Showing items 61 - 80 of 17623

Autistic librarians in the academic library hiring process

- Cohen, Rachael, Cooke, Payton, Holt, Michael, Lounsberry, Megan, Roga, Erin, Farrell, Karen, Squires, Jade

  • Authors: Cohen, Rachael , Cooke, Payton , Holt, Michael , Lounsberry, Megan , Roga, Erin , Farrell, Karen , Squires, Jade
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Journal article , Text
  • Relation: College & Research Libraries
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  • Description: Academic library literature contains a number of studies on the experience of autistic students navigating the world of higher education and its libraries. However, very little is published on the employment experiences of autistic academic librarians. This study attempts to examine employment barriers for autistic people currently or previously employed in academic libraries in Australia and the United States. It employs the use of a survey to examine the recruitment process for academic library jobs in both countries. Survey responses are compared and contrasted with the intent of revealing any and all barriers that exist for autistic librarians seeking employment in a higher education library setting. Finally, recommendations are suggested to make academic library recruitment more inclusive of autistic people.

Automatic micro-scale modelling and evaluation of effective properties of highly porous ceramic matrix materials using the scaled boundary finite element method

- Tian, Xinran, Birk, Carolin, Du, Chengbin, Ooi, Ean Tat

  • Authors: Tian, Xinran , Birk, Carolin , Du, Chengbin , Ooi, Ean Tat
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering Vol. 419, no. (2024), p.
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  • Description: This paper presents an approach to the numerical estimation of effective properties of highly porous materials based on the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM). The latter can be formulated on quadtree meshes with hanging nodes and thus facilitates the efficient mesh generation and analysis of a large number of randomly created samples. To generate the corresponding Representative Volume Elements (RVEs), an improved Random Sequential Addition (RSA) method with overlap is used. Moreover, an alternative image-based digital matrix method for generating random assemblies of circular particles of the same size is proposed. In addition, a modified smoothing algorithm to treat the staircase boundaries present in a quadtree mesh is developed in order to accurately and efficiently capture the sinter-neck features of overlapping circular particles. The proposed image-based mesh generation and analysis procedure is used to evaluate the relationship between microstructural parameters and effective Young's modulus considering a large number of samples. In this context, a new dimensionless morphological parameter Nfc is proposed. The latter represents the morphology and connectivity of voids and is shown to be a useful indicator with respect to the effective elastic properties of highly porous ceramic matrix material. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

BEST-foundations: a mixed methods exploration of the feasibility of a novel intervention treating internalising symptoms in children

- Benstead, Michelle, Lewis, Andrew, Knight, Tess, Rowland, Bosco, Toumbourou, John

  • Authors: Benstead, Michelle , Lewis, Andrew , Knight, Tess , Rowland, Bosco , Toumbourou, John
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australian Psychologist Vol. 59, no. 3 (2024), p. 260-274
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  • Description: Objective: Internalising disorders are one of the most common mental health problems in children under 12 years, yet mixed findings exist for current treatment options. This pilot involves a novel 10-session intervention, BEST-Foundations, to treat internalising symptoms in children using a family-inclusive model. Initial findings and feasibility using a mixed-methods approach are reported. Method: Twenty-two participants from eight families (n = 8 children; n = 8 mothers; n = 6 fathers) participated in an uncontrolled single treatment design. Included children (aged 3–11 years) reported clinical-level internalising symptoms on the Child Behaviour Checklist. Data were collected across four timepoints: baseline, pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4-weeks follow-up. Results: As predicted, mothers reported large improvements in child internalising symptoms pre-post (SMD =

Beyond linguistic cues: fine-grained conversational emotion recognition via belief-desire modelling

- Xu, Bo, Li, L.ongjiao, Luo, Wei, Naseriparsa, Mehdi, Zhao, Zhehuan, Lin, Hongfei, Xia, Feng

Biology, ecology, impacts and management of the invasive weed, blue heliotrope (heliotropium amplexicaule vahl)—a review

