Ibrahim, McKee, Kristoffer

  • Authors: Reda, Ahmed , Howard, Ian , Forbes, Gareth , Sultan, Ibrahim , McKee, Kristoffer
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Engineering Failure Analysis Vol. 81, no. (2017), p. 193-203
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Deterioration of subsea cable, pipeline and umbilical crossings often occur due to relative movement between the crossing members. Any crossing design should aim to achieve a sound, fit for purpose solution that will be maintenance free over the crossing life. Due to the increased density of subsea fields, crossing instances need to be increasingly accommodated. Current subsea design codes are not explicit in the criteria for subsea crossings, beyond recommending pipeline separation distances. The work within this paper describes two case studies in the novel use of articulated padding applied to the crossing member, using the crossed pipeline as a support and then using the articulated padding resting on traditional grout-bag supports. The results highlight the ability of the articulated padding to provide the required separation on subsea crossings without the need for extra support design. It is also shown that the articulated padding can be used on grout-bag shoulder supports to allow full subsea crossing separation for crossing lays that will undergo large environmental loading conditions, and hence relative motion. The results presented also provide a basis for the development of future industry standards incorporating articulated padding designs. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Developing a contributing factor classification scheme for Rasmussen's AcciMap : Reliability and validity evaluation

- Goode, Natassia, Salmon, Paul, Taylor, Natalie, Lenné, Michael, Finch, Caroline

  • Authors: Goode, Natassia , Salmon, Paul , Taylor, Natalie , Lenné, Michael , Finch, Caroline
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Applied Ergonomics Vol. 64, no. (2017), p. 14-26
  • Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: One factor potentially limiting the uptake of Rasmussen's (1997) Accimap method by practitioners is the lack of a contributing factor classification scheme to guide accident analyses. This article evaluates the intra- and inter-rater reliability and criterion-referenced validity of a classification scheme developed to support the use of Accimap by led outdoor activity (LOA) practitioners. The classification scheme has two levels: the system level describes the actors, artefacts and activity context in terms of 14 codes; the descriptor level breaks the system level codes down into 107 specific contributing factors. The study involved 11 LOA practitioners using the scheme on two separate occasions to code a pre-determined list of contributing factors identified from four incident reports. Criterion-referenced validity was assessed by comparing the codes selected by LOA practitioners to those selected by the method creators. Mean intra-rater reliability scores at the system (M = 83.6%) and descriptor (M = 74%) levels were acceptable. Mean inter-rater reliability scores were not consistently acceptable for both coding attempts at the system level (MT1 = 68.8%; M T2 = 73.9%), and were poor at the descriptor level (MT1 = 58.5%; M T2 = 64.1%). Mean criterion referenced validity scores at the system level were acceptable (MT1 = 73.9%; M T2 = 75.3%). However, they were not consistently acceptable at the descriptor level (MT1 = 67.6%; M T2 = 70.8%). Overall, the results indicate that the classification scheme does not currently satisfy reliability and validity requirements, and that further work is required. The implications for the design and development of contributing factors classification schemes are discussed. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Does the shape of a cup influence coffee taste expectations? A cross-cultural, online study

- Van Doorn, George, Woods, Andy, Levitan, Carmel, Wan, Xiaoang, Velasco, Carlos, Bernal-Torres, Cesar, Spence, Charles

  • Authors: Van Doorn, George , Woods, Andy , Levitan, Carmel , Wan, Xiaoang , Velasco, Carlos , Bernal-Torres, Cesar , Spence, Charles
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Food Quality and Preference Vol. 56, no. (2017), p. 201-211
  • Full Text:
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: We report a study designed to investigate whether shape-taste crossmodal correspondences would influence consumers’ expectations concerning coffee. To that end, we conducted a cross-cultural online survey with respondents (N = 309) from China, Colombia, and the United Kingdom (UK). The participants had to rate eight coffee mugs on eight scales by arranging the mugs within a 1000 × 250 pixel box, placing each mug so that its horizontal position matched how strongly they thought the mug matched the scale presented. Amongst other findings, the results revealed that (1) the coffee was expected to be more aromatic from narrower diameter mugs, (2) the coffee associated with shorter mugs was expected to be both more bitter and more intense, and (3) the coffee was expected to be sweeter from wider diameter mugs. An interesting cross-cultural finding was that participants from the UK expected the mugs to be hotter than participants from either China or Colombia. These results add to a large and growing body of research highlighting the associations between visual information and a product's likely (or expected) sensory qualities. These findings may be useful to those preparing coffee as they suggest that coffee should be presented in certain mugs in order to convey a message that is congruent with the consumer's expectations. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Effect of schwertmannite and jarosite on the formation of hypoxic blackwater during inundation of grass material

- Vithana, Chamindra, Sullivan, Leigh, Shepherd, Troy

  • Authors: Vithana, Chamindra , Sullivan, Leigh , Shepherd, Troy
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Water Research Vol. 124, no. (2017), p. 1-10
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: This study focused on understanding the effect of schwertmannite and jarosite, commonly found in floodplains containing acid sulfate soil materials, on the characteristics of the hypoxic blackwaters that can form when floodplain vegetation experiences prolonged inundation. The formation of these ‘blackwaters’ was simulated in the laboratory by inundating flood-intolerant pasture grass leaf material in both the presence of schwertmannite/jarosite (schwertmannite and jarosite treatments) minerals and their absence (control treatment) at 27.5 °C for 32 days. The presence of either schwertmannite or jarosite was able to decrease the concentrations of DOC, nutrients (e.g. NH3 and PO4 3−) and the biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the incubating water compared to the control treatment. Being fresh and labile, the pasture grass material liberated DOC immediately following inundation with a concomitant decrease in dissolved O2 thereby resulting in anoxic and reducing conditions in the incubating water. With the onset of anoxic and reducing conditions, the biogeochemical cycling of DOC in schwertmannite and jarosite treatments might have proceeded via microbially mediated iron(III) and sulfate reduction and electron shuttling processes. Under anoxic, slightly acidic conditions, microbially mediated iron(III) reduction and subsequent dissolution of schwertmannite and jarosite were triggered by liberating Fe2+, SO4 2− and alkalinity to the incubating water. The resultant increase in pH led to SO4 2− reduction in schwertmannite, and the Fe2+ catalysed transformation of both schwertmannite and jarosite to goethite. Schwertmannite almost completely transformed to goethite within two weeks of incubation. Iron(III) in goethite (formed from schwertmannie transformation) was also reduced and likely proceeded via direct microbial reduction or via electron shuttling using the humic acids in the incubating water derived from pasture grass. These findings are highly useful in managing the coastal low lying acid sulfate soils landscapes which are subject to frequent flooding during wet seasons. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Effectiveness of a 16 week gymnastics curriculum at developing movement competence in children

- Rudd, James, Barnett, Lisa, Farrow, Damian, Berry, Jason, Borkoles, Erika, Polman, Remco

  • Authors: Rudd, James , Barnett, Lisa , Farrow, Damian , Berry, Jason , Borkoles, Erika , Polman, Remco
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 20, no. 2 (2017), p. 164-169
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Abstract Objectives Internationally, children's movement competence levels are low. This study's aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 16 week gymnastics curriculum on stability, locomotive and object control skills and general body coordination. It was hypothesised that the gymnastics intervention group would demonstrate significant improvements beyond a PE comparison group. Design This study used a non-randomised control design. The intervention and comparison groups were drawn from three primary schools. The study followed the Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND) statement for reporting. Methods A total of 333 children (51% girls, 41% intervention) with a mean age of 8.1 years ( sd = 1.1) participated. Intervention children (16 weeks x 2 hrs of gymnastics) were compared to children who received (16 × 2 hrs) standard PE curriculum. Children's movement competence was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development–2, Stability Skills Assessment and the Körper-Koordinationstest für Kinder. Multilevel linear mixed models, accounting for variation at the class level and adjusted for age and sex, were used to assess intervention relative to comparison differences in all aspects of movement competence. Results Stability and object control skills showed a significant ( p < .05) intervention x time interaction effect. No difference was found in locomotor skills or general coordination. Conclusions Gymnastics is effective at developing stability skills and object control skills without hindering the development of locomotor skills or general coordination. Accelerated learning of stability skills may support the development of more complex movement skills.

Equity in healthcare resource allocation decision making : a systematic review

- Lane, Haylee, Sarkies, Mitchell, Martin, Jennifer, Haines, Terry

  • Authors: Lane, Haylee , Sarkies, Mitchell , Martin, Jennifer , Haines, Terry
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Social Science and Medicine Vol. 175, no. (2017), p. 11-27
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Objective To identify elements of endorsed definitions of equity in healthcare and classify domains of these definitions so that policy makers, managers, clinicians, and politicians can form an operational definition of equity that reflects the values and preferences of the society they serve. Design Systematic review where verbatim text describing explicit and implicit definitions of equity were extracted and subjected to a thematic analysis. Data sources The full holdings of the AMED, CINAHL plus, OVID Medline, Scopus, PsychInfo and ProQuest (ProQuest Health & Medical Complete, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source, ProQuest Social Science Journals) were individually searched in April 2015. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Studies were included if they provided an original, explicit or implicit definition of equity in regards to healthcare resource allocation decision making. Papers that only cited earlier definitions of equity and provided no new information or extensions to this definition were excluded. Results The search strategy yielded 74 papers appropriate for this review; 60 of these provided an explicit definition of equity, with a further 14 papers discussing implicit elements of equity that the authors endorsed in regards to healthcare resource allocation decision making. Five key themes emerged i) Equalisation across the health service supply/access/outcome chain, ii) Need or potential to benefit, iii) Groupings of equalisation, iv) Caveats to equalisation, and v) Close enough is good enough. Conclusions There is great inconsistency in definitions of equity endorsed by different authors. Operational definitions of equity need to be more explicit in addressing these five thematic areas before they can be directly applied to healthcare resource allocation decisions. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Eye tracking to investigate cue processing in medical decision making : A scoping review

- Al-Moteri, Modi, Symmons, Mark, Plummer, Virginia, Cooper, Simon J.

  • Authors: Al-Moteri, Modi , Symmons, Mark , Plummer, Virginia , Cooper, Simon J.
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Computers in Human Behavior Vol. 66, no. (2017), p. 52-66
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Eye-tracking techniques have been adopted as a research tool for a wide range of applications in healthcare studies. Recently, healthcare researchers have started to show interest in using eye-tracking techniques to study medical decision-making. Mapping the literature pertaining to eye tracking using a systematic approach is valuable at this point to bring together all the studies to date on how medical decision-makers make decisions, and the results may contribute to clinical training. This review follows Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework to improve our understanding of visual cue processing in medical decision-making. A diverse range of studies was identified, and the results are presented descriptively to develop a more coherent understanding of different aspects of cue processing and errors in medical decision-making. The review shows the need for more extensive investigations of cue processing and medical decision-making. Crown Copyright (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR) : Observational case studies of emergency personnel in Victoria, Australia

- Porter, Joanne, Miller, Nareeda, Giannis, Anita, Coombs, Nicole

  • Authors: Porter, Joanne , Miller, Nareeda , Giannis, Anita , Coombs, Nicole
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Emergency Nursing Vol. 33, no. (2017), p. 37-42
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Introduction Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR), although not a new concept, remains inconsistently implemented by emergency personnel. Many larger metropolitan emergency departments (ED) have instigated a care coordinator role, however these personnel are often from a non-nursing background and have therefore limited knowledge about the clinical aspects of the resuscitation. In rural emergency departments there are simply not enough staff to allocate an independent role. A separate care coordinator role, who is assigned to care for the family and not take part in the resuscitation has been well documented as essential to the successful implementation of FPDR. Methods One rural and one metropolitan emergency department in the state of Victoria, Australia were observed and data was collected on FPDR events. The participants consisted of resuscitation team members, including; emergency trained nurses, senior medical officers, general nurses and doctors. The participants were not told that the data would be recorded around interactions with family members or team discussions regarding family involvement in the resuscitation, following ethical approval involving limited disclosure of the aims of the study. Results Seventeen adult presentations (Metro n = 9, Rural n = 8) were included in this study and will be presented as resuscitation case studies. The key themes identified included ambiguity around resuscitation status, keeping the family informed, family isolation and inter-professional communication. Conclusion During 17 adult resuscitation cases, staff were witnessed communicating with family, which was often limited and isolation resulted. Family were often uninformed or separated from their family member, however when a family liaison person was available it was found to be beneficial. This research indicated that staff could benefit from a designated family liaison role, formal policy and further education. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Family support liaison in the witnessed resuscitation : A phenomenology study

- Hassankhani, Hadi, Zamanzade, Vahid, Rahmani, Azad, Haririan, Hamidreza, Porter, Joanne

  • Authors: Hassankhani, Hadi , Zamanzade, Vahid , Rahmani, Azad , Haririan, Hamidreza , Porter, Joanne
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Nursing Studies Vol. 74, no. (2017), p. 95-100
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Background: Family-witnessed resuscitation remains controversial among clinicians from implementation to practice and there are a number of countries, such as Iran, where that is considered a low priority. Objective: To explore the lived experience of resuscitation team members with the presence of the patient's family during resuscitation. Settings: The emergency departments and critical care units of 6 tertiary hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. Participants: There were potentially 380 nurses and physicians working in the emergency departments and acute care settings of 6 tertiary hospitals in Tabriz. A purposive sample of these nurses and physicians was used to recruit participants who had at least 2 years of experience, had experienced an actual family witnessed resuscitation event, and wanted to participate. The sample size was determined according to data saturation. Data collection ended when the data were considered rich and varied enough to illuminate the phenomenon, and no new themes emerged following the interview of 12 nurses and 8 physicians. Methods: Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were held with the participants over a period of 6 months (April 2015 to September 2015), and Van Manen's method of data analysis was adopted. Results: Three main themes emerged from the data analysis, including 'Futile resuscitation', 'Family support liaison', and 'Influence on team's performance'. A further 9 sub-themes emerged under the 3 main themes, which included 'futile resuscitation in end-stage cancer patients', 'when a patient dies', 'young patients', 'care of the elderly', 'accountable person', 'family supporter', 'no influence', 'positive influence', and 'negative influence'. Conclusions: Participants noted both positive and negative experiences of having family members present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Welltrained and expert resuscitation team members are less likely to be stressed in the presence of family. A family support liaison would act to decrease family anxiety levels and to de-escalate any potentially aggressive person during the resuscitation. It is recommended that an experienced health care professional be designated to be responsible for explaining the process of resuscitation to the patient's family.
  • Description: Bacicgrottral: Family-witnessed resuscitation remains controversial among clinicians from implementation to practice and there are a number of countries, such as Iran, where that is considered a low priority. Objective: To explore the lived experience of resuscitation team members with the presence of the patient's family during resuscitation. Settings: The emergency departments and critical care units of 6 tertiary hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. Participants: There were potentially 380 nurses and physicians working in the emergency departments and acute care settings of 6 tertiary hospitals in Tabriz. A purposive sample of these nurses and physicians was used to recruit participants who had at least 2 years of experience, had experienced an actual family witnessed resuscitation event, and wanted to participate. The sample size was determined according to data saturation. Data collection ended when the data were considered rich and varied enough to illuminate the phenomenon, and no new themes emerged following the interview of 12 nurses and 8 physicians. Methods: Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were held with the participants over a period of 6 months (April 2015 to September 2015), and Van Manen's method of data analysis was adopted. Results: Three main themes emerged from the data analysis, including 'Futile resuscitation', 'Family support liaison', and 'Influence on team's performance'. A further 9 sub-themes emerged under the 3 main themes, which included 'futile resuscitation in end-stage cancer patients', 'when a patient dies', 'young patients', 'care of the elderly', 'accountable person', 'family supporter', 'no influence', 'positive influence', and 'negative influence'. Conclusions: Participants noted both positive and negative experiences of having family members present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Welltrained and expert resuscitation team members are less likely to be stressed in the presence of family. A family support liaison would act to decrease family anxiety levels and to de-escalate any potentially aggressive person during the resuscitation. It is recommended that an experienced health care professional be designated to be responsible for explaining the process of resuscitation to the patient's family.

First Holocene cryptotephras in mainland Australia reported from sediments at Lake Keilambete, Victoria, Australia

- Smith, Rebecca, Tyler, Jonathan, Reeves, Jessica, Blockley, Simon, Jacobsen, Geraldine

  • Authors: Smith, Rebecca , Tyler, Jonathan , Reeves, Jessica , Blockley, Simon , Jacobsen, Geraldine
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Quaternary Geochronology Vol. 40, no. (2017), p. 82-91
  • Full Text:
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: We report the first observations of Holocene cryptotephra deposits in lacustrine sediments from mainland Australia. All counts of cryptotephra shards are presented, but we focus on two prominent peaks of dark coloured glass shards representing, distinct cryptotephras within the sediments of Lake Keilambete, Victoria, southeast Australia. These two basaltic cryptotephras, aged 4589-3826 cal BP and 7149-5897 cal BP, may have derived from eruptions of Mts Gambier or Schank, South Australia. In addition, colourless shards, most likely of silicic composition and therefore unlikely to emanate from an Australian volcano were observed, suggesting a distant volcanic source beyond Australia. The presence of both the 'local' basaltic shards and the distal silicic shards highlights the potential to identify isochronous marker horizons in southern Australian sediments, thus potentially enabling a long-term goal of establishing a novel chronostratigraphic tool based on a cryptotephra network. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From control to causation : Validating a ‘complex systems model’ of running-related injury development and prevention

- Hulme, Adam, Salmon, Paul, Nielsen, Rasmus, Read, Gemma, Finch, Caroline

  • Authors: Hulme, Adam , Salmon, Paul , Nielsen, Rasmus , Read, Gemma , Finch, Caroline
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Applied Ergonomics Vol. 65, no. (2017), p. 345-354
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Introduction There is a need for an ecological and complex systems approach for better understanding the development and prevention of running-related injury (RRI). In a previous article, we proposed a prototype model of the Australian recreational distance running system which was based on the Systems Theoretic Accident Mapping and Processes (STAMP) method. That model included the influence of political, organisational, managerial, and sociocultural determinants alongside individual-level factors in relation to RRI development. The purpose of this study was to validate that prototype model by drawing on the expertise of both systems thinking and distance running experts. Materials and methods This study used a modified Delphi technique involving a series of online surveys (December 2016- March 2017). The initial survey was divided into four sections containing a total of seven questions pertaining to different features associated with the prototype model. Consensus in opinion about the validity of the prototype model was reached when the number of experts who agreed or disagreed with survey statement was ≥75% of the total number of respondents. Results A total of two Delphi rounds was needed to validate the prototype model. Out of a total of 51 experts who were initially contacted, 50.9% (n = 26) completed the first round of the Delphi, and 92.3% (n = 24) of those in the first round participated in the second. Most of the 24 full participants considered themselves to be a running expert (66.7%), and approximately a third indicated their expertise as a systems thinker (33.3%). After the second round, 91.7% of the experts agreed that the prototype model was a valid description of the Australian distance running system. Conclusion This is the first study to formally examine the development and prevention of RRI from an ecological and complex systems perspective. The validated model of the Australian distance running system facilitates theoretical advancement in terms of identifying practical system-wide opportunities for the implementation of sustainable RRI prevention interventions. This ‘big picture’ perspective represents the first step required when thinking about the range of contributory causal factors that affect other system elements, as well as runners' behaviours in relation to RRI risk. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd