70040 research outputs found
Sort by
Mpox vaccination coverage among Australian gay and bisexual men and non-binary people: Results of behavioural surveillance in early 2024
Get PDFBackground: We examined characteristics associated with mpox vaccine uptake among gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men and non-binary people (GBQ+ people), the primary target group for Australian vaccination programs following the mid-2022 outbreak. Methods: Vaccine uptake was assessed using cross-sectional surveys of GBQ+ people from three Australian jurisdictions in 2024: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria. Sexually active, mpox-undiagnosed participants were included. Multivariable logistic regression examined: (1) no vaccination vs. partial/full vaccination, and (2) partial vs. full vaccination. Results: Among 4252 participants, 46.2 % were unvaccinated, 12.3 % had received one vaccine dose, and 41.5 % had received two doses. Any vaccination was associated with: being >30 years old, being university-educated, being in a relationship, greater GBQ+ social engagement, being a PrEP user or person living with HIV vs. an HIV-negative non-PrEP-user, testing for HIV in the last year vs. >12 months ago, being diagnosed with chlamydia ≤12 months ago, having 2–10 recent sexual partners or > 10 partners vs. one recent partner, and meeting sex partners at sex venues and overseas. No vaccination was associated with: being bisexual vs. gay, being born in Asia or Latin America vs. Australia, and living in outer metropolitan or regional/remote areas vs. inner metropolitan areas. Compared to partial vaccination, full vaccination was associated with: being >30 years old, being a transgender vs. cisgender man, being university educated, and having >10 recent sexual partners vs. one. Conclusions: Socially and clinically engaged gay men were more likely to be vaccinated against mpox. Younger participants, bisexual participants, those born in Asia and Latin America, and those living outside inner metropolitan areas were less likely to be vaccinated. We recommend targeted messaging and outreach to increase vaccination among people who attend sexual health services less frequently and those less socially engaged with QBQ+ people
‘Whatever the GP says, is what I'll do’—A qualitative study of patient perspectives in accessing primary eye care for type 2 diabetes
Get PDFIntroduction: To investigate the perspectives of people accessing a general medical practitioner (GP)-optometry model of collaborative care that was established to increase access to diabetes eye care. Methods: Qualitative study of patient barriers and facilitators to accessing primary diabetes eye care located in a metropolitan area in Australia. One-on-one interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using a determinant framework on patient-centred access to health care. Results: Twenty-four people with type 2 diabetes, including 15 males and 9 females, who accessed the service between September 2021 and June 2022 agreed to participate. Mean (SD) age of the participants was 52 (12) years and 50% had been diagnosed with diabetes for <2 years. Facilitators to accessing diabetes eye care included a referral from a GP or GP nurse, fee-free consultations, availability of after-hours appointments and short waiting times. Barriers to access included perceived out-of-pocket costs, competing responsibilities and lack of awareness of diabetic retinopathy screening recommendations. Conclusion: Considering diabetic retinopathy may present asymptomatically, primary health practitioners (optometrists and GPs) are well positioned to raise patient awareness of the importance of routine eye examinations. In Australia, access to routine screening could be facilitated by fee-free eye checks and personalised text message reminders implemented at a health system level
Numerical Study of Non-Linear Fluid Structure Interaction and Heat Transfer Using Parallel Turbulent Lattice Boltzmann Method
No full textThis thesis develops a robust numerical framework that uses the immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann method to address turbulent flow and fluid-structure interaction problems involving complex geometries, large deformations and light materials. The study focuses on scenarios with extremely low mass ratios and low bending rigidities, and it explores Reynolds numbers ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 to capture both transitional and turbulent flow regimes relevant to practical engineering applications. The LBM is utilized for modelling the fluid dynamics due to its efficiency in handling turbulent and transitional flows. The FEM is implemented to capture the structural response of deformable materials under fluid forces, while the IBM ensures accurate coupling between the fluid and solid domains. A comprehensive validation process demonstrates the solver’s accuracy and reliability. Initially, each component of the solvers is tested against established benchmark cases: flow past a 2D cylinder, 3D spheres, and a hanging filament in a vacuum. The fully coupled framework is then validated by conducting a few well-known cases, including flow-induced vibration of an elastic beam behind a cylinder and the flow-induced vibration of a highly flexible plate in an axial flow.
