- Talpey, Scott, Young, Warren, Twomey, Dara, Doyle, Tim, Elliott, Bruce, Lloyd, David, Finch, Caroline
- Authors: Talpey, Scott , Young, Warren , Twomey, Dara , Doyle, Tim , Elliott, Bruce , Lloyd, David , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning Vol. 22, no. 5 (2014), p. 176-178
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The article presents research on the necessary data on change of direction (CODS), agility standards and sprint for Australian football (AF) coaches. Results of the study include the significance of specific information to AF players, the use of this information in highlighting the weaknesses and strengths among the players, and the implementation of certain training for CODS improvement.
Mapping the anti-vaccination movement on Facebook
- Authors: Smith, Naomi , Graham, Tim
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Information Communication & Society Vol. 22, no. 9 (2019), p. 1310-1327
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Over the past decade, anti-vaccination rhetoric has become part of the mainstream discourse regarding the public health practice of childhood vaccination. These utilise social media to foster online spaces that strengthen and popularise anti-vaccination discourses. In this paper, we examine the characteristics of and the discourses present within six popular anti-vaccination Facebook pages. We examine these large-scale datasets using a range of methods, including social network analysis, gender prediction using historical census data, and generative statistical models for topic analysis (Latent Dirichletallocation). We find that present-day discourses centre around moral outrage and structural oppression by institutional government and the media, suggesting a strong logic of 'conspiracy-style' beliefs and thinking. Furthermore, anti-vaccination pages on Facebook reflect a highly 'feminised' movement the vast majority of participants are women. Although anti-vaccination networks on Facebook are large and global in scope, the comment activity sub-networks appear to be 'small world'. This suggests that social media may have a role in spreading anti-vaccination ideas and making the movement durable on a global scale.
- Petherick, Lynda, Bostock, Helen, Cohen, Tim, Fitzsimmons, Kathryn, Tibby, John, Fletcher, M. S., Moss, Patrick, Reeves, Jessica, Mooney, Scott, Barrows, Timothy, Kemp, Justine, Jansen, John, Nanson, Gerald, Dosseto, Anthony
- Authors: Petherick, Lynda , Bostock, Helen , Cohen, Tim , Fitzsimmons, Kathryn , Tibby, John , Fletcher, M. S. , Moss, Patrick , Reeves, Jessica , Mooney, Scott , Barrows, Timothy , Kemp, Justine , Jansen, John , Nanson, Gerald , Dosseto, Anthony
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Quaternary Science Reviews Vol. 74, no. (2013), p. 58-77
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Temperate Australia sits between the heat engine of the tropics and the cold Southern Ocean, encompassing a range of rainfall regimes and falling under the influence of different climatic drivers. Despite this heterogeneity, broad-scale trends in climatic and environmental change are evident over the past 30ka. During the early glacial period (~30-22ka) and the Last Glacial Maximum (~22-18ka), climate was relatively cool across the entire temperate zone and there was an expansion of grasslands and increased fluvial activity in regionally important Murray-Darling Basin. The temperate region at this time appears to be dominated by expanded sea ice in the Southern Ocean forcing a northerly shift in the position of the oceanic fronts and a concomitant influx of cold water along the southeast (including Tasmania) and southwest Australian coasts. The deglacial period (~18-12ka) was characterised by glacial recession and eventual disappearance resulting from an increase in temperature deduced from terrestrial records, while there is some evidence for climatic reversals (e.g. the Antarctic Cold Reversal) in high resolution marine sediment cores through this period. The high spatial density of Holocene terrestrial records reveals an overall expansion of sclerophyll woodland and rainforest taxa across the temperate region after ~12ka, presumably in response to increasing temperature, while hydrological records reveal spatially heterogeneous hydro-climatic trends. Patterns after ~6ka suggest higher frequency climatic variability that possibly reflects the onset of large scale climate variability caused by the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
- Description: 2003011211
- Gabbett, Tim, Ullah, Shahid, Finch, Caroline
- Authors: Gabbett, Tim , Ullah, Shahid , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 15, no. 6 (November 2012), p. 496-504
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: Well-developed physical qualities may protect against contact injuries. However, the potential contribution of physical qualities as risk or protective factors to contact injury risk is yet to be determined for rugby league. This study applied a frailty survival model that accounts for recurrent injury to identify risk factors for all physiotherapist-reported contact injury in professional rugby league players. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Sixty-six professional rugby league players participated in this three successive year prospective study. At the start of each season, all players underwent measurements of standard anthropometry (height, body mass, and sum of seven skinfolds), speed (10 m and 40 m sprint), muscular strength (1 repetition maximum [RM] bench press, 1RM squat, 1RM weighted chin-ups), power (vertical jump, bench throw, 1RM power clean, jump squat), and endurance (maximum repetition bench press with 60 kg resistance), repeated-sprint ability (12 × 20 m sprints performed on a 20 s cycle), prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability (8 × 12 s maximal effort shuttles performed on a 48 s cycle), and maximal aerobic power (multi-stage fitness test). Data was used to demonstrate the application of the frailty model extension of the Cox proportional regression model for recurrent events to identify factors associated with a high hazard ratio (HR) of injury. Results: Heavier (body mass, HR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.2-5.7), and faster (40 m sprint, HR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.0-4.2) players, and those with poorly developed prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability (HR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.7-5.0) and upper-body strength (chin-up, HR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.3-3.7) had a higher incidence of contact injuries. Conclusions: This study demonstrates application of a novel statistical approach for the analysis of injury data that is recurrent in nature. This approach identified that the greater impact forces generated from heavier players with faster speed may result in an increase in recurrent contact injury rates. However, the development of prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability and upper-body strength and power may assist to reduce the risk of contact injury in professional rugby league players.
Vulnerable, 'at risk', 'disengaged'. Regional young people.