- Roberts, Jason, Peerzada, Arslan, Bajwa, Ali

  • Authors: Roberts, Jason , Peerzada, Arslan , Bajwa, Ali
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Sustainability Vol. 16, no. 14 (2024), p.
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  • Description: Blue heliotrope (Heliotropium amplexicaule Vahl) is an extremely drought-hardy perennial weed that is often problematic within agricultural production systems and natural environments in some parts of the world. It has the capacity to outcompete and displace desirable plant species and it contains various biochemical compounds that are toxic to grazing livestock and humans. Heliotropium amplexicaule plants can grow within a range of climatic and environmental conditions and produce seeds that remain dormant for several years within the soil which exhibit staggered emergence long after the original parent plants have expired. While control options, including biological, chemical, cultural, and physical methods, are available, many are not suitable as a single-use approach for the long-term management of this species. Therefore, an integrated weed management (IWM) program is necessary for the confident and long-term management of H. amplexicaule, particularly within dryland ecosystems. This review explores the biology, ecology, distribution, and suitable management options currently available for H. amplexicaule, while identifying research gaps that can be addressed to assist in its future management. While particular emphasis is placed on the Australian experience, information from a global perspective is included, providing valuable insights for the long-term management of H. amplexicaule worldwide. © 2024 by the authors.

Biopolymer stabilization of clayey soil

- Azimi, Mahdieh, Soltani, Amin, Mirzababaei, Mehdi, Jaksa, Mark, Ashwath, Nanjappa

  • Authors: Azimi, Mahdieh , Soltani, Amin , Mirzababaei, Mehdi , Jaksa, Mark , Ashwath, Nanjappa
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Vol. 16, no. 7 (2024), p. 2801-2812
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  • Description: This study investigates the efficacy of sodium alginate (SA), xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG) and chitosan (CS) — each applied at five different solid biopolymer-to-water mass ratios (or dosages) and cured for 7 d and 28 d — on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) performance of a high plasticity clayey soil. Moreover, on identifying the optimum biopolymer-treatment scenarios, their performance was compared against conventional stabilization using hydrated lime. For a given curing time, the UCS for all biopolymers followed a rise–fall trend with increasing biopolymer dosage, peaking at an optimum dosage and then subsequently decreasing, such that all biopolymer-stabilized samples mobilized higher UCS values compared to the unamended soil. The optimum dosage was found to be 1.5% for SA, XG and CS, while a notably lower dosage of 0.5% was deemed optimum for GG. Similarly, for a given biopolymer type and dosage, increasing the curing time from 7 d to 28 d further enhanced the UCS, with the achieved improvements being generally more pronounced for XG- and CS-treated cases. None of the investigated biopolymers was able to produce UCS improvements equivalent to those obtained by the 28-d soil–lime samples; however, the optimum XG, GG and CS dosages, particularly after 28 d of curing, were easily able to replicate 7-d lime stabilization outcomes achieved with as high as twice the soil's lime demand. Finally, the fundamental principles of clay chemistry, in conjunction with the soil mechanics framework, were employed to identify and discuss the clay–biopolymer stabilization mechanisms. © 2024 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Bridging the gap between decomposition theory and forensic research on postmortem interval

- Dawson, Blake, Ueland, Maiken, Carter, David, McLntyre, Donna, Barton, Philip

  • Authors: Dawson, Blake , Ueland, Maiken , Carter, David , McLntyre, Donna , Barton, Philip
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: International Journal of Legal Medicine Vol. 138, no. 2 (2024), p. 509-518
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  • Description: Knowledge of the decomposition of vertebrate animals has advanced considerably in recent years and revealed complex interactions among biological and environmental factors that affect rates of decay. Yet this complexity remains to be fully incorporated into research or models of the postmortem interval (PMI). We suggest there is both opportunity and a need to use recent advances in decomposition theory to guide forensic research and its applications to understanding the PMI. Here we synthesise knowledge of the biological and environmental factors driving variation in decomposition and the acknowledged limitations among current models of the PMI. To guide improvement in this area, we introduce a conceptual framework that highlights the multiple interdependencies affecting decay rates throughout the decomposition process. Our framework reinforces the need for a multidisciplinary approach to PMI research, and calls for an adaptive research cycle that aims to reduce uncertainty in PMI estimates via experimentation, modelling, and validation. © The Author(s) 2023.