Chapter 3 examines the effects of feathers on airfoil aerodynamics by using a bio-inspired flap model attached to the airfoil. The study investigates how varying mass ratios, bending rigidities, flap geometries, and the number of feathers influence the airfoil’s aerodynamic performance. Results show that these flaps can improve the lift-to-drag ratio by up to 27.2% compared to a clean airfoil. The study identifies several mechanisms for this improvement, including delayed flow separation, optimized vortex shedding and enhanced shear layer interaction—providing deeper insight into how bio-inspired designs boost aerodynamic efficiency.
In Chapter 4, the dynamic behavior of unsteady flows in porous media involving light, flexible structures are explored. To achieve this, a domain with arrays of cylinders and flexible flaps attached to the aft section is employed to imitate the porous media. Simulations adjust key parameters including the mass ratio, bending rigidity, and porosity to examine their impact on fluid-porous structure interaction (FPSI). Four distinct modes of behavior are identified: biased steady, periodic flapping, irregular flapping, and symmetrically steady, each with unique pressure drop and structural response patterns. The findings also show that lighter, more flexible elements increase flow obstruction and pressure drop at lower bending rigidities, while heavier flaps offer more stable but less dynamic interactions. Additionally, the study reveals that the porosity levels have strong effects on the overall flow resistance and energy dissipation.
Chapter 5 investigates the aerodynamic performance of revolving wings using magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). By employing the Lorentz force as a control mechanism, the study systematically examines how different magnetic strengths and dynamic wing motions affect aerodynamic forces and flow behaviors. MHD forces improve lift-to-drag ratios by up to 18% in the basic revolving cases by aligning and strengthening vortices along the span to prevent premature breakdown. Notably, wings with lower aspect ratios achieve lift-to-drag ratio improvements of up to 32%, due to enhancement of leading-edge vortices. When applied to wings undergoing combined revolving and pitching motions, MHD forces stabilize leading-edge vortices across varying angles of attack, maintaining the lift-to-drag ratio under even high pitch angles. This study shows how MHD forces can combat common aerodynamic complications like turbulent wakes and flow separations—all while boosting overall lift-to-drag ratio —offering important takeaways for refining wing design in tricky aerodynamic conditions
How mandibular and hyoid morphology alters tongue muscle architecture in healthy adults: An anatomical atlas and statistical shape model of the tongue
Get PDFThe tongue is a muscular hydrostat whose complex fibre architecture enables its diverse functions in swallowing, speech, and breathing. Current understanding of the tongue's structure is largely based on ex vivo dissections, which are not directly linked to function. This study aimed to develop an anatomical atlas of the living human tongue incorporating detailed muscle architecture. The pharynx of 20 healthy volunteers (10 females) were imaged with 3T MRI, collecting mDIXON and diffusion-weighted images (DWI). Multichannel registration was used to align scans from individual participants into a common spatial reference frame to create a population-averaged tongue atlas. The atlas was able to reliably predict tongue muscle architecture of tongues not used in atlas construction, although accuracy varied with the image types used. The best performance, assessed with a local angular correlation coefficient (LACC), was achieved when both anatomical (mDIXON) and diffusion-weighted images were used (LACC = 0.66 ± 0.04; p ≪ 0.001), but acceptable accuracy was achieved when only anatomical images were used (LACC = 0.52 ± 0.04; p ≪ 0.001). Principal component analysis of a tongue statistical shape model based on the atlas identified that the largest source of variation in tongue muscle architecture was related to the position of the hyoid relative to the mandibular plane. A lower hyoid was more common in males (M: 13 mm, F: 9 mm; p = 0.009). This new atlas of in vivo tongue muscle architecture provides a new understanding of the relationships between the muscles and bony structures that may enable more accurate simulation of human living tongue function
Protocol of an open-label safety and feasibility pilot study of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder (the KAPPA trial)
