75079 research outputs found
Sort by
[In Press] Unearthing the latent assumptions inscribed into language tools : the cross-cultural benefits of applying a reflexive lens in co-design
No full textLanguage technology tools provide a promising way to teach, share, retain, and curate under-resourced language learning materials in community. The inclusion of language teachers working with communities increases the potential for designed tools to be adopted by those groups. However, there is little research concerning the adaptation of tools designed with one community to other languages. To identify the implications for such scalability, we ran workshops with the ‘Record and Write’ tool, developed as a versatile format for collection, curation, and use of under-resourced language learning materials in community. The process enabled teachers of languages with varying availability of teaching materials to reflect on some of the embedded complexities of adapting the tool to their context. This paper critically reflects on the design process of the tool and design lessons learned relating to language governance, the reflection of culture in database tools, conversational learning support, and differentiated needs for grammatical accuracy and annotation. Methodologically, the paper proposes a reflexive lens on co-design in cross-cultural contexts, identifying some of the latent assumptions embedded in technologies that emerge when tools are transposed to different language and learning contexts
Dietary lutein and zeaxanthin intakes, determination and comparison in commonly consumed Australian foods
No full text
Industry 4.0 driven emerging skills of offsite construction : a multi-case study-based analysis
No full textPurpose: Industry 4.0 is exacerbating the need for offsite construction (OSC) adoption, and this rapid transformation is pushing the boundaries of construction skills towards extensive modernisation. The adoption of this modern production strategy by the construction industry would redefine the position of OSC. This study aims to examine whether the existing skills are capable of satisfying the needs of different OSC types. Design/methodology/approach: A critical literature review evaluated the impact of transformative technology on OSC skills. An existing industry standard OSC skill classification was used as the basis to develop a master list that recognises emerging and diminishing OSC skills. The master list recognises 67 OSC skills under six skill categories: managers, professionals, technicians and trade workers, clerical and administrative workers, machinery operators and drivers and labourers. The skills data was extracted from a series of 13 case studies using document reviews and semi-structured interviews with project stakeholders. Findings: The multiple case study evaluation recognised 13 redundant skills and 16 emerging OSC skills such as architects with building information modelling and design for manufacture and assembly knowledge, architects specialised in design and logistics integration, advanced OSC technical skills, factory operators, OSC estimators, technicians for three dimensional visualisation and computer numeric control operators. Interview findings assessed the current state and future directions for OSC skills development. Findings indicate that the prevailing skills are not adequate to readily relocate construction activities from onsite to offsite. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first studies that recognises the major differences in skill requirements for non-volumetric and volumetric OSC types
Drinking motives as a predictor of readiness to change alcohol use
Get PDFDrinking motives have been identified as important predictors of alcohol consumption. Similarly, the degree of readiness to change (RTC) can predict behavioral changes when drinking alcohol. However, the link between drinking motives and RTC has not been explored in previous research. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the four drinking motives (coping, enhancement, social, conformity) can predict the three stages of RTC (precontemplation, contemplation and action) in relation to alcohol consumption. Two hundred and fifty-two undergraduates’ students completed an online self-assessment survey on Qualtrics that assessed motives for alcohol use, drinking behavior, and RTC. Hierarchical regressions showed that among the four specific drinking motives, coping motives significantly predicted all three stages of RTC; conformity motives positively predicted the action stage of change; social motives negatively predicted the precontemplation and action stages of change; enhancement motives were not significant in predicting RTC stages. These results indicate that the three RTC levels can be predicted by coping, social, and conformity motives, but not by enhancement motives. Additionally, given the importance of coping motives, it might be useful to address and include healthier coping mechanisms as part of clinical interventions and prevention methods to circumvent unsafe drinking behaviors independent of a single RTC stage
Parent involvement in positive behaviour intervention and supports in Australia : teacher and parent/caregiver perspectives
No full textPositive Behaviour Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a framework for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate social and academic behaviour in the school setting. This framework is widely implemented across the world, including Australia. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of PBIS confirm a relationship between implementation fidelity and student outcomes. Abundant literature highlights the significance of parent involvement (PI) on children’s social and academic outcomes. However, a consistently and surprisingly under researched component of PBIS is the involvement and influence of parents/caregivers. This article presents the findings of an original qualitative study using stakeholder interviews and artefact analysis to assess parent/caregiver involvement during PBIS implementation in two primary schools in South-West Sydney, Australia. These findings indicate that parent/caregiver involvement in PBIS implementation was interpreted differently by teachers and parents/caregivers and that there is potential for the development of improved methods to engage parents/caregivers more effectively in schools. Reframing parent/caregiver involvement in PBIS to address cultural sensitivities can progressively influence and stabilise this involvement to positively affect the sustainability, effectiveness and fidelity of PBIS. Limitations of the study together with recommendations for future practice are discussed
Deep learning models for human age prediction to prevent, treat and extend life expectancy : DCPV taxonomy
No full textThe implementation of Deep Learning (DL) Prediction techniques for Human Age Prediction (HAP) has been widely researched and studied to prevent, treat, and extend life expectancy. While most algorithms rely on facial images, MRI scans, and DNA methylation for training and testing, they are seldom implemented due to a lack of significant validation and evaluation in real-world scenarios, low performance, and technical challenges. To address these issues, this paper proposes the Data, Classification Technique, Prediction, and View (DCPV) taxonomy, which outlines the primary components required to implement and validate a deep learning model for predicting human age. By providing a common baseline for end-users and researchers, this taxonomy offers a clearer view of the constituents of deep learning prediction approaches, enabling the development of similar systems in the health domain. In contrast to existing machine learning methods, the proposed taxonomy emphasizes the value of deep learning practices based on performance, accuracy, and efficiency in predicting human age. To validate the DCPV taxonomy, the study examines 31 state-of-the-art research journal articles within the HAP system domain, assessing the taxonomy's performance, accuracy, robustness, and model comparisons
Real-world tolerance and outcomes of oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer : does dose intensity matter?