Career considerations in nurse-led traditional Chinese medicine clinics : a two-center qualitative study

- Zhao, Fei-Yi, Kennedy, Gerard, Gilbert, Julia, Conduit, Russell, Xu, Peijie, Yue, Li-Ping, Zhang, Wen-Jing, Wang, Yan-Mei, Ho, Yuen-Shan, Fu, Qiang-Qiang, Zheng, Zhen

  • Authors: Zhao, Fei-Yi , Kennedy, Gerard , Gilbert, Julia , Conduit, Russell , Xu, Peijie , Yue, Li-Ping , Zhang, Wen-Jing , Wang, Yan-Mei , Ho, Yuen-Shan , Fu, Qiang-Qiang , Zheng, Zhen
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Risk Management and Healthcare Policy Vol. 17, no. (2024), p. 1533-1546
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  • Description: Background: Growing demand exists for high-quality Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) care, particularly through Nurse-led TCM clinics (TCM-NLCs). Nurses with extensive experience in TCM departments represent a potential workforce for this healthcare model. This qualitative study aims to investigate the willingness of these candidates to engage in TCM-NLCs, with a specific focus on their main concerns and apprehensions when facing new challenges. Methods: Individual semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted with senior nurses from two TCM hospitals in Shanghai. Each participant had a minimum of three years of work experience in a TCM related department. Conventional qualitative content analysis was utilized. Results: Fourteen participants were interviewed and data saturation was achieved. Nurses exhibited strong interest in practicing in TCM-NLCs. They believed that such innovative TCM nursing service model not only extends nursing role, provides greater empowerment and opportunities for professional development but also meets patients’ diverse healthcare needs, reduces reliance on other healthcare providers such as doctors, and increases hospital revenue. However, challenges such as deficiencies in evidence-based TCM nursing education, the absence of standardized practice guidelines, and limited prescriptive privileges were identified as primary obstacles to engaging in TCM-NLCs practice, potentially undermining the specialization of this advanced nursing practice model. Conclusion: Although the nurses interviewed were highly motivated, they generally lacked confidence to practice independently in TCM-NLCs. A pressing priority is to address their concerns by providing appropriate resources as well as education and policy support to enhance their competency and ensure their practice autonomy, therefore building a more qualified pool of professionals for advanced TCM nursing practice. © 2024 Zhao et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limiand.

Caring self-efficacy of personal care attendants from english-speaking and non-english-speaking countries working in australian residential aged care settings

- Shrestha, Sumina, Wells, Yvonne, While, Christine, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz

  • Authors: Shrestha, Sumina , Wells, Yvonne , While, Christine , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Aging and Health Vol. 36, no. 3-4 (2024), p. 207-219
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  • Description: Objectives: This study compared the caring self-efficacy between personal care attendants (PCAs) from English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries, controlling for potential sociodemographic and work-related covariates. PCAs’ perceptions of their caring self-efficacy were further explored. Methods: An independent samples t-test was used to determine the mean difference in the caring self-efficacy score between the two groups. A multivariate analysis was conducted to adjust for covariates. Thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended responses. Results: The results showed that caring self-efficacy was significantly influenced by whether participants primarily spoke English at home rather than where they were born. Younger age and everyday discrimination experiences were negatively associated with caring self-efficacy. Both groups perceived that inadequate resources and experiencing bullying and discrimination reduced their caring self-efficacy. Discussion: Access to organisational resources and training opportunities and addressing workplace bullying and discrimination against PCAs, particularly younger PCAs and those from non-English-speaking backgrounds, could improve their caring self-efficacy. © The Author(s) 2023.

CEREI : an open-source tool for cost-effective renewable energy investments

- Ibrahim, Ibrahim, Choudhury, Tanveer, Sargeant, James, Shah, Rakibuzzaman, Hossain, Md Jahangir, Islam, Syed

