18624 research outputs found
Sort by
Being a parent, but not : a grounded theory of home-based care
Get PDFObjective: This constructivist-grounded-theory study explored how foster and kinship carers conceptualize and experience their role. Background: Internationally, amid growing emphasis on home-based care for children and young people living outside parental care, issues such as carer shortages, dissatisfied carers, and placement instability present significant challenges. Method: Sixteen carers (seven foster carers and nine kinship carers) from a regional area in Victoria, Australia, participated in in-depth interviews following constructivist-grounded-theory protocols. Results: Six categories reveal the central ways carers go about caring for children and young people and the main challenges they face in doing so. The core category of “being a parent, but not” demonstrates tensions that carers experience in trying to establish a sense of belonging and connectedness with a child, within the limits of the Victorian home-based care system. Conclusion: Home-based carers view their role through a parental lens, but with various limitations that restrict their sense of being a parent. Implications: The current research acknowledges the role tensions inherent within the Victorian home-based care system and emphasizes the importance of raising the status of foster and kinship carers to provide more recognition of the expertise they hold in the care of children and young people within this complex context. © 2023 The Authors. Family Relations published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of National Council on Family Relations
Transient stability analysis and virtual power compensation of a virtual synchronous generator under low-voltage fault
No full textVirtual synchronous generators (VSGs) demonstrate similar damping and inertia characteristics to traditional synchronous generators, thereby enhancing their ability to support grid voltage and frequency. However, VSGs face challenges related to overcurrent and power angle instability during low-voltage fault conditions. To enhance the low-voltage fault ride-through capability of VSGs, this article introduces a virtual power compensation (VPC) strategy combined with an enhanced current limiting method. First, the transient stability of VSGs with current limiting is analyzed to reveal its instability mechanism. Second, the operational mechanism of the proposed VPC strategy in enhancing transient stability is examined. By means of phase portraits, the effect of transient stability improvement by the VPC is described. Additionally, to facilitate the selection of control parameters, a detailed quantitative analysis has been conducted. Finally, hardware-in-the-loop experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. © 1986-2012 IEEE
Monitoring small farm dams for better drought planning
No full textSmall catchment dams are an integral part of the farming landscape in many parts of Australia. They provide water for stock, crop spraying, domestic household use, and are increasingly recognised for their amenity and recreational value. The susceptibility of small dams to extended dry periods will vary depending on geography and climate, and also the design and use of the small dam itself. This susceptibility to drought will then influence on-farm planning, along with land and water use decisions. This project will see the rollout of instrumentation across 12 Victorian farms to monitor and establish the rainfall, runoff and yield characteristics of rural catchments and small dams subject to various land use types. Once data is collected, the project will develop water balance models that will provide insight into what runoff can be typically expected from different types of rainfall and rural catchments. Insights are particularly expected into catchment coefficients and losses, time of travel, and how these might change across the year and antecedent conditions. Further insights may be revealed around the reliability of dams and their performance under an increasingly drying and variable climate. A user friendly spatial tool will be developed to allow the rapid calculation of the likely runoff for different rainfall, to assist farmers prepare, manage, and recover from drought. An interactive calculator like this does not yet exist. This paper will describe the dams and their monitoring arrangements to be used as the case studies to inform the broader research program. The paper will then further describe the planned work around water balance monitoring, catchment characterisation, and development of the spatial tool for improved on-farm planning. © 2024 National Committee on Water Engineering, Engineers Australia
Galloping through Ballarat : the social, cultural and economic contribution of the horse to Ballarat and District
No full textThe Ballarat region of Victoria experienced significant population growth and consequent physical and economic development in the mid-nineteenth century due to the discovery of gold. Many aspects of this period and beyond have been recorded by scholars, historians and even genealogists, yet the story of the region is far from complete. For example, there has been little academic research directly focused on the role of the horse in the region`s cultural and economic history. The specific aim of this study is to investigate the unsung contribution of the horse to the social, cultural and economic development of Ballarat and its district. Horses were of central importance to the economic, cultural and social life of colonial Australia and were involved in many aspects of human existence. In the Ballarat region, where the wealth of gold enabled massive early development of infrastructure and commerce, the horse was employed in a myriad of tasks. This research analyses the complex social, cultural, and familial bonds strengthened by the individual and collective use of the horse. A novel strand of this research highlights the distinct culture and tradition around the use of draught horses known as the Horseman`s Word. This research covers the physical history of transport, agriculture, mining, war and urbanisation as well as less tangible history – stories of knowledge, ideas and symbolism. It will provide a social, cultural, and economic ‘snapshot’ of life in the Ballarat region from earliest European settlement in 1838 until the First World War. This will enable present generations to understand an age upon which theirs was built and the contribution of the horse to that process. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach including archival and literature analysis, visual material analysis and material cultural analysis this research aims to exploit the combined strength of these methods to interpret the past life of Ballarat and the horses who shaped it. This research will provide increased knowledge of a period of Ballarat`s existence that people are generally interested in. Proof of this is the large number of visitors to Ballarat`s Sovereign Hill seeking to experience colonial life. Horses are a popular part of the experience, but visitors have little knowledge of the full extent of their contribution to colonial Ballarat.Doctor of Philosoph
Global, regional, and national progress towards the 2030 global nutrition targets and forecasts to 2050 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
No full textBackground: The six global nutrition targets (GNTs) related to low birthweight, exclusive breastfeeding, child growth (ie, wasting, stunting, and overweight), and anaemia among females of reproductive age were chosen by the World Health Assembly in 2012 as key indicators of maternal and child health, but there has yet to be a comprehensive report on progress for the period 2012 to 2021. We aimed to evaluate levels, trends, and observed-to-expected progress in prevalence and attributable burden from 2012 to 2021, with prevalence projections to 2050, in 204 countries and territories. Methods: The prevalence and attributable burden of each target indicator were estimated by age group, sex, and year in 204 countries and territories from 2012 to 2021 in the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, the most comprehensive assessment of causes of death, disability, and risk factors to date. Country-specific relative performance to date was evaluated with a Bayesian meta-regression model that compares prevalence to expected values based on Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of societal development status. Target progress was forecasted from 2021 up to 2050 by modelling past trends with meta-regression using a combination of key quantities and then extrapolating future projections of those quantities. Findings: In 2021, a few countries had already met some of the GNTs: five for exclusive breastfeeding, four for stunting, 96 for child wasting, and three for child overweight, and none met the target for low birthweight or anaemia in females of reproductive age. Since 2012, the annualised rates of change (ARC) in the prevalence of child overweight increased in 201 countries and territories and ARC in the prevalence of anaemia in females of reproductive age decreased considerably in 26 countries. Between 2012 and 2021, SDI was strongly associated with indicator prevalence, apart from exclusive breastfeeding (|r-|=0·46–0·86). Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa had a decrease in the prevalence of multiple indicators that was more rapid than expected on the basis of SDI (the differences between observed and expected ARCs for child stunting and wasting were –0·5% and –1·3%, respectively). The ARC in the attributable burden of low birthweight, child stunting, and child wasting decreased faster than the ARC of the prevalence for each in most low-income and middle-income countries. In 2030, we project that 94 countries will meet one of the six targets, 21 countries will meet two targets, and 89 countries will not meet any targets. We project that seven countries will meet the target for exclusive breastfeeding, 28 for child stunting, and 101 for child wasting, and no countries will meet the targets for low birthweight, child overweight, and anaemia. In 2050, we project that seven additional countries will meet the target for exclusive breastfeeding, five for low birthweight, 96 for child stunting, nine for child wasting, and one for child overweight, and no countries are projected to meet the anaemia target. Interpretation: Based on current levels and past trends, few GNTs will be met by 2030. Major reductions in attributable burden for exclusive breastfeeding and anthropometric indicators should be recognised as huge scientific and policy successes, but the comparative lack of progress in reducing the prevalence of each, along with stagnant anaemia in women of reproductive age and widespread increases in child overweight, suggests a tenuous status quo. Continued investment in preventive and treatment efforts for acute childhood illness is crucial to prevent backsliding. Parallel development of effective treatments, along with commitment to multisectoral, long-term policies to address the determinants and causes of suboptimal nutrition, are sorely needed to gain ground. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman" is provided in this record*
Interactions between active distribution and transmission networks : state of the art and opportunities
No full textThe transmission system operators (TSOs) are used to procure network services from large power plants. However, the network service procurement by TSOs is recently being changed due to the gradual shutdown of fossil-fired plants for net zero transitioning and the emergence of distributed energy resources (DERs) in active distribution networks. These DERs, with the aid of appropriate aggregators, can provide energy arbitrage and ancillary service opportunities for the transmission network. Consequently, enhanced coordination between transmission networks (TNs) and active distribution networks (ADNs) becomes a crucial issue. In this work, we assess the viability of addressing various aspects of integrating RESs through improved TN/ADN coordination. Specifically, we perform a critical literature review to lay the groundwork for upcoming studies aimed at creating a TN/ADN coordination system to facilitate the integration of RESs. The review's findings exhibit an evident focus in favour of the decentralised method due to its effectiveness in aggregating services from renewable energy sources, reducing computational complexity and communication overhead, and consequently lowering operational costs. © 2024 IEEE
