A framework for adoption decision process for blockchain technology - an institutional and actor-network theory perspective
- Authors: Kaushik, Shipra
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Blockchain has been the most promising technology of the recent times. Originated from bitcoin, a blockchain technology use case has now been explored across almost every industry. It provides several novel technological features like transparency, disintermediation, immutability, trust among stakeholders and decentralisation. Despite so many advantages, the overview of challenges around blockchain adoption has revealed that there is a scarcity of understanding about the process of blockchain adoption decisions. Several organisations have failed to take advantage of blockchain's potential due to uneven adoption across industries and regions. Whether to use blockchain in their business is a difficult decision for many organisations. To fill this gap, this study examined the adoption decision process of blockchain in organisations. Firstly, there is a need of framework that details the steps in the blockchain adoption decision process, including tasks involved and the rationales for the actions taken. This understanding will help the potential adopters to make a successful decision to adopt blockchain technology for their organisation. Secondly, very few studies have examined the factors that influence the stakeholders’ interactions and dynamics while making technology adoption decisions, especially in blockchain based applications. When systems are designed to protect privacy or obscure actors intentionally, such as blockchain platforms, it can be challenging to identify them and understand their roles. Blockchain being an inter-organisational technology, primarily depends on the involvement of internal and external stakeholders. Thus, this study explored the actors involved in the adoption decision process and their roles while aligning other actors towards blockchain adoption. Thirdly, as these actors act as stakeholders while making decision, they act as rational individuals. Therefore, this study also explored their rationales while they are involved in technology adoption decisions to have an effective outcome of the decision-making process. To achieve these objectives, this study utilises Innovation Translation approach derived from Actor-Network Theory and Institutional Theory for technology adoption. The study has utilised a three- round qualitative Delphi method through semi structured interviews to gather views from a panel of experts from organisations who have experienced the blockchain adoption decision process for their business. The targeted experts for this study were categorized as Adopters, Non-Adopters (dropped the idea) and Consultants using selective purposive sampling. The first two rounds were exploratory in nature, and to extend the validity of the responses gathered, the final round was a confirmatory round of interviews. For this study, the saturation was seen with ten experts in the panel for round 2 and round 3. For the pilot study eight participants agreed to be part of the panel. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis in the NVivo tool. The analysis confirmed the use of Innovation Translation approach in literature for understanding the actors and their roles, by giving a rich interpretation of the results in understanding the crucial interactions among the actors and drawing useful findings. The interpretation also provided an insight into the institutionalisation of blockchain by exploring the institutional pressures. The study has confirmed the existence of many pressures that existed for other technologies, remain for blockchain adoption too like hype, curiosity, competitiveness, business value, cost and time but has explored new institutional pressures with blockchain adoption decision process like understanding among consultants and adopting organisations, and process participations needs. Utilising Institutional Theory for blockchain technology has also revealed a fourth pressure that is exerted by the technology itself like maturity, consensus, network dominancy and technological features that are primarily seen as blockchain being an inter-organisational and a new technology that has not been accepted widely in organisations. Achieving the objectives of this study, the study has proposed a consolidated framework for the blockchain adoption decision process from an exploratory view. The first of its kind in literature, that elaborates on the stages involved in blockchain adoption decision process, identify the actors and explains their role at each stage and how those roles evolve and also provides an insight into the institutionalisation of blockchain by exploring the pressures. These gaps, objectives, method, analysis, and contributions are further discussed in this thesis comprehensively.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kaushik, Shipra
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Blockchain has been the most promising technology of the recent times. Originated from bitcoin, a blockchain technology use case has now been explored across almost every industry. It provides several novel technological features like transparency, disintermediation, immutability, trust among stakeholders and decentralisation. Despite so many advantages, the overview of challenges around blockchain adoption has revealed that there is a scarcity of understanding about the process of blockchain adoption decisions. Several organisations have failed to take advantage of blockchain's potential due to uneven adoption across industries and regions. Whether to use blockchain in their business is a difficult decision for many organisations. To fill this gap, this study examined the adoption decision process of blockchain in organisations. Firstly, there is a need of framework that details the steps in the blockchain adoption decision process, including tasks involved and the rationales for the actions taken. This understanding will help the potential adopters to make a successful decision to adopt blockchain technology for their organisation. Secondly, very few studies have examined the factors that influence the stakeholders’ interactions and dynamics while making technology adoption decisions, especially in blockchain based applications. When systems are designed to protect privacy or obscure actors intentionally, such as blockchain platforms, it can be challenging to identify them and understand their roles. Blockchain being an inter-organisational technology, primarily depends on the involvement of internal and external stakeholders. Thus, this study explored the actors involved in the adoption decision process and their roles while aligning other actors towards blockchain adoption. Thirdly, as these actors act as stakeholders while making decision, they act as rational individuals. Therefore, this study also explored their rationales while they are involved in technology adoption decisions to have an effective outcome of the decision-making process. To achieve these objectives, this study utilises Innovation Translation approach derived from Actor-Network Theory and Institutional Theory for technology adoption. The study has utilised a three- round qualitative Delphi method through semi structured interviews to gather views from a panel of experts from organisations who have experienced the blockchain adoption decision process for their business. The targeted experts for this study were categorized as Adopters, Non-Adopters (dropped the idea) and Consultants using selective purposive sampling. The first two rounds were exploratory in nature, and to extend the validity of the responses gathered, the final round was a confirmatory round of interviews. For this study, the saturation was seen with ten experts in the panel for round 2 and round 3. For the pilot study eight participants agreed to be part of the panel. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis in the NVivo tool. The analysis confirmed the use of Innovation Translation approach in literature for understanding the actors and their roles, by giving a rich interpretation of the results in understanding the crucial interactions among the actors and drawing useful findings. The interpretation also provided an insight into the institutionalisation of blockchain by exploring the institutional pressures. The study has confirmed the existence of many pressures that existed for other technologies, remain for blockchain adoption too like hype, curiosity, competitiveness, business value, cost and time but has explored new institutional pressures with blockchain adoption decision process like understanding among consultants and adopting organisations, and process participations needs. Utilising Institutional Theory for blockchain technology has also revealed a fourth pressure that is exerted by the technology itself like maturity, consensus, network dominancy and technological features that are primarily seen as blockchain being an inter-organisational and a new technology that has not been accepted widely in organisations. Achieving the objectives of this study, the study has proposed a consolidated framework for the blockchain adoption decision process from an exploratory view. The first of its kind in literature, that elaborates on the stages involved in blockchain adoption decision process, identify the actors and explains their role at each stage and how those roles evolve and also provides an insight into the institutionalisation of blockchain by exploring the pressures. These gaps, objectives, method, analysis, and contributions are further discussed in this thesis comprehensively.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Access and engagement of First Nations women in maternal and child health services
- Authors: Austin, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores and describes the engagement of First Nations women, with children from birth to five years of age, with Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in Victoria, Australia. Identification of the factors that facilitate, support or hinder these women’s engagement with MCH services could strengthen the model of care to effectively engage First Nations women with these services. Access in the early years of a child’s life to integrated, effective, community-based services is a well-established predictor of a child’s successful transition to school and their lifelong education and employment outcomes. Such access is crucial in a child’s first 2,000 days (the period from conception to the child’s fifth year), which forms the foundation for a child’s lifetime development and health. Prior evaluative studies have shown that participation in MCH services in Victoria improves the health outcomes for children and families, particularly First Nations families. However, First Nations women and their children in Victoria show poorer health outcomes and lower participation in MCH services compared to non-Indigenous persons; this suggests a need to improve the current Victorian MCH service model. This thesis contributes recommendations for such improvements. The literature review (Chapter 2) identified the absence of a synthesis of qualitative studies of models of care to help guide MCH practice and innovation for all families, especially those at risk of child abuse and neglect. To address this gap, a three-phase qualitative study was conducted in the Glenelg Shire, Victoria, Australia, using narrative inquiry integrated with the Indigenous philosophy ‘Dadirri’. ‘Dadirri’, which emphasises deep and respectful listening, guided the development of the research design; this methodology assisted in understanding Indigenous culture and its sensitivities, building trust with the First Nations peoples involved in the studies, developing open-ended and conversational dialogue, and building respectful relationships. This method enabled First Nations women’s voices to be heard and the collection of rich data based on participants’ perspectives of and experiences with MCH services in Victoria. Study One (Chapter 4) recruited First Nations women residing in the Glenelg Shire, with at least one child aged birth to five years, to explore their perceptions and experiences of MCH services and barriers to accessing and engaging with MCH services. Study Two (Chapter 5) compared Study One data with accounts from MCH nurses working in Glenelg Shire. Study Three (Chapter 6) reviewed a piloting of the Early Assessment Referral Links (EARL) concept (developed by the researcher) that aims to improve First Nations women and their children’s access to and engagement with MCH services. EARL involved the core principles of narrative inquiry integrated with ‘Dadirri’. Study One and Two found that enabling factors for access and engagement include interventions that are culturally sensitive and effective; recognise the social determinates of health (SDOH) and social and emotional wellbeing; are timely, appropriate, culturally strong, flexible, holistic and community-based; support continuity of care and communication; and encourage early identification of risk, particularly of family violence (FV), and further assessment, intervention, referral and support in the child’s first 2,000 days. Barriers to access and engagement include an ineffective service model built on mistrust, poor communication due to cultural differences between client and provider (particularly around identification and disclosure of woman’s risk of FV), lack of continuity of care between services, limited flexibility of service delivery to suit individual needs, and a service model that does not recognise the importance of the SDOH and social and emotional wellbeing. Study Three results showed that participation of First Nations families in MCH services was consistently above the state average during the pilot period, and several First Nations families were referred to EARL stakeholders and other health professionals during the pilot. Further, there were increases in First Nations children being breastfed, fully immunised and attending Early Start Kindergarten, and identification of First Nations children at risk of abuse or neglect improved (with a significant increase in referrals for FV and child protection and significant decrease in episodes of out-of-home care). This thesis’s findings can support policy development. This research shows that timely, effective, holistic engagement with First Nations women in their child’s first 2,000 days, that respects their culture and facilitates genuine partnerships built on co-design and shared decision-making with the Indigenous community, needs to be an essential part of the MCH service model. Additionally, this thesis recommends adopting a strengths-based approach that respects First Nations peoples’ child-rearing practices and culture, and providing necessary training to MCH nurses who work with First Nations families. Keywords: child family health, continuity of care, First Nations women
