18624 research outputs found
Sort by
Moving beyond the rhetoric : integrating coding into the English curriculum in Australian primary schools
Full text linkCoding and computational thinking are being hailed as the new literacy for the twenty-first century, and have become increasingly common in schools world-wide. At the same time, the sector is facing a global shortage of technology teachers, and technology lessons are frequently being delivered by non-specialist teachers. Therefore, some have suggested integrating coding into other curricula as a practical solution for non-specialist teachers to deliver outcomes in both Digital Technologies and their own subject areas, whilst also developing general capabilities. To better understand the benefits and practicality of integrating coding into the English curriculum, we present a detailed case study of an Australian Year 5/6 classroom where students engaged in learning units integrating both Digital Technologies and English curriculum outcomes. We explored the nature of students’ interdisciplinary learning and general capabilities development through two learning units in which they coded animated narratives (CANs). We also built understanding of how non-specialist teachers in regular classrooms can develop the necessary technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) to facilitate cross-curricular learning involving coding, and at the same time, promote general curriculum capabilities. Findings challenge the commonly held assumption that integrating coding can be a universal solution to specialist staff shortages and an overcrowded curriculum, and reveal the challenges faced by non-specialist teachers and school organisations that need to be overcome for successful implementation. However, they also indicate that when these challenges are met, integrated approaches can result in interdisciplinary learning, high levels of student engagement, and provide effective environments for general capability development. © The Author(s) 2024
The source of coronavirus anxiety : a longitudinal network analyses of the symptoms in the coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) and their associations with depression, anxiety, stress and alcohol use
Full text linkThe Covid-19 Pandemic and subsequent actions taken by national/international organizations has generated a large amount of anxiety which may roam into the realm of pathology– COVID Anxiety. To measure this phenomenon, measures such as the CAS have been developed. The CAS being a self-report measure of anxiety-related physiologically symptoms that are aroused by information and thoughts related to COVID-19. However, as the CAS is fairly new it requires validation and examination. This study fulfils this need using Longitudinal Network Analysis. A total of 968, 462 and 276 adults from an Australian community sample across 3 time points completed the CAS, and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, and alcohol use. Regularized partial correlation network analysis (EBICglasso)was subsequently employed to examine the network structure of ratings of COVID anxiety symptoms as presented in the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and how these symptoms are related to distress (combination of depression, anxiety, stress) and alcohol use, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The network produced was found stable both cross-sectionally and across time. In terms of network structure, the most central CAS symptom identified being abdominal distress, followed by tonic immobility and the least being dizziness. Furthermore, the network revealed at least moderate effect size connections for tonic immobility with dizziness, sleep disturbances abdominal distress, and for abdominal distress with appetite loss. Additionally, distress was associated positively with dizziness, tonic immobility, and appetitive loss. Alcohol use was associated positively with dizziness and abdominal distress, and negatively with tonic immobility and appetitive loss. Overall, the findings showed a novel understanding of the structure of the COVID anxiety symptoms in the CAS, and how these symptoms are associated with distress and alcohol use. The clinical implications of the findings for assessment and treatment of COVID anxiety and its comorbidity with distress and alcohol use are discussed. © The Author(s) 2025
Men in mental health : a scoping review of challenges, contributions, and future possibilities of recruiting into nursing
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: Historically, male nurses were predominant in mental health settings due to their perceived physical strength and ability to manage violent patients. However, societal changes and the evolution of nursing education have led to a decline in male participation. This study aims to explore the characteristics, qualities, and attributes of male mental health nurses, while aiming to identify factors that attract and retain, as well as that deter, men in this field, to inform male recruitment and retention strategies to grow the mental health nursing workforce. Methods: A scoping review was conducted across six databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ProQuest. The focus was on studies from 1970 to 2024. Screening and selection of studies were based on eligibility criteria. Narrative synthesis was conducted, and the