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A critical review of literature on social media and developmental communication disability : implications for future social media and generative AI research
No full textPurpose of Review: The widespread use of social media and recent development and use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has implications for the advancement of inclusive communication technologies to benefit people with develop- mental communication disability. This paper synthesises and critiques recent research on social media use in populations with developmental communication disability, discusses the intersection of social media and GenAI that could impact this population, and provides directions for future research. Recent Findings: There is encouraging growth in the use of innovative methods to gather the views of people with develop- mental communication disability on their use of social media, advancing understanding of the risks they face and how they and their supporters manage these risks. However, there continues an underutilization of social media data published by and with people with developmental communication disability and a lack of co-design. Moving beyond patterns and purposes of use, future inclusive and co-designed research with this population should (a) include social media data, whether independently or co-produced with supporters; (b) explore the under-researched legal, ethical, and safety issues; (c) measure the outcomes and impact of social media publication in relation to the user or user group’s emancipation, education, and enablement; and (d) consider the impact of GenAI on social media use for this group. Summary: Continued attention to the safe and enjoyable use of social media for all those who wish to use it, and foundational research on the uptake and use of GenAI, will be important to understand and support the advanced communication technology support needs of people with developmental communication disability. To inform future advances in both social media and GenAI for populations with developmental communication disability, future research directions are proposed
[In Press] The multiphasic teeth of Chiton articulatus : an abrasion-resistant and self-sharpening tool for hard algae collection
No full textChiton articulatus is a species of mollusk living in the tropical Pacific intertidal rocky shores of Mexico. This species feeds on solid waste organic sources, including hard crustose algae that grow on rocky substrates, by grazing on them with its radula, a flexible chitinous membrane lined with mineralized major lateral teeth. In this study, the composition, morphology, and resulting mechanics of the mature teeth of this species, which have yet to be examined, are revealed. The results show the presence of multiphasic mature teeth, each consisting of aligned hard magnetite nanoparticles on the leading edge of the tooth underneath which are magnetite lamellae, followed by goethite, lepidocrocite, and eventually hydroxyapatite near the trailing edge. This multiregional structure demonstrates a gradation in hardness as well as different microstructural features integrated with tough interfaces. The combination of these microstructural and phase arrangements results in an abrasion-resistant tough structure with a self-sharpening ability. The results of this work will help contribute to developing new bioinspired designs while also helping to understand the evolution and feeding habits of these intriguing invertebrates
Optimising recovery after perineal trauma : implementation of an evidence-based patient-centred care and clinical practice guideline
No full textBackground: Perineal trauma and pain can affect the quality of life of women who experience vaginal birth. Aim: To investigate the effect of perineal care and pain management on women’s postpartum recovery. Methods: This was a Quasi-experimental study. In Phase 1 women were treated using our old postnatal perineal care management guideline. In Phase 2 an updated guideline was introduced (regular administration of icepacks and analgesia during the first 24–48 h postpartum). During Phase 1, pregnant women planning a vaginal birth completed a baseline questionnaire. Those who sustained perineal trauma completed a survey at 24–48 h, seven days and 12 weeks after birth. In Phase 2 we continued recruiting participants, using the same procedure, and investigated the efficacy of pain relief approaches using the new guideline. Results: In Phase 1, 111 women (Group 1), and Phase 2, 146 women (Group 2) were recruited. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of the women’s pain catastrophising, their partner’s responses to pain behaviours, or birth outcomes. At 24–48 h and seven days postpartum, women in Group 2 were less likely than women in Group 1 to be bothered by back or perineal pain, headache, sleeping difficulties and dizziness (p < 0.05). More women in Group 2 received regular paracetamol and perineal icepacks during their hospital stay, with less use of oxycodone in Group 2 than Group 1. Conclusion: The implementation of the guideline’s recommendations was associated with decrease back and perineal pain, headache, sleeping difficulties and dizziness during the first seven days postpartum
Shearing Time: Double Bass and Piano
No full textShearing Time is a tribute to British-born pianist and US resident George Shearing and his ‘Shearing Sound’ in particular, use of parallel hand movement (locked hands style) and harmonies. The piece has nothing to do with sheep. Thanks to Sasha Marker for double bass advice. The piece is dedicated to double bass player Annie Mitchell and pianist Bob Howlett
[In Press] Precarious labour geographies of working holiday makers : querying sustainability
No full textThe boundaries between tourism and migration are blurry. this blurring has been beneficial for the governments of wealthy countries enabling them to import a large and flexible temporary work- force that can be directed toward regions and industries where there are labour shortages. such is the case with the Australian Working holiday Program (AWHP); a historically tourism-focused cultural exchange program that began in 1975. since the 1990s, the Australian Government has leveraged the AWHP to support several of Australia’s critical industries. this has been achieved through the tweaking of mobility infrastructures that link Working holiday Makers’ (WHMs) ability to stay in Australia to employment conditions. such conditions increase precarity among WHMs, directing them towards remote regions and industries where there are evident labour shortages. While these mobility infrastructures significantly benefit Australia’s economy, they result in WHMs being highly vulnerable to exploitation. such vulnerability is layered with WHMs from less wealthy, non-english-speaking countries facing the highest levels of vulnerability. this study investigates the way mobility infrastructures in the AWHP influence WHMs’ mobilities, as well as how such mobilities are experienced in uneven and unjust ways. there is urgency to interrogate the role that such programs play in contributing to unjust mobilities, and to query the attendant implications for sustainability