  • Authors: Ibrahim, Ibrahim , Choudhury, Tanveer , Sargeant, James , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Hossain, Md Jahangir , Islam, Syed
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: SoftwareX Vol. 26, no. (2024), p.
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  • Description: This paper presents the development of a tool that aims to help stakeholders make informed decisions to invest in renewable energy and understand the impact of different tariffs on the economic viability of renewable energy investments. This includes evaluating the costs and benefits, and assessing the impacts of different tariff structures on the economic feasibility of those options. Furthermore, the tool can help in identifying the potential risks and challenges associated with renewable energy integration projects, such as market and network charges fluctuations. Therefore, this tool provides various evaluations to inform users about their energy consumption in relation to sport market energy prices, network tariffs, and retailer charges. It enables the assessment of a site's economic operation over specific timeframes, calculates potential energy savings from on-site renewable sources, and determines economic indicators based on life-cycle cost analysis. The tool has been designed and validated with data from the Australian energy market, focusing on investment decisions for renewable energy projects in Victoria state. It adheres to the Australian Energy Market Regulations and incorporates feed-in tariff rates particular to the Victorian energy market and its regulatory framework. © 2024 The Author(s)

Changing inner narratives : exploring the influence of transformative learning on coercive control survivors enrolled in Clemente in several locations in Australia

- Cooper, Lesley

  • Authors: Cooper, Lesley
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Family violence is pervasive in our communities, nationally and internationally, with the emergence of coercive control as a distinct form of abuse that impacts the daily lives of victims-survivors. Coercive control permeates victims’-survivors’ lives through tactics including but not limited to isolation, manipulation, threats of violence and surveillance, reducing their identity, autonomy, and freedom to participate in society, including the ability to work or study. Abusers often utilise an incident of physical violence to instil fear in the victim-survivor, laying a foundation for coercive controlling behaviour that is invisible. This alters victims’-survivors’ cognitive processes in developing their inner narratives, which underpin their beliefs and value systems. The transformative learning process foundational to the Clemente Course in the Humanities enables students to deconstruct their inner narratives and then analyse and reconstruct new inner narratives. Clemente is a community-based, free tertiary-level course offered to the disadvantaged based on the belief that personal transformation can be achieved through fostering critical reflection. This research explores whether an interconnection exists between Clemente, transformative learning, and coercive control within a higher education context. Victim-survivor voices are central to this research, creating a unique opportunity to gain an understanding of their experiences of Clemente and coercive control. Ten participants aged between 18 and 65 who attended Clemente in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria participated in this research. The research aims to answer three main questions: (1) Does the Clemente course contribute to transformative learning that empowers students who experience coercive control in a family violence context? (2) How do participants describe the transition from coercive control to education and employment? (3) ‘In what ways and to what extent, if any, has participation in the Clemente course empowered students to regain control over their lives and future life trajectories?’ Data for this narrative analysis was collected by (1) a participant intake form gathering demographic student characteristics; (2) a coercive control self-assessment tool that measured students’ perceptions of coercive control; (3) a coercive control measurement tool measuring students changed views on coercive control; (4) the transformative learning tool enabling students self-assessment of their transformational journey from commencing to finishing and (5) semi-structured interviews encouraging expansion of measurement of change responses. The coercive control self-assessment measurement tool was amended from the tools developed by Kelly et al. (2014). This research adds to knowledge in understanding victims’-survivors’ adjustment to life after coercive control. Victims-survivors appreciated studying the humanities within a social and intellectual community where they felt valued and heard. The humanities curriculum, coupled with the intensive Clemente support, appeared to positively contribute to critical thinking skills development, increased confidence, and an ability to exercise more control over their lives, and engage with the community. Victims-survivors who were parents reported feeling like role models for their children indicating the course assisted in more meaningful engagement with their children. It demonstrates that a rigorous educational opportunity that is not vocationally orientated can assist personal development for victims-survivors who aspire to careers not just employment for the sake of earning an income.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy, Partial

Characterisation of novel Y chromosome-linked circular RNA TTTY15 in the context of coronary artery disease