No full textIntroduction Methamphetamine use disorder is a significant public health concern. No pharmacological treatment options currently exist for methamphetamine use disorder, and psychotherapy is only moderately effective. Preliminary evidence suggests that ketamine-assisted psychotherapy produces sustained improvements in substance use and mental health symptomatology. In addition to direct antidepressant properties, ketamine is hypothesised to increase synaptogenesis and facilitate neuroplasticity, in turn prolonging and enhancing the effects of psychotherapy. Given the withdrawal-associated dysphoria and neurocognitive impairments characterising methamphetamine use disorder, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may improve the efficacy of psychotherapy alone by addressing these features and facilitating therapeutic engagement. This pilot study aims to investigate the safety and feasibility (time taken to recruit sample, proportion of ineligible participants at pre-screening and screening, number of participants who complete four sessions of psychotherapy, retention rate over full duration of study, acceptability of the intervention) of subanaesthetic ketamine in combination with psychotherapy (cognitive behavioural therapy) for adults with methamphetamine use disorder. Changes in methamphetamine use, cravings and withdrawal, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction will also be explored. Methods and analysis This is an open-label, single-arm clinical trial. 20 adults meeting DSM-5-TR criteria for methamphetamine use disorder who are seeking to reduce or cease methamphetamine use will be enrolled in the study through a single-site specialist outpatient stimulant treatment service in inner Sydney (St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney). A 4-week course with three subcutaneous ketamine doses (0.75 mg/kg to 0.9 mg/kg, titrated according to tolerability) at weekly intervals and four sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (one at treatment initiation and three within 24–48 hours following each ketamine administration session) will be delivered. Safety and feasibility will be assessed over an 8-week period. Secondary outcomes (changes in methamphetamine use, cravings, withdrawal, quality of life and treatment satisfaction) will be assessed over a 24-week period. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee, reference 2023/ETH00530. Study findings will be disseminated through articles in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, and at national and international conferences
Reassessment of the marsupial order Dasyuromorphia and related groups from the Oligo-Miocene deposits of Australia
No full textThe Riversleigh World Heritage Area provides Australia’s most extensive fossil record of dasyuromorphian marsupials, encompassing 17 out of the 26 Oligo-Miocene species (25–5.3 Ma) known. This includes eight thylacinids (Thylacinidae), three malleodectids (Malleodectidae), and six dasyuromorphians of uncertain taxonomic placement. Despite this, knowledge of the full diversity of dasyuromorphians at Riversleigh remains unknown, with new taxa frequently being described. This thesis investigates, among other related issues, the taxonomy, phylogeny, and palaeobiology of several newly identified dasyuromorphians and dasyuromorphian-like marsupials from Riversleigh. Specifically, it addresses: (1) three new thylacinids from late Oligocene deposits; (2) two new malleodectids and additional malleodectid specimens from middle to late Miocene deposits; (3) three new malleodectids from late Oligocene to early Miocene deposits; and (4) three new species of a new marsupial order from early Miocene deposits. Key findings include: novel craniodental features enhancing phylogenetic resolution within Dasyuromorphia; identification of Australia's oldest thylacinids and their diets, determined via quantitative morphofunctional analyses; the first descriptions of the lower dentition of Malleodectes mirabilis and the upper dentition of M. wentworthi; reinforcing the concept of malleodectid monophyly while reassigning Barinya spp. to this family; discovery of a fourth species of Malleodectes; identification of a third, highly specialized malleodectid genus; and descriptions of three additional malleodectids, including the oldest known member. Additionally, a new marsupial order is described that represents a relatively plesiomorphic Gondwanan lineage within Australidelphia that persisted for at least 37 million years before its apparent extinction in the middle Miocene
LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Cancer Clinical Trials
Get PDFThis report presents the findings from a research project on current LGBTQ+ inclusion in cancer clinical trials in NSW and recommendations on initiatives to increase LGBTQ+ participation in these trials. The project is part of the NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy and the ongoing partnership, between ACON and Cancer Institute NSW. The project centres on current practices in data collection and reporting, and underlying issues for researchers, clinicians and patients in collecting data and disclosing sexuality and gender
Towards a remote sensing approach for monitoring drylands ecological integrity: applications of Landsat vegetation fractional cover time series.
