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Families\u27 experiences of end-of-life care in an acute private hospital: A qualitative study
Get PDFObjectives This study explored bereaved relatives\u27 experiences of end-of-life care (EoL care) in the last 3 days in an acute private hospital in Australia. Methods An interpretative qualitative study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with 8 bereaved relatives whose family member had died at an acute private hospital shared their experiences of the EoL care during the last 3 days of life. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Bereaved family members had mixed experiences, and their primary concerns related to the need for improvements in support for the family; communication; and clinicians partnering with families. The need for family support encompassed care for the person dying and the bereaved relatives, before and during the last days of life, and after death. Bereaved relatives perceived that hospital based EoL care could be positive when the care was collaborative with health professionals, patients, and relatives and there was effective communication. Significance of results A patient- and family-centered approach to EoL care should be provided in hospitals, and it requires understanding of the needs of both patients and family members, including informational requirements, communication approaches, and care delivery. Health-care organizations have a responsibility to care for families and this must be considered as part of organizational readiness and ongoing assessment to determine if the standards for EoL care are met. The findings serve as a guide for evidence-informed practice and may contribute to the development of resources and guidelines for delivery of quality EoL care
I couldn\u27t change his nappy: New mothers\u27 experiences of De Quervain\u27s tendinosis and its impact on occupational performance
Get PDFIntroduction: De Quervain\u27s stenosing tendinosis (DQST) is common in new mothers because of awkward wrist postures during repetitive mothering occupations such as nursing and lifting their baby. However, little is known about how DQST affects occupations of first-time mothers. This study aimed to explore the experiences of first-time mothers living with DQST and how it affects performance of their motherhood occupations. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological study design was used. Participants were 15 first-time mothers of a child aged ≤24 months, with a current or previous diagnosis of DQST, and/or non-trauma-related symptoms of pain, tenderness, and/or swelling near the base of the thumb or wrist. Participants completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and participated in semi-structured interviews. Consumer and Community Involvement: No consumer and community involvement. Findings: Five themes developed from interview data: (1) My everyday life is affected; (2) not being prepared and not knowing what to do; (3) learning to modify, adapt, and carry on; (4) perceived practicality of management options; and (5) the importance of education and early intervention. DASH disability scores ranged from 50 to 80 for participants with active symptoms. Conclusion: DQST disrupted first-time mothers\u27 occupational performance. Participants felt that until they developed DQST, they received insufficient information about it from health professionals during pregnancy and the first-year post-birth. Pain management options were often not practical when performing motherhood occupations. New mothers would benefit from preventative perinatal education about DQST and treatment options that consider their mothering occupations. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: New mothers can develop a common upper limb condition called De Quervain\u27s Stenosing Tendinosis (DQST), also known as ‘mummy\u27s thumb’, which can make daily occupations difficult. This includes bathing, dressing, and helping their babies sleep. Fifteen first-time mothers with babies under 2 years old and DQST were interviewed and filled out a functional questionnaire. The results showed that DQST affected their daily occupations, such as caring for their babies, doing housework, self-care, leisure occupations, sleep, social interactions, and self-esteem. Many mothers said they did not receive any information about DQST before they developed it during pregnancy or in their baby\u27s first year. Some were given treatment options like using a splint to rest their hand, but these were not always comfortable or practical due to their caregiving duties. The study highlighted that educating mothers on how to adjust their occupations during pregnancy and after birth could help prevent DQST. Treatment options should also consider their role as caregivers. This was the first study to look at how a common hand condition affects mothers\u27 daily occupations. A limitation was that the study did not ask mothers for details about their marital status, culture, or economic background, which could have added to the understanding of the group\u27s diversity
Impact of drainage parameters on coal fines production in CBM wells: A long-term monitoring study of Liulin Block, Ordos Basin, China
