University of the Sunshine Coast
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The Red Lotus Critical Health Promotion Model: an innovative values-based model for teaching and sustainable practice
No full textNo abstract available
Applying a systems thinking lens to injury causation in the outdoors: Evidence collected during 3 years of the Understanding and Preventing Led Outdoor Accidents Data System
No full textIntroduction This article presents a detailed systems analysis of injury incidents from 35 Australian led outdoor activity organisations between 2014 to 2017.
Method Injury incident reports were collected using a specific led outdoor activity incident reporting system known as UPLOADS (Understanding and Preventing Led Outdoor Accidents Data System).
Results In total, 1367 people sustained injuries from across 20 different activities, with an injury rate of 1.9 injured people per 1000 participants over the three-year period. A total of 2234 contributory factors from multiple levels of the led outdoor activity system were identified from the incident reports, and 361 relationships were identified between contributory factors.
Discussion This systems analysis of injury incidents demonstrates that it is not only factors within the immediate context of the incident (Participants, Environment, Equipment) but factors from across multiple systemic levels that contributes to injury incidents (Schools, Parents, Activity centre management). Prevention efforts should focus on addressing the whole network of contributing factors and not only the prominent factors at the lower system levels within the immediate context of the injury incident occurrences
Midwifery student's perceptions of completing a portfolio of evidence for initial registration: A qualitative exploratory study
No full textThe Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) has set regulatory standards, that require midwifery students to verify how they have met ANMAC standard 8.11 requirements prior to registration as a midwife. The most common formats for recording achievement of the ANMAC requirements are paper-based or electronic portfolios. Research was conducted to compare student's experiences of completing their university portfolio format. Focus group interviews were held at two south east Queensland universities. This study has found that there is disparity between universities in the level of detail documenting evidence of midwifery experiences. The paper-based portfolio was criticised for not having sufficient space for the students to explain the extent of their experiences, in contrast students completing the ePortfolio felt their reflective entries were excessive.
Some students felt the portfolio was not being used to its full potential with suggestions that all experiences that fall within the midwife scope of practice should be recorded as evidence of practice experiences. Students felt the current ANMAC Standard 8.11 requirements limit the range of experiences and are repetitive in requiring up to 100 recordings for some experiences. No nationally agreed format exists of how students are required to document their required ANMAC experiences
Industry 4.0 for SMEs: Challenges, Opportunities and Requirements
No full textThis open access book explores the concept of Industry 4.0, which presents a considerable challenge for the production and service sectors. While digitization initiatives are usually integrated into the central corporate strategy of larger companies, smaller firms often have problems putting Industry 4.0 paradigms into practice. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) possess neither the human nor financial resources to systematically investigate the potential and risks of introducing Industry 4.0. Addressing this obstacle, the international team of authors focuses on the development of smart manufacturing concepts, logistics solutions and managerial models specifically for SMEs. Aiming to provide methodological frameworks and pilot solutions for SMEs during their digital transformation, this innovative and timely book will be of great use to scholars researching technology management, digitization and small business, as well as practitioners within manufacturing companies. [Book Synopsis
The love ethic model
No full textSocial workers are called upon to shift from a human-centric bias to an ecological ethical sensibility by embracing love as integral to their justice mission and by extending the idea of social justice to include environmental and species justice. This book presents the love ethic model as a way to do eco-justice work using public campaigns, research, community arts practice and other nonviolent, direct action strategies. The model is premised on an active and ongoing commitment to the eco-values of love, eco-justice and nonviolence for the purpose of upholding the public interest. The love ethic model is informed by the stories of eco-activists who used nonviolent actions to address ecological issues such as: pollution; degradation of the environment; exploitation of farm animals; mining industry overriding First Nation Peoples’ land rights; and human health and social costs related to the natural resource industries, private land developments and government infrastructure projects. Informed by practice insights by activists from a range of eco-justice concerns, this innovative book provides new directions in social work and environmental studies involving transformational change leadership and dialogical group work between interest groups. It should be considered essential reading for social work students, researchers and practitioners as well as eco-activists more generally. [Book Synopsis
The Evolving Role of Molecular Diagnostics in Australia: A Retrospective Cohort Study on Lung Cancer
No full textThe landscape of lung cancer treatment has advanced significantly since the introduction of targeted molecular therapies. Clinicians are now often able to define specific oncogenic driver mutations associated with lung cancer and treat their patients with drugs that specifically target them. With these pharmaceutical developments, the focus has shifted towards molecular diagnostics to identify driver mutations earlier and develop more specific treatment options for patients harbouring them. The spectrum of molecular changes in lung cancer patients is strongly related to demographics and smoking behaviour. For example, mutations in both the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genes are statistically more likely in young non-smokers and mutations in the Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) gene are more frequently associated with a strong smoking history in older patients (1-3). There are also significant differences in the rate of EGFR and ALK mutations in lung cancer patients reported in the literature, which are linked to differences in the demographics of target populations. EGFR mutations are reported in 30%-46% of lung cancer patients in Asia (4, 5) and 5%-7% in Western countries (1, 6). ALK mutations are shown in 2.3% of Asian and 5%-8.5% of Western Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients (3, 7). K-RAS mutations are more prevalent in western countries (18%-25%) than Asian countries (5.5%-10%) (1-3).Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2020
Characteristics of landslides in forests and grasslands triggered by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake
No full textWe examined the characteristics of landslides triggered by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake (Mw = 7.0: focal depth=10.0 km) in forests and grasslands within two affected watersheds (Tokosegawa: 6.9 km2 and Nigorigawa: 6.1 km2) in southwestern Japan. We identified 190 landslides using aerial photographs and analyzed their sizes by geographic information system (GIS). Field investigations were conducted to obtain landslide depth, volume and residual sediment for 38 selected landslides (21 in forests and 17 in grasslands). The minimum area of detected landslides in grasslands (400 m2) was smaller than in forests (1000 m2), probably because of reduced detectability of landslides under tree cover. The ratio of total area occupied by landslides for a given range of slope gradient in the watersheds increased from 3.2% on gentle grassland slopes (10–15°) to 15.5% on steep (>45°) slopes, whereas the maximum landslide‐area ratio in forest sites (7.4%) occurred on relatively gentle slopes (25–30°). Estimated landslide volume ranged from 27 to 9622 m3, based on mean depth of each landslide measured around individual landslide scars. Moreover, the volumetric ratio of landslide deposit volume to total landslide volume exceeded 100% for 48% of the landslides within forests and 35% of the landslides within grasslands. Our findings show that land cover had extensive and recognizable effects on the characteristics of landslides and resulting in‐channel sediment accumulations. Resetting sediment dynamics after earthquakes associated with different land cover distributions needs to be considered within watersheds
Road Block(chain): Bit(coin)s for Tourism Sustainable Development Goals?
No full textPurpose:
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the disrupting usage and impacts of blockchains and cryptocurrencies and advocate their role as enablers of sustainable tourism development goals.
Design/methodology/approach:
Literature on blockchains and cryptocurrencies is critically synthesized, debated and expanded to identify and discuss their implications toward sustainable tourism futures.
Findings:
As a distributive digital ledger, blockchains have the potential to create a more inclusive tourism future to address debates around tourism as a vehicle for sustainable development that alludes to value accruing to only certain providers and consumers. Blockchains and their cryptocurrencies (as a financial transaction capability) elevate trust and relational capabilities in an expedited and holistic manner, democratize participation in economic systems and re-distribute power and economic relations amongst actors by influencing the way data (the currency of the digital economy and the lifeblood of tourism) is collected, stored, exchange, owned and traded for co-creating value.
Research limitations/implications:
The paper is conceptual and speculative by identifying ways in which blockchain and cryptocurrencies can support sustainable tourism development goals. Directions for future research are provided for further elaborating and collecting primary evidence on whether the premise and applications of these technologies can deliver the acclaimed sustainable impacts.
Originality/value:
The paper contributes to the emerging but controversial literature about the trajectories between technology and sustainability by critically debating on how blockchains, through cryptocurrency economies, can be positioned to facilitate sustainable tourism futures
Nocturnal Hypoxemia Is Associated with Altered Parahippocampal Functional Brain Connectivity in Older Adults at Risk for Dementia
No full textBackground:Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Intermittent nocturnal hypoxemia in obstructive sleep apnea is associated with brain changes in key regions that underpin memory. Objective:To determine whether older adults with severe nocturnal hypoxemia would exhibit reduced functional connectivity within these regions, with associated deficits in memory. Methods:Seventy-two participants 51 years and over underwent polysomnography with continuous blood oxygen saturation recorded via oximetry. The oxygen desaturation index (ODI, 3% dips in oxygen levels per hour) was the primary outcome measure. ODI was split into tertiles, with analyses comparing the lowest and highest tertiles (N = 48). Thirty-five of the 48 participants from these two tertiles had mild cognitive impairment. Participants also underwent resting-state fMRI and comprehensive neuropsychological, medical, and psychiatric assessment. Results:The highest ODI tertile group demonstrated significantly reduced connectivity between the left and right parahippocampal cortex, relative to the lowest ODI tertile group (t(42) = –3.26, p = 0.041, beta = –1.99).The highest ODI tertile group also had poorer working memory performance. In the highest ODI tertile group only, higher left-right parahippocampal functional connectivity was associated with poorer visual memory recall (between-groups z = –2.93, p = 0.0034). Conclusions:Older adults with severe nocturnal hypoxemia demonstrate impaired functional connectivity in medial temporal structures, key regions involved in sleep memory processing and implicated in dementia pathophysiology. Oxygen desaturation and functional connectivity in these individuals each relate to cognitive performance. Research is now required to further elucidate these findings
Improved design of roof drainage systems with box gutters, overflows and downpipes
No full textThis study evaluates the adequacy of current design guidelines for roof drainage systems with box gutters, overflows and downpipes and provides recommendations for improvements. Roof drainage systems are a crucial component of the building envelope, which protects the structure and contents from water damage. However, compared to the scope of applications in the built environment, investigations into the operational performance of roof drainage systems and their sensitivity to extreme rainfall events are relatively limited. This presentation reports the findings of a full-scale empirical test of a complete box gutter roof drainage system and is likely to be one of very few such investigations undertaken. This study is situated within the fields of hydraulics, hydrology and building regulations.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2020