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Coordinated control strategy of hybrid AC/DC microgrid for power quality improvement under unbalanced AC conditions
No full textIn a hybrid AC/DC microgrid (MG), power quality issues arise when an unbalanced load connects to the AC subgrid, which are not confined to the AC subsystem but extend to affect the DC subsystem as well. This paper investigates the potential power quality issues caused by AC imbalance, including DC voltage fluctuation and AC current harmonics. Multiple control objectives are developed, aiming to eliminate DC fluctuation, reduce AC distortion and imbalance, and achieve negative sequence current sharing among distributed generations in the AC subgrid. To realize these control objectives, a two-layer coordinated control strategy is proposed. The first layer involves local interlinking converter (IC) control to improve the power quality of the DC subgrid, while the second layer focuses on distributed unbalance compensation control to improve the power quality of the AC subgrid. Finally, several experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. © 2010-2012 IEEE
The influence of beliefs and health literacy on medication-related outcomes in older adults : a cross-sectional study
Full text linkBackground: Older adults often manage multiple chronic diseases which necessitates the use of multiple medicines. Nevertheless, they also face an elevated risk of harm when medicines are used inappropriately. Studies indicate that socioeconomic disadvantage, beliefs, and health literacy may correlate with non-adherence and inappropriate medicine use. However, older adults are underrepresented in the current body of literature. Objective: To investigate the influence of beliefs and health literacy on medication-related outcomes in older adults. Methods: Participant
Learning contexts and visions for STEM in schools
Full text linkSTEM education is viewed as being vital for economic prosperity and productivity; and can contribute productively to changing technological, economic, and social demands of the twenty-first Century. However, there is limited consensus on how STEM education is understood and taught, and inadequate discussion around its role in addressing global issues such as climate change, health, poverty, food security, and other STEM-related social concerns. In this paper, we identify the contexts adopted for STEM teaching and learning in 47 Australian schools, drawing data from semi-structured interviews with principals and teachers who participated in the Principals as STEM Leaders (PASL) project. These data were categorised according to four visions for STEM education that align with different levels of social justice and activist approaches to STEM teaching and learning. Findings indicate that STEM education in Australia is predominantly enacted through instrumental ‘products and processes’ approaches dominated by robotics and coding. Learning contexts had minimal ‘real-life’ applications and were devoid of social and ethical dimensions of STEM applications that would better equip students with the knowledge, skills, and agency to make informed, socially just decisions about their own and others’ futures, and that of our shared environment. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Unlocking school success : person-organisation fit between a principal and a successful rural school in Australia
Full text linkThe more than six decades of research on school effectiveness and the two decades of research on school success demonstrates the importance of principal leadership in successful schools. However, the 30-year history of research on person-environment fit has not been robustly connected to the literature on successful school leadership. This study extends the literature on successful school leadership by presenting an analysis of a sub-field of person-environment fit, that of person-organisation (P–O) fit, between a principal and a successful school in rural Victoria, Australia. Multiple perspective, mixed method case study methodology was used. Data were collected through interviews with school leaders, teachers, students, parents, a school council president and a system leaders school observation, document analysis and a teacher survey. Results showed that the principal enacted the core practices of successful school leadership to secure school success. Further analysis of these practices highlighted the P–O fit between the principal and the school, especially as it related to the principal’s native connection to the community and the success of the school. The findings of this study offer important considerations to inform future investigations on the P–O fit between principals and successful rural schools in different contexts. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
From dis-empowerment to empowerment : crafting a healthcare cybersecurity self-assessment
Full text linkDue to the valuable and sensitive nature of its data, the Australian healthcare sector is increasingly targeted by cyberattacks. Existing cybersecurity evaluation methods often lack the specificity required to address the unique vulnerabilities within this sector, especially in terms of engaging stakeholders and fostering a proactive security culture. These evaluations often overlook psychological empowerment, which enhances individuals’ confidence in managing cybersecurity. This study aims to develop a tailored cybersecurity self-assessment index for the Australian healthcare system. It will focus on enhancing psychological empowerment alongside technical assessments to improve overall sector resilience against cyber threats. Using a design science research approach, the index was developed using expert reviews, online surveys, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, consumers, and government entities. This iterative process involved identifying gaps in existing cybersecurity measures and designing an index to address technical and human factors. The index's evaluation through a pilot study revealed that it effectively raised awareness and empowered individuals within the healthcare sector to take ownership of cybersecurity practices. Participants reported increased confidence in managing cybersecurity risks and found the index's actionable recommendations helpful in improving their security posture. However, challenges related to its applicability across diverse healthcare environments and regulatory constraints were identified. The Australian Healthcare Cybersecurity Self-Assessment Index shows promise as a tool for strengthening cybersecurity in the healthcare sector by integrating psychological empowerment with technical assessments. Further research is needed to refine the tool, incorporate quantitative data, and explore its scalability across different healthcare settings and global applications. © 2024 The Author