- McInerney, Molly-Rose

  • Authors: McInerney, Molly-Rose
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Characterised as narrowing of the coronary arteries that results obstruction, lack of blood flow and ischemic injury. CAD progression is regulated by a host of complex molecular pathways pertaining to inflammation, lipid disturbance and cellular dysfunction. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in the regulation of these CAD-associated molecular pathways. CircRNAs represent a relatively recent discovery in the realm of non-coding RNAs, challenging the initial misconception that they are ‘by-products’ of mRNA splicing. Instead, these circRNA molecules have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression in various diseases, spanning from cancers to heart disease. CircRNAs exert their regulatory functions through several mechanisms. They can act as 'miRNA sponges,' sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs) and preventing them from regulating their target genes. Additionally, circRNAs interact with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), modulating RNA stability and localisation. Some circRNAs also function as 'protein sponges,' influencing protein expression and gene regulation. While circRNAs have gained recognition in the context of obstructive cardiovascular diseases like CAD and atherosclerosis, no circRNAs derived from the Y chromosome have been experimentally characterised in this context. The Y chromosome, typically associated with male-specific traits and sexual development, remains relatively unexplored but recently has been implicated in the regulation of human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. The exploration of Y-linked circRNAs represents a promising avenue for advancing our understanding of male-specific diseases and may open new possibilities for personalised health interventions.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Civilizational analysis as a mode of the intercultural : intercivilizational encounters, the intercultural and contemporary historical sociology

- Smith, Jeremy

  • Authors: Smith, Jeremy
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Intercultural Studies Vol. 45, no. 2 (2024), p. 310-325
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  • Description: Classical and contemporary civilizational analysis has not sat comfortably with theoretical constructions of the intercultural or their empirical applications. A ‘classical era’ of civilizations analysis generated a program of research problems that was productive in critical and multidisciplinary ways and limited in scope and vision in others, but this failed to generate a provisional notion of the intercultural. Contemporary civilizational analysis improves on this position significantly in respect of the intercultural, particularly in the development of a current around ‘intercivilizational encounters’. This essay examines this current especially in the work of Benjamin Nelson, Marshall Hodgson and Johann P. Arnason. Arguing that this approach represents vital advances for theoretical constructions of the intercultural in civilizational analysis and more generally in the human sciences, the essay also identifies limitations in latter-day approaches. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience: challenges and opportunities for the control systems community

- Khargonekar, Pramod, Samad, Tariq, Amin, Saurabh, Chakrabortty, Aranya, Dabbene, Fabrizio, Das, Amritam, Fujita, Masayuki, Garcia-Sanz, Mario, Gayme, Dennice, Ilic, Marija, Mareels, Iven, Moore, Kevin, Pao, Lucy, Rajhans, Akshay, Stoustrup, Jakob, Zafar, Junaid, Bauer, Margret

Commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation Zao Ren An Shen prescription for primary insomnia : a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

- Zhao, Fei-Yi, Xu, Peijie, Kennedy, Gerard, Zheng, Zhen, Zhang, Wen-Jing, Zhu, Jia-Yi, Ho, Yuen-Shan, Yue, Li-Ping, Fu, Qiang-Qiang, Conduit, Russell

  • Authors: Zhao, Fei-Yi , Xu, Peijie , Kennedy, Gerard , Zheng, Zhen , Zhang, Wen-Jing , Zhu, Jia-Yi , Ho, Yuen-Shan , Yue, Li-Ping , Fu, Qiang-Qiang , Conduit, Russell
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Frontiers in Pharmacology Vol. 15, no. (2024), p.
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  • Description: Background: Natural products are widely used for primary insomnia (PI). This systematic review with trial sequential analysis (TSA) aimed to summarize evidence pertaining to the effectiveness and safety of Zao Ren An Shen (ZRAS) prescription, a commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation, for treating PI. Methods: Controlled clinical trials appraising ZRAS compared to controls or as an add-on treatment were systematically searched across seven databases until January 2024. Cochrane ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools were adopted to determine risk of bias. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework. Results: We analyzed 22 studies, involving 2,142 participants. The effect of ZRAS in reducing Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores was found to be comparable to benzodiazepines [MD = 0.39, 95%CI (

Comparing the effects of cerebellar and prefrontal anodal transcranial direct current stimulation concurrent with postural training on balance and fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial

- Akbari, Narges, Tahan, Nahid, Naimi, Sedigeh, Baghban, Alireza, Moghadam, Nahid, Zoghi, Maryam