Get PDFDrylands cover over 40% of Earth's land surface, and most of the Australian continent. They provide livelihoods for over 2.5 billion people, but their function is highly sensitive to land use pressures. A great majority of approaches to monitoring dryland ecosystem states and trends have been dominated by the binary distinction of degraded and non-degraded areas, which can lead to inconsistent results. An alternative is to use a conceptual framework focusing on ecological integrity, which is the maintenance of ecosystem composition and ecosystems’ capacity to contribute to human needs and adapt to change. Ecological integrity can be disaggregated into components: condition/quality, connectivity, management, and resilience. Remote sensing indicators and models provide key insight on dryland ecosystem integrity components given the extent and often inaccessible location of these environments. Thus, the overall aim of this thesis was to examine knowledge gaps preventing the implementation of remote sensing monitoring of dryland ecosystem integrity at local to continental scale. I addressed this goal through 5 chapters: Chapter 2 featured a review of Earth observation approaches to monitor dryland ecosystem integrity, concluding that improvements are required in the spatiotemporal remote sensing of vegetation; in Chapter 3 I found that remote sensing of vegetation fractional cover can satisfactorily track vegetation change in Australian drylands; Chapter 4 presented an application of vegetation fractional cover time series analysis to monitor sustainable land management at the local scale and revealed potential to demonstrate agroecosystem multifunctionality; in Chapter 5, regional scale woodland ecosystem condition under varying grazing pressure could be predicted using combinations of multi-year time series statistics of green and senescent vegetation; and Chapter 6 included the extension of the time series modelling approach to continental scale monitoring of vegetation structure components and complexity of multiple vegetation types. These findings constitute technical advancements that can help guide land management and policy to promote Australian dryland ecological integrity. Moreover, the proposed models and indicators were based on open-access data, enabling future research avenues on their applicability across continents and global drylands
Understanding of the Process-Microstructure-Property Relationship in Additively Manufactured Titanium alloys using Machine Learning Techniques
No full textTi-6Al-4V alloy has been widely used in aerospace, marine, chemical and biomedical industries due to its high specific strength and outstanding corrosion resistance. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a metal additive manufacturing (AM) technique that has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its advantages of manufacturing near-net-shape complex geometries with tailored properties. LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy has a unique martensitic microstructure controlled by processing parameters (e.g. laser power, scan speed), which deeply affects the mechanical properties of the material. Figuring out the quantitative relationship between the process-microstructure-property of LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy is key to optimizing the microstructure and designing the mechanical properties for specific applications. However, establishing the relationship between process parameters, microstructure, and mechanical properties remains a challenge because of the complex interactions between multiple processing variables, complex microstructure and anisotropic performance. The traditional trial-and-error experiment is time-consuming and costly and cannot meet the demands of rapid and efficient manufacturing in industries. Therefore, this study addresses these challenges by leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms and numerical simulations.
Firstly, an advanced image-driven machine learning model, Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) is introduced to enhance microstructure image representation and generation in LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy. This model can effectively extract main microstructural features from a large number of microstructure image datasets and generates high-resolution images that closely resemble the original counterparts, demonstrating the potential of machine learning in the field of microstructure feature recognition, extraction, learning and generation.
Secondly, this study further investigates the quantitative relationship between LPBF processing parameters (laser power and scan speed) and the resulting microstructural features. An improved conditional GAN (cGAN) architecture is established to extract key microstructural features (martensite morphology and size) and reconstruct the microstructure images of LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The model can not only accurately reconstruct microstructural features within the training dataset but also predict these features under different LPBF processing parameters with a prediction accuracy of 80%, achieving a quantitative description of the relationship between processing parameters and microstructure.
The third part of the thesis examines the influence of local thermal profiles controlled by continuous and intermittent melt pool interference modes on the mesostructure, microstructure, and mechanical properties of LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Through numerical simulations combined with machine learning, the study reveals the formation mechanisms influencing the type of martensite structures (primary martensite, secondary martensite) and martensite/alpha phase geometries (needle-shaped, lamellar and equiaxed). In addition, the mechanism of heat accumulation and defect formation (lack of fusion, residual stress) at high cooling rates is also analysed.
Finally, the quantitative correlation between microstructural features (relative density, aspect ratio of martensite, length of martensite, orientation of martensite and twinning fraction) and mechanical properties (UTS, yield stress and elongation) of LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy is explored by integrating machine learning with the Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Method (CPFEM). The study demonstrates that the contribution of microstructural features to mechanical properties can be revealed through interpretable machine learning models, while CPFEM simulations uncover the competitive relationship between dislocation slip and twinning deformation mechanisms in tensile deformation. This research provides a new paradigm for designing tailored microstructures to enhance mechanical performance in LPBF fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloys.
In summary, this research systematically studied the relationships between processing parameters, microstructure, and mechanical properties in additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy through the integration of advanced machine learning and multiple numerical simulations, offering a theoretical and practical foundation for future materials design and process optimization
Bondi Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC) Final Evaluation Report
Get PDFIndependent Community Living Australia (ICLA) and South East Sydney Local Health District Mental Health Service’s (SESLHD MHS) Bondi Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC) is a community-based hospital alternative for people with co-occurring acute mental health conditions and alcohol and drug concerns (guests). The program facilitates short term early intervention, providing intensive community support to avoid hospitalisation (step up) and recovery oriented and integrated care for people leaving hospital environment (step down).
ICLA was funded by Community Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Research Network (CMHDARN) to commission researchers at the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) UNSW Sydney to evaluate the Bondi PARC model. The research was a mixed method evaluation designed within the parameters of time, budget and feasibility. The evaluation used three data sources to answer the research questions (review of PARC program documents, PARC guest outcomes data in aggregate form, and collection of qualitative data through on-site fieldwork). The study had SESLHD 2024/ETH01520 ethics and governance approvals.
Guests, staff and referring clinicians said Bondi PARC enhanced quality of life and personal recovery during guests’ stay and once they returned home. This was achieved through a model of least restrictive community integrated care, recovery oriented practice, centred on guests’ agency to achieve personal recovery goals and wellbeing.
The recovery oriented and peer leadership principles used in Bondi PARC translated into positive guest experiences and service satisfaction during and after their stay. Use of hospital emergency and inpatient mental health services reduced. Guests who had previously stayed at PARC learned how to make early decisions about when to step up into PARC instead of requiring hospital care.
PARC staff and referring providers agreed Bondi PARC intake screening criteria were thorough. They said the criteria helped ensure the program delivered a safe and supportive, least restrictive community service, conducive to reducing experiences of heightened distress, managing mental illness and promoting personal recovery and wellbeing. PARC guests emphasised the person centred model provided a preferred and safe alternative to hospital care, fostering autonomy, choice and delivering person centred care and recovery outcomes.
Guests and stakeholders said Bondi PARC, though its peer leadership and peer worker support recovery model of support, met a significant gap in services. The model was an effective alternative to inpatient care for people with psychosis, schizoaffective or bipolar disorders, and other non-acute presentations, including co-occurring substance use