study follows the PRISMA for Scoping Reviews checklist. Results: Limited research exists on male mental health nurses. The data highlight the unique contributions of male nurses, including their resilience, teamwork, and emotional competence. They also identify challenges such as workplace violence, stigma, and lack of career development opportunities. The literature suggests that targeted recruitment strategies and supportive work environments are essential to increase the number of male mental health nurses and address the nursing shortage in this specialty. Positive academic experiences and professional development opportunities are crucial for retaining male nurses. Conclusions: Addressing stigma associated with mental health nursing is needed, starting with a positive public health education campaign. Addressing workplace violence needs to stem from improved organisational procedures that promote the safety and wellbeing of nurses and clients, combined with de-escalation education and training; mentoring are vital to improving attraction, job satisfaction, and the retention of male nurses. By understanding these factors, health care organisations can better support male mental health nurses and enhance the overall quality of mental health care. © 2025 by the authors
Fuzzy adaptive sliding-mode control optimized by an arithmetic optimization algorithm for a quadrotor drone with chaotic nonlinear dynamics
No full textAn optimal fuzzy adaptive sliding mode controller (OFASMC) is introduced in the present paper for stabilizing a quadrotor drone with chaotic and nonlinear dynamics. At first, control efforts related to the motor torques of the regarded quadrotor drone are determined by the sliding mode procedure as the main stabilizer. Next, using the gradient descent formulation as well as the chain derivative rule, the control gains are adapted through the system states. Then, human knowledge-based fuzzy systems are appropriately designed to set the control parameters for achieving more accurate results. The output errors and control efforts are minimized through the optimum values found for the effective coefficients of the controller by applying the Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA). Simulation results clearly illustrate the effectiveness of the introduced strategy to stabilize the quadrotor drone system with and without external disturbances. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Pregnancy does not affect progression of mild experimental asthma in sheep
Full text linkAbstract: Asthma is the most common respiratory condition during pregnancy and increases the risks of adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Asthma symptoms change i
BioBERT based text mining for incorporating prior knowledge in the inference of genetic network models
Full text linkReconstruction of Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) is essential for understanding gene interactions, their impact on cellular processes, and manifestation of diseases, including drug discovery. Among various mathematical and dynamic models used for GRN reconstruction, S-system model, comprising non-linear differential equations, is widely utilised to capture the behaviour of complex biological systems with non-linear and time-dependent interactions. However, as the network size increases, computational demand for network inference grows due to a greater number of estimation parameters, significantly impacting the performance of optimisation algorithms. Incorporating biologically relevant prior knowledge using advanced Natural Language Processing methods can effectively address this limitation by reducing the need for computing large parameters, thereby enhancing speed and accuracy. In this study, we introduce PRESS, an integrated Prior Knowledge Enhanced S-system model for accurate GRN reconstructions, which seamlessly automates the incorporation of prior knowledge obtained through systematic extraction from published literature. PRESS exploits our recently reported BioBERT-based Gene Interaction Extraction Framework with enhanced targeted genetic relation extraction and the prediction of regulatory genes. Effectiveness of the optimisation algorithm in learning model parameters is further enhanced through a novel fitness evaluation, which limits the maximum number of regulatory genes to mimic real GRNs. This integrated method, combining a robust relation extraction framework for automated prior knowledge with a GRN reconstruction model, is novel and has not been reported previously. Experimental results obtained using Escherichia coli subnetworks and the benchmark SOS dataset demonstrate substantial reductions in computational cost while simultaneously improving prediction accuracy. © 2024 The Author
The Role of TIM-3 in blioblastoma progression
Full text linkSeveral immunoregulatory or immune checkpoint receptors including T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3) have been implicated in glioblastoma progression. Rigorous investigation over the last decade has elucidated TIM-3 as a key player in inhibiting immune cell activation and several key associated molecules have been identified both upstream and downstream that mediate immune cell dysfunction mechanistically. However, despite several reviews being published on other immune checkpoint molecules such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 in the glioblastoma setting, no such extensive review exists that specifically focuses on the role of TIM-3 in glioblastoma progression and immunosuppression. Here, we critically summarize the current literature regarding TIM-3 expression as a prognostic marker for glioblastoma, its expression profile on immune cells in glioblastoma patients and the exploration of anti-TIM-3 agents in glioblastoma pre-clinical models for potential clinical application. © 2025 by the authors