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Austin, Catherine
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis explores and describes the engagement of First Nations women, with children from birth to five years of age, with Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in Victoria, Australia. Identification of the factors that facilitate, support or hinder these women’s engagement with MCH services could strengthen the model of care to effectively engage First Nations women with these services. Access in the early years of a child’s life to integrated, effective, community-based services is a well-established predictor of a child’s successful transition to school and their lifelong education and employment outcomes. Such access is crucial in a child’s first 2,000 days (the period from conception to the child’s fifth year), which forms the foundation for a child’s lifetime development and health. Prior evaluative studies have shown that participation in MCH services in Victoria improves the health outcomes for children and families, particularly First Nations families. However, First Nations women and their children in Victoria show poorer health outcomes and lower participation in MCH services compared to non-Indigenous persons; this suggests a need to improve the current Victorian MCH service model. This thesis contributes recommendations for such improvements. The literature review (Chapter 2) identified the absence of a synthesis of qualitative studies of models of care to help guide MCH practice and innovation for all families, especially those at risk of child abuse and neglect. To address this gap, a three-phase qualitative study was conducted in the Glenelg Shire, Victoria, Australia, using narrative inquiry integrated with the Indigenous philosophy ‘Dadirri’. ‘Dadirri’, which emphasises deep and respectful listening, guided the development of the research design; this methodology assisted in understanding Indigenous culture and its sensitivities, building trust with the First Nations peoples involved in the studies, developing open-ended and conversational dialogue, and building respectful relationships. This method enabled First Nations women’s voices to be heard and the collection of rich data based on participants’ perspectives of and experiences with MCH services in Victoria. Study One (Chapter 4) recruited First Nations women residing in the Glenelg Shire, with at least one child aged birth to five years, to explore their perceptions and experiences of MCH services and barriers to accessing and engaging with MCH services. Study Two (Chapter 5) compared Study One data with accounts from MCH nurses working in Glenelg Shire. Study Three (Chapter 6) reviewed a piloting of the Early Assessment Referral Links (EARL) concept (developed by the researcher) that aims to improve First Nations women and their children’s access to and engagement with MCH services. EARL involved the core principles of narrative inquiry integrated with ‘Dadirri’. Study One and Two found that enabling factors for access and engagement include interventions that are culturally sensitive and effective; recognise the social determinates of health (SDOH) and social and emotional wellbeing; are timely, appropriate, culturally strong, flexible, holistic and community-based; support continuity of care and communication; and encourage early identification of risk, particularly of family violence (FV), and further assessment, intervention, referral and support in the child’s first 2,000 days. Barriers to access and engagement include an ineffective service model built on mistrust, poor communication due to cultural differences between client and provider (particularly around identification and disclosure of woman’s risk of FV), lack of continuity of care between services, limited flexibility of service delivery to suit individual needs, and a service model that does not recognise the importance of the SDOH and social and emotional wellbeing. Study Three results showed that participation of First Nations families in MCH services was consistently above the state average during the pilot period, and several First Nations families were referred to EARL stakeholders and other health professionals during the pilot. Further, there were increases in First Nations children being breastfed, fully immunised and attending Early Start Kindergarten, and identification of First Nations children at risk of abuse or neglect improved (with a significant increase in referrals for FV and child protection and significant decrease in episodes of out-of-home care). This thesis’s findings can support policy development. This research shows that timely, effective, holistic engagement with First Nations women in their child’s first 2,000 days, that respects their culture and facilitates genuine partnerships built on co-design and shared decision-making with the Indigenous community, needs to be an essential part of the MCH service model. Additionally, this thesis recommends adopting a strengths-based approach that respects First Nations peoples’ child-rearing practices and culture, and providing necessary training to MCH nurses who work with First Nations families. Keywords: child family health, continuity of care, First Nations women
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An efficient framework for mining outlying aspects
- Authors: Samariya, Durgesh
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the era of big data, an immense volume of information is being continuously generated. It is common to encounter errors or anomalies within datasets. These anomalies can arise due to system malfunctions or human errors, resulting in data points that deviate from expected patterns or values. Anomaly detection algorithms have been developed to identify such anomalies effectively from the data. However, these algorithms often fall short in providing insights into why a particular data point is considered as an anomaly. They cannot explain the specific feature subset(s) in which a,data point significantly differs from the majority of the data. To address this limitation, researchers have recently turned their attention,to a new research area called outlying aspect mining. This area focuses on discovering feature subset(s), known as aspects or subspaces, in which anomalous data points exhibit significant deviations from the remaining set of data. Outlying aspect mining algorithms aim to provide a more detailed,understanding of the characteristics that make a data point anomalous. Although outlying aspect mining is an emerging area of research only a few studies have been published so far. One of the key challenges in this field is scaling up these algorithms to handle large datasets, characterised by,either a large data size or high dimensionality. Many existing outlying aspect mining algorithms are not well-suited for such datasets, as they exhaustively enumerate all possible subspaces and utilise density or distance-based anomaly scores to rank subspaces. As a result, most of these algorithms struggle to handle datasets with dimensions exceeding 20. Addressing the scalability issue and developing efficient algorithms for outlying aspect mining in large datasets remain active area of research. The ability to identify and understand the specific feature subsets contributing to anomalies in big data holds great potential for various applications, including fraud detection, network intrusion detection, and anomaly-based decision support systems. Existing outlying aspect mining methods are suffering from three main problems. Firstly, these measures often rely on distance or density-based calculations, which can be biased toward high-dimensional spaces. As the dimensionality of the subspace increases, the density tends to decrease, making it difficult to assess the outlyingness of data points within specific subspaces accurately. Secondly, distances or density-based measures are computationally expensive, especially when dealing with large-scale datasets that contain millions of data points. As distance and density-based measures require computing pairwise distance, it makes them computationally expensive. In addition to that, existing work uses Z-Score normalisation to make density-based scoring measure dimensionally unbias. However, it adds additional computational overload on already computationally expensive measures. Lastly, existing outlying aspect mining uses brute-force methods to search subspaces. Thus, it is essential to tackle this efficiency issue because when the dimensionality of the data is high – candidate subspace grows exponentially, which is beyond computational resources. This research project aims to solve this challenge by developing efficient and effective methods for mining outlying aspects in high-dimensional and large datasets. I have explored and designed different scoring measures to find the outlyingness of a given data point in each subspace. The effectiveness and efficiency of these proposed measures have been verified with extensive experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets. To overcome the first problem, this thesis first identifies and analyses the condition under which Z-Score based normalisation scoring measure fails to find the most outlying aspects and proposes two different approaches called HMass and sGrid++, both measures are dimensionally unbiased in their raw form, which means they do not require any additional normalisation. sGrid++ is a simpler version of sGrid that is not only efficient and effective but also dimensionality unbiased. It does not require Z-score normalisation. HMass is a simple but effective and efficient histogram-based solution to rank outlying aspects of a given query in each subspace. In addition to detecting anomalies, HMass provides explanations on why the points are anomalous. Both sGrid++ and HMass do not require pair-wise calculation like distance or density-based measures; therefore, sGrid++ and HMass are computationally faster than distance and density-based measures, which solves the second issue of existing work. The effectiveness and efficiency of both sGrid++ and HMass are evaluated using synthetic and real-world datasets. In addition to that, I presented an exciting application of outlying aspect mining in the cybersecurity domain. To tackle the third problem, this thesis proposes an efficient and effective outlying aspect mining framework named OIMiner (for Outlying - Inlying Aspect Miner). It introduces a new scoring measure to compute outlying degree, called Simple Isolation score using Nearest Neighbor Ensemble (SiNNE), which not only detects the outliers but also provides an explanation on why the selected point is an outlier. SiNNE is a dimensionally unbias measure in its raw form, which means the scores produced by SiNNE are compared directly with subspaces having different dimensions. Thus, it does not require any normalisation to make the score unbiased. Our experimental results on synthetic and publicly available real-world datasets revealed that (i) SiNNE produces better or at least the same results as existing scores. (ii) It improves the run time of the existing outlying aspect mining algorithm based on beam search by at least two orders of magnitude. SiNNE allows the existing outlying aspect mining algorithm to run in datasets with hundreds of thousands of instances and thousands of dimensions, which was not possible before.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Samariya, Durgesh