No full textIntroduction: Fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy delivered as 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), or capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CAPOX) is the standard of care for resected stage III colon cancer. Without randomized trial data, we compared real-world dose intensity, survival outcomes, and tolerability of these regimens. Methods: Records of patients treated with FOLFOX or CAPOX in the adjuvant setting for stage III colon cancer across four institutions in Sydney during 2006–2016 were reviewed. The relative dose intensity (RDI) of fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin of each regimen, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and incidence of grade ≥2 toxicities were compared. Results: Characteristics of patients receiving FOLFOX (n = 195) and CAPOX (n = 62) were evenly matched. FOLFOX patients had a higher mean RDI for both fluoropyrimidine (85% vs. 78%, p < 0.01) and oxaliplatin (72% vs. 66%, p = 0.06). In spite of a lower RDI, CAPOX patients trended toward a better 5-year DFS (84% vs. 78%, HR = 0.53, p = 0.068) and similar OS (89% vs. 89%, HR = 0.53, p = 0.21) compared to the FOLFOX group. This difference was most pronounced in the high-risk (T4 or N2) group where 5-year DFS was 78% versus 67% (HR = 0.41, p = 0.042). Patients receiving CAPOX experienced more grade ≥2 diarrhea (p = 0.017) and hand-foot syndrome (p < 0.001) but not peripheral neuropathy or myelosuppression. Conclusion: In a real-world setting, patients who received CAPOX had similar OS rates when compared to those receiving FOLFOX in the adjuvant setting in spite of lower RDI. In the high-risk population, CAPOX appears to demonstrate a superior 5-year DFS over FOLFOX
Manganese oxide nanoplatforms for disease diagnosis and treatment : progress, challenges and opportunities
No full textProgress in the development of manganese oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) has offered an alternative to the current Gd-based T1 magnetic resonance image (MRI) contrast agents for early-stage diagnosis of life-threatening diseases. MONPs also possess unique self-degradation characteristics, making them suitable for the therapeutic delivery of drugs and genes. Advances in the NP synthesis and characterisation, especially fundamental insights into the thermodynamically and kinetically controlled growth of NP and rich surface chemistry offering conjugation of biomolecules and polymers to its surface, have enabled the reproducible production of multifunctional targeted MONPs in various sizes and shapes. The integration of diagnosis and therapeutic capabilities within a single entity, so-called “nanotheranostics”, has offered new hope for using them for simultaneous real-time monitoring of disease progression in response to the treatment, thus evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic treatment. In this review, we highlight the recent advancements in the synthesis of MONPs and functionalisation strategies used to realise their theranostic potential. We discuss the basic physics of MR imaging and factors influencing the contrast enhancement mechanism of MONPs and review the use of multifunctional MONPs for dual and multimodal imaging and therapeutic delivery applications. This review also discusses how the biological properties of MONPs can influence their performance in a biological environment, including induced toxicity, which should be taken into consideration for designing next-generation engineered precision MONPs for disease diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we also provide a forward-looking perspective to accelerate the translation of MONPs into the clinical setting
'When we can't vote, action is all we have' : student climate politics, rights and justice
No full textSince 2018, millions of students have mobilised as organisers, advocates and activists for action on global warming in movements like the School Strike 4 Climate. In Australia, an estimated 500,000 school students, some as young as five, and predominantly girls and young women, have taken part in coordinated school strikes, protest actions online and in cities and towns around the country (Hilder & Collin, 2022). While children and young people have long been central to politics, this more recent mass mobilisation raises new questions about how the various new forms of political participation and expression adopted by young people are significantly reshaping political norms, values and practices in ostensibly liberal democratic regimes like Australia. In this chapter, we propose that close attention be given to whether young people’s political views and demands for political recognition, rights and climate justice is re-constituting politics and whatever passes for ‘democracy’ in contemporary societies. Drawing on a study of the student climate movement in Australia, this chapter briefly describes the emergence of the movement globally and locally. Deploying Isin’s notion of ‘acts of citizenship’ (Isin, 2008), we examine the ways young climate activists are engaged in critical, performative, political practice, making claims for political recognition, rights and climate justice