Pharmacological and psychological approaches to insomnia treatment in cardiac patients : a narrative literature review
Full text linkSleep disorders are highly prevalent in the general population and are considered a major public health issue. Insomnia constitutes the most frequent sleep disorder in healthy individuals and has been shown to be even more frequent in patients with physical illnesses including cardiovascular diseases. Inadequate sleep quality and short sleep duration, independent of underlying causes, have been linked to the development and progression of cardiometabolic disorders. Additionally, insomnia has been found to be associated with adverse outcome measures, including daytime sleepiness, fatigue, decreased self-reported physical functioning, lower exercise capacity, poor health related quality of life, depressive symptoms, higher rates of hospitalization and increased mortality in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Against this background, comparatively little information is available in the literature regarding the treatment of chronic insomnia in cardiac patient populations. While guidelines for the general population suggest cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia as a first-line treatment option and preliminary evidence suggests this treatment to be beneficial in cardiac patients with insomnia symptoms, it is often limited by availability and possibly the clinician’s poor understanding of sleep issues in cardiac patients. Therefore, pharmacologic treatment remains an important option indicated by the high number of hypnotic drug prescriptions in the general population and in patients with cardiovascular disorders. In this narrative review of the literature, we summarize treatment options for chronic insomnia based on clinical guidelines for the general population and highlight necessary considerations for the treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2025 Stapel, Alvarenga and Kahl
Embedding a circular economy through local government in Gippsland : a case study, utilising smart specialisation methodology
Full text linkIn 2017, the ageing Hazelwood coal-fired power station in Gippsland (Australia), finally—and abruptly, closed. The Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA), funded by the Victorian State Government was then established to assist redundant workers and develop a long-term approach to transitioning towards a more sustainable regional economy and socially cohesive community. To enable this, the LVA adopted and implemented a methodology made popular in the European Union of the ‘Smart Specialisation Strategy’ (S3), bringing together practitioners from government, business, research and education, and the wider local community (known as the ‘quadruple helix’) to co-design a shared vision for the region’s future prosperity. With Australia declaring its commitment to and the Victorian government developing policy support for a Circular Economy (CE), the LVA funded a research project in 2022 to facilitate a ‘place-based’ approach to implementing a CE business model across Gippsland. Based on interviews and workshops conducted in the period 2022–23 with key regional stakeholders, as well as on the analysis of secondary sources, this paper provides an overview of the experience utilising the S3 methodology to explore the implementation of CE in a regional setting, historically dominated by natural resource-based industries, that is now undergoing multiple economic transitions, including cessation of coal-fired power generation, oil and gas extraction and native timber harvesting. Significant barriers identified include: poor understanding of broader opportunities embedded in systemic notions of S3 and CE, siloed structure of local government authorities (both within or between councils), difficulty in promoting alignment and cooperation at all levels between a diverse range of stakeholders, lack of policy coordination and support for business innovation, together with the absence of financial incentives or regulatory mechanisms to change behaviour from a linear to CE. Despite improved intentions in policy settings around intentionality of CE practices and other initiatives being progressed simultaneously with this work, CE in Gippsland (and Victoria more broadly) and its implementation continue to be narrowly focussed on recycling and waste management, where there are clear pressures in stock-piling of waste and limitations on landfill expansion. Regional approaches to implementation of circular economy are limited in Australia, with the exception of exemplars such as Geelong, Barwon South West, and Bega. However, there are currently no examples of utilising S3 methodology to implement CE in a regional setting. Here we identify current barriers and provide recommendations on how to overcome these with the engagement of a diverse range of stakeholders across Gippsland from agribusiness, regional planning, local governments, small and medium enterprises, utilising S3 methodology, to enable systemic changes towards CE models to be implemented region-wide. This study documents the journey so far for Gippsland, where the transition from traditional extractive industry provides the opportunity to embed more sustainable practices moving forward. © The Author(s) 2024