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the era of big data, an immense volume of information is being continuously generated. It is common to encounter errors or anomalies within datasets. These anomalies can arise due to system malfunctions or human errors, resulting in data points that deviate from expected patterns or values. Anomaly detection algorithms have been developed to identify such anomalies effectively from the data. However, these algorithms often fall short in providing insights into why a particular data point is considered as an anomaly. They cannot explain the specific feature subset(s) in which a,data point significantly differs from the majority of the data. To address this limitation, researchers have recently turned their attention,to a new research area called outlying aspect mining. This area focuses on discovering feature subset(s), known as aspects or subspaces, in which anomalous data points exhibit significant deviations from the remaining set of data. Outlying aspect mining algorithms aim to provide a more detailed,understanding of the characteristics that make a data point anomalous. Although outlying aspect mining is an emerging area of research only a few studies have been published so far. One of the key challenges in this field is scaling up these algorithms to handle large datasets, characterised by,either a large data size or high dimensionality. Many existing outlying aspect mining algorithms are not well-suited for such datasets, as they exhaustively enumerate all possible subspaces and utilise density or distance-based anomaly scores to rank subspaces. As a result, most of these algorithms struggle to handle datasets with dimensions exceeding 20. Addressing the scalability issue and developing efficient algorithms for outlying aspect mining in large datasets remain active area of research. The ability to identify and understand the specific feature subsets contributing to anomalies in big data holds great potential for various applications, including fraud detection, network intrusion detection, and anomaly-based decision support systems. Existing outlying aspect mining methods are suffering from three main problems. Firstly, these measures often rely on distance or density-based calculations, which can be biased toward high-dimensional spaces. As the dimensionality of the subspace increases, the density tends to decrease, making it difficult to assess the outlyingness of data points within specific subspaces accurately. Secondly, distances or density-based measures are computationally expensive, especially when dealing with large-scale datasets that contain millions of data points. As distance and density-based measures require computing pairwise distance, it makes them computationally expensive. In addition to that, existing work uses Z-Score normalisation to make density-based scoring measure dimensionally unbias. However, it adds additional computational overload on already computationally expensive measures. Lastly, existing outlying aspect mining uses brute-force methods to search subspaces. Thus, it is essential to tackle this efficiency issue because when the dimensionality of the data is high – candidate subspace grows exponentially, which is beyond computational resources. This research project aims to solve this challenge by developing efficient and effective methods for mining outlying aspects in high-dimensional and large datasets. I have explored and designed different scoring measures to find the outlyingness of a given data point in each subspace. The effectiveness and efficiency of these proposed measures have been verified with extensive experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets. To overcome the first problem, this thesis first identifies and analyses the condition under which Z-Score based normalisation scoring measure fails to find the most outlying aspects and proposes two different approaches called HMass and sGrid++, both measures are dimensionally unbiased in their raw form, which means they do not require any additional normalisation. sGrid++ is a simpler version of sGrid that is not only efficient and effective but also dimensionality unbiased. It does not require Z-score normalisation. HMass is a simple but effective and efficient histogram-based solution to rank outlying aspects of a given query in each subspace. In addition to detecting anomalies, HMass provides explanations on why the points are anomalous. Both sGrid++ and HMass do not require pair-wise calculation like distance or density-based measures; therefore, sGrid++ and HMass are computationally faster than distance and density-based measures, which solves the second issue of existing work. The effectiveness and efficiency of both sGrid++ and HMass are evaluated using synthetic and real-world datasets. In addition to that, I presented an exciting application of outlying aspect mining in the cybersecurity domain. To tackle the third problem, this thesis proposes an efficient and effective outlying aspect mining framework named OIMiner (for Outlying - Inlying Aspect Miner). It introduces a new scoring measure to compute outlying degree, called Simple Isolation score using Nearest Neighbor Ensemble (SiNNE), which not only detects the outliers but also provides an explanation on why the selected point is an outlier. SiNNE is a dimensionally unbias measure in its raw form, which means the scores produced by SiNNE are compared directly with subspaces having different dimensions. Thus, it does not require any normalisation to make the score unbiased. Our experimental results on synthetic and publicly available real-world datasets revealed that (i) SiNNE produces better or at least the same results as existing scores. (ii) It improves the run time of the existing outlying aspect mining algorithm based on beam search by at least two orders of magnitude. SiNNE allows the existing outlying aspect mining algorithm to run in datasets with hundreds of thousands of instances and thousands of dimensions, which was not possible before.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An evaluation of low and high intensity digital mental health treatment models for anxiety and depression : an adaptive treatment randomized clinical trial
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Doctor of Philsophy
- Authors: Andrews, Brooke
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Doctor of Philsophy
An examination of physical exercise therapy on quality of life (QoL) and mortality in men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (PCa)
- Authors: Khan, Nazib
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent malignancy in men worldwide, accounting for 27% of new cancer cases in men and responsible for 3.8% of worldwide male cancer deaths (2018). This risk is projected to double before 204, so it is surprising that there are no well- established modifiable risk factors for PCa diagnosis orr progression. Considering this, the following thesis consists of three original research studies that examined; (1) the moderating effect of physical activity and muscular strength on prostate cancer mortality; (2) the magnitude of effect from pooled therapeutic exercise studies to impact quality of life and adverse events in PCa patients following surgery; (3) the head-to-head comparative efficacy of individual exercise therapies to impact quality of life and adverse events following surgery. The sum of works presented in this thesis lead to the conclusion that 1) when PCa is the only lifetime cancer diagnosis, life expectancy is similar to lifetime cancer free counterparts whereas diagnosis of PCa with any other lifetime cancer is associated with a 30.2% lower life expectancy during 10-year follow-up. Physical activity has negligible effect on life-expectancy whereas handgrip strength accounts for ~4% of the difference in life-expectancy between PCa with any other lifetime cancer compared with controls; 2) Pooled evidence from randomised controlled trials (n=999 participants) identifies that perioperative exercise therapy (aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor, mind-body exercise, or mixed exercise (combined aerobic and resistance) has a positive impact on patient quality of life and adverse events in PCa patients undergoing surgery which is predominant in perceptions of symptom related QoL (SMD: 0.56, 111 95% CI’s [0.22-0.89]) more so than health related quality of life (HRQoL) (SMD: 0.02, 95% 112 CI’s [-0.16-0.20]; 3) Comparison of head-to-head efficacy of different therapeutic exercise interventions [Aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor, mind-body exercise or mixed exercise (combined aerobic and resistance)] identified pelvic floor muscle exercise to be the most favorable exercise therapy to maintain QoL in PCa patients undergoing surgery, partly due to the current lack of evidence to support other exercise therapies. These findings provide new knowledge to support the effective treatment of PCa patients.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Khan, Nazib
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent malignancy in men worldwide, accounting for 27% of new cancer cases in men and responsible for 3.8% of worldwide male cancer deaths (2018). This risk is projected to double before 204, so it is surprising that there are no well- established modifiable risk factors for PCa diagnosis orr progression. Considering this, the following thesis consists of three original research studies that examined; (1) the moderating effect of physical activity and muscular strength on prostate cancer mortality; (2) the magnitude of effect from pooled therapeutic exercise studies to impact quality of life and adverse events in PCa patients following surgery; (3) the head-to-head comparative efficacy of individual exercise therapies to impact quality of life and adverse events following surgery. The sum of works presented in this thesis lead to the conclusion that 1) when PCa is the only lifetime cancer diagnosis, life expectancy is similar to lifetime cancer free counterparts whereas diagnosis of PCa with any other lifetime cancer is associated with a 30.2% lower life expectancy during 10-year follow-up. Physical activity has negligible effect on life-expectancy whereas handgrip strength accounts for ~4% of the difference in life-expectancy between PCa with any other lifetime cancer compared with controls; 2) Pooled evidence from randomised controlled trials (n=999 participants) identifies that perioperative exercise therapy (aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor, mind-body exercise, or mixed exercise (combined aerobic and resistance) has a positive impact on patient quality of life and adverse events in PCa patients undergoing surgery which is predominant in perceptions of symptom related QoL (SMD: 0.56, 111 95% CI’s [0.22-0.89]) more so than health related quality of life (HRQoL) (SMD: 0.02, 95% 112 CI’s [-0.16-0.20]; 3) Comparison of head-to-head efficacy of different therapeutic exercise interventions [Aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor, mind-body exercise or mixed exercise (combined aerobic and resistance)] identified pelvic floor muscle exercise to be the most favorable exercise therapy to maintain QoL in PCa patients undergoing surgery, partly due to the current lack of evidence to support other exercise therapies. These findings provide new knowledge to support the effective treatment of PCa patients.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An oily steppingstone : Australia’s strategic interest in Portuguese Timor, 1902-1941
- Authors: Murphy-Avery, Kathryn
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Using a realist theoretical lens, this thesis historically examines Australia’s strategic interest in Portuguese Timor between 1902 and 1941. The islands of the Malay Archipelago and South Pacific assumed a binary role in Australia’s geopolitical imagination as though they were designed to either shield or menace Australia. One of these territories, Portuguese Timor, was regarded as the weakest, most vulnerable point in Australia’s northern surroundings. Centuries of Portuguese (mis)rule had left it largely undeveloped and, according to successive Australian governments, susceptible to foreign threats. Australians therefore regarded Portuguese Timor as a potential base for operations from which a future hostile enemy—first Germany, then Japan—might menace Australia. This thesis argues that Portuguese Timor was considered vital to Australian security throughout the timeframe studied. The Australian military intervention in Portuguese Timor on 17 December 1941 was therefore the result not only of short-term considerations arising from the slide to war in the Pacific, but also a culmination of longer-term factors contributing to four decades of anxiety about the colony as a source of threat to Australian national security. With greater awareness of Britain’s incapacity to sufficiently project its military power throughout the Asia and Pacific regions, Australia’s political leaders pursued a number of measures in order to prevent foreign interests from establishing a footing in Portuguese Timor. Through examining these complex geopolitical issues, this thesis also contends that Australian policy towards Portuguese Timor, particularly during the 1930s and leading into the Pacific War, represents an understudied example of a nascent independent Australian foreign policy position during an era commonly understood as a time when Australian governments were acquiescent to the policies of London.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Assessment of powered mobility device use among older australians in residential aged care facilities
- Authors: Dickson, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Autonomous mobility is fundamental for older Australians to participate in the activities that occupy and inspire daily life. Should a mobility difficulty arise, a powered mobility device (PMD) can assist to supplement or restore mobility, choice, and control. A PMD continues to be a valued resource once a person moves into residential aged care. However, increasing frailty among people within this group means that incidents can result in serious injury for PMD users or others living, visiting, or working in this environment. Guidelines for PMD use are available, however, there are no regulations or mandates to seek professional guidance for assessment of competence, equipment prescription, or training. Occupational therapy theory and practice can support all parts of this process. This thesis presents a three-part study using a mixed methods approach to (i) examine PMD use related incidents and injuries within residential aged care, (ii) to evaluate existing measurement tools, and (iii) to develop and undertake initial validation of a new screening tool developed for residents who use PMDs, based on classical test theory (De Vellis, 2006). The new screening tool will address a gap identified among screening tools for PMD capacity and performance skills specific to this population, to improve the balance between much needed autonomy and safety for all stakeholders.
