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The association of long-noncoding rna with persistent blood pressure reduction in hypertension treatment in the spontaneously hypertensive rat
No full textBackground: Essential hypertension (EH) is a complex multifactorial condition caused by genetic and environmental factors. The genetic component of hypertension (HTN) accounts for 30-50% of BP variations but the exact genetic pathways involved are very complex and unclear. Nevertheless, there is increasing evidence that the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) is involved in EH. Early RAAS inhibition has been shown to reduce BP permanently in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model through unknown BP regulating genes in the kidney. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as regulators of gene expression at all levels. They play regulatory roles in EH pathophysiology by sequestering microRNAs, binding to messenger RNAs and interacting with proteins. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression and the regulatory role of kidney lncRNAs following early RAAS inhibition in SHRs. Design and Methods: SHRs were treated with the angiotensin receptor blocker, losartan (7.5mg/kg/d) and vehicle between 10-14 weeks of age. Kidney cortices were harvested at 14 and 20 weeks of age and RNA was extracted. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to profile differences in renal lncRNAs expression at 20 weeks (6 weeks post treatment). Bioinformatic analyses was applied to assess renal lncRNA expression, correlations between lncRNA expression and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and gene co-expression at 20 weeks. lncRNAs expression was confirmed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RNA pull-down assay, RNA sequencing and mass spectroscopy was conducted to assess mRNA and protein interaction with LncRNA in HEK293 cell line. False discovery rate (FDR) and statistical significance was set as P|0.8|) between the expression of lncRNA, miRNA (miR-145-5p, miR-339-5p, miR-423-5p) and mRNA (Bcl6, Nrd1, Smad7, Bdkrb2, Ren, Adamts1) which may represent the genetic networks underpinning long-term BP reduction in SHRs . RT-qPCR validation identified differential expression of 13 lncRNAs (11 up-regulated, 2 down-regulated) at 20 weeks (P < 0.05). LncRNA AABR07021465.2 and AABR07014855.1 expression in the kidney was consistent in both RNA-seq analysis and qPCR validation (P<0.05). RNA-pulldown and sequencing showed binding between lncRNA AABR07021465.2 and 133 mRNAs including angiotensinogen (AGT), apolipoprotein B/A1 (APOB/A1), fibronectin 1 (FN1), hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and transforming growth factor beta receptor 2 (TGF-Doctor of Philosoph
Corporate good deed and service failure : does being good lead to forgiveness?
Get PDFWhile Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has a positive influence on transactional outcomes following a service failure in the hospitality industry, little is known about its influence on consumer forgiveness, particularly relating to individual differences in subjective interpretations and perceptions. We investigate how different subjective interpretations (abstract and concrete mind-sets, i.e. construal level) and perceptions (i.e. warmth and competence) shape the effects of CSR on consumer forgiveness. Through three studies involving different service scenarios, we find that CSR effectively induces consumer forgiveness, with a stronger effect observed among those with an abstract mind-set (i.e. high-level construal) due to their warmth judgment. These findings underscore the importance of CSR in influencing consumer forgiveness and mitigating the negative outcomes of service failure, especially in situations where recovery with compensation is not feasible. © 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Large language models and sentiment analysis in financial markets : a review, datasets, and case study
Get PDFThis paper comprehensively examines Large Language Models (LLMs) in sentiment analysis, specifically focusing on financial markets and exploring the correlation between news sentiment and Bitcoin prices. We systematically categorize various LLMs used in financial sentiment analysis, highlighting their unique applications and features. We also investigate the methodologies for effective data collection and categorization, underscoring the need for diverse and comprehensive datasets. Our research features a case study investigating the correlation between news sentiment and Bitcoin prices, utilizing advanced sentiment analysis and financial analysis methods to demonstrate the practical application of LLMs. The findings reveal a modest but discernible correlation between news sentiment and Bitcoin price fluctuations, with historical news patterns showing a more substantial impact on Bitcoin's longer-term price than immediate news events. This highlights LLMs' potential in market trend prediction and informed investment decision-making. © 2013 IEEE
Educating the vulnerable : is there support for early childhood educators working in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia?