- Farrugia, David, Smyth, John, Harrison, Tim
- Authors: Farrugia, David , Smyth, John , Harrison, Tim
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Interrogating Conceptions of “Vulnerable Youth” in Theory, Policy and Practice p. 165-179
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
Community collaboration through sport: bringing schools together
- Authors: Lynch, Timothy
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Education in Rural Australia Vol. 23, no. 1 (2013), p. 9-22
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to share how sport was used to build relationships between Monash University (Gippsland campus) pre-service education and six rural primary schools during semester one, 2012. Not only was sport used to build partnerships but also to deliver quality Health and Physical Education lessons, offering children sporting opportunities that they may otherwise not receive. The goals established at the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008) were "about equity and social justice and improved learning outcomes for our most disadvantaged and isolated students" (Ewing, 2010, p. 127). A commitment to action in achieving these goals included: promoting world-class curriculum and assessment; and improving educational outcomes for the disadvantaged young Australians, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. A large percentage of the Gippsland region population comprises of socio-economically disadvantaged and all six rural schools were located within these areas. Initial discussions with local principals in January (2012) revealed that implementation of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) learning area was carried out by classroom teachers in all but one school, which had a delegated Physical Education (PE) teacher (with no specialist training). Furthermore, some schools outsourced the HPE learning area for the approximate annual cost of $10 000 through the 'Bluearth' program. A major problem identified in the 1992 Senate Inquiry into Physical and Sport Education was that "suitably qualified physical education teachers are not being employed to teach physical education and school sport to all children" (Commonwealth of Australia, 1992, p.xiv), as many classroom teachers lack knowledge and confidence for teaching PE (Lynch, 2008; Morgan and Bourke, 2005). In Semester One, 2012 as part of the Bachelor of Primary Education course at Monash - Gippsland, a pathway was created to achieve these national ideals and goals. Primary education university students, choosing the Physical Education (PE) major stream, study the unit EDF3619 'Sport and physical activity education'. Through amendments made to this unit, objectives involved the implementation of the Friday Sports program. This program ran over five weeks and was the first program of this nature to be implemented within the Latrobe Valley. The Friday Sports program enabled Year 5 and 6 children from the six schools to choose a sport that they would like to participate in during the one hour sessions over the five weeks. Each sport group consisted of 20-25 children, were mixed sexes and mixed schools. The aim of the program was to progressively work towards achieving the objectives of the Sports Education curriculum model; "to develop as competent, literate and enthusiastic sportspeople" (Siedentop, 1994, p. 4). Monash University provided the equipment, the human resource of five teacher education students per group who had planned the five week units, and collaboratively with the local health industry (local leisure and sports centre) provided the stadium and field facilities, all at no cost to schools. Dr Tim Lynch, Senior Lecturer at Monash University reflects on building partnerships between university and the local schools through the medium of sport; provision of quality Health and Physical Education lessons at no cost. He shares: his vision; the benefits for the primary school children; the benefits and interest of the teacher education students; dynamics involved when collaboratively working with a number of stakeholders; and barriers that need to be overcome for future growth and for similar programs to succeed.
Historical & heritage legacies of the Victorian gold rushes
- Authors: Reeves, Keir , Harrison, Tim
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Pay Dirt! Ballarat & other gold towns. Chapter 19 p. 203-207
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
Teaching with difference : barriers and enablers for teachers with impairments in their professional roles
- Authors: Skene, Gerrard
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Amidst the current groundswell of inclusive practices adopted in learning institutions, there would appear to be a paucity of research regarding the barriers and enablers experienced by teachers with impairments in Australian education systems (Burke, 2016; Pritchard, 2010; Sheridan & Kotevski, 2014). This thesis presents an examination of national and international literature where an imprecise range of issues for teachers with impairments is identified. The social model of disability has been adopted as the overarching theoretical perspective for this study. The conceptualisation of teaching with impairment, rather than about impairment, embodies the notion of teachers with impairments as being culturally relevant educators (Pritchard, 2010). Narrative inquiry, in conjunction with Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional space approach as a thematical analysis methodology, has been employed and supports the investigation of ten teachers with impairments working in professional education roles within Australia. Narrative interviews were conducted with each of the ten participants with the aim of identifying barriers and enablers within the lived experiences of teachers with impairments. This study identified a silence in relation to teachers with impairments, and to address this silence has amplified the voices of teachers with impairments. Five primary themes emerged from the data to provide insights into barriers and enablers experienced by teachers with impairments. These themes are: Thinking about becoming a teacher; The limiting attitudes of others; Connecting with students and parents; Notions of teaching spaces; and I get by with a little help from my friends. This study found that teachers with impairments do experience adverse attitudes and biases in Australian teaching institutions despite there being laws that have been specifically designed to prevent disability discrimination. Bias, experienced as discrimination towards teachers with impairments, extends to career promotion and workplace advancement opportunities. Conversely, the study also found that respectful conversations about impairment which took place both inside and outside teaching places, highlighted how having open conversations about reasonable adjustments can lead to actions that become enablers for teachers with impairments. This study commences the important work of giving voice to teachers with impairments and creates a space to challenge dominant perspectives. The thesis concludes that more needs to be done to challenge the constructed normative attitudes that are responsible for setting teachers with impairments apart and resulting in them being mostly undetected within the teacher population; Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Skene, Gerrard
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Amidst the current groundswell of inclusive practices adopted in learning institutions, there would appear to be a paucity of research regarding the barriers and enablers experienced by teachers with impairments in Australian education systems (Burke, 2016; Pritchard, 2010; Sheridan & Kotevski, 2014). This thesis presents an examination of national and international literature where an imprecise range of issues for teachers with impairments is identified. The social model of disability has been adopted as the overarching theoretical perspective for this study. The conceptualisation of teaching with impairment, rather than about impairment, embodies the notion of teachers with impairments as being culturally relevant educators (Pritchard, 2010). Narrative inquiry, in conjunction with Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional space approach as a thematical analysis methodology, has been employed and supports the investigation of ten teachers with impairments working in professional education roles within Australia. Narrative interviews were conducted with each of the ten participants with the aim of identifying barriers and enablers within the lived experiences of teachers with impairments. This study identified a silence in relation to teachers with impairments, and to address this silence has amplified the voices of teachers with impairments. Five primary themes emerged