- Description: Master of Health (Research)
- Authors: Dickson, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Autonomous mobility is fundamental for older Australians to participate in the activities that occupy and inspire daily life. Should a mobility difficulty arise, a powered mobility device (PMD) can assist to supplement or restore mobility, choice, and control. A PMD continues to be a valued resource once a person moves into residential aged care. However, increasing frailty among people within this group means that incidents can result in serious injury for PMD users or others living, visiting, or working in this environment. Guidelines for PMD use are available, however, there are no regulations or mandates to seek professional guidance for assessment of competence, equipment prescription, or training. Occupational therapy theory and practice can support all parts of this process. This thesis presents a three-part study using a mixed methods approach to (i) examine PMD use related incidents and injuries within residential aged care, (ii) to evaluate existing measurement tools, and (iii) to develop and undertake initial validation of a new screening tool developed for residents who use PMDs, based on classical test theory (De Vellis, 2006). The new screening tool will address a gap identified among screening tools for PMD capacity and performance skills specific to this population, to improve the balance between much needed autonomy and safety for all stakeholders.
- Description: Master of Health (Research)
Australian nursing students’ perceptions of being a nurse : a mixed methods study
- Authors: Allen, Louise
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background Nursing students often enter nursing programs with idealistic, altruistic perceptions of what it means to be a nurse. Over time, however, many discover that these perceptions are naïve and unrealistic. Nursing is a demanding profession that requires knowledge, skill and emotional resilience in often demanding and challenging situations that can influence emotional intelligence. Therefore, an early and realistic understanding of professional requirements may reduce transition shock and attrition rates. Aim The aim of this thesis is to explore Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students’ perceptions of being a nurse in Australia. Methods This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The 34-item Perceptions of a Registered Nurse (PRN) survey tool was developed using a Nominal Group Technique and validated with a sample of 797 participants across three universities and states. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was incorporated as applicable. In addition, online semi-structured interviews with 23 nursing students (n = 23) explored their perceptions of a nurse in detail, with a thematic analysis of outcomes. Results Demographic variables influenced perceptions. There were significant differences in item-by-item perceptions related to ‘primary language spoken at home’ (13/34 items; p < .04), ‘university of study’ (10/34 items; p
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Allen, Louise
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background Nursing students often enter nursing programs with idealistic, altruistic perceptions of what it means to be a nurse. Over time, however, many discover that these perceptions are naïve and unrealistic. Nursing is a demanding profession that requires knowledge, skill and emotional resilience in often demanding and challenging situations that can influence emotional intelligence. Therefore, an early and realistic understanding of professional requirements may reduce transition shock and attrition rates. Aim The aim of this thesis is to explore Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students’ perceptions of being a nurse in Australia. Methods This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The 34-item Perceptions of a Registered Nurse (PRN) survey tool was developed using a Nominal Group Technique and validated with a sample of 797 participants across three universities and states. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was incorporated as applicable. In addition, online semi-structured interviews with 23 nursing students (n = 23) explored their perceptions of a nurse in detail, with a thematic analysis of outcomes. Results Demographic variables influenced perceptions. There were significant differences in item-by-item perceptions related to ‘primary language spoken at home’ (13/34 items; p < .04), ‘university of study’ (10/34 items; p
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Between a rock and a hard place : site selection for Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) translocations using an explicit decision-making process
- Authors: Mathews, Emily
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Translocation programs are used in species conservation, but their success rates, particularly in Australia, are low. The poor outcomes for translocation programs are commonly attributed to a lack of information about habitat requirements, especially for rare and endangered species. To address this, the identification of suitable release sites using analytical methods such as Habitat Suitability Models (HSM), has become common. Since biodiversity losses are predicted to increase in the future, effective strategies to reduce species decline are required. Evidence-based decisions and scientific data to support conservation decision-making is paramount in conservation efforts. Once widely distributed across the mountainous country of south-eastern Australia, the distribution of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) has contracted particularly within the southern extent of their range. Considered critically endangered in Victoria and extinct in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), it is more important than ever that the habitat requirements of the BTRW are understood to inform future translocations and the protection of this species in the wild. In this study, an explicit decision-making process was combined with Habitat Suitability Modelling (HSM) and ground-truthing methods to inform potential Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) translocations sites within Victoria and the ACT. Although this study is not the first of its kind to use HSM to predict BTRW habitat suitability, it is the first of its kind to apply an explicit decision-making process at two key stages: 1. to inform the selection of key physical and management attributes to be used in a HSM; and 2. to prioritise sites, within experts’ local knowledge areas, for ground-truthing By combining HSM and an explicit decision-making process, this study has been able to identify six suitable and two highly suitable habitat for BTRW across Victoria and the ACT. The use of an explicit decision-making process and ground-truthing methods to validate the model outputs and prioritise sites for ground-truthing has ensured that the final ranking of potential candidate sites can be reliably used by the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team to inform future translocations.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Mathews, Emily
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Translocation programs are used in species conservation, but their success rates, particularly in Australia, are low. The poor outcomes for translocation programs are commonly attributed to a lack of information about habitat requirements, especially for rare and endangered species. To address this, the identification of suitable release sites using analytical methods such as Habitat Suitability Models (HSM), has become common. Since biodiversity losses are predicted to increase in the future, effective strategies to reduce species decline are required. Evidence-based decisions and scientific data to support conservation decision-making is paramount in conservation efforts. Once widely distributed across the mountainous country of south-eastern Australia, the distribution of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) has contracted particularly within the southern extent of their range. Considered critically endangered in Victoria and extinct in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), it is more important than ever that the habitat requirements of the BTRW are understood to inform future translocations and the protection of this species in the wild. In this study, an explicit decision-making process was combined with Habitat Suitability Modelling (HSM) and ground-truthing methods to inform potential Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (BTRW) translocations sites within Victoria and the ACT. Although this study is not the first of its kind to use HSM to predict BTRW habitat suitability, it is the first of its kind to apply an explicit decision-making process at two key stages: 1. to inform the selection of key physical and management attributes to be used in a HSM; and 2. to prioritise sites, within experts’ local knowledge areas, for ground-truthing By combining HSM and an explicit decision-making process, this study has been able to identify six suitable and two highly suitable habitat for BTRW across Victoria and the ACT. The use of an explicit decision-making process and ground-truthing methods to validate the model outputs and prioritise sites for ground-truthing has ensured that the final ranking of potential candidate sites can be reliably used by the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Team to inform future translocations.
- Description: Masters by Research
Contrasting colonial collectors: an examination of nineteenth-century collectors of Victorian Indigenous cultural artefacts, violence and antiquarianism
- Authors: Donovan, Paul
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The motivations and methodologies for collecting Indigenous Australian cultural material from colonial Victoria from 1802–1900 have varied widely. Some collectors enacted frontier war to disarm a colonised people and dispossess them of their land. Others sought to salvage a material scientific record of the culture of a race they believed was doomed to imminent extinction or build museum collections for public education. Some sought souvenirs or gifts to document tourism experiences, and some acquired exotic material for commercial enterprise. This dissertation offers a historical overview of political and scientific paradigms underpinning the collection of Indigenous Australian cultural material from nineteenth-century Victoria and characterises the resulting collecting practices. The nature of the collection methods and the content of the collections were examined. The dynamics of relationships between nineteenth-century collectors, Indigenous Australian communities, the source of collections, and collecting institutions were analysed following on from Nicholas Thomas’s entangled objects framework and using the methodologies of Geertz’s thick description, McBryde’s ethnohistory, Denzin’s interpretive biography and Thomas, Znaniecki and Shaw’s biographical analysis. By examining evidence in the primary sources of Indigenous Australian value for colonial material and colonial value of Indigenous material, this dissertation deconstructed the nature of the relationships between agents. It explored the nexus between objects, institutions and individuals. The case studies add depth to the understanding of the collections of Victorian cultural material still held in museums.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Donovan, Paul
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The motivations and methodologies for collecting Indigenous Australian cultural material from colonial Victoria from 1802–1900 have varied widely. Some collectors enacted frontier war to disarm a colonised people and dispossess them of their land. Others sought to salvage a material scientific record of the culture of a race they believed was doomed to imminent extinction or build museum collections for public education. Some sought souvenirs or gifts to document tourism experiences, and some acquired exotic material for commercial enterprise. This dissertation offers a historical overview of political and scientific paradigms underpinning the collection of Indigenous Australian cultural material from nineteenth-century Victoria and characterises the resulting collecting practices. The nature of the collection methods and the content of the collections were examined. The dynamics of relationships between nineteenth-century collectors, Indigenous Australian communities, the source of collections, and collecting institutions were analysed following on from Nicholas Thomas’s entangled objects framework and using the methodologies of Geertz’s thick description, McBryde’s ethnohistory, Denzin’s interpretive biography and Thomas, Znaniecki and Shaw’s biographical analysis. By examining evidence in the primary sources of Indigenous Australian value for colonial material and colonial value of Indigenous material, this dissertation deconstructed the nature of the relationships between agents. It explored the nexus between objects, institutions and individuals. The case studies add depth to the understanding of the collections of Victorian cultural material still held in museums.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Cytoskeletal plakins in epithelial ovarian cancer
- Authors: Wesley, Tamsin
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: The plakin family of cytoskeletal proteins play an important role in cancer progression yet are under-studied in cancer, especially ovarian cancer. These large cytoskeletal proteins have primary roles in the maintenance of cytoskeletal integrity. They are also associated with scaffolds of intermediate filaments and hemidesmosomal adhesion complexes mediating signalling pathways that regulate cellular growth, migration, invasion and differentiation, as well as a stress response. Abnormalities of plakins, and the closely related spectraplakins, result in serious pathologies of skin, striated muscle and nervous tissue. Their prevalence in epithelial cells suggests that plakins may play a role in epithelial ovarian cancer progression and recurrence. This thesis sought to explore the expression of plakin proteins, particularly plectin (PLEC), desmoplakin (DSP), periplakin (PPL) and envoplakin (EVPL) in ovarian cancer progression, comparing surgical stages, historical Silverberg histological grading and current World Health Organisation (WHO) pathological classification of ovarian tumour types. The study also investigated the potential role that the plakin family of proteins may play in regulating cancer cell growth, survival, migration, invasion and drug resistance. It highlights potential relationships between plakins and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and relates how these interactions may affect ovarian cancer progression, chemoresistance and ultimately recurrence. This study hypothesises that the molecular changes in the expression of plakins in benign ovarian tumours compared to various grades and stages of ovarian carcinomas, as well as floating cellular aggregates (spheroids) in the peritoneal ascites microenvironment, may contribute to the progression of the disease. It also attempts to understand these crucial changes in plakin expression in response to chemotherapy treatment and relate these findings in the perspective of disease recurrence.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Development of a long-term climatology of tropical 1 cyclones and depressions for the South Pacific 2 Ocean basin
- Authors: Yeasmin, Alea
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the most destructive synoptic systems that can cause enormous loss of life and property damages in the South Pacific Island nations. The impact of tropical depressions (TDs, i.e., weaker systems that do not develop into TCs) can also be staggering in the region in terms of heavy flooding and landslides, but a lack of complete records (reliable data prior to 1950) often hinders research involving TD impacts. A methodology has been developed here to detect TDs in the ERA-5 (the fifth generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts-ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis of the global climate) and 20CR (the Twentieth Century Reanalysis) dataset using the Okubo–Weiss–Zeta parameter (OWZP) detection scheme. The new South Pacific Enhanced Archive for Tropical Cyclones dataset (SPEArTC), the Dvorak analysis of satellite-based cloud patterns over the South Pacific Ocean basin, rainfall dataset for various stations in the South Pacific and historical archives have been utilised to validate ERA5/20CR-derived TCs and TDs. Results indicate that the OWZP method shows substantial skill in capturing the realistic climatological distribution of TCs and TDs for the South Pacific Ocean in both reanalyses dataset. The 20CR-derived TCs and TDs resemble several key characteristics of the observational records, including spatial distribution of genesis locations and track shapes. This gives us confidence that the 20CR-derived long-term records of TCs and TDs can serve as an effective tool for examining historical changes in various characteristics of TCs and TDs, particularly in the context of anthropogenic climate change. Utilizing the reconstructed proxies of TCs and TDs, their climatic connections with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), and the combined ENSO-IPO phases have been examined. Results show clear spatial shifts in TC activity between La Niña and El Niño phases with activity in the region 1400-1700E (1700-2200E) occurring during La Niña (El Niño) events. However, when IPO is considered synergistically with ENSO phases, we found that the combination of El Niño and the positive phase of IPO (+IPO) substantially enhances TC numbers (may be artifact influence) in both domains, noting the modulation between the two phases themselves. Similarly, La Niña and the negative phase of the IPO (-IPO) is found to enhance TC numbers in 1400-1700E. It is shown for the first time that the combined phases of El Niño and +IPO account for increased TC activity, as opposed to the combined phase of La Niña and -IPO, in the eastern sub-region. Similarly, the combined phase of La Niña and +IPO, as opposed to the combined phase of El Niño and -IPO, account for increased TC activity in the western sub-region. However, unlike TCs, the patterns of ENSO variability seem to be reversed for TDs. Changes in large-scale environmental conditions, such as environmental vertical wind shear, low-level cyclonic relative vorticity, mid-tropospheric relative humidity and sea surface temperature are linked to the various modes of variability patterns and their synergistic relationships. Results can have substantial implications, particularly on the predictability of TCs and TDs associated with the two important modes of natural variability in the South Pacific.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Yeasmin, Alea
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the most destructive synoptic systems that can cause enormous loss of life and property damages in the South Pacific Island nations. The impact of tropical depressions (TDs, i.e., weaker systems that do not develop into TCs) can also be staggering in the region in terms of heavy flooding and landslides, but a lack of complete records (reliable data prior to 1950) often hinders research involving TD impacts. A methodology has been developed here to detect TDs in the ERA-5 (the fifth generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts-ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis of the global climate) and 20CR (the Twentieth Century Reanalysis) dataset using the Okubo–Weiss–Zeta parameter (OWZP) detection scheme. The new South Pacific Enhanced Archive for Tropical Cyclones dataset (SPEArTC), the Dvorak analysis of satellite-based cloud patterns over the South Pacific Ocean basin, rainfall dataset for various stations in the South Pacific and historical archives have been utilised to validate ERA5/20CR-derived TCs and TDs. Results indicate that the OWZP method shows substantial skill in capturing the realistic climatological distribution of TCs and TDs for the South Pacific Ocean in both reanalyses dataset. The 20CR-derived TCs and TDs resemble several key characteristics of the observational records, including spatial distribution of genesis locations and track shapes. This gives us confidence that the 20CR-derived long-term records of TCs and TDs can serve as an effective tool for examining historical changes in various characteristics of TCs and TDs, particularly in the context of anthropogenic climate change. Utilizing the reconstructed proxies of TCs and TDs, their climatic connections with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), and the combined ENSO-IPO phases have been examined. Results show clear spatial shifts in TC activity between La Niña and El Niño phases with activity in the region 1400-1700E (1700-2200E) occurring during La Niña (El Niño) events. However, when IPO is considered synergistically with ENSO phases, we found that the combination of El Niño and the positive phase of IPO (+IPO) substantially enhances TC numbers (may be artifact influence) in both domains, noting the modulation between the two phases themselves. Similarly, La Niña and the negative phase of the IPO (-IPO) is found to enhance TC numbers in 1400-1700E. It is shown for the first time that the combined phases of El Niño and +IPO account for increased TC activity, as opposed to the combined phase of La Niña and -IPO, in the eastern sub-region. Similarly, the combined phase of La Niña and +IPO, as opposed to the combined phase of El Niño and -IPO, account for increased TC activity in the western sub-region. However, unlike TCs, the patterns of ENSO variability seem to be reversed for TDs. Changes in large-scale environmental conditions, such as environmental vertical wind shear, low-level cyclonic relative vorticity, mid-tropospheric relative humidity and sea surface temperature are linked to the various modes of variability patterns and their synergistic relationships. Results can have substantial implications, particularly on the predictability of TCs and TDs associated with the two important modes of natural variability in the South Pacific.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Development of scaled boundary finite element method for geotechnical and mining engineering
- Authors: Wijesinghe, Dakshith
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Numerical methods are a mature field of research and have become an increasingly important tool in mining and geotechnical engineering design practices. Although the advantages of numerical methods in aiding the analysis and solving practical engineering problems have been widely accepted and recognised, there is still a gap for further improvements. One such area is the challenge to consider the complexities of geology and the lack of stratigraphic information in the numerical model. Failure to include geological complexities may lead to overestimating the analysis parameters, such as the safety factor. These difficulties mainly manifest in the form of complex mesh generation due to the need to integrate spatial variable material parameters, capturing complex geological features, requirement of additional meshing algorithms, high human involvement, and long processing time. The scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is a semi-analytical method that has potential to address these types of problems. This thesis focuses on developing the SBFEM to address these challenges so that complex geotechnical and mining engineering can be better modelled. Optimisation problems in geotechnical and mining engineering are also considered by developing a combined SBFEM-genetic algorithm framework for the design and rehabilitation of slopes. To begin with, an image-based mesh generation procedure is developed to automatically integrate the spatially variable material parameters into a computational mesh. The procedure allows the input of large data sets of geological and geometrical information in image format, and the mapping procedure enables the concatenation of any number of material parameters into a single computational mesh. The scaled boundary finite element formulation is used to discretise the governing equations of elasto-plasticity considering a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, which is common in soils. A shear strength reduction technique is implemented to analyse the stability of slopes in the form of an output Factor of Safety. The developed method is shown to allow routine changes in the operation of the slopes to consider geometric changes, such as backfilling, excavation and updates to geological sublets, by simply editing the digital image inputs. To extend the SBFEM to more complex geotechnical and mining engineering applications, a formulation that considers the coupled effect of pore pressure and nonlinear deformation of the soil is developed. The image-based mesh generation procedure is incorporated to integrate the geological complexities, which include heterogeneity of strate and phreatic surfaces. The developed technique is applied to study complex case studies of a tailings dam embankment construction and a coal slope rehabilitation project with a construction period. The research also considers geometric optimisation problems within the context of geotechnical and mining engineering applications. Geometric optimisation of slopes such as those in open cut mines is important to reduce the overhead operational cost involved in construction, excavation and rehabilitation backfilling, while ensuring stability at an acceptable level. This is achieved by developing a unified platform combining genetic algorithm (GA) with scaled boundary finite element formulations and image-based meshing procedures. Since the image-based mesh generation procedure is an automatic process, it enables automation of the optimisation, which is an iterative proceeding. The capabilities of this technique are demonstrated by optimising the geometric parameters of complex slopes for given safety factors and rehabilitation geometries for given safety factors during a given construction period. The image-based SBFEM analysis platform is further developed to consider geological uncertainty, such as stratigraphic interfaces and phreatic surface fluctuations, so that their effect on slope stability can be studied. The Brownian bridge statistic technique is integrated into the pre-processing module to produce these instances reflecting the ranii dom fluctuations between two intervals and generate possible geological and hydrological cross-sections. This allows unknown geological stratigraphic interface fluctuation due to a lack of sublet information to be considered. The scaled boundary finite element formulations developed in the earlier parts of this thesis are used to discretise each generated profile and analysis probabilistically. Since the mesh generation method is fully automatic, this probabilistic analysis procedure enables to analyse of a large number of possible variations and their effect on geotechnical structures with limited human intervention. Few parametric studies were conducted on slopes to study the impact of stratigraphic and phreatic surface fluctuation on the probability of failure. Finally, the hydraulic fracture commonly seen in geotechnical and mining engineering applications is considered. The phase field has the potential to model complex fracture mechanisms including crack nucleation, branching and coalescence. However, it requires a very fine mesh in order to accurately regularise the energy resulting from the creation of new crack faces. This leads to longer processing time and high computational requirements. Moreover, fracture propagation modelling with phase field models requires equilibrium iterations and hence repetitive calculation of element matrices. This research develops a scaled boundary finite element formulation with phase field model to address hydraulic fracture problems in fully-saturated poro-elastic media. Adaptive meshing refinement based on quadtree meshes is applied. This restricts the fine mesh requirement to only the regions where damage is present and avoids the need for a very fine mesh throughout the structure. Further, leveraging from the unique number of patterns in a hierarchical mesh, an appropriate scaling technique is applied to transform the relevant matrices and vectors to the physical cell in the mesh. This avoids the need for repetitive calculations during the equilibrium iterations. These features increase the efficiency of fracture modelling while reducing the computational requirement. The benchmark problems and complex fracture network problems are provided to highlight the advantage of the method.