Genetic evidence reveals distinct lineage of Chinese Pangolin in Nepal : insights from Scat and blood samples for conservation and wildlife forensics
Full text linkPangolins face critical threats from illegal trade and habitat loss, making their conservation a global priority. Despite their ecological and conservation significance, these elusive creatures remain poorly understood, particularly regarding their phylogeography and genetic diversity. This study successfully isolated DNA from two types of pangolin scat samples (whole scat and swabs) and blood that had been stored frozen for up to 3 years. A mitochondrial cytochrome b (424 bp) sequence was reliably generated from both types of scat samples, irrespective of whether the scat appeared in ‘good’ or ‘poor’ condition at the time of collection, and from the blood samples. Sanger sequencing identified four novel cytochrome b haplotypes, with distinct variations observed across sampling regions in Nepal (central and east). A comparison with reference sequences from China, Taiwan and Thailand revealed that the Chinese pangolins in Nepal represent a genetically distinct variant, differing by 15–19 base pairs from these other populations. These findings underscore significant genetic differentiation of Chinese pangolins in Nepal, with implications for the species' conservation and management. The methods described in this study are robust and adaptable, offering a valuable framework for broader genetic studies of pangolin populations across Nepal. Such approaches could facilitate the genetic mapping of pangolin variations, aiding in the identification of significant populations, the evaluation of conservation interventions and forensic applications to combat illegal poaching. This work emphasises the critical role of genetics in understanding and protecting pangolins, offering insights that are vital for their long-term conservation. © 2025 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Complete breakdown the cellulose-saccharification barrier of inert masson pine by gluconic acid-peroxide pretreatment under moderate temperature
No full textA two-step process combining solvent extraction and hydrogen peroxide-gluconic acid (HP-GA) pretreatment was employed to effectively remove the barriers affecting the enzymatic saccharification of masson pine cellulose. Ethanol extraction removes bioactive phenolics and eliminates the negative effect of the following pretreatment and cellulose saccharification. The gluconic acid (GA)-based peroxide was formed by mixing hydrogen peroxide (HP) with GA, which effectively pretreated inert masson pine with the synergistic oxidative degradation and dissolution of lignin and hemicellulose. During the pretreatment, various organic peracid catalysts were detected such as peroxy-GA, peroxy-acetic acid, and peroxy-formic acid. After ethanol extraction at 80 °C and HP-GA pretreatment at 90 °C, 95.4 % of lignin and 69.2 % of hemicellulose could be removed from masson pine, and the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose resulted in 99.2 % glucose yield. Based on GA and the green-electric derived H2O2, this work provides an ecological and efficient pretreatment method to completely break down the critical biorefinery barriers on enzymatic saccharification of cellulose, especially concerning inert softwood-type lignocellulosic biomass. © 2024 Elsevier B.V
Understanding developmental progress in young children : exploring demographic and dietary influences through a cross-sectional study
Full text linkBackground: Developmental surveillance is a crucial task aimed at monitoring and ensuring children's age-appropriate progression. However, demographics and dietary factors can significantly influence the developmental progress of young children. Methods: We employed a cross-sectional study design, enrolling children aged 2–5 years from early childhood education settings. Their age-appropriate development was assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires. Results: Our study revealed that children demonstrated adequate development across all assessed domains. Notably, communication skills exhibited the highest mean score (Mean: 53.09, SD: 7.34) compared to other domains. Sex-based analysis revealed substantial disparities between young boys and girls, particularly in regard to fine motor and social-emotional skills, with differences exceeding 20 %. Additionally, fathers' education and socio-economic status were found to influence developmental outcomes. Fruit and vegetable consumption positively correlated with development, while dairy intake demonstrated a negative association. Conclusion: This research underscores the significance of addressing developmental disparities related to sex and emphasises the necessity of investigating the role of the modern diet in child development, with specific attention to milk and dairy consumption. © 2024 The Author