from the data to provide insights into barriers and enablers experienced by teachers with impairments. These themes are: Thinking about becoming a teacher; The limiting attitudes of others; Connecting with students and parents; Notions of teaching spaces; and I get by with a little help from my friends. This study found that teachers with impairments do experience adverse attitudes and biases in Australian teaching institutions despite there being laws that have been specifically designed to prevent disability discrimination. Bias, experienced as discrimination towards teachers with impairments, extends to career promotion and workplace advancement opportunities. Conversely, the study also found that respectful conversations about impairment which took place both inside and outside teaching places, highlighted how having open conversations about reasonable adjustments can lead to actions that become enablers for teachers with impairments. This study commences the important work of giving voice to teachers with impairments and creates a space to challenge dominant perspectives. The thesis concludes that more needs to be done to challenge the constructed normative attitudes that are responsible for setting teachers with impairments apart and resulting in them being mostly undetected within the teacher population; Doctor of Philosophy
Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise are equivalent to mitigate symptoms of depression in older adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- Miller, Kyle, Areerob, Pinyadapat, Hennessy, Declan, Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela, Mesagno, Christopher, Grace, Fergal
- Authors: Miller, Kyle , Areerob, Pinyadapat , Hennessy, Declan , Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela , Mesagno, Christopher , Grace, Fergal
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: F1000Research Vol. 9, no. (2020), p. 1-51
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Exercise has been identified as an allied health strategy that can support the management of depression in older adults, yet the relative effectiveness for different exercise modalities is unknown. To meet this gap in knowledge, we present a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to examine the head-to-head effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise to mitigate depressive symptoms in adults aged ≥ 65 years. Methods: A PRISMA-NMA compliant review was undertaken on RCTs from inception to September 12 th, 2019. PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched for eligible RCTs enrolling adults with a mean age ≥ 65 years, comparing one or more exercise intervention arms, and which used valid measures of depressive symptomology. Comparative effectiveness was evaluated using network meta-analysis to combine direct and indirect evidence, controlling for inherent variation in trial control groups. Results: The systematic review included 81 RCTs, with 69 meeting eligibility for the network meta-analysis ( n = 5,379 participants). Pooled analysis found each exercise type to be effective compared with controls (Hedges' g = -0.27 to -0.51). Relative head-to-head comparisons were statistically comparable between exercise types: resistance versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.91, 0.79), mind-body versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.12, PrI = -0.95, 0.72), mind-body versus resistance (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.90, 0.79). High levels of compliance were demonstrated for each exercise treatment. Conclusions: Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise demonstrate equivalence to mitigate symptoms of depression in older adults aged ≥ 65 years, with comparably encouraging levels of compliance to exercise treatment. These findings coalesce with previous findings in clinically depressed older adults to encourage personal preference when prescribing exercise for depressive symptoms in older adults, irrespective of severity. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018115866 (23/11/2018). © 2020 Miller KJ et al.
- Authors: Miller, Kyle , Areerob, Pinyadapat , Hennessy, Declan , Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela , Mesagno, Christopher , Grace, Fergal
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: F1000Research Vol. 9, no. (2020), p. 1-51
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Exercise has been identified as an allied health strategy that can support the management of depression in older adults, yet the relative effectiveness for different exercise modalities is unknown. To meet this gap in knowledge, we present a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to examine the head-to-head effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise to mitigate depressive symptoms in adults aged ≥ 65 years. Methods: A PRISMA-NMA compliant review was undertaken on RCTs from inception to September 12 th, 2019. PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched for eligible RCTs enrolling adults with a mean age ≥ 65 years, comparing one or more exercise intervention arms, and which used valid measures of depressive symptomology. Comparative effectiveness was evaluated using network meta-analysis to combine direct and indirect evidence, controlling for inherent variation in trial control groups. Results: The systematic review included 81 RCTs, with 69 meeting eligibility for the network meta-analysis ( n = 5,379 participants). Pooled analysis found each exercise type to be effective compared with controls (Hedges' g = -0.27 to -0.51). Relative head-to-head comparisons were statistically comparable between exercise types: resistance versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.91, 0.79), mind-body versus aerobic (Hedges' g = -0.12, PrI = -0.95, 0.72), mind-body versus resistance (Hedges' g = -0.06, PrI = -0.90, 0.79). High levels of compliance were demonstrated for each exercise treatment. Conclusions: Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise demonstrate equivalence to mitigate symptoms of depression in older adults aged ≥ 65 years, with comparably encouraging levels of compliance to exercise treatment. These findings coalesce with previous findings in clinically depressed older adults to encourage personal preference when prescribing exercise for depressive symptoms in older adults, irrespective of severity. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018115866 (23/11/2018). © 2020 Miller KJ et al.
An affective pedagogy success story: Sovereign Hill Museum school
- Authors: Zeegers, Margaret
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false
- Description: This study will provide us with the tools to better communicate the unique attributes of learning that underpin the success we observe. It will enrich the discussion to include not only the charming insights of students and teachers, but also an intellectually rigorous framework for appreciating the innovation in learning outcomes." -- Foreword by Tim Sullivan : Deputy CEO and Museums director Sovereign Hill, page viii.
- Authors: Zeegers, Margaret
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false
- Description: This study will provide us with the tools to better communicate the unique attributes of learning that underpin the success we observe. It will enrich the discussion to include not only the charming insights of students and teachers, but also an intellectually rigorous framework for appreciating the innovation in learning outcomes." -- Foreword by Tim Sullivan : Deputy CEO and Museums director Sovereign Hill, page viii.
- Searle, Tamara, Mitsikas, Ana
- Authors: Searle, Tamara , Mitsikas, Ana
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Play
- Full Text: false
- Description: Performed 24th October-28th October 2019 Book by Carolyn Burns Music and lyrics by Tim Finn Based on the novel The Woman in Black by Madeleine St John Presented by the Second Year Music Theatre Company A scrumptious coming of age musical set in the 1950's. Teenager Lisa joins the staff of a fashionable department store while she waits for her exam results. Over a summer that changes her life, she befriends the colourful characters of the women's clothing department. Each is on the precipice of change - facing independence, working for a living and what it means to be a woman. Director: Tamara Searle Musical Director: Ana Mitsikas Venue: Helen Macpherson Smith Theatre, Camp Street Campus
Personality characteristics and their effects on perceived stress, interpersonal relationships, and psychological distress
- Authors: Di Battista, John
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The aim of the present studies is to determine whether various aspects of personality have an influence on psychological distress and to determine whether any intervening factors affect this relationship."
- Description: Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
- Authors: Di Battista, John
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "The aim of the present studies is to determine whether various aspects of personality have an influence on psychological distress and to determine whether any intervening factors affect this relationship."
- Description: Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)
Handover based IMS registration scheme for next generation mobile networks
- Tahira, Shireen, Sher, Muhammad, Ullah, Ata, Imran, Muhammad, Vasilakos, Athanasios
- Authors: Tahira, Shireen , Sher, Muhammad , Ullah, Ata , Imran, Muhammad , Vasilakos, Athanasios
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Vol. 2017, no. (2017), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Next generation mobile networks aim to provide faster speed and more capacity along with energy efficiency to support video streaming and massive data sharing in social and communication networks. In these networks, user equipment has to register with IPMultimedia Subsystem (IMS) which promises quality of service to the mobile users that frequently move across different access networks. After each handover caused due to mobility, IMS provides IPSec Security Association establishment and authentication phases. The main issue is that unnecessary reregistration after every handover results in latency and communication overhead. To tackle these issues, this paper presents a lightweight Fast IMS Mobility (FIM) registration scheme that avoids unnecessary conventional registration phases such as security associations, authentication, and authorization. FIM maintains a flag to avoid deregistration and sends a subsequent message to provide necessary parameters to IMS servers after mobility. It also handles the change of IP address for user equipment and transferring the security associations from old to new servers.We have validated the performance of FIM by developing a testbed consisting of IMS servers and user equipment. The experimental results demonstrate the performance supremacy of FIM. It reduces media disruption time, number of messages, and packet loss up to 67%, 100%, and 61%, respectively, as compared to preliminaries. © 2017 Shireen Tahira et al.
- Authors: Tahira, Shireen , Sher, Muhammad , Ullah, Ata , Imran, Muhammad , Vasilakos, Athanasios
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Vol. 2017, no. (2017), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Next generation mobile networks aim to provide faster speed and more capacity along with energy efficiency to support video streaming and massive data sharing in social and communication networks. In these networks, user equipment has to register with IPMultimedia Subsystem (IMS) which promises quality of service to the mobile users that frequently move across different access networks. After each handover caused due to mobility, IMS provides IPSec Security Association establishment and authentication phases. The main issue is that unnecessary reregistration after every handover results in latency and communication overhead. To tackle these issues, this paper presents a lightweight Fast IMS Mobility (FIM) registration scheme that avoids unnecessary conventional registration phases such as security associations, authentication, and authorization. FIM maintains a flag to avoid deregistration and sends a subsequent message to provide necessary parameters to IMS servers after mobility. It also handles the change of IP address for user equipment and transferring the security associations from old to new servers.We have validated the performance of FIM by developing a testbed consisting of IMS servers and user equipment. The experimental results demonstrate the performance supremacy of FIM. It reduces media disruption time, number of messages, and packet loss up to 67%, 100%, and 61%, respectively, as compared to preliminaries. © 2017 Shireen Tahira et al.
Psychological distress, fear and coping strategies among hong kong people during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Chair, Sek, Chien, Wai, Liu, Ting, Lam, Louisa, Cross, Wendy, Banik, Biswajit, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Chair, Sek , Chien, Wai , Liu, Ting , Lam, Louisa , Cross, Wendy , Banik, Biswajit , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Current Psychology Vol. 42, no. 3 (2023), p. 2538-2557
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to potential adverse effects on the mental health status of a wide range of people. This study aimed to identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among general population in Hong Kong. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; level of fear was evaluated using the Fear of COVID-19 scale; and coping strategies were assessed using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify key factors associated with these mental health variables. Of the 555 participants, 53.9% experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, 31.2% experienced a high level of fear of COVID-19, and 58.6% showed moderate to high resilient coping. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that living with family members, current alcohol consumption, and higher level of fear were associated with higher levels of psychological distress; perceived stress due to a change in employment condition, being a frontline worker, experiencing ‘moderate to very high’ distress, and healthcare service use to overcome the COVID-19 related stress in past 6 months were associated with a higher level of fear; and perceived better mental health status was associated with a moderate to high resilient coping. This study identified key factors associated with distress, fear and coping strategies during the pandemic in Hong Kong. Mental health support strategies should be provided continuously to prevent the mental impact of the pandemic from turning into long-term illness. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
- Authors: Chair, Sek , Chien, Wai , Liu, Ting , Lam, Louisa , Cross, Wendy , Banik, Biswajit , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Current Psychology Vol. 42, no. 3 (2023), p. 2538-2557
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to potential adverse effects on the mental health status of a wide range of people. This study aimed to identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among general population in Hong Kong. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; level of fear was evaluated using the Fear of COVID-19 scale; and coping strategies were assessed using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify key factors associated with these mental health variables. Of the 555 participants, 53.9% experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, 31.2% experienced a high level of fear of COVID-19, and 58.6% showed moderate to high resilient coping. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that living with family members, current alcohol consumption, and higher level of fear were associated with higher levels of psychological distress; perceived stress due to a change in employment condition, being a frontline worker, experiencing ‘moderate to very high’ distress, and healthcare service use to overcome the COVID-19 related stress in past 6 months were associated with a higher level of fear; and perceived better mental health status was associated with a moderate to high resilient coping. This study identified key factors associated with distress, fear and coping strategies during the pandemic in Hong Kong. Mental health support strategies should be provided continuously to prevent the mental impact of the pandemic from turning into long-term illness. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
The role of immune cells in ovarian cancer
- Authors: Ahmady, Farah
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of gynaecological disease related death in women worldwide. Patients given standard treatment have low survival rates and immunotherapy remains unsuccessful. This is largely due to the suppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) and the interaction of the different cells being poorly understood. This has sparked interest in understanding the functions of immune cells and their contribution to the TME. In chapter 3, B and T cells were characterised in samples collected from chemo-naïve highgrade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patients and compared to benign and healthy controls. B cells were able to express the T cell exhaustion marker T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) on their surface. Blood derived B cells of benign patients expressed less TIM-3 compared to high-grade and healthy donors. Alterations in TIM-3 expression on B cells suggests that the TME may not be causing B cells to harbour an exhaustion phenotype. The frequency of circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells) was reduced in benign and high-grade patients compared to healthy donors. Blood derived MAIT cells of healthy donors stimulated with 5-OP-RU antigen and cultured with ovarian cancer cell line supernatants had a reduced capacity of producing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a compared to control. The reduced frequency of MAIT cells at the premalignant state of the disease indicates that malignancy of the disease is not necessarily the contributing factor in the reduction observed. As TNF-a is a key anti-tumour cytokine expressed by MAIT cells, the impaired production may indicate defects in their function. Low dose-dense (LDD) chemotherapy has recently shown promise as depicted in a clinical study by Kannourakis et al. where LDD treated HGSOC patients had longer survival than those treated with maximum tolerated dose (MTD). It is postulated that this may be due to aspects of the immune system, however the effects of LDD chemotherapy on immune cells remains unknown. In chpter 4, circulating B and T cells of LDD treated patients were characterised and compared to untreated controls. The key finding of this study was the immunostimulatory attributes of LDD regimen in a range of B and T cell populations via their increased expression of TNF-a compared to untreated controls and healthy donors. The frequency of MAIT cells, however, was reduced in LDD treated patients, suggesting that these cells may not contribute to the immunostimulatory aspects, and that this regimen may impact their frequency by creating an environment which may not be compatible for MAIT cell survival. In chapter 5, expression of immuno-oncology protein markers in benign and high-grade primary and metastasised tumours were determined for alterations in hot and cold tumour regions using Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP). An increased expression of immune cell, costimulatory and inhibitory markers were apparent in high-grade tumours compared to benign. The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) marker was studied further, and its expression was also higher in high-grade tumours compared to benign, with cisplatin further enhancing its expression in ovarian cancer cell lines. There were alterations in the expression of some downstream molecules, however interferon (IFN)-b, the key cytokine produced in the activated STING pathway, was virtually non-existent. This suggests a defect in the pathway which if restored, may contribute to some of the known anti-tumour functions of the pathway. The results from these studies provide an understanding of differences in the immune profile of non-malignant and malignant ovarian cancer. These findings work together to improve our understanding of the unique TME with the aim to identify potential immune therapeutic targets for future study.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Ahmady, Farah
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of gynaecological disease related death in women worldwide. Patients given standard treatment have low survival rates and immunotherapy remains unsuccessful. This is largely due to the suppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) and the interaction of the different cells being poorly understood. This has sparked interest in understanding the functions of immune cells and their contribution to the TME. In chapter 3, B and T cells were characterised in samples collected from chemo-naïve highgrade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patients and compared to benign and healthy controls. B cells were able to express the T cell exhaustion marker T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) on their surface. Blood derived B cells of benign patients expressed less TIM-3 compared to high-grade and healthy donors. Alterations in TIM-3 expression on B cells suggests that the TME may not be causing B cells to harbour an exhaustion phenotype. The frequency of circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells) was reduced in benign and high-grade patients compared to healthy donors. Blood derived MAIT cells of healthy donors stimulated with 5-OP-RU antigen and cultured with ovarian cancer cell line supernatants had a reduced capacity of producing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a compared to control. The reduced frequency of MAIT cells at the premalignant state of the disease indicates that malignancy of the disease is not necessarily the contributing factor in the reduction observed. As TNF-a is a key anti-tumour cytokine expressed by MAIT cells, the impaired production may indicate defects in their function. Low dose-dense (LDD) chemotherapy has recently shown promise as depicted in a clinical study by Kannourakis et al. where LDD treated HGSOC patients had longer survival than those treated with maximum tolerated dose (MTD). It is postulated that this may be due to aspects of the immune system, however the effects of LDD chemotherapy on immune cells remains unknown. In chpter 4, circulating B and T cells of LDD treated patients were characterised and compared to untreated controls. The key finding of this study was the immunostimulatory attributes of LDD regimen in a range of B and T cell populations via their increased expression of TNF-a compared to untreated controls and healthy donors. The frequency of MAIT cells, however, was reduced in LDD treated patients, suggesting that these cells may not contribute to the immunostimulatory aspects, and that this regimen may impact their frequency by creating an environment which may not be compatible for MAIT cell survival. In chapter 5, expression of immuno-oncology protein markers in benign and high-grade primary and metastasised tumours were determined for alterations in hot and cold tumour regions using Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP). An increased expression of immune cell, costimulatory and inhibitory markers were apparent in high-grade tumours compared to benign. The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) marker was studied further, and its expression was also higher in high-grade tumours compared to benign, with cisplatin further enhancing its expression in ovarian cancer cell lines. There were alterations in the expression of some downstream molecules, however interferon (IFN)-b, the key cytokine produced in the activated STING pathway, was virtually non-existent. This suggests a defect in the pathway which if restored, may contribute to some of the known anti-tumour functions of the pathway. The results from these studies provide an understanding of differences in the immune profile of non-malignant and malignant ovarian cancer. These findings work together to improve our understanding of the unique TME with the aim to identify potential immune therapeutic targets for future study.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Preventing Australian football injuries with a targeted neuromuscular control exercise programme: comparative injury rates from a training intervention delivered in a clustered randomised controlled trial
- Finch, Caroline, Twomey, Dara, Fortington, Lauren, Doyle, Tim, Elliott, Bruce, Akram, Muhammad, Lloyd, David
- Authors: Finch, Caroline , Twomey, Dara , Fortington, Lauren , Doyle, Tim , Elliott, Bruce , Akram, Muhammad , Lloyd, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 22, no. 2 (Apr 2016), p. 123-128
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Exercise-based training programmes are commonly used to prevent sports injuries but programme effectiveness within community men's team sport is largely unknown. Objective To present the intention-to-treat analysis of injury outcomes from a clustered randomised controlled trial in community Australian football. Methods Players from 18 male, non-elite, community Australian football clubs across two states were randomly allocated to either a neuromuscular control (NMC) (intervention n=679 players) or standard-practice (control n=885 players) exercise training programme delivered as part of regular team training sessions (2x weekly for 8-week preseason and 18-week regularseason). All game-related injuries and hours of game participation were recorded. Generalised estimating equations, adjusted for clustering (club unit), were used to compute injury incidence rates (IIRs) for all injuries, lower limb injuries (LLIs) and knee injuries sustained during games. The IIRs were compared across groups with cluster-adjusted Injury Rate Ratios (IRRs). Results Overall, 773 game injuries were recorded. The lower limb was the most frequent body region injured, accounting for 50% of injuries overall, 96 (12%) of which were knee injuries. The NMC players had a reduced LLI rate compared with control players (IRR: 0.78 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.08), p=0.14.) The knee IIR was also reduced for NMC compared with control players (IRR: 0.50 (95% CI 0.24 to 1.05), p=0.07). Conclusions These intention-to-treat results indicate that positive outcomes can be achieved from targeted training programmes for reducing knee and LLI injury rates in men's community sport. While not statistically significant, reducing the knee injury rate by 50% and the LLI rate by 22% is still a clinically important outcome. Further injury reductions could be achieved with improved training attendance and participation in the programme.