Get PDFCoalbed methane (CBM) horizontal wells often experience significant coal fines production during the drainage process, which disrupts efficient CBM extraction. This study monitored key drainage parameters such as gas and water production rates, bottomhole flowing pressure, and casing pressure over an extended period. We analyzed fluid samples containing coal fines to understand their concentration, particle size distribution, and morphology. By correlating these findings with drainage parameters, we identified factors influencing coal fines production and the variation patterns in coal fines concentration. The results revealed that the concentration of produced coal fines ranged from 0.01 to 6.14 g/L, with particle sizes ranging from 0.63 to 704.00 μm. Rapid and continuous increases in production and gas release led to an increase in coal fine concentration and particle size. Conversely, slow, intermittent production increases and stable gas production helped reduce coal fines production. Additionally, pump start-stop cycles resulted in instantaneous increases in coal fines production. Notably, coal fines produced at the wellhead exhibited better roundness than those from workover operations. The smooth surface consists mainly of organic components, while the rough surface minerals are mainly kaolinite, calcite, quartz, illite, and pyrite. By advocating for a “continuous, slow, stable, and long-term” drainage approach, accidents such as screen clogging and pump blockage can be reduced
More than one way to be a planktivore: The vast morphospace of plankton-feeding reef fishes
Get PDFPlanktivorous reef fishes are thought to possess unique morphological traits to feed on small, evasive prey. Despite the multitude of family-level studies addressing this hypothesis, results remain inconclusive. Our goal, therefore, was to determine whether specialised traits and patterns of morphological convergence are congruent across a comprehensive phylogeny of reef-associated fishes. We measured 15 morphological traits from 815 images of 299 species in 12 globally distributed families. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we mapped the evolution of plankton-feeding across lineages; assessed the effect of planktivory on body shape; and tested for the presence of morphological convergence among planktivores. We demonstrate that planktivory is evolutionary ubiquitous and occurs in 12 of the most abundant global families. Some morphological trait differences between planktivores and non-planktivores were detected, but there was no difference in overall body shape. Contrary to longstanding assumptions, we show that planktivores have not converged towards distinct morphologies, but instead encompass the entire morphospace of reef fishes. Due to their behavioural, spatial, temporal, and resource heterogeneity, reef fishes of any shape and size can readily navigate the challenges of plankton-feeding
School infrastructure procurement by Public–Private Partnership: In the public interest?
Get PDFThe use of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the education sector to construct and maintain schools’ infrastructure is under-researched by Educational Studies specialists. This article presents an assay of the use of PPP to procure school facilities, notably in developed contexts, where PPP arrangements are typically a product of the neoliberal privatisation of education. PPP arrangements allow governments to contract private sector partners to finance, design and construct school facilities infrastructure in exchange for state payments. The evaluation is complemented by a critical analysis of the WA Schools Public Private Partnership Project and three published Australian-based case studies. This sets the stage for a general critique and reflective discussion that considers the question raised in the title of this article, where it is suggested that PPPs have the potential to undermine the autonomy of schools and to deny their communities a resource critical to the development of a democratic society
Automated methods for estimating blood alcohol concentration level from facial cues
Get PDFThis thesis investigates different approaches for detecting alcohol intoxication in drivers by analysing facial video data. Tackling this issue necessitates the creation of a novel dataset to overcome the limitations of existing datasets. The dataset constructed in this study is the first to include RGB video recordings of individual faces at varying levels of alcohol intoxication during simulated driving, featuring 60 participants with BAC levels ranging from 0 to 0.165 g/100ml. The constructed dataset not only supports this thesis, but also offers the broader scientific community a valuable resource for further study and development.
Building on this, this thesis presents a ‘proof of concept’ to validate the feasibility of detecting alcohol intoxication through analysis of facial cues captured by standard RGB cameras. Additionally, the author investigates methods to enhance detection accuracy and to create a more reliable system for real-world use by employing both handcrafted feature engineering and end-to-end deep learning techniques. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this thesis constitutes the first proposition of an alcohol detection system that relies exclusively on facial cues within RGB video footage. This approach holds significant promise for: improving road safety; eliminating the need for expensive and complex sensor-based technologies; and offering a more practical solution for real-world application
Transforming transitions II: A summary report
Get PDFAn abridged version of the report.