The Scott Johnson case : the manslaughter plea, hatred, and criminal law reform for historic anti-homosexual and anti-trans violence in New South Wales
No full textThe Scott Johnson case presents a complex policing and prosecutorial history, including an apparent New South Wales Police attempt to denigrate the deceased and his family to avoid criticism of an early police determination and ongoing insistence on death by suicide. Johnson’s killer, Scott White, has now been sentenced in the Supreme Court of New South Wales following his guilty plea to manslaughter. This article assesses issues as to sentencing for crimes of prejudice, especially historic offences motivated by anti homosexual prejudice. There is pressing concern for such recognition as a matter of retrospective reforms to evidence and sentencing, given the number of unresolved homicides against gay/homosexual and trans victims reviewed by the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes, where a possible element of such offending included “gay hate” prejudice
Search algorithms for automated negotiation in large domains
No full textThis work presents several new and efficient algorithms that can be used by negotiating agents to explore very large outcome spaces. The proposed algorithms can search for bids close to a utility target or above a utility threshold, and for win-win outcomes. While doing so, these algorithms strike a careful balance between being rapid, accurate, diverse, and scalable, allowing agents to explore spaces with as many as 10 250 possible outcomes on very run-of-the-mill hardware. We show that our methods can be used to respond to the most common search queries employed by 87 % of all agents from the Automated Negotiating Agents Competition between 2010 and 2021. Furthermore, we integrate our techniques into negotiation platform GeniusWeb in order to enable existing state-of-the-art agents (and future agents) to handle very large outcome spaces
Prevalence of undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the young adult population of the United Arab Emirates : a national cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a globally prevalent behavioural disorder, remains underdiagnosed, particularly among adults. This issue is exacerbated in the Arab region due to stigma and insufficient healthcare facilities and professionals. Despite the United Arab Emirates (UAE) efforts to improve mental healthcare, shortcomings persist. No studies in the UAE currently assesses the appropriateness of the screening system for ADHD and other behavioural issues. Furthermore, prevalence rates of ADHD, particularly within the young adult population, are absent. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of ADHD amongst young adults attending university in UAE and examine its relationship with gender and academic outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Young adults in their first year at university were recruited from different academic institutions across the UAE. The study utilized the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) for data collection. Results: A sample of 406 young adults, aged between 18 and 20 years of age were recruited. Approximately, 34.7% (n = 141) reported symptoms suggestive of probable ADHD. Significantly lower grade point average marks were observed in participants with ADHD symptoms (M = 3.15) compared to those without (M = 3.35). Females reported symptoms of probable ADHD at higher rates than males, indicating possibly a potential screening deficiency and a potential stigma consequence. Conclusions: The study demonstrates a high prevalence of probable ADHD in young adults, particularly among females attending university in the United Arab Emirates. Implications for early screening, service provision, and greater professional health training on this disorder are required
[In Press] 'It looks better than a bowl of mush' : views on the use of food design strategies, including 3D food printing, to improve meals for people with dysphagia
No full textTo improve meals for people with dysphagia, we explored the views of people with dysphagia, their supporters and allied health professionals on a range of food design strategies (e.g. food shaping and food presentation techniques), including 3D food printing. From November 2021 to February 2022, an online survey of (1) adult with dysphagia (n = 30) and (2) supporters of people with dysphagia and allied health professionals (n = 22) was conducted. The survey included multiple choice, Likert scale and open-ended questions. Data was analysed descriptively. Most participants across the two groups had used at least one food design strategy for texture-modified foods and none had used 3D food printing. People with dysphagia were less likely to use food shaping techniques in preparing their texture-modified meals than other respondents. Supporters of people with dysphagia and allied health professionals were more likely than people with dysphagia to use food shaping techniques and to consider that 3D food printing could improve the visual appeal and enjoyment of texture-modified foods. A range of issues impacting the feasibility of 3D food printing were identified. The use of food design strategies for texture-modified foods may increase the food choices and mealtime enjoyment of people with dysphagia. Further research exploring how people with dysphagia and their supporters engage with 3D food printing could identify further influences on their future use of these technologies
[In Press] Intersections of intimate partner violence and natural disasters : a systematic review of the quantitative evidence
No full textNatural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing in both intensity and frequency. Emerging evidence suggests that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and natural disasters. However, there is a scarcity of methodologically sound research in this area with no systematic review to date. To address the gap, this paper systematically assesses the quantitative evidence on the association between IPV with natural disasters between 1990 and March 2023. There were 27 articles that meet the inclusion criteria for the data extraction process. A quantitative critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of each study and a narrative synthesis approach to explore the findings. The review found an association between IPV and disasters, across disaster types and countries. However, more research is needed to explore the nuances and gaps within the existing knowledge base. It was unclear whether this relationship was causal or if natural disasters heightened existing risk factors. Further, it is inconclusive as to whether disasters create new cases of IPV or exacerbate existing violence. The majority of studies focused on hurricanes and earthquakes with a dearth of research on “slow onset disasters.” These gaps represent the need for further research. Further research can provide a more thorough understanding of IPV and natural disasters, increasing stakeholders’ ability to strengthen community capacity and reduce IPV when natural disasters occur