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Digital twin for risk and uncertainty analysis in complex industrial control and automation systems using artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Authors: Siddiqui, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Industrial control systems play a crucial role in enabling advanced manufacturing operations. However, these systems are inherently susceptible to failure. Detecting faults at an early stage is of paramount importance, as it can prevent the occurrence of fatal and catastrophic consequences resulting from equipment failures. Moreover, timely detection and resolution of faults can save significant costs and time for organizations. The failure of these systems not only poses risks to operators but can also lead to substantial delays in the advanced manufacturing process, imposing substantial financial burdens on organizations. Therefore, a methodology is needed that can be used to avoid the adverse effects of equipment failure of industrial control systems to achieve smooth advanced manufacturing operations. To achieve this, the methodology should be able to detect the abnormal behaviour of the system at very early stages for predictive maintenance. This methodology can be designed using an extremely popular concept known as the Digital Twin, which has gained significant importance in the era of Industry 4.0. In this research, artificial intelligence techniques will be employed to develop a highly accurate and detailed digital twin model. This model will serve as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems, facilitating the achievement of smooth and uninterrupted advanced manufacturing processes. Also, the performance of the proposed Digital Twin model will be compared with state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches. The digital twin, utilizing the proposed algorithms, will not only be able to detect anomalies but also quantify their severity, classifying them into different levels such as minor, severe, and faulty operations. Furthermore, the research addresses the generalization challenges faced by state-of-the-art approaches, showcasing the digital twin's ability to effectively classify unseen data as healthy or anomalous. The results obtained from the analysis and comparison of state-of-the-art approaches with the proposed algorithms clearly demonstrate the methodology's capability to detect anomalies, quantify their level, and classify them accurately and effectively in real-world data. This validation underscores the robustness and reliability of the developed methodology, further solidifying its potential as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Siddiqui, Muhammad
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Industrial control systems play a crucial role in enabling advanced manufacturing operations. However, these systems are inherently susceptible to failure. Detecting faults at an early stage is of paramount importance, as it can prevent the occurrence of fatal and catastrophic consequences resulting from equipment failures. Moreover, timely detection and resolution of faults can save significant costs and time for organizations. The failure of these systems not only poses risks to operators but can also lead to substantial delays in the advanced manufacturing process, imposing substantial financial burdens on organizations. Therefore, a methodology is needed that can be used to avoid the adverse effects of equipment failure of industrial control systems to achieve smooth advanced manufacturing operations. To achieve this, the methodology should be able to detect the abnormal behaviour of the system at very early stages for predictive maintenance. This methodology can be designed using an extremely popular concept known as the Digital Twin, which has gained significant importance in the era of Industry 4.0. In this research, artificial intelligence techniques will be employed to develop a highly accurate and detailed digital twin model. This model will serve as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems, facilitating the achievement of smooth and uninterrupted advanced manufacturing processes. Also, the performance of the proposed Digital Twin model will be compared with state-of-the-art anomaly detection approaches. The digital twin, utilizing the proposed algorithms, will not only be able to detect anomalies but also quantify their severity, classifying them into different levels such as minor, severe, and faulty operations. Furthermore, the research addresses the generalization challenges faced by state-of-the-art approaches, showcasing the digital twin's ability to effectively classify unseen data as healthy or anomalous. The results obtained from the analysis and comparison of state-of-the-art approaches with the proposed algorithms clearly demonstrate the methodology's capability to detect anomalies, quantify their level, and classify them accurately and effectively in real-world data. This validation underscores the robustness and reliability of the developed methodology, further solidifying its potential as a valuable tool for predictive maintenance in complex industrial control systems.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Trewarn, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Sediments are the ultimate repository of most contaminants that enter Australia's waterways; therefore, it is appropriate that regulatory attention addresses the risks posed by sediment contaminants. The release of elevated levels of heavy metals into the environment is a common by-product of our industrialised way of life. This problem continues to increase throughout the industrial age. We are now only beginning to understand the actual long-term burden that must be managed. Globally, estuaries are a critical focal point for civilisation and development. Owing to their strategic location and abundant resources, they have been utilised as trade hubs and industrial centres, and are often subject to intense industrial and urban development. Because estuaries accommodate large volumes of fine-grained sediments, their capacity to trap and absorb metal pollutants qualifies them as important sinks and receptacles for terrestrial, atmospheric, and oceanic metal input. Estuaries also provide important environmental services. Their protective conditions harbour a diverse range of biota, and the biogeochemical processes they accommodate play a key role in nutrient cycling and metal sequestration. However, contamination of estuaries with heavy metals is an ongoing issue, particularly as they bioaccumulate and transfer from sediments to aquatic organisms through the food chain. The Gippsland Lakes catchment has a 150-year history of a range of industrial activities, including gold and other metal mining, large open-cut brown coal mines and associated coalfired power stations, powering much of the state of Victoria, plantation forests and associated timber and paper mills, and extensive agriculture, including intensive dairy. Many of these activities are potential sources of contamination, particularly in bygone times, when environmental awareness and sound practices were less prevalent. The issue of highly elevated levels of heavy metal contaminants present within the Gippsland Lake sediments was first identified over 35 years ago. This comprehensive study looks to re-evaluate the modern surface sediments from across the Gippsland Lakes to determine, (i) If previously identified elevated Hg levels are still present or can be replicated (ii) If there are other metal contaminants that may warrant further attention, (iii) If possible, contamination is current, historical or a prolonged event (iv) If there are any natural or anthropogenic influences affecting metal concentrations within the sediments (v) What is the impact of heavy metal pollution across the Gippsland Lakes? Surficial grab and consolidated core sediment samples were collected over a period between 2015-2018 from thirteen defined locations across the Gippsland Lakes, representing the major geomorphological features of the area (e.g. major river mouths and lakes). Total metal analysis, sediment grain size, and XRF high-resolution core scanning provided insight into the overall distribution and possible risks of bulk and heavy metals present in the Gippsland Lakes sediment. Elevated concentrations of Cr, Ni, As, Cu, and Hg were found throughout the study area, exceeding the lower SQG trigger values across multiple depths and locations. Of the numerous metals initially investigated (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) within the surface and core sediments, the findings of this study reiterated that the greatest concern was the degree of contamination and distribution of elevated levels of Hg in the western regions of the Gippsland Lakes. In addition, it highlighted the risks associated with elevated levels of Cr, Ni, and Cu. Cr and Ni have been identified at elevated levels throughout most of the western locations, Lake Victoria and Lake King, while isolated Cu is present at Paynesville. Further analysis into the metals and the interactions with the environment has defined three separate influences contributing to the elevated concentrations of heavy metals present across the study area, (i) Natural sources and cycling (Cr, Ni, and As): Concentrations of Cr, Ni, and As are likely a result of natural sources from the surrounding catchment, rather than a specific anthropogenically derived source. (i) Diffuse anthropogenic sources (Hg): The calculated pollution indices showed little to no natural influence on Hg concentrations; therefore, Hg concentrations were deemed highly likely a result of diffuse anthropogenic origin. (ii) Point source (Cu): Concentrations of Cu were generally very low throughout the study, except at a single location in an urbanised area adjacent to a commercial boatyard. This project has provided the most recent and comprehensive assessment of the presence, distribution, and leading influences on heavy metals present in the Gippsland Lakes, forming a strong foundation for informed management of the area into the future.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hood, Andrew
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Soil organic carbon is vital to soil health and productivity. However, its abundance declines as continually greater demands are placed on agricultural food and fibre production. Humic substances are key components within the soil carbon and confer many benefits to soil and plants. Therefore, demand is growing for external amendments to maintain productive soils, including humic substances (HS), specifically humates. There are many sources of these HS, including lignite and Leonardite. Leonardite represents a naturally oxidised lignite that exhibits a rich source of HS. The limitation is the low abundance of Leonardite or difficulties obtaining a reliable source. Lignites are abundant in Victoria (Australia) but lignite derived-humates are often subject to significant compositional and yield variability. Past research has primarily focused on oxidising lignite under low solids loading conditions to improve HS yield and water solubility. This research focuses on oxidising dense run-of-mine (RoM) lignite slurries (20% dry solids loading) that are more suitable for commercial production. The product chemical and molecular structures are compared with a reference Leonardite. Hydrogen peroxide served as the oxidising agent given its availability at a commercial scale and convenience. The controlled set of oxidation experiments showed that the ratio of oxidant to lignite and lignite composition had more impact on HS yields and chemical structure than slurry temperature and pH. Initial oxidation trials utilised an archived sample of carefully blended 2015 RoM (run of mine) lignite from the Loy Yang (LY) mine in Victoria, Australia. Additional fresh LY RoM lignite was obtained in 2021 to enable further larger-scale (10 and 100 L) reaction trials and assess the impact of sample variation and aging on oxidation reactivity. A substantial increase in humic acid yield (29% to 68%) was produced by mild oxidation using a 1:1 (w/w) ratio of the 2015 RoM lignite (db, dry basis) and 35% (w/v) hydrogen peroxide. For the lower quality 2021 RoM lignite, the humic acid content was elevated from 13% to 78% through oxidation with a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide to lignite (db). Mass and carbon balances, which are often given little consideration, show >64% (2015 RoM) and >84% (2021 RoM) carbon recovery, with the majority of losses attributed to volatiles including CO2 and small organic acids or aldehydes The optimum reaction conditions for humic and fulvic acid production from LY RoM lignite depend on the target products, RoM properties and other commercial considerations. Optimum conditions are likely to be in the region of: - 40°C to 60°C to balance reaction speed and peroxide efficacy. - High humic acid yields require between 1:1 to 1.5:1 peroxide (35% w/v) to lignite (db) ratio. - Minimising humin yields requires a minimum of 2:1 peroxide to lignite. - High fulvic acid yields require between 3:1 to 4:1 peroxide (35% w/v) to lignite (db) ratio. This research shows that Loy Yang RoM lignite can be progressively oxidised with hydrogen peroxide to produce commercially relevant yields of humic and fulvic acids. A large portion of the humin is converted into humic or fulvic acids, and what remained was more oxidation resistant and water-insoluble aliphatic components. Elemental proportions shift within each fraction during oxidation. For the 2015 and 2021 RoM lignite samples; the O/C for the reaction solids increased by 36% and 16% for the respective lignites. The O/C changes for the HAs were 22% and 19% respectively. The humin undergoes a sizeable shift in H/C ratio consistent with aliphatic enhancement. The ratios elevate by 14% with oxidation for both the 2015 and 2021 lignites. Extensive lignite, reaction slurry and reaction product characterisation including slurry pH, spectroscopy (UV-vis, FTIR and NMR), and pyrolysis GC/MS assist in understanding the structural changes occurring during oxidation as well as identify promising on-line reaction monitoring technologies. Elemental (CHNSO), FTIR, NMR and functional group titrations show that the fundamental organic structural changes to the humic acid fraction achieved through controlled oxidation were greater acidity (particularly carboxylic acid content) and a transition from aromatic to more aliphatic character overall. No combination of ratios or slurry conditions tested produced a humic acid with the same chemical structural properties as those extracted from the reference Leonardite. However, it is possible to match some properties under the combinations tested. Larger-scale reactions (10 and 100 L) show that real-time reaction monitoring as well as adequate heating and cooling capacity are essential for commercialising the conceptual lignite oxidation process. Proactively dealing with an inherently variable feedstock and humic product composition is heavily dependent on the intersection of multiple variables. For example, tracking pH, reaction enthalpy, and UV-vis absorbance of prepared samples can provide valuable real-time feedback on the progress of a reaction. Combining these techniques with redox titrations could measure residual peroxide and help manage reaction control parameters or better understand reaction kinetics for process optimisation.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Ernabella Rules football : Australian Rules football at the Ernabella Mission, 1937-1974
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring the effects of perioperative and preoperative exercise therapy for prostate, colorectal and breast cancer patients
- Authors: Hennessy, Declan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Cancer is a prevalent disease with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Exercise interventions implemented before, during, or after cancer-based surgeries have shown promising benefits in improving fitness, postoperative complications, and quality of life. This thesis comprises three original research chapters aimed at investigating the effect of perioperative and preoperative 'prehabilitation' exercise in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer patients. The first study focused on exploring exercise therapy interventions and their impact on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. The systematic review and meta-analysis (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control) revealed a small but significant improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness (SMD = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.32; p < 0.05) with exercise interventions, although no significant impact on 30-day postoperative outcomes was observed. In the second study, various exercise types, including aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and mind-body exercises (alone or in combination), were compared in terms of their effect on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control). The network meta-analysis findings indicated that engaging in aerobic exercise alone (SMD = 0.30) or a combination of aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises (SMD = 0.57) yielded the most significant improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness. The final study examined the efficacy of pre-surgical aerobic exercise (prehabilitation) therapy in relation to post-operative cardio-respiratory fitness, quality of life, and 30-day postoperative outcomes in the Grampians Region of Victoria. The prehabilitation (PREHAB) group included a supervised aerobic based program which would see patients exercise every two/three days for a minimum of 2 weeks. A total of 11 PREHAB and 9 usual care (UCARE) patients were enrolled and analysed. The study showed that a prehabilitation exercise program resulted in small clinical improvements in some markers of cardio-respiratory fitness (+1.5% and +1.2% for absolute and relative V̇O2peak, respectively) and is safe and feasible. However, no significant improvements were observed in quality of life and 30-day postoperative outcomes. While the overall findings demonstrate some positive effects of perioperative and specifically prehabilitation exercise, it is important to consider the magnitude of these effects and any specific factors contributing to their success, if applicable. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of exercise before, during and after surgery in this patient population.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hennessy, Declan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Cancer is a prevalent disease with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Exercise interventions implemented before, during, or after cancer-based surgeries have shown promising benefits in improving fitness, postoperative complications, and quality of life. This thesis comprises three original research chapters aimed at investigating the effect of perioperative and preoperative 'prehabilitation' exercise in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer patients. The first study focused on exploring exercise therapy interventions and their impact on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. The systematic review and meta-analysis (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control) revealed a small but significant improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness (SMD = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.32; p < 0.05) with exercise interventions, although no significant impact on 30-day postoperative outcomes was observed. In the second study, various exercise types, including aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and mind-body exercises (alone or in combination), were compared in terms of their effect on cardio-respiratory fitness and 30-day postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients (N= 411 intervention and N= 368 control). The network meta-analysis findings indicated that engaging in aerobic exercise alone (SMD = 0.30) or a combination of aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises (SMD = 0.57) yielded the most significant improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness. The final study examined the efficacy of pre-surgical aerobic exercise (prehabilitation) therapy in relation to post-operative cardio-respiratory fitness, quality of life, and 30-day postoperative outcomes in the Grampians Region of Victoria. The prehabilitation (PREHAB) group included a supervised aerobic based program which would see patients exercise every two/three days for a minimum of 2 weeks. A total of 11 PREHAB and 9 usual care (UCARE) patients were enrolled and analysed. The study showed that a prehabilitation exercise program resulted in small clinical improvements in some markers of cardio-respiratory fitness (+1.5% and +1.2% for absolute and relative V̇O2peak, respectively) and is safe and feasible. However, no significant improvements were observed in quality of life and 30-day postoperative outcomes. While the overall findings demonstrate some positive effects of perioperative and specifically prehabilitation exercise, it is important to consider the magnitude of these effects and any specific factors contributing to their success, if applicable. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of exercise before, during and after surgery in this patient population.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Finding a place for organic waste-to-energy in Australian agribusiness
- Authors: Hurley, Craig
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis seeks to understand Australian agribusiness engagement with approaches to generate energy from organic waste materials. Applications of modern bioenergy technologies, utilising agriculture residues to produce electrical, thermal and transport energy, have been well established in many parts of the world. There has been enthusiasm for bioenergy from agriculture to make a substantial contribution to Australia’s energy mix, but the agriculture sector, like Australia more generally, has been slow to transition to bioenergy technologies. Adopting the pragmatism research philosophy, this study applies the Multi-Level Perspective and Social Practice Approach frameworks to explore Australian agribusiness engagement with bioenergy systems, to produce energy from organic waste. A multi-methods qualitative research methodology is used to analyse the adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches by Australian agribusiness, and to identify the critical drivers and barriers impacting these transitions. Except for sugar processors, Australian agribusiness adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches is in its very early stages. The main drivers prompting agribusinesses to explore their organic waste-to-energy options are, agribusinesses experiencing problems with the cost and/or quality of their energy supplies, and/or problems with the social acceptance of their existing organic waste management practices. The main barriers to agribusinesses making the transition to bioenergy technologies, include financial factors such as the high capital costs of bioenergy plants and low returns on investment. Other barriers include a low level of awareness and understanding of bioenergy approaches in the agriculture industry, and in Australia more broadly, and a lack of consultative expertise to develop and service bioenergy systems. For organic waste-to-energy to play a more substantial role in Australian agriculture, support is needed to overcome critical barriers. This study finds policy and support mechanisms are required to encourage greater collaboration of small-scale agribusinesses and other relevant stakeholders. Investment is also needed to increase Australia’s awareness and understanding of organic waste-to-energy approaches, and to build the consultative expertise and skills-base to support the development of bioenergy systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philiosophy
- Authors: Hurley, Craig
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis seeks to understand Australian agribusiness engagement with approaches to generate energy from organic waste materials. Applications of modern bioenergy technologies, utilising agriculture residues to produce electrical, thermal and transport energy, have been well established in many parts of the world. There has been enthusiasm for bioenergy from agriculture to make a substantial contribution to Australia’s energy mix, but the agriculture sector, like Australia more generally, has been slow to transition to bioenergy technologies. Adopting the pragmatism research philosophy, this study applies the Multi-Level Perspective and Social Practice Approach frameworks to explore Australian agribusiness engagement with bioenergy systems, to produce energy from organic waste. A multi-methods qualitative research methodology is used to analyse the adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches by Australian agribusiness, and to identify the critical drivers and barriers impacting these transitions. Except for sugar processors, Australian agribusiness adoption of organic waste-to-energy approaches is in its very early stages. The main drivers prompting agribusinesses to explore their organic waste-to-energy options are, agribusinesses experiencing problems with the cost and/or quality of their energy supplies, and/or problems with the social acceptance of their existing organic waste management practices. The main barriers to agribusinesses making the transition to bioenergy technologies, include financial factors such as the high capital costs of bioenergy plants and low returns on investment. Other barriers include a low level of awareness and understanding of bioenergy approaches in the agriculture industry, and in Australia more broadly, and a lack of consultative expertise to develop and service bioenergy systems. For organic waste-to-energy to play a more substantial role in Australian agriculture, support is needed to overcome critical barriers. This study finds policy and support mechanisms are required to encourage greater collaboration of small-scale agribusinesses and other relevant stakeholders. Investment is also needed to increase Australia’s awareness and understanding of organic waste-to-energy approaches, and to build the consultative expertise and skills-base to support the development of bioenergy systems.
