University of the Sunshine Coast
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Repairing the effects of childhood trauma: The long and winding road
No full textWhat is known on this subject.
Domestic and family violence contributes to mental distress and the development of mental illness and can reverberate throughout a person's life.
What this paper adds to existing knowledge.
Therapeutic work with people who experience domestic and family violence needs to take considerable time to allow the process to unfold.
Understanding the triggers that cause past traumas to be re‐experienced helps people to recognise and change their conditioned emotional responses.
What are the implications for practice?
Time needs to be invested to develop a secure and trusting relationship to enable a person to work through childhood experiences that have the potential to overwhelm.
It is important for adults who have experienced childhood trauma to have an opportunity to process the abuse to help minimise its intrusion in their lives
Feasible options to restore genetic variation in hatchery stocks of the globally important farmed shrimp species, Litopenaeus vannamei
No full textThe white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, a species endemic to Latin America, is now being cultured around the Pacific. L. vannamei aquaculture comprises about 80% of global shrimp aquaculture production and as such, it is noted to be important to the economy of various temperate and tropical countries. This globally important species is highly fecund (where only a few broodstock are needed to produce the next generation), and while it has been subjected to stock improvement through mass selection, L vannamei farms, for the most part, lack pedigree records. These aforementioned factors can lead to small effective population (Ne) sizes, which may then cause loss of genetic diversity in hatchery stocks. We have assessed levels of genetic diversity among L. vannamei samples derived from seven hatcheries across the Pacific Ocean, using three different measures of genetic variation, namely, DNA microsatellite alleles, mtDNA haplotype variation and genomic SNPs. We have compared levels of the aforementioned variation among hatchery samples with wild caught Mexican samples. All measures of variation were lower in the hatchery samples compared to wild samples. Ne estimates from the hatcheries were lower than 50. For other highly fecund marine species we earlier found that hatchery lines had lost variation, but the variation lost in each line tended to be sufficiently different from each other such that variation approaching that of the wild could be restored by line crossing. This method would be preferable, in terms of maintaining existing genetic gains, rather than simply introgressing diversity from the wild. Our goal here is to test if a similar possibility exists for L. vannamei stocks. Indeed we found that samples from different L. vannamei hatcheries around the Pacific were likely to differ in the types of genetic variation they retained, so variation approaching that of the wild may potentially be restored by crossing different hatchery lines
Interventions reducing sedentary behaviour of adults: An update of evidence
No full textObjectives:
This review updates evidence of previous reviews on interventions that target reducing sedentary behaviour among 18- to 69-year-old working aged adults.
Methods:
A literature search of PubMed, Informit, Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science and ProQuest. Quality was assessed for individual articles using McMaster University Guidelines. Descriptive analysis was used to summarise findings across studies.
Results:
Fifteen studies were identified with critical appraisal scores ranging from 10 to 14 (of a possible 15), with a mean score of 11.7 indicating overall moderate quality. The majority of interventions were implemented in the workplace. Others were based in the neighbourhood and education institution settings. Just over half of the studies (n = 9) reported a significant decrease in sedentary behaviour, including in total sedentary behaviour and sitting time, work sitting time and leisure sitting time. Overall sitting time decreases ranged from 8 to 122 minutes per day across all settings.
Conclusion:
There is some emerging evidence that sedentary behaviour interventions have the potential to reduce sedentary behaviour of working aged adults. However, given the paucity of literature, the effectiveness of such interventions is currently inconclusive. Further high-quality research across different settings is needed using validated standardised measures of sedentary behaviour
Augusto Boal and Hans George Gadamer: A complimentary relationship toward critical performance pedagogy in social work education
No full textThe Routledge Handbook of Critical Pedagogies for Social Work traverses new territory by providing a cutting-edge overview of the work of classic and contemporary theorists, in a way that expands their application and utility in social work education and practice; thus, providing a bridge between critical theory, philosophy, and social work. Each chapter showcases the work of a specific critical educational, philosophical and/or social theorist including: Henry Giroux, Michel Foucault, Cornelius Castoriadis, Herbert Marcuse, Paulo Freire, bell hooks, Joan Tronto, Iris Marion Young, Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci and many others to elucidate the ways in which their key pedagogic concepts can be applied to specific aspects of social work education and practice. The text exhibits a range of research-based approaches to educating social work practitioners as agents of social change. It provides a robust and much needed, alternative paradigm to the technique-driven ‘conservative revolution’ currently being fostered by neoliberalism in both social work education and practice. The volume will be instructive for social work educators who aim to teach for social change, by assisting students to develop counter-hegemonic practices of resistance and agency, and reflecting on the pedagogic role of social work practice more widely. The volume holds relevance for both postgraduate and undergraduate/qualifying social work and human services courses around the world. [Book Synopsis
Nurse academics' experience of contra-power harassment from under-graduate nursing students in Australia
No full textBackground:
There is growing concern around inappropriate behaviour being perpetrated by under-graduate nursing students towards nursing academics. Coined contra-power harassment, is defined as the harassment of individuals in formal positions of power and authority by those that are not. The type of harassment behaviours reported include: verbal and physical violence, character assassination through social media, stalking and sexually motivated behaviours. The most often cited reasons for the escalation in these behaviours are seen with course progression and the awarding of grades.
Aim:
The aim of this study is to better understand the extent to which nursing academics experience contra-power harassment from under-graduate nursing students.
Method:
A convenience sample of nursing academics were in Australia were contacted and provided with an introductory letter, a participant information sheet and a link to an online questionnaire. A 41-item Likert scale (Strongly agree-strongly disagree) was used to elicit responses to statements on academics' experiences of and the contributing factors associated with contra-power harassment.
Results:
The main contributing factor identified from this study was seen as the consumerism of higher education; in particular paying for a degree gave a sense of entitlement with academics experiencing the highest levels of student harassment around grades.
Conclusions:
Contra-power harassment is becoming common place in higher education especially in nursing education. The competitive nature of obtaining employment post-university has meant that some nursing student's behaviours are becoming increasingly uncivil, challenging and unprofessional
Weaning humidified high flow oxygen therapy among paediatric patients: An integrative review of literature
No full textProblem:
The paucity of up-to-date recommendations and evidence-based models, whether it is physician-initiated or initiated by other healthcare professionals, for humidified high flow oxygen therapy among children.
Eligibility criteria:
The inclusion criteria included the following: 1) use of high flow oxygen therapy (≥15 L/min); 2) published studies from the year 2000 and onwards; 3) research article in a peer-reviewed journal; 4) studies conducted in a hospital setting involving paediatric patients <18 years old; 5) availability of full article online.
Sample:
From March to April 2018, electronic databases such as PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute Library of Systematic Reviews, SCOPUS, Ovid, Informit, and Google Scholar were accessed. The systematic search initially yielded 41 studies.
Results:
Eventually, three eligible studies were reviewed and appraised. Overarching themes were identified: 1) the lack of weaning standards; 2) the limited focus on young population in intensive care settings; and 3) the paucity of weaning models.
Conclusion:
The lack of studies suggested that this is a fertile area for research. In this light, this paper challenged researchers, clinicians, and experts to develop evidence-based standards and models of weaning towards efficient and better quality of care.
Implication:
This review may lead to the development of nurse-led or nurse-initiated weaning protocols to enable timely weaning intervention for children and thus reduce the need for prolonged oxygen use. Furthermore, this may also instigate an economic evaluation of a nurse-lead weaning against current models of medically lead weaning
First breeding program of the Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata demonstrated significant selection response in traits of economic importance
No full textThe Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata is one of the economically important mollusc species but to date there has been no genetic improvement program conducted for this species. The principal aim of this study was to assess genetic gains achieved from a selection program for improved whole weight at harvest over three generations from 2015 to 2017. A total of 30,212 oysters had performance data recorded; they were the offspring of 323 sires and 461 dams. Linear mixed models were used to estimate genetic parameters of the traits studied. Selection for improved harvest whole weight achieved significant direct response by 17.4% after three generations. There were also positively correlated changes in soft tissue weight and shell shape traits (3.67% and 3.98%, respectively). The genetic gains in harvest whole weight and favourably correlated changes in meat yield and shell shape traits were consistent with the positive genetic correlations of whole weight with these traits (0.08–0.50). There is abundant genetic variation in the selection criterion (heritability for whole weight = 0.24), suggesting that the present population of Portuguese oysters will continue showing responses to future selection. The estimates of heritability for meat yield and shell shape traits were low (0.10–0.16). Hence, a multi-trait selection program can be used to enhance overall productivity and economic return for oyster producers
Transforming markets for children's television industries
No full textChildren’s screen media have recently undergone a period of rapid technological, regulatory and economic change, transforming the ways in which content is produced, distributed and experienced by audiences. Despite the perceived value of locally produced television that reflects children’s cultural context back to them, the production and distribution of children’s television is an increasingly globalized and complex business. The global dominance of US-owned channel brands such as Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network is being challenged, however, by new market entrants including Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube, which distribute children’s content seamlessly online across national borders. With abundant supplies available on demand, the child audience has fragmented across multiple services and platforms, undermining the funding of traditional children’s screen content on broadcast and Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) outlets. Producers have had to adapt to these new television production ecologies. Very large transnational companies now exist alongside niche providers of children’s content. The latter often disintermediate linear broadcasters, harnessing instead the global distribution networks created by YouTube, Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) and social media. These transformations in children’s screen content have significant implications both for children’s media industries and for the policy and funding instruments intended to support locally produced content for the child audience
Research priorities for natural ecosystems in a changing global climate
No full textClimate change poses significant emerging risks to biodiversity, ecosystem function and associated socioecological systems. Adaptation responses must be initiated in parallel with mitigation efforts, but resources are limited. As climate risks are not distributed equally across taxa, ecosystems and processes, strategic prioritization of research that addresses stakeholder‐relevant knowledge gaps will accelerate ef ‐fective uptake into adaptation policy and management action. After a decade of climate change adaptation research within the Australian National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, we synthesize the National Adaptation Research Plans for marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. We identify the key, globally rele ‐vant priorities for ongoing research relevant to informing adaptation policy and envi ‐ronmental management aimed at maximizing the resilience of natural ecosystems to climate change. Informed by both global literature and an extensive stakeholder con ‐sultation across all ecosystems, sectors and regions in Australia, involving thousands of participants, we suggest 18 priority research topics based on their significance, urgency, technical and economic feasibility, existing knowledge gaps and potential for cobenefits across multiple sectors. These research priorities provide a unified guide for policymakers, funding organizations and researchers to strategically direct resources, maximize stakeholder uptake of resulting knowledge and minimize the im ‐pacts of climate change on natural ecosystems. Given the pace of climate change, it is imperative that we inform and accelerate adaptation progress in all regions around the world
A Castle Surrounded by Hungry Wolves: Toward a Stage Theory of the Uses of the Future
No full textDrawing on hundreds of case studies and decades of using the future in professional settings, this article moves toward a stage theory—to begin with, a conceptual framework—to using the future. This extends the Six Pillars framework and accompanying tools (scenarios, causal layered analysis, visioning) by inquiring which methods and tools are appropriate for which national, institutional, organizational, and personal contexts. Seven stages (nonlinear, spiral) are suggested. The first is perceived injustice—“it is not fair.” The second is risk mitigation. The third is creating alternative futures. The fourth is directionality, the vision. The fifth is “making the vision real.” The sixth is metaphor. The final state is personal and focused on using the mantra technique to transform the narrative. This approach intends to assist change agents in understanding the worldview context they are working—co-creating—with