No full textEarly childhood education and care (ECEC) is a crucial component of the education system and provides a foundation for lifelong learning and development. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to face developmental challenges, thus benefit the most from high-quality ECEC services. The disparity in the quality of ECEC services between advantaged and disadvantaged areas in Australia is increasing. Investing in knowledgeable and well-trained early childhood educators and teachers (ECETs) is crucial to ensure that all children receive high-quality ECEC. However, the literature reveals numerous gaps in the professional learning and development (PLD) of early childhood professionals, especially with respect to educating and caring for vulnerable children. This thesis presents a qualitative case study based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework, Bourdieu’s concepts of capital, field and habitus and a professional learning framework (PLF) adapted to suit the ECEC context. Early childhood educators and teachers in Gippsland, a region in the Australian state of Victoria characterised by high levels of vulnerability and disadvantage, were recruited to provide their perceptions on their ability to educate and care for vulnerable children. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic further increased the vulnerabilities of many Gippsland families and their children. It also highlighted the crucial role of high-quality ECEC, particularly for vulnerable children, and the need for well-resourced PLD for early childhood professionals. This study contributes to the knowledge on the PLD needs of early childhood educators and teachers to educate and care for vulnerable children. The findings highlight the urgent need for expanded and more contextualised PLD opportunities for early childhood educators and teachers in Gippsland. This is particularly the case given the disparity in PLD opportunities for early childhood professionals working in funded preschool programs compared with those working in long day care settings, leading to further disadvantage for vulnerable children attending long day care in Gippsland. The findings indicate that despite the ECEC reforms since 2009, early childhood educators and teachers have a lack of PLD opportunities to understand children’s vulnerability and take appropriate action. This has implications for both policy and practice in the ECEC context.Doctor of Philosoph
Turned off tap : how rejection of town water is a metaphor for community identity in Maryborough, Victoria
No full text“Don’t drink the water!” is a catchcry that has long been a defining characteristic of the country town of Maryborough in Central Victoria, Australia. Typically, the Maryborough community describes town water as unpalatable, corrosive, potentially perilous to public health, and unequivocally “bad.” Conversely, rainwater, commercially bottled water, and water bodies in landscape are represented in local discourse as pure, trusted, and “good.” The community’s bifurcated water culture intensified during the Millennium Drought of 1997-2009, when low surface water inflows resulted in deterioration and reduction of the Maryborough and District Water Supply System. Central Highlands Region Water Corporation responded to these circumstances by integrating reverse osmosis salt reduction into the Maryborough water treatment plant in 2017, meanwhile promoting the benefits of purer, softer, and more palatable town water in a community information campaign. This thesis focuses on the nexus between water consumption and community identity in Maryborough, which is one of the most disadvantaged postcodes in the State of Victoria. The first aim of this thesis is to investigate whether the Maryborough community changed its established water practices to consume town water after reverse osmosis was incorporated into the local water treatment plant. The second aim of the thesis is to understand Central Highlands Water’s approach to engaging the Maryborough community to consume tap water. The thesis synthesises these two aims by analysing how understanding water consumption as an emblem of community identity is essential to developing effective community engagement. Drawing on original fieldwork data, framed by a social constructivist paradigm, the thesis addresses two interconnected questions: (1) How is community identity encoded in water consumption practices? (2) How can an understanding of the co-constitutionality of water and community assist a water utility to develop effective community engagement strategies and gain a social licence to operate? The theoretical framework builds on Consumer Culture Theory to explore the manifestation of community identity within the water market. Extant literature from multiple disciplines informs the analysis, including humanities and social science dimensions of water, concepts of place-based community identity, social practice theory, consumer resistance and brand avoidance theories, paradigms of participatory water governance, and analyses of social licence to operate. The empirical research employs a qualitative methodology, with fieldwork conducted in Maryborough including in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a cross-section of the community; reflective water diaries; photography; and observational research. A focus group was convened with Central Highlands Water staff members to consider the relationship between social dimensions of water and design of more inclusive community engagement methods. The research findings reveal social meanings encoded in water are metaphors for community identity in Maryborough. Water consumption practices signify inter-generational disadvantage, belonging to community and place, distrust of authoritative bodies, and a desire for agency. Further research findings show it is imperative that water utilities develop a thorough understanding of the social dimensions of water consumption before embarking on campaigns to engage disadvantaged communities. This requires debunking notions that disadvantaged communities are hard-to-reach, and achieving a level of connection with communities that leads to water utilities being granted social licence to operate. The steps to achieving effective participatory governance in a disadvantaged community are represented in a framework, which could serve as a practical guide to water utilities aspiring to establish best practice in inclusive community engagement.Doctor of Philosoph
A peek into the life of an asthmatic
No full textMy journey as an asthmatic started even before I was conceived. The maternal family tree was rich in the Asthma genes and inhalers were stacked in the fridge like butter. This chapter is a narrative of events in my life from childhood since steroids became my best buddy, yet later in life caused me weight gain, polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), and immense pain due to a condition called avascular necrosis (AVN) of bilateral femoral heads which led to two hip surgeries. There are several personal accounts which had to be included, without which the tale of this incapacitating illness would not be complete. Having gone under the blade twice, once for a tonsillectomy and then bilateral hip-core decompression with bone marrow aspiration for AVN, the total hip replacement (THR) was a breeze, or so I thought till the anesthesia wore off. The final pages present my post-surgical adventurous flight to Australia and university life as a PhD scholar. © 2024 by Springer Nature Singapore
Living with anxiety and severe depression
No full textThis chapter describes my own experience growing up with anxiety, compulsory obsessive disorder, severe depression, and obsessive personality disorder. This has led me towards research aimed at helping those with low health literacy to self-manage their own conditions of anxiety and major depression through the development of an infographic. © 2024 by Springer Nature Singapore
Gippsland FM - Now and into The Future Project, 2024
Get PDFLocal radios play an important part in local communities, being the source of information on current events, entertainment, and a place where people can develop social connections. It was also found that community radios and talkback shows, provide people who experience isolation, an opportunity to connect with other people.1 Community radios also present an opportunity for understanding issues more accessible to people in local communities, which can enhance the ability of people to make important decisions such as in elections.2 This project aimed to determine the preferences of listeners in the local community to make radio stations more responsive to local needs. Providing information that can allow radio stations to develop strategies to stay relevant and sustainable programming. The Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) in partnership with Gippsland FM, a locally produced radio station, was commissioned to better understand listener preferences to guide future programming and segments. Three main research aims were created: 1. Develop an understanding of Gippsland's awareness of the station. 2. Develop a profile of the people listening to the station. 3. Develop an understanding of the future of Gippsland FM in the region, its purpose, audience appreciation and scheduled segments. Data were collected from August - November 2024 through a Gippsland radio listeners survey. This project has been de-identified, with all references to Gippsland FM removed from participant-facing documentation to ensure biased, conflicted or organised responses are less likely to be obtained
A novel approach to agoraphilic path planning algorithm with semantic terrain awareness
No full textThis research presents a novel approach to the Agoraphilic local path planning algorithm by integrating semantic segmentation for enhanced terrain identification and free space navigation in complex environments. Traditional Agoraphilic algorithms, although effective in free space navigation, often struggle to accurately identify untraversable terrains such as mud or water, mistakenly considering them as navigable in ground robots. By leveraging a self-trained YOLOv8-seg network for semantic segmentation, our method identifies and labels traversable free spaces, such as roads, grass planes, footpaths and sand areas, using image input. This enhancement is applied across the core modules of the traditional Agoraphilic algorithm, resulting in a novel approach for effective navigation across challenging terrain conditions. The proposed semantic segmentation-based free space identification method is experimentally tested in real-world environments, and simulation tests validate the effectiveness of the improved Agoraphilic algorithm. This advancement represents a significant improvement in autonomous robot navigation, particularly in challenging and uneven terrains. © 2024 IEEE
Common mental health issues experienced by migrants in Australia : a mixed method study
Get PDFBackground: Mental health is a key component of overall health and well-being. The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHW) 2020-2022 estimated that 8.5 million adults in Australia experienced a mental health issue at some point in their lives, and 1 in 5 people (4.3 million) experienced a mental health issue in the previous twelve months. Although about 30% of the Australian population is overseas born, hence referred to as migrants, there is a gap in knowledge about the burden of mental health issues among migrants in Australia. The 2021 census estimated that about 51,495 Bangladeshi-born people live in Australia; most (38%) arrived between 2001 and 2010. Though the growth rate has made Bangladeshis one of the fastest-growing communities in Australia, little is known about their mental health issues. Objective: The aim of this doctoral research was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and risk factors associated with common mental health issues among migrants in Australia, comparing those with non-migrants, as well as to explore Bangladeshi migrants’ perceived barriers to mental healthcare access, their coping strategies to manage mental health issues, and their expectations from the government and community in this regard. Methods: A mixed-method study design was employed, combining quantitative data with qualitative insights from in-depth interviews. The prevalence and risk factors of common mental health issues among migrants in Australia were determined by conducting a scoping review of existing literature. The prevalence and risk factors of fear and psychological distress were determined among migrants and non-migrants' in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic using a secondary database analysis. Additionally, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Bangladeshi migrants across Australia. The psychological distress, depression, and fear were assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESDR-10), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), respectively. Logistic regression was conducted for the risk factor analysis. Lastly, the qualitative component involved thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with Bangladeshi migrants about perceptions of mental health and service accessibility in Australia as well as their expectations towards community and government to reduce the gap Results: The highest prevalence of anxiety disorders, psychological distress, and depression were found among migrants from Greece (43%), Lebanon (33%) and China (19%), respectively. Migrants from North-Africa, the Middle East, Italy, Greece, and Europe experienced a higher prevalence of psychological distress (18% - 22%) than Australian-born (12%). Prevalence of depression was higher among migrants from non-English-speaking backgrounds (20% vs. 10%), Sub-Saharan Africa (19% vs. 9%), Italy (18% vs. 10%), Greece (17% vs. 4%), and China (10% vs. 3%), compared to Australian-born people, respectively. Migrants from Greece reported over two times higher prevalence of anxiety disorders than Australian-born (16%). Key risk factors for common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and psychological distress include being female, younger or older, being unmarried, holding a temporary visa, economically inactive, and poor social connections. During the pandemic period, 61% of migrants and 64% of non-migrant respondents in Australia reported experiencing moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress. However, the fear of COVID-19 was significantly higher (38%) among migrants than non-migrants (22%). For migrants, fear and distress risk factors included changes in employment status (AOR 27.5, 95%CI 4.4-339.1) whereas having a stable income appeared to be protective (0.47, 0.23-0.97). Among the Bangladeshi migrants, the prevalence of ‘high to very high levels’ of psychological distress was 43% and that of depression was 35%. Novel risk factors for these include non-engaging in activities with family/friends (5.34, 1.35-26.77), with community (2.65, 1.16-6.09), and absence of prior income in Bangladesh (3.37, 1.09–13.13). Migrants from rural Bangladesh (0.42, 0.17-0.97), agedDoctor of Philosoph