  • Authors: Akbari, Narges , Tahan, Nahid , Naimi, Sedigeh , Baghban, Alireza , Moghadam, Nahid , Zoghi, Maryam
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Experimental Brain Research Vol. 242, no. 5 (2024), p. 1087-1100
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  • Description: Fatigue and balance disorders are common challenges experienced by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) individuals. The purpose of this study was to compare the concurrent effects of cerebellar and prefrontal anodal trans-cranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) with postural training on balance and fatigue in MS patients. 51 patients were evaluated to randomly allocation to a-tDCS over cerebellum, a-tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and sham group. 46 individuals (n = 16 in experimental groups and n = 14 in control group) followed treatment. All the groups received 10 sessions of postural training. The experimental groups underwent a-tDCS with a current of 1.5 mA for a period of 20 min. While, in the sham group, tDCS was only activated for 30 s and then turned off. The treatment included 10 sessions for four weeks. Before and after intervention, fatigue and balance were assessed using Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Berg Balance Score (BBS), respectively. There was found a significant reduction in fatigue in the group receiving a-tDCS over the prefrontal cortex with postural training compared to the other two groups (P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant improvement was found in balance in the group receiving a-tDCS over the cerebellum concurrent with postural training in comparison to the other two groups (P < 0.001). Besides, in the sham group, the significant results were not reported in the variables. (P > 0.001). The results demonstrated that a-tDCS enhances the effects of postural training on balance and fatigue in MS patients. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.

Comparison between real and simulated driving for training and assessment

- Thang, Nguyen

  • Authors: Thang, Nguyen
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
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  • Description: Driving simulators have emerged as instrumental tools, providing secure, regulated environments for scholarly investigation, driving appraisal, and training. These simulators negate the inherent risks associated with real-world driving experiments and offer a platform for methodical, cost-efficient research. Despite these advantages, the efficacy of driving simulators remains a contentious issue in academia, primarily regarding the transferability of acquired skills to actual driving conditions and the veracity of training and evaluation results. The current study aimed to contribute to this ongoing discourse by comparing four driving experiences—three driving simulator setups (Three-monitor based, video-based, and Virtual Reality-based) and one real on-road driving scenario. The research focused on various aspects such as immersion, performance, physiology, emotion, and simulator sickness. Data were collected from a small but intensively studied sample size of two participants who engaged in all four driving conditions. Metrics such as heart rate, breath rate, speed, acceleration, as well as responses to presence, simulator sickness, and mood questionnaires were amassed. The results revealed that pre-driving mood exerted a marginal influence on participants' physiological responses in this research context. In terms of presence, the three-monitor setup received the highest ratings, followed by Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D video configurations. Intriguingly, VR was implicated in eliciting the most substantial symptoms of simulator sickness. The study also observed individual disparities in baseline physiological measurements and cognitive tasks, elucidating the intricate nature of human interaction within simulated environments. Moreover, no clear relationship was established among immersion, simulator sickness, emotion, physiology, and performance across the four driving conditions, which included three different simulation setups and one real on-road experience. While no statistically significant distinctions in performance were observed among participants, notable variances manifested across distinct speed limit zones and simulator configurations. Given the methodological limitation of only assessing mood pre-experience, the study highlights the imperative to incorporate additional contextual factors, such as mood oscillations during the driving experience, in future research endeavours to enhance our understanding of their consequent impact on performance metrics.
  • Description: Masters of Research

Competency domains for registered nurse preceptor professional development : evidence from a modified e-Delphi study

- Ryan, Colleen, Cant, Robyn, Ossenberg, Christine, Ahchay, Darelle, Hughes, Lynda, Bogossian, Fiona