- Authors: Finch, Caroline , Twomey, Dara , Fortington, Lauren , Doyle, Tim , Elliott, Bruce , Akram, Muhammad , Lloyd, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 22, no. 2 (Apr 2016), p. 123-128
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Exercise-based training programmes are commonly used to prevent sports injuries but programme effectiveness within community men's team sport is largely unknown. Objective To present the intention-to-treat analysis of injury outcomes from a clustered randomised controlled trial in community Australian football. Methods Players from 18 male, non-elite, community Australian football clubs across two states were randomly allocated to either a neuromuscular control (NMC) (intervention n=679 players) or standard-practice (control n=885 players) exercise training programme delivered as part of regular team training sessions (2x weekly for 8-week preseason and 18-week regularseason). All game-related injuries and hours of game participation were recorded. Generalised estimating equations, adjusted for clustering (club unit), were used to compute injury incidence rates (IIRs) for all injuries, lower limb injuries (LLIs) and knee injuries sustained during games. The IIRs were compared across groups with cluster-adjusted Injury Rate Ratios (IRRs). Results Overall, 773 game injuries were recorded. The lower limb was the most frequent body region injured, accounting for 50% of injuries overall, 96 (12%) of which were knee injuries. The NMC players had a reduced LLI rate compared with control players (IRR: 0.78 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.08), p=0.14.) The knee IIR was also reduced for NMC compared with control players (IRR: 0.50 (95% CI 0.24 to 1.05), p=0.07). Conclusions These intention-to-treat results indicate that positive outcomes can be achieved from targeted training programmes for reducing knee and LLI injury rates in men's community sport. While not statistically significant, reducing the knee injury rate by 50% and the LLI rate by 22% is still a clinically important outcome. Further injury reductions could be achieved with improved training attendance and participation in the programme.
Investigation of unconventional T cells in patients with haematological malignancies
- Authors: Develyn, Tamekha
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Haematological malignancies involve the uncontrolled division of white blood cells, which can lead to an accumulation of these cells in lymphoid organs and cause the disruption of normal immune function. Multiple Myeloma (MM) and Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are the most common haematological disorders among the elderly (Elidrissi Errahhali et al, 2016), but despite recent advances in treatment options, most individuals with MM or MDS eventually relapse and succumb to the disease (Rjkumar 2020 and Schurch 2018 and Kumar et al, 2012). The association of immune defects with MM and MDS may be a factor in disease progression, therefore it is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the immune system changes throughout the progression of these diseases, so that more effective treatment options can be developed. This thesis presents a detailed analysis of the frequency, phenotype and function of conventional T cells, unconventional T cells and antigen presenting cells (APC) throughout the progression of MM and MDS. This analysis has identified a range of immune abnormalities within these patient groups, including novel findings that provide new insights into disease progression and potential new targets for immune therapies. Some of the abnormalities we identified in patients with MM and MDS include; a reduction in the frequency of unconventional T cell (Natural Killer T (NKT) cells and Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells), as well as reduced frequencies of various APC populations. We also reported an increased expression of chronic activation and exhaustion markers on CD8+ T cells and MAIT cells, despite their retention of functional capacity. Importantly, the abnormalities we observed in patients with MM were consistent from the pre-malignant disease stage to active disease, which has not been shown previously suggesting that many of these defects are present from very early in disease development. We also identified key differences in the frequency and phenotype of conventional T cells, unconventional T cells and APC between patients with MM and those with MDS. Together highlighting the many different immune changes that are occurring within these patients groups and the importance of analysing haematological malignancies as individual diseases rather than as a collective. One of the most significant findings in this thesis was the alteration in frequency and phenotype of MAIT cells within the blood of patients with MM and MDS. MAIT cells may have important roles in anti-tumour immunity, so we explored the potential causes of these changes, including soluble factors and cell-to-cell interactions between MAIT cells and APC. Interestingly, we found MM patient plasma contained increased levels of IL-18, which is a cytokine known to influence MAIT cell function. This led us to establishing a long term in vitro culture of sorted MAIT cells supplemented with IL-18, finding that culturing MAIT cells with IL-18 lead to rapid expansion of MAIT cells without otherwise alternating their phenotype or function. We next established a novel mixed-donor MAIT cell co-culture system to examine the interactions between sorted healthy MAIT cells and APC from patients. This system uniquely allowed us to investigate whether abnormal patient APC were capable of stimulating MAIT cells and whether MAIT cell responses were altered as a result of this interaction. Whilst this was conducted as a pilot study to look for potentially important interactions rather than significance, we did conclude that culturing healthy donor MAIT cells with APC from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and MM patients did not lead to alterations in phenotype. The development and application of these long term MAIT cell cultures shed new light on how MAIT cell defects emerge in MM and MDS, and has also provided valuable insights into optimal MAIT cell growth conditions, which could be applied in the future to analyse other complex disease settings and for the use in therapeutic approaches. Our research was the first comprehensive study to characterise immune system alterations at both the individual cell population level and to examine their functional interactions throughout all stages of MM and in MDS. We discovered a range of novel findings which have greatly improved our understanding of the role that these various immune cells populations might play in MM and MDS, and identified new areas of study that could lead to improved disease management.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Develyn, Tamekha