Consumer experiences of the Australian stepped care model in primary mental health care : a qualitative study
Full text linkMental illness remains a significant public health challenge in Australia, affecting nearly half of the adult population and placing a considerable strain on the healthcare system. The Australian government has implemented the Stepped Care Model (SCM) within primary mental health care to address this issue to improve service access, efficiency, and outcomes. This study explores the experiences of nine consumers (also referred to as patients) who received care under the SCM, focusing on their perspectives on accessing and navigating mental health services. Ethical approval was obtained from the Federation University Human Research Ethics Committee, and measures were implemented to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all participants. Through a qualitative thematic analysis, five key themes emerged: (1) the mental health impact of life events; (2) hurdles in accessing care; (3) barriers to optimal care; (4) positive experiences with individual practitioners; and (5) mixed sentiments on the effectiveness of the SCM. While participants acknowledged the holistic and interdisciplinary benefits of the SCM, some expressed frustrations with waiting times, limited service capacity, and rigid session limits. Positive therapeutic outcomes were often attributed to empathetic, personalised care from individual practitioners, emphasising the need for continuity in therapeutic relationships. However, participants with complex mental health conditions felt underserved by the model's lack of flexibility. These findings highlight the need to address systemic barriers and enhance the SCM's adaptability to serve individuals with varying mental health needs better. Future research should explore longer-term interventions and more flexible care pathways to optimise the effectiveness of the SCM in Australia. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Heading performance outcomes at the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™
Full text linkThis study evaluated the performance outcomes of headers during the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™. Video analysis was used to code performance outcomes of headers (uncontested and contested) and their descriptors (e.g., playing position, match situation, field location, and the distance the ball travelled). Descriptive statistics, and odds ratios (ORs) (odds of a successful outcome) are reported for headers based on their descriptors. Less than half of all headers resulted in a successful outcome, with headers observed to result in a turnover of possession 53% of the time (uncontested: 51%, contested: 57%). Headed goal conversion rates ranged from 0–38% across countries/teams (mean: 13%), with variability in the frequency of headed shots (range n = 1–22). Headed shots were most efficient from free kicks with 24% of shots resulting in a goal. Odds of a successful heading outcome was lowest from long balls (>20 m) in all areas of the pitch. Uncontested headers had greater odds of a successful heading outcome than contested headers from corner kicks (OR: 2.33, p = 0.004) and free play (OR: 1.30, p = 0.001), but had lower odds of success from goal kicks (OR: 0.62, p = 0.017). Central defensive midfielders (OR: 1.45, p = 0.002) and centrebacks (OR: 1.25, p = <0.001) had significantly greater odds of successful heading outcomes, and strikers (uncontested) (OR: 0.82, p = 0.043) and wingers (contested) (OR: 0.72, p = 0.041) had the lowest. The findings of the current study suggest that heading commonly results in lost possession, particularly from long balls. These findings may help to guide future heading coaching frameworks. © The Author(s) 2024
The challenges of breastfeeding a late preterm or early term infant: Women's and clinician's perceptions of provision of antenatal information when considering early planned birth
No full textProblem: Globally, there has been an increase in planned late preterm and early term births. These infants have poorer breastfeeding outcomes than full term infants. Background: There is a lack of evidence around the impact of providing information for pregnant women about potential breastfeeding challenges when considering the optimal timing of early planned birth. Aim: We explored what information is provided to pregnant women about potential breastfeeding challenges when early planned birth is being considered. We also explored obstetric doctors’ knowledge about breastfeeding challenges for infants born before 38 weeks. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 women who birthed a late preterm or early term infant (LP/ETI) through early planned birth, and with 6 obstetric consultants or registrars. Thematic analysis identified patterns of meaning in the data. Findings: Four themes were identified relating to the study questions: Absent information, Complex decisions, Early struggles, and Improving communication during decision making. Discussion: We identified an absence of information provided to women about the potential challenges of breastfeeding LP/ETI's when early birth was planned. Both women and doctors identified midwives as the health professionals with breastfeeding expertise. For women receiving high-risk care, minimal contact with midwives reduced opportunities to receive breastfeeding information. A lack of understanding of the characteristics of LP/ETI's contributed to women feeling unprepared for the reality versus their expectations of breastfeeding. Conclusion: Strategies to support breastfeeding for these infants should include the provision of targeted antenatal information by midwives to prepare women for potential breastfeeding challenges. © 2025 Elsevier Lt