Building on the success of the Transforming Transitions project conducted with ten Western Australian Independent Schools (Barblett et al., 2023), this study extended the inquiry into school engagement and the transition process. The project was reimagined to deepen collaboration with schools, focusing on two key areas: first, fostering meaningful engagement with young learners and their families during the transition to school by drawing on their funds of knowledge; and second, centering the perspectives of children as active participants in their transition, acknowledging their experiences and the role of family-school engagement in shaping their sense of belonging
Comprehensive assessment instruments for place-based sustainable agriculture: A scoping review
Get PDFA rapid transformation to sustainable agricultural production systems is necessary, requiring on-farm monitoring and measurements of key agricultural sustainability indicators. While many assessment methods for agricultural sustainability incorporate a three-pillar model of sustainability: environment, economic, and social, a step beyond this is required to support both human and planetary health. This review takes the position that a more nuanced, yet broader framing of agricultural sustainability is warranted, and identifies the measurement of additional pillars including health and nutrition, production, and responsible governance, plus overlooked aspects including Indigenous cultures. A peer-reviewed and grey literature search was conducted identifying articles (n = 8) discussing comprehensive, more than three-pillar, on-farm sustainability assessment instruments (n = 7). These seven instruments were analysed against an a priori framework of adaptability, modularity, practicality and scalability. Also explored was the usage of the broader sustainability pillars and common themes within the literature. Limited literature was found which encompassed the complexity of the requirements for measuring agricultural sustainability on-farm. A scalable and practical approach to the construction and use of on-farm agricultural sustainability assessment instruments is nascent. This review recommends the examination of instruments in a participatory and transdisciplinary manner to ensure effective operationalisation, acknowledge place-based nuance, and support farmers as potential end-users. Moving forward, the application and design of sustainable agriculture assessment instruments needs to encompass the full range of externalities created by agricultural production systems to actualise sustainability
Sex differences in grip strength from birth to age 16: A meta-analysis
Get PDFIn 1985, Thomas and French published results of a meta-analysis that examined sex differences in grip strength in children 5 years of age and older. Their analysis included results from only four studies, and no update has been published. The purpose of the current study was to use meta-analysis to examine sex differences in grip strength from birth to age 16. The analysis included 808 effects from 169 studies conducted in 45 countries between 1961 and 2023. The total sample was 353,676 (178,588 boys, 175,088 girls). From birth to 16 years of age, grip strength was consistently greater in boys than girls. Between 3 and 10 years old, the effect size was small-to-moderate, with female grip strength equaling 90% of male grip strength (Hedges g = 0.33–0.46). At age 11, the effect size decreased slightly, likely due to girls reaching puberty before boys (g = 0.29, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [0.22, 0.35]). At age 13, the effect size increased markedly likely due to male puberty (g = 0.63, 95% CIs [0.55, 0.70]). By age 16, the sex difference in grip strength was substantial, with female grip strength equaling 65% of male grip strength (g = 2.07, 95% CIs [1.86, 2.27]). Secondary analyses revealed that the sex difference in grip strength is broadly similar between countries and has been mostly stable since the 1960s, except for a narrowing of the difference among 5–10-year-olds after 2010. Various biological factors explain why, on average, boys are stronger than girls from birth onward
Shaping effective food action groups: Participant perspectives on structure and stakeholder involvement in regional and remote Western Australia
Get PDFIssue Addressed: Food systems strongly influence food security outcomes. Food Action Groups (often termed Food Policy Councils/Coalitions/Networks internationally) offer a co-ordinated and collaborative approach to local food system issues. Their organisational structure and stakeholder membership significantly impact their focus and impact. Therefore, it is imperative to understanding community member and food system stakeholders\u27 perspectives on how regional and remote Australian Food Action Groups should be structured to maximise their impact on local food systems, and identify the most appropriate stakeholders to facilitate and drive their action. Methods: A qualitative study using focus groups, was conducted in regional and remote townships across Western Australian regions of Peel, South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Midwest (including Gascoyne), Goldfields, Pilbara, and Kimberley. Participants were community members and food system stakeholders. Focus group transcript data were thematically analysed. Results: A formal structure with sustainable funding was important for Food Action Groups, as was adopting a bottom-up approach with local community needs driving the agenda, supported by an adaptable and responsive work plan. Involving community members and ensuring a diverse membership were viewed as critical to their success. Conclusions: To effectively address local needs, Food Action Groups should adopt a formal structure with clear processes and involve a diverse group of community stakeholders. This would leverage local knowledge and evidence to guide actions and set well-informed priorities. So What: The establishment of Australian Food Action Groups in regional and remote Australia has potential to follow suit of their US, Canada and UK predecessors, improve regional food systems and influence government policies