Development of an online skills training platform for autistics adults : a participatory approach
Get PDFPurpose: The voices of adults living on the autism spectrum are being increasingly heard, yet interventions that can be adjusted to their individual needs are urgently required. This paper reports on the first phase of a project that aims to have adults with autism participate meaningfully in co-designing an engaging digital skills development platform incorporating micro-skills training programs and digital tools to enhance wellbeing and social-emotional functioning. Methods: Adults with autism were recruited in Australia to participate in an online survey (N = 17) and/or focus groups or interviews (N = 11) designed to establish preferences for content, presentation, and functionality of the platform. Results: Participants highlighted the importance of integrating communication, social, relationship, employment, and organisational skills with content presented via graphics/diagrams and text. In addition, a consistent finding across both quantitative and qualitative data was the preference for content delivered by peers. Conclusion: There are few evidence-based interventions designed to improve the lives of adults with autism. Key areas of focus were identified, with the importance of personalising the platform to ensure it caters to varying levels of ability and the different preferences of adults with autism also noted. © 2024 The Author
An effective power improving method of magnetic field energy harvesters using a series-connected capacitor for wireless sensors in smart grids
No full textThe low power density of a magnetic field energy harvester (MFEH) limits its applicability. Conventional methods for improving power harvesting, e.g., increasing the volume of the magnetic core, cannot effectively increase the output power density of the MFEH and it increases the burden on the transmission lines. An in-depth investigation reveals that by adding an optimal series-connected capacitor before the rectifier, the output power of the MFEH can be maximized. By reducing the net voltage applied to the magnetizing inductance, the flux accumulation is slower, lengthening the energy harvesting time, and the output power is increased. Furthermore, the output power can be maximized with an optimal series-connected capacitor. The design method of the optimal series-connected capacitor is theoretically analyzed in this article, which is only related to the load characteristics. In addition, the proposed method has a simple structure and can effectively improve the system power density of the MFEH. An experimental prototype is constructed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the results agree well with the theoretical analysis. Compared with the conventional MFEH without a series-connected capacitor, the method presented in this article can increase the harvested power by approximately 50%. © 1986-2012 IEEE
Biopolymer stabilization of clayey soil
Get PDFThis study investigates the efficacy of sodium alginate (SA), xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG) and chitosan (CS) — each applied at five different solid biopolymer-to-water mass ratios (or dosages) and cured for 7 d and 28 d — on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) performance of a high plasticity clayey soil. Moreover, on identifying the optimum biopolymer-treatment scenarios, their performance was compared against conventional stabilization using hydrated lime. For a given curing time, the UCS for all biopolymers followed a rise–fall trend with increasing biopolymer dosage, peaking at an optimum dosage and then subsequently decreasing, such that all biopolymer-stabilized samples mobilized higher UCS values compared to the unamended soil. The optimum dosage was found to be 1.5% for SA, XG and CS, while a notably lower dosage of 0.5% was deemed optimum for GG. Similarly, for a given biopolymer type and dosage, increasing the curing time from 7 d to 28 d further enhanced the UCS, with the achieved improvements being generally more pronounced for XG- and CS-treated cases. None of the investigated biopolymers was able to produce UCS improvements equivalent to those obtained by the 28-d soil–lime samples; however, the optimum XG, GG and CS dosages, particularly after 28 d of curing, were easily able to replicate 7-d lime stabilization outcomes achieved with as high as twice the soil's lime demand. Finally, the fundamental principles of clay chemistry, in conjunction with the soil mechanics framework, were employed to identify and discuss the clay–biopolymer stabilization mechanisms. © 2024 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Science
Staphylococcal carriage among captive dingoes (Canis dingo) in Victoria, Australia
Get PDFThe evolutionary lineage and taxonomy of the Australian dingo is controversial, however recent genomic and gut metagenomic research has suggested that dingoes are evolutionarily distinct from modern dogs. Staphylococcus species are known commensal organisms of dogs and other mammals. In this study we took the opportunity to determine the carriage rate and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Staphylococcus species from 15 captive Australian dingoes. S. pseudintermedius was the only coagulase-positive species recovered, isolated from 6/15 (40%) and 9/13 (69%) of the animals during the 2020 (winter) and 2021 (summer) sampling times, respectively. Twenty-three coagulase-negative isolates were characterised, with S. equorum being the most frequently (20/23, 87%) recovered species. Two isolates of S. equorum had their genomes sequenced to learn more about this species. Antimicrobial resistance amongst both coagulase-positive and -negative isolates was low; with resistance to only 3 of 12 antimicrobials observed: penicillin, erythromycin, and trimethoprim. We have shown that the Australian dingo is a host organism for S. pseudintermedius much like it is in dogs, however the carriage rate was lower than has previously been reported from dogs in Australia. © 2024 The Author