  • Authors: Ryan, Colleen , Cant, Robyn , Ossenberg, Christine , Ahchay, Darelle , Hughes, Lynda , Bogossian, Fiona
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Nurse Education in Practice Vol. 77, no. (2024), p.
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  • Description: Aim: To develop an evidence-based framework of nurse preceptor competency domains and competency descriptors for use in nurse preceptor professional development. Background: Nurse preceptors are registered nurses who coach, support and assess nursing students while simultaneously caring for patients. Working as both clinician and educator requires preceptors to develop additional skills. However, preceptor preparation is often overlooked and may not be evidence based. Design: A modified e-Delphi study. Methods: A three-phase e-Delphi method informed the study that was conducted between March and September 2023. In the first preparatory phase an expert group distilled the results of a previous literature review identifying seven preceptor competency domains and more than 200 competency descriptors. Two e-Delphi rounds followed. A 70% rater agreement response threshold was chosen as appropriate in this study. The CREDES reporting framework was followed. Results: In the preparatory phase, the expert group (n=6) reached consensus on six preceptor domains and 57 preceptor descriptors. In Round 1, nurse preceptors (n= 89) rated the domains and descriptors using a four-point Likert scale; from not important to very important. Six domains and 34 competency descriptors were ranked as very important’. Round 2 participants (n=30) who opted in from Round 1 indicated their 100% agreement with the Round 1 results. The results reveal that preceptors resonate intuitively with the six domains Role model, Facilitator, Leader, Evaluator, Teacher and Coach and the related descriptors. Conclusion: The preceptor evidence-based competency framework offers registered nurse preceptors and their employers the opportunity to focus efforts in developing a nurse preceptor workforce. The framework can be used to design preceptor professional development and offers registered nurses a self-assessment tool to identify their preceptorship skills strengths and areas for development. If implemented in these ways the framework may benefit healthcare organisations to provide quality nurse preceptorship, thus enhancing the clinical learning experiences of nursing preceptees. © 2024 The Authors

Comprehensive quality assessment for aphasia rehabilitation after stroke : protocol for a multicentre, mixed-methods study

- Harvey, Sam, Stone, Marissa, Zingelman, Sally, Copland, David, Kilkenny, Monique, Godecke, Erin, Cadilhac, Dominique, Kim, Joosup, Olaiya, Muideen, Rose, Miranda, Breitenstein, Caterina, Shrubsole, Kirstine, O'Halloran, Robyn, Hill, Annie, Hersh, Deborah, Mainstone, Kathryn, Mainstone, Penelope, Unsworth, Carolyn, Brogan, Emily, Short, Kylie, Burns, Clare, Baker, Caroline, Wallace, Sarah

  • Authors: Harvey, Sam , Stone, Marissa , Zingelman, Sally , Copland, David , Kilkenny, Monique , Godecke, Erin , Cadilhac, Dominique , Kim, Joosup , Olaiya, Muideen , Rose, Miranda , Breitenstein, Caterina , Shrubsole, Kirstine , O'Halloran, Robyn , Hill, Annie , Hersh, Deborah , Mainstone, Kathryn , Mainstone, Penelope , Unsworth, Carolyn , Brogan, Emily , Short, Kylie , Burns, Clare , Baker, Caroline , Wallace, Sarah
  • Date: 2024
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: BMJ Open Vol. 14, no. 3 (2024), p.
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  • Description: Introduction People with aphasia following stroke experience disproportionally poor outcomes, yet there is no comprehensive approach to measuring the quality of aphasia services. The Meaningful Evaluation of Aphasia SeRvicES (MEASuRES) minimum dataset was developed in partnership with people with lived experience of aphasia, clinicians and researchers to address this gap. It comprises sociodemographic characteristics, quality indicators, treatment descriptors and outcome measurement instruments. We present a protocol to pilot the MEASuRES minimum dataset in clinical practice, describe the factors that hinder or support implementation and determine meaningful thresholds of clinical change for core outcome measurement instruments. Methods and analysis This research aims to deliver a comprehensive quality assessment toolkit for poststroke aphasia services in four studies. A multicentre pilot study (study 1) will test the administration of the MEASuRES minimum dataset within five Australian health services. An embedded mixed-methods process evaluation (study 2) will evaluate the performance of the minimum dataset and explore its clinical applicability. A consensus study (study 3) will establish consumer-informed thresholds of meaningful change on core aphasia outcome constructs, which will then be used to establish minimal important change values for corresponding core outcome measurement instruments (study 4). Ethics and dissemination Studies 1 and 2 have been registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12623001313628). Ethics approval has been obtained from the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (HREC/2023/MNHB/95293) and The University of Queensland (2022/HE001946 and 2023/HE001175). Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and engagement with relevant stakeholders including healthcare providers, policy-makers, stroke and rehabilitation audit and clinical quality registry custodians, consumer support organisations, and individuals with aphasia and their families. © 2024 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Conjugation-based approach to the ε-subdifferential of convex suprema

- Correa, Rafael, Hantoute, Abderrahim, López, Marco