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Haematological malignancies involve the uncontrolled division of white blood cells, which can lead to an accumulation of these cells in lymphoid organs and cause the disruption of normal immune function. Multiple Myeloma (MM) and Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are the most common haematological disorders among the elderly (Elidrissi Errahhali et al, 2016), but despite recent advances in treatment options, most individuals with MM or MDS eventually relapse and succumb to the disease (Rjkumar 2020 and Schurch 2018 and Kumar et al, 2012). The association of immune defects with MM and MDS may be a factor in disease progression, therefore it is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the immune system changes throughout the progression of these diseases, so that more effective treatment options can be developed. This thesis presents a detailed analysis of the frequency, phenotype and function of conventional T cells, unconventional T cells and antigen presenting cells (APC) throughout the progression of MM and MDS. This analysis has identified a range of immune abnormalities within these patient groups, including novel findings that provide new insights into disease progression and potential new targets for immune therapies. Some of the abnormalities we identified in patients with MM and MDS include; a reduction in the frequency of unconventional T cell (Natural Killer T (NKT) cells and Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells), as well as reduced frequencies of various APC populations. We also reported an increased expression of chronic activation and exhaustion markers on CD8+ T cells and MAIT cells, despite their retention of functional capacity. Importantly, the abnormalities we observed in patients with MM were consistent from the pre-malignant disease stage to active disease, which has not been shown previously suggesting that many of these defects are present from very early in disease development. We also identified key differences in the frequency and phenotype of conventional T cells, unconventional T cells and APC between patients with MM and those with MDS. Together highlighting the many different immune changes that are occurring within these patients groups and the importance of analysing haematological malignancies as individual diseases rather than as a collective. One of the most significant findings in this thesis was the alteration in frequency and phenotype of MAIT cells within the blood of patients with MM and MDS. MAIT cells may have important roles in anti-tumour immunity, so we explored the potential causes of these changes, including soluble factors and cell-to-cell interactions between MAIT cells and APC. Interestingly, we found MM patient plasma contained increased levels of IL-18, which is a cytokine known to influence MAIT cell function. This led us to establishing a long term in vitro culture of sorted MAIT cells supplemented with IL-18, finding that culturing MAIT cells with IL-18 lead to rapid expansion of MAIT cells without otherwise alternating their phenotype or function. We next established a novel mixed-donor MAIT cell co-culture system to examine the interactions between sorted healthy MAIT cells and APC from patients. This system uniquely allowed us to investigate whether abnormal patient APC were capable of stimulating MAIT cells and whether MAIT cell responses were altered as a result of this interaction. Whilst this was conducted as a pilot study to look for potentially important interactions rather than significance, we did conclude that culturing healthy donor MAIT cells with APC from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and MM patients did not lead to alterations in phenotype. The development and application of these long term MAIT cell cultures shed new light on how MAIT cell defects emerge in MM and MDS, and has also provided valuable insights into optimal MAIT cell growth conditions, which could be applied in the future to analyse other complex disease settings and for the use in therapeutic approaches. Our research was the first comprehensive study to characterise immune system alterations at both the individual cell population level and to examine their functional interactions throughout all stages of MM and in MDS. We discovered a range of novel findings which have greatly improved our understanding of the role that these various immune cells populations might play in MM and MDS, and identified new areas of study that could lead to improved disease management.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Cross-cultural communication in teacher education : A case study of an Australian pre-service teacher placement in Liaoning, China
- Jin, Aijing, Cooper, Maxine, Golding, Barry
- Authors: Jin, Aijing , Cooper, Maxine , Golding, Barry
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Teacher Education Vol. 41, no. 6 (2016), p. 20-34
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper presents a case study of the experiences and reflections of four fourth year pre-service teachers from Federation University Australia who completed their three-week teaching placement in Anshan, Liaoning Province, China, in April 2014. The study also explores the perspectives and opinions of both the Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students towards the Australian preservice teachers. The research confirms the mutual benefits of crosscultural teacher education professional experiences for pre-service teachers, Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students. The teaching experiences revealed major differences in educational concepts and teaching strategies and approaches between the two systems because of the different social and cultural contexts. The evidence from the voices of the participants indicates that the professional experience in these two Chinese schools fostered the Australian pre-service teachers’ cross-cultural communication skills, developed their confidence and skills as teachers and generally enriched their personal and professional lives.
- Authors: Jin, Aijing , Cooper, Maxine , Golding, Barry
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Teacher Education Vol. 41, no. 6 (2016), p. 20-34
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper presents a case study of the experiences and reflections of four fourth year pre-service teachers from Federation University Australia who completed their three-week teaching placement in Anshan, Liaoning Province, China, in April 2014. The study also explores the perspectives and opinions of both the Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students towards the Australian preservice teachers. The research confirms the mutual benefits of crosscultural teacher education professional experiences for pre-service teachers, Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students. The teaching experiences revealed major differences in educational concepts and teaching strategies and approaches between the two systems because of the different social and cultural contexts. The evidence from the voices of the participants indicates that the professional experience in these two Chinese schools fostered the Australian pre-service teachers’ cross-cultural communication skills, developed their confidence and skills as teachers and generally enriched their personal and professional lives.
Automatic detection of pitching and throwing events in baseball with inertial measurement sensors
- Murray, Nick, Black, Georgia, Whiteley, Rod, Gahan, Peter, Cole, Michael, Utting, Andy, Gabbett, Tim
- Authors: Murray, Nick , Black, Georgia , Whiteley, Rod , Gahan, Peter , Cole, Michael , Utting, Andy , Gabbett, Tim
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Vol. 12, no. 4 (2017), p. 533-537
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Throwing loads are known to be closely related to injury risk. However, for logistic reasons, typically only pitchers have their throws counted, and then only during innings. Accordingly, all other throws made are not counted, so estimates of throws made by players may be inaccurately recorded and underreported. A potential solution to this is the use of wearable microtechnology to automatically detect, quantify, and report pitch counts in baseball. This study investigated the accuracy of detection of baseball pitching and throwing in both practice and competition using a commercially available wearable microtechnology unit. Methods: Seventeen elite youth baseball players (mean ± SD age 16.5 ± 0.8 y, height 184.1 ± 5.5 cm, mass 78.3 ± 7.7 kg) participated in this study. Participants performed pitching, fielding, and throwing during practice and competition while wearing a microtechnology unit. Sensitivity and specificity of a pitching and throwing algorithm were determined by comparing automatic measures (ie, microtechnology unit) with direct measures (ie, manually recorded pitching counts). Results: The pitching and throwing algorithm was sensitive during both practice (100%) and competition (100%). Specificity was poorer during both practice (79.8%) and competition (74.4%). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the microtechnology unit is sensitive to detect pitching and throwing events, but further development of the pitching algorithm is required to accurately and consistently quantify throwing loads using microtechnology. © 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc.
- Authors: Murray, Nick , Black, Georgia , Whiteley, Rod , Gahan, Peter , Cole, Michael , Utting, Andy , Gabbett, Tim
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Vol. 12, no. 4 (2017), p. 533-537
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Throwing loads are known to be closely related to injury risk. However, for logistic reasons, typically only pitchers have their throws counted, and then only during innings. Accordingly, all other throws made are not counted, so estimates of throws made by players may be inaccurately recorded and underreported. A potential solution to this is the use of wearable microtechnology to automatically detect, quantify, and report pitch counts in baseball. This study investigated the accuracy of detection of baseball pitching and throwing in both practice and competition using a commercially available wearable microtechnology unit. Methods: Seventeen elite youth baseball players (mean ± SD age 16.5 ± 0.8 y, height 184.1 ± 5.5 cm, mass 78.3 ± 7.7 kg) participated in this study. Participants performed pitching, fielding, and throwing during practice and competition while wearing a microtechnology unit. Sensitivity and specificity of a pitching and throwing algorithm were determined by comparing automatic measures (ie, microtechnology unit) with direct measures (ie, manually recorded pitching counts). Results: The pitching and throwing algorithm was sensitive during both practice (100%) and competition (100%). Specificity was poorer during both practice (79.8%) and competition (74.4%). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the microtechnology unit is sensitive to detect pitching and throwing events, but further development of the pitching algorithm is required to accurately and consistently quantify throwing loads using microtechnology. © 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Demographic characteristics and type/frequency of physical activity participation in a large sample of 21,603 Australian people
- Eime, Rochelle, Harvey, Jack, Charity, Melanie, Nelson, Rayoni
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie , Nelson, Rayoni
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Bmc Public Health Vol. 18, no. 1 (2018), p. 1-10
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is imperative for good health and there are many different ways that people can be active. There are a range of health, PA and sport policies aiming to get more people active more often. Much research has been directed towards understanding the determinants of inactivity and PA. However, it is important to understand the differences not only between inactive and active people, but also between activity contexts (for example participation in sport compared to non-sport activities), in order to align policies and strategies to engage market segments who have different participation preferences and accessibility. The aim of this study was to investigate demographic correlates of the propensity to be physically inactive or active within different contexts, and at different levels of frequency of participation. Methods: Data from the Australian Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey was used for this analysis. This included information on the type, frequency and duration of leisure-time PA for Australians aged 15 years and over. Reported PA participation in the two-week period prior to the survey was used to allocate respondents into three categories: no PA, non-sport PA only, and sport. Subsequently, sport participants were further categorised according to frequency of participation. Potential demographic correlates included sex, age, education, employment, marital status, language spoken, having a condition that restricts life, children, and socio-economic status. Results: The survey included 21,603 people. Bivariate chi-squared analysis showed that there were significant differences between the profiles of leisure-time PA participation across all demographic variables, except the variable languages spoken at home. Ordinal regression analysis showed that the same demographic variables were also correlated with the propensity to engage in more organised and competitive PA contexts, and to participate more frequently. Conclusions: People who were female, older, married or had a disability were less likely to participate in sport. Therefore when designing PA opportunities to engage those who are inactive, particularly those that are organised by a club or group, we need to ensure that appropriate strategies are developed, and tailored sport products offered, to ensure greater opportunities for increased diversity of participation in sport.
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie , Nelson, Rayoni
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Bmc Public Health Vol. 18, no. 1 (2018), p. 1-10
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is imperative for good health and there are many different ways that people can be active. There are a range of health, PA and sport policies aiming to get more people active more often. Much research has been directed towards understanding the determinants of inactivity and PA. However, it is important to understand the differences not only between inactive and active people, but also between activity contexts (for example participation in sport compared to non-sport activities), in order to align policies and strategies to engage market segments who have different participation preferences and accessibility. The aim of this study was to investigate demographic correlates of the propensity to be physically inactive or active within different contexts, and at different levels of frequency of participation. Methods: Data from the Australian Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey was used for this analysis. This included information on the type, frequency and duration of leisure-time PA for Australians aged 15 years and over. Reported PA participation in the two-week period prior to the survey was used to allocate respondents into three categories: no PA, non-sport PA only, and sport. Subsequently, sport participants were further categorised according to frequency of participation. Potential demographic correlates included sex, age, education, employment, marital status, language spoken, having a condition that restricts life, children, and socio-economic status. Results: The survey included 21,603 people. Bivariate chi-squared analysis showed that there were significant differences between the profiles of leisure-time PA participation across all demographic variables, except the variable languages spoken at home. Ordinal regression analysis showed that the same demographic variables were also correlated with the propensity to engage in more organised and competitive PA contexts, and to participate more frequently. Conclusions: People who were female, older, married or had a disability were less likely to participate in sport. Therefore when designing PA opportunities to engage those who are inactive, particularly those that are organised by a club or group, we need to ensure that appropriate strategies are developed, and tailored sport products offered, to ensure greater opportunities for increased diversity of participation in sport.