- Description: Doctor of Philiosophy
Head, neck, and facial injuries in Australian cricket
- Authors: Kodikara, Dulan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Head, neck and facial (HNF) injuries are a significant concern in cricket due to the nature of the game and the potential impact of fast-moving balls and collisions. These types of injuries occur as a result of direct hits from the cricket ball, accidental collisions between players or falls during fielding or batting. HNF injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to more severe concussions, fractures, or dental trauma. While some HNF injuries in cricket can be career-ending and severe, others may not be as catastrophic. Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of HNF injuries in elite-level cricket, and the tragic death of an Australian test cricketer in 2014 from a head injury heightened awareness of the seriousness and potential fatality of such injuries in the sport. To mitigate the risk of serious injuries, cricket players are encouraged to wear protective equipment such as helmets and neck guards. At the elite level of the sport, stringent safety protocols and regulations are enforced to prioritise player wellbeing, ensuring that immediate medical attention is available during training or games. Further, routine injury surveillance at the elite level has proven effective in monitoring and reducing the likelihood of serious HNF injuries. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable lack of research investigating HNF injuries among cricket participants, particularly at the community level. This lack of reporting hampers the identification and implementation of effective strategies to minimise the risk of such injuries. This thesis seeks to bridge this research gap by examining HNF injuries in community-level cricket under two broad objectives, providing valuable insights for injury prevention and risk mitigation strategies. The first objective of this thesis was to develop a comprehensive understanding of HNF cricket injury epidemiology and the reporting of helmet usage. A systematic review was conducted, analysing 29 studies to determine the incidence, nature, and mechanisms of HNF injuries in cricket, the reported use of helmets and ‘gold standard’ definitions. Facial fractures and concussions were the most frequently specified types of injuries, and the impact of the ball was reported as the most common mechanism for sustaining HNF injuries in cricket. Only three studies (10%) reported the use of helmets. The systematic review highlighted the lack of evidence regarding the reporting of HNF cricket injuries according to international cricket consensus injury definitions, as well as the limited data on helmet usage at the time of injury. Additionally, the review identified gaps in evidence concerning HNF injuries across different age groups, levels of play and diverse populations, along with discrepancies in reporting injury-specific mechanisms. Community-level HNF cricket injuries that required hospitalisation in Victoria, Australia, over a decade, spanning from 2007/8 to 2016/17 were also reviewed under the first objective. During this period, Victorian hospitals treated 3,907 HNF cricket injuries. Male participants accounted for a higher number of injuries than female participants, and the age group most commonly requiring hospital treatment was 10–14 years. Open wounds were the most frequent type of injury (30%), and the primary mechanism for HNF cricket injuries during this decade was being hit, struck, or crushed (86%). Our literature review and the hospital study form the ideal platform for injury prevention efforts by establishing HNF injury prevalence and common injury mechanisms. The second broad objective of this thesis was to investigate the use of cricket helmets among cricket participants, to study the ability of Australian cricket participants to perceive injury risk and to explore the knowledge and awareness of concussion assessment and management. An online survey was conducted to address each facet of our second objective. Over 90% of the players and 50% of the officials reported wearing a helmet during the 2018/19 cricket season, but most did not use a neck protector. Most of the helmets used met the recommended British Standards, and the most common brand used was Masuri. For most of the players and officials who participated in our survey, comfort, and ability to prevent HNF injuries were the two most important factors affecting their decision to purchase a cricket helmet. More than 80% of players and almost 50% of officials expressed the belief that helmets were not necessary for activities such as bowling and fielding at a distance from the batter. Yet, the fact that more than 80% of all participants expressed their willingness to keep using helmets under compulsory regulations indicates that implementing mandatory helmet rules might result in a significant increase in helmet adoption and enhance the overall safety of the sport. Over 70% of our survey participants demonstrated satisfactory levels of knowledge regarding concussion assessment and management. These findings suggest that the potential for severe complications stemming from concussions related to cricket could be reduced, particularly in light of the limited availability of qualified medical professionals at the community-level. The strong understanding of concussion guidelines among our survey participants implies that they would be inclined to prioritise safety and choose helmets that align with the recommended safety standards. In summary, this PhD research has achieved its objective of making the first large-scale scientific contribution to enhance safety and prevent HNF injuries among participants of community-level cricket in Australia. Additionally, this research effectively assessed the participants’ knowledge, comprehension and attitudes regarding utilising protective helmets and the importance of following Cricket Australia’s concussion guidelines.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kodikara, Dulan
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Head, neck and facial (HNF) injuries are a significant concern in cricket due to the nature of the game and the potential impact of fast-moving balls and collisions. These types of injuries occur as a result of direct hits from the cricket ball, accidental collisions between players or falls during fielding or batting. HNF injuries can range from minor cuts and bruises to more severe concussions, fractures, or dental trauma. While some HNF injuries in cricket can be career-ending and severe, others may not be as catastrophic. Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of HNF injuries in elite-level cricket, and the tragic death of an Australian test cricketer in 2014 from a head injury heightened awareness of the seriousness and potential fatality of such injuries in the sport. To mitigate the risk of serious injuries, cricket players are encouraged to wear protective equipment such as helmets and neck guards. At the elite level of the sport, stringent safety protocols and regulations are enforced to prioritise player wellbeing, ensuring that immediate medical attention is available during training or games. Further, routine injury surveillance at the elite level has proven effective in monitoring and reducing the likelihood of serious HNF injuries. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable lack of research investigating HNF injuries among cricket participants, particularly at the community level. This lack of reporting hampers the identification and implementation of effective strategies to minimise the risk of such injuries. This thesis seeks to bridge this research gap by examining HNF injuries in community-level cricket under two broad objectives, providing valuable insights for injury prevention and risk mitigation strategies. The first objective of this thesis was to develop a comprehensive understanding of HNF cricket injury epidemiology and the reporting of helmet usage. A systematic review was conducted, analysing 29 studies to determine the incidence, nature, and mechanisms of HNF injuries in cricket, the reported use of helmets and ‘gold standard’ definitions. Facial fractures and concussions were the most frequently specified types of injuries, and the impact of the ball was reported as the most common mechanism for sustaining HNF injuries in cricket. Only three studies (10%) reported the use of helmets. The systematic review highlighted the lack of evidence regarding the reporting of HNF cricket injuries according to international cricket consensus injury definitions, as well as the limited data on helmet usage at the time of injury. Additionally, the review identified gaps in evidence concerning HNF injuries across different age groups, levels of play and diverse populations, along with discrepancies in reporting injury-specific mechanisms. Community-level HNF cricket injuries that required hospitalisation in Victoria, Australia, over a decade, spanning from 2007/8 to 2016/17 were also reviewed under the first objective. During this period, Victorian hospitals treated 3,907 HNF cricket injuries. Male participants accounted for a higher number of injuries than female participants, and the age group most commonly requiring hospital treatment was 10–14 years. Open wounds were the most frequent type of injury (30%), and the primary mechanism for HNF cricket injuries during this decade was being hit, struck, or crushed (86%). Our literature review and the hospital study form the ideal platform for injury prevention efforts by establishing HNF injury prevalence and common injury mechanisms. The second broad objective of this thesis was to investigate the use of cricket helmets among cricket participants, to study the ability of Australian cricket participants to perceive injury risk and to explore the knowledge and awareness of concussion assessment and management. An online survey was conducted to address each facet of our second objective. Over 90% of the players and 50% of the officials reported wearing a helmet during the 2018/19 cricket season, but most did not use a neck protector. Most of the helmets used met the recommended British Standards, and the most common brand used was Masuri. For most of the players and officials who participated in our survey, comfort, and ability to prevent HNF injuries were the two most important factors affecting their decision to purchase a cricket helmet. More than 80% of players and almost 50% of officials expressed the belief that helmets were not necessary for activities such as bowling and fielding at a distance from the batter. Yet, the fact that more than 80% of all participants expressed their willingness to keep using helmets under compulsory regulations indicates that implementing mandatory helmet rules might result in a significant increase in helmet adoption and enhance the overall safety of the sport. Over 70% of our survey participants demonstrated satisfactory levels of knowledge regarding concussion assessment and management. These findings suggest that the potential for severe complications stemming from concussions related to cricket could be reduced, particularly in light of the limited availability of qualified medical professionals at the community-level. The strong understanding of concussion guidelines among our survey participants implies that they would be inclined to prioritise safety and choose helmets that align with the recommended safety standards. In summary, this PhD research has achieved its objective of making the first large-scale scientific contribution to enhance safety and prevent HNF injuries among participants of community-level cricket in Australia. Additionally, this research effectively assessed the participants’ knowledge, comprehension and attitudes regarding utilising protective helmets and the importance of following Cricket Australia’s concussion guidelines.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy