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Potential mental health-related harms associated with the universal screening of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Australian secondary schools
Get PDFBackground: Anxiety and depressive disorders typically emerge in adolescence and can be chronic and disabling if not identified and treated early. School-based universal mental health screening may identify young people in need of mental health support and facilitate access to treatment. However, few studies have assessed the potential harms of this approach. This paper examines some of the potential mental health-related harms associated with the universal screening of anxiety and depression administered in Australian secondary schools. Methods: A total of 1802 adolescent students from 22 secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were cluster randomised (at the school level) to receive either an intensive screening procedure (intervention) or a light touch screening procedure (control). Participants in the intensive screening condition received supervised self-report web-based screening questionnaires for anxiety, depression and suicidality with the follow-up care matched to their symptom severity. Participants in the light touch condition received unsupervised web-based screening for anxiety and depression only, followed by generalised advice on help-seeking. No other care was provided in this condition. Study outcomes included the increased risk of anxiety, depression, psychological distress, decreased risk of help-seeking, increased risk of mental health stigma, determined from measures assessed at baseline, 6 weeks post-baseline, and 12 weeks post-baseline. Differences between groups were analysed using mixed effect models. Results: Participants in the intensive screening group were not adversely affected when compared to the light touch screening condition across a range of potential harms. Rather, participants in the intensive screening group were found to have a decreased risk of inhibited help-seeking behaviour compared to the light touch screening condition. Conclusions: The intensive screening procedure did not appear to adversely impact adolescents’ mental health relative to the light touch procedure. Future studies should examine other school-based approaches that may be more effective and efficient than universal screening for reducing mental health burden among students. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001539224) https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375821. © The Author(s) 2024
Optimisation of open pit slope design considering groundwater effects using particle swarm optimisation and scaled boundary finite element method
Get PDFSlopes are a crucial structures in open pit mines. Their design has implications on the economic, safety and environmental operation of the mining industry. Designing stable slopes can be challenging due to the complexities introduced by the stratigraphy and hydrology of the strata. With rising commodity costs and inflation rates, mining operating costs are increasing. Reducing operational costs is necessary for mining industries to remain competitive. While steepening the pit slope can decrease stripping materials and save money, it also increases the risk associated with slope surges. Therefore, optimising slopes is crucial for both financial and safety reasons. Numerical models such as the finite element method experience challenges in mesh generation of heterogeneous systems characterised by varying material properties and stratigraphies. Moreover, the need for repetitive geometry update necessitates recursive mesh regeneration that increases the computational burden. Moreover, previous slope optimisation studies focus solely on dry conditions. To consider the complex condition of hydrology along with heterogeneity in the soil stratigraphy, this study develops an optimisation procedure by combining the particle swarm optimisation algorithm and the scaled boundary finite element with an image-based meshing technique to optimise slopes with groundwater and achieve the desired factor of safety (FoS). The method changes the slope design parameters and the phreatic surface of groundwater simultaneously, considering user-defined parameters while iteratively re-meshing the optimisation processes. Several cases are presented, demonstrating the optimisation of bench width, bench angle, backfill parameters, and groundwater pumping levels. © 202
Exploring the potential application of IEC 61850 to enable energy interconnectivity in smart grid systems
Get PDFIn the quest of an efficient smart energy management system that can fulfill the power demand of consumers, researchers are focusing on smart power system which can integrate both conventional and renewable energy resources as well as production of clean energy. As a result, the concept of Internet of Energy (IoE) is developed which is similar to the perception of Internet of Things (IoT), which supports both energy and information flow. In this study, a systematic review of the current state-of-the-art of IoE and IEC 61850 has been presented, and it has identified the research gaps and opportunities for future development. The discussion unfolds by illuminating the evolution of smart grids and IoE, shedding light on the benefits and challenges inherent in employing IEC 61850 as a communication standard for IoE. Moreover, the potential application of IEC 61850 standard for enabling IoE in smart grids has been explored. Besides reviewing the trends and challenges of IoE and its key technologies, such as energy routers, power generation equipment, and energy storage devices; it also discussed how the IEC 61850 standard can facilitate the communication and interoperability among these technologies and provide a robust and flexible platform for the IoE. The outcome of this study show that IEC 61850 has a wide range of applicability and suitability for IoE, as it can support various functions and features of IoE, such as information modeling, data exchange, plug-and-play, fault detection, and intelligent control. This study also presents some examples of IEC 61850 based IoE systems, such as energy routers, wind and solar power plants, battery storage systems, and vehicle-to-grid systems. The comparison of this study with the equivalent studies shows that this study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of IoE and IEC 61850, and covers a wide range of topics and aspects of IoE and IEC 61850. This study also provides a critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of IEC 61850 for IoE, and proposes some directions for future research and development. © 2013 IEEE
Predictors of free sugars intake trajectories across early childhood—results from the SMILE birth cohort study
Get PDFFoods and beverages high in free sugars can displace healthier choices and increase the risk of weight gain, dental caries, and noncommunicable diseases. Little is known about the intake of free sugars across early childhood. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal intake from 1 to 5 years of free sugars and identify the independent maternal and child-related predictors of intake in a cohort of Australian children participating in the Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE). Free sugars intake (FSI) was previously estimated at 1, 2, and 5 years of age, and three distinct FSI trajectories were determined using group-based trajectory modelling analysis. This study utilized multinomial logistic regression to identify the maternal and child-related predictors of the trajectories. The risk of following the ‘high and increasing’ trajectory of FSI compared to the ‘low and fast increasing’ trajectory was inversely associated with socio-economic disadvantage (aRRR 0.83; 95% CI 0.75–0.92; p < 0.001), lower for females (aRRR 0.56; 95% CI 0.32–0.98; p = 0.042), and higher in children with two or more older siblings at birth (aRRR 2.32; 95% CI 0.99–5.42; p = 0.052). Differences in trajectories of FSI were evident from an early age and a high trajectory of FSI was associated primarily with socio-economic disadvantage, providing another example of diet quality following a social gradient. © 2024 by the authors
Strongyloides questions - a research agenda for the future
Get PDFThe Strongyloides genus of parasitic nematodes have a fascinating life cycle and biology, but are also important pathogens of people and a World Health Organization-defined neglected tropical disease. Here, a community of Strongyloides researchers have posed thirteen major questions about Strongyloides biology and infection that sets a Strongyloides research agenda for the future. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Strongyloides: omics to worm-free populations'. © 2023 The Author(s)
Autistic librarians in the academic library hiring process
Get PDFAcademic library literature contains a number of studies on the experience of autistic students navigating the world of higher education and its libraries. However, very little is published on the employment experiences of autistic academic librarians. This study attempts to examine employment barriers for autistic people currently or previously employed in academic libraries in Australia and the United States. It employs the use of a survey to examine the recruitment process for academic library jobs in both countries. Survey responses are compared and contrasted with the intent of revealing any and all barriers that exist for autistic librarians seeking employment in a higher education library setting. Finally, recommendations are suggested to make academic library recruitment more inclusive of autistic people
Contextual determinants impacting final year nursing students' emergency team communication during deteriorating patient simulations : a grounded theory study
Get PDFBackground: Ability to focus on development of students' team communication and non-technical skills may be reduced in content saturated nursing curricula. Even when communication and simulation-based education is provided, students' utilisation of non-technical skills remains challenging. Although simulation is a recognised means to learn communication skills, little is known about nursing students' team communication in simulated settings. Objective: To understand the process by which final year undergraduate nursing students communicate in simulated team emergencies. Design: Using constructivist grounded theory, data was collected using semi-structured interviews and student observations and analysed using constant comparative analysis. Setting: Simulation laboratories in one university nursing school in Australia. Participants: 21 final year nursing students in seven teams. Methods: Data were gathered from interviews and video observations of final year nursing students during simulated team emergencies. Results: Interview data and observations of video-recordings revealed contextual determinants that influence communication within teams: the simulation context, the student context and the team context. Team member characteristics, such as cultural and linguistic background, life experiences, gender and age, the ability to shift from leadership to followership as well as environmental factors such as mask wearing and simulation fidelity, contributed to uncertainty in communicating that nursing team effectiveness. Conclusions: Improvement of contextual conditions necessitates implementation of supportive strategies. These include development of educational initiatives, and further research in experiential learning as a modality for learners to experience team communication. Further, simulation context, student context and team context are important considerations. Meeting clinical communication learning needs of students allows better preparation to care for deteriorating patients as graduates. © 202
Determining the cohesive length of rock materials by roughness analysis
Get PDFIn this research, the cohesive length of various rock types is measured using quantitative fractography alongside a recently developed multifractal analysis. This length is then utilized to gauge material cohesive stress through the theory of critical distances. Furthermore, the fracture process zone length of different rings sourced from identical rocks is assessed as a function of ring dimensions and experimental measurements of fracture toughness, in accordance with the energy criterion of the finite fracture mechanics theory. Subsequently, employing the stress criterion within coupled finite fracture mechanics, the failure stress corresponding to the fracture process zone is determined for various rings. Ultimately, through interpolation, the critical stress corresponding to the cohesive length, quantified via quantitative fractography, is approximated. Remarkably, the cohesive stress values derived from both methodologies exhibit perfect alignment, indicating the successful determination of cohesive length for the analyzed rock materials. The study also delves into the significant implications of these findings, including the quantification of intrinsic tensile strength in quasi-brittle materials and the understanding of tensile strength variations under diverse stress concentrations and loading conditions. © 2024 by the authors
Socioecological factors influencing physical activity engagement for women across the menopausal transition : a systematic review
No full textImportance Physical activity during menopause can be effective in reducing the physiological changes associated with reproductive aging that increase risks for noncommunicable diseases, yet many women do not meet the recommendations for physical activity. Objective This study aimed to synthesize factors influencing physical activity for women across menopausal transition phases using a socioecological approach. Evidence Review The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was used to systematically search 10 databases between 2001 and 2021. A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify studies on physical activity of women in various stages of menopause. A socioecological model was used to categorize the reported barriers and enablers. Findings Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight several intrapersonal barriers such as existing health complaints versus enablers such as awareness of the health benefits of physical activity during menopause. Ensuring women's safety, preventing injury, and enhancing exercise self-efficacy were important components of programs. Social support was also an important enabler of women's engagement in activities. Conclusions and Relevance Several barriers and enablers were identified and can inform practitioners and future interventions to encourage physical activity among women in various stages of menopause. For instance, when encouraging physical activity during menopause, practitioners should consider other health complaints, safety, and injury prevention while discussing the benefits of physical activity related to managing menopausal symptoms. There was a lack of theoretically informed studies exploring the barriers and enablers to physical activity for women in various stages of menopause; thus, research designs may not have fully accounted for influences. Future research that combines socioecological and individual theories of behavior is needed to comprehensively understand the complexity of physical activity among women across the menopausal transition. © Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved