University of the Sunshine Coast
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Design simulation of a novel fluid based footstep energy harvesting system
No full textWith the ever-increasing demand for energy and a growing concern for the non-renewability of the energy sources as well as the environmental pollution, renewable energy harvesting systems have emerged as one of the energy technologies globally. In this context, this research work addresses a novel, clean and environmentally friendly renewable energy generation technology that harvests energy from human locomotion, like walking and running. The developed system is based on two square sized tiles structure paver in which two fluid bags are connected through flow control mechanisms including unidirectional valves and mini hydro generators that convert the human kinetic energy into electricity via fluid movements. All the design related simulations were performed in ANSYS software to find out the optimal parameters like fluid velocity, power output and fluid bag shape etc. Sequentially, it was experimentally observed that the energy harvesting paver can produce an average output power of 1.4 W per step during typical human walking and can power up a DC load of 390 Ω LED. The system is easily reproducible and can be installed with relative ease to power up street lamps, billboards and emergency lighting systems etc. Furthermore, the system is eco-friendly and cost-effective in comparison to other available energy harvesting paver systems. Hence, this novel fluid based footstep energy harvesting paver has considerable prospects as an effective renewable energy system
Do the landing mechanics of experienced netball players differ from those of trained athletes competing in sports that do not require frequent landings?
No full textObjectives:
This study examined whether young (15-19 years old) high-performance netball players exhibit different landing mechanics compared to female controls who do not participate in sports requiring frequent landings.
Design:
Comparative, cross-sectional.
Method:
Lower limb kinematics and kinetics from 23 youth high performance female netball players (age: 17.5 ± 1.7 years, height: 1.77 ± 0.06 m, mass: 66.5 ± 6.33 kg, netball experience: 8.5 ± 2.3 years) were compared to data from 23 females (age: 22.0 ± 3.2 years, height: 1.70 ± 0.05 m, mass: 64.4 ± 6.7 kg) who were involved in competitive sport, but had minimal experience playing a jump-landing sport. The jump landing task required participants to perform a countermovement jump and grab a netball suspended at 85% of the participant’s maximum jump height. On random trials the ball was raised rapidly to 100% maximum jump height as the participant initiated her jump.
Results:
The netball group landed with significantly less contribution from the knee extensors to total work for the non-preferred leg (P < .001, ds = 1.10) than the inexperienced group. Although no other significant differences were found between groups, there were several small to moderate differences in several of the key biomechanical variables identified as being risk factors for ACL injury or associated with ACL strain.
Conclusion:
Both groups had similar knee valgus and internal rotation angles and moments, with nearly all participants presenting with relatively poor frontal plane knee control. Overall, results suggest that experience playing a netball may not be enough to develop low-risk landing mechanics
Attack rate and prey preference of Lasioseius subterraneous and Protogamasellus mica on four nematode species
No full textPlant parasitic nematodes are common and important global pests, causing over US$150 billion in crop losses across the agricultural sector worldwide. Meloidogyne javanica and Pratylenchus zeae are two of the most damaging plant-parasitic nematodes and there are limited options for their control. We evaluated the potential of a large (Lasioseius subterraneous) and a small (Protogamasellus mica) mesostigmatan mite as biological control agents of plant-parasitic nematodes. We tested the attack rate and reproductive potential of these two mite species on four nematode species: M. javanica (eggs), Pra. zeae (adults) and two microbivorous nematodes, Mesorhabditis sp. and Aphelenchus avenae (adults for both species). Each mite/nematode combination (1 mite:100 nematodes) was tested in six replicate arenas. In a separate trial, each mite species was presented with 50 A. avenae and 50 Pra. zeae in the same arena to determine prey preference. Both mite species signifcantly reduced the abundance of all nematode species used in the trials when compared to nematode-only controls. Lasioseius subterraneous consumed all available M. javanica eggs within 72 h. The larger mite had a signifcantly higher overall attack rate than the smaller mite, each consuming an average of 96 and 72 nematodes, respectively, within 72 h. However, both mites had a similar reproductive rate. Protogamasellus mica displayed a positive preference towards the plant parasitic nematode Pra. zeae over the fungal feeding A. avenae whereas L. subterraneous did not display a prey preference. Our results highlight the potential of these two predators to control plant parasitic nematodes, although further trials under feld conditions are needed
Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-II in an Australian Context
No full textThis study investigated the reliability and predictive validity of the Juvenile Sex Offender Assessment Protocol-II (J-SOAP-II), in an Australian context, and for Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. Participants were 123 (n = 91 non-Indigenous; n = 32 Indigenous) youth assessed using the J-SOAP-II and followed up over an average period of 4 years. The reliability of the J-SOAP-II was assessed using measures of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas and inter-item correlations). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted to assess the J-SOAP-II’s validity in predicting sexual and non-sexual (violent and non-violent) recidivism. Overall, the J-SOAP-II demonstrated moderate to high levels of reliability and weak to moderate levels of validity for predicting sexual and non-sexual (violent and non-violent) recidivism for the whole sample. While the J-SOAP-II total score was significantly associated with non-sexual (violent and non-violent) recidivism for non-Indigenous youth, it was not significantly associated with any of the outcome variables for Indigenous youth. Across all analyses, the dynamic scales of the J-SOAP-II predicted recidivism with greater accuracy than the static scales. However, the static scales had greater accuracy in predicting the risk of sexual recidivism for Indigenous youth. While a reliable measure, these preliminary findings raise questions about the validity of the J-SOAP-II for predicting sexual recidivism for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in an Australian context, and warrant further investigation
The effect of backpack load position on photographic measures of craniovertebral posture in 150 asymptomatic young adults
No full textBACKGROUND: Altering the horizontal position of the weight in a backpack will influence the magnitude of the external torque it creates but the effect on posture is unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To use photogrammetry to determine if changes in the horizontal position of a fixed backpack weight affect external measures of craniovertebral posture in 150 asymptomatic young adults.
METHODS: A backpack was attached to a steel frame with a bar protruding posteriorly. A fixed load (5% body mass) was placed at three distances along the bar - 0 m, 0.20 m, and 0.40 m. Sagittal and frontal plane photogrammetry was used to measure the craniovertebral angle (CVA), upper cervical gaze angle (UCGA) and lateral head tilt angle (LHTA). A comparison was made across unloaded (no backpack) and loaded conditions.
RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the CVA between unloaded and loaded conditions. Changes in the UCGA were small and, while significant, may not have practical importance. There were no differences in the LHTA between the conditions.
CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the horizontal position of a fixed load affect external measures of craniovertebral posture so consideration needs to be given to not only the weight of a backpack but how the weight is positioned within the backpack
Individual differences in anger and displaced aggression: The role of metacognitive beliefs and anger rumination
No full textMetacognitive model is a theoreticalapproach aimed to explain emotiondysregulation and others emotion‐related issues, such anger, and aggressivebehavior. From this model, people having higher maladaptive metacognitivebeliefs (e.g.,“Icanʼt control my thoughts”) are more likely to activate andmaintain anger rumination and, in turn,to experience higher levels of anger andtoactaggressively.Preliminaryevidenceshowstheroleofmetacognitivebeliefson anger rumination and anger levels, whereas no studies have examined itsassociation with aggressive behavior. This study first examined the associationsbetween metacognitive beliefs, anger rumination, anger levels, and thepropensity to engage in displaced aggression, and second, the mediation roleof anger rumination in the relations among metacognitive beliefs and anger anddisplaced aggression. Participants were 947 students and non‐students fromgeneral population recruited in two different countries (Australia and Spain).Correlational analyses revealed a similar pattern of results in the Australian andSpanish sample, with participants having dysfunctional metacognitive beliefsalso showing higher anger rumination, higher levels of anger and a highertendency to act aggressively. Structural equation analyses revealed theassociations of metacognitive beliefs with anger levels and displaced aggressionwas fully mediated by anger rumination in both samples. These results suggestthat metacognitive beliefs should be considered in comprehensive models and inthe therapy of anger problems and aggression
Outdoor Fieldwork Pedagogies
No full textThis encyclopaedia is a dynamic and living reference that student teachers, teacher educators, researchers and professionals in the field of education with an accent on all aspects of teacher education, including: teaching practice; initial teacher education; teacher induction; teacher development; professional learning; teacher education policies; quality assurance; professional knowledge, standards and organisations; teacher ethics; and research on teacher education, among other issues. The Encyclopedia is an authoritative work by a collective of leading world scholars representing different cultures and traditions, the global policy convergence and counter-practices relating to the teacher education profession. The accent will be equally on teaching practice and practitioner knowledge, skills and understanding as well as current research, models and approaches to teacher education. [Book Synopsis
Linking ecosystem condition and landscape context in the conservation of ecosystem multifunctionality
No full textNature reserves are often implemented to restore the condition of habitats, protect populations of harvested species and to protect, as well as enhance, ecological functions. It is, however, not clear whether and how the spatial context of reserves influences their capacity to promote this ecosystem multifunctionality. We measured how the spatial context of no-take marine reserves and the condition of ecosystems combine to structure animal assemblages and modify rates of two key ecological functions (herbivory, carrion scavenging) in mangrove forests in the Moreton Bay Marine Park, Queensland, Australia. Fish diversity and the abundance of harvested fish species were highest inside reserves, and in mangrove forests nearer to the open ocean and moderate-sized seagrass meadows, and far from coral reefs. The rates of both ecological functions were, however, not elevated inside reserves. The highest rates of carrion scavenging occurred in mangrove forests that were open to fishing, far from the open ocean, and near both large seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Herbivory was highest in mangrove forests that were close to both large seagrass meadows and coral reefs, and with abundant pneumatophores and low mangrove tree canopy cover. We therefore found positive effects of reserves on animal assemblages, but not on ecological functions, and show that ecosystem multifunctionality is not always tightly linked with biodiversity. The results of this study highlight the importance of quantitative conservation goals, and in integrating data on both the ecological condition and spatial context of ecosystems when prioritizing conservation to maximise both biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality
Encouraging young adults with a disability to be independent in their journey to work: A segmentation and application of Theory of Planned Behaviour approach
No full textThis study investigates how young adults with disabilities can be encouraged to be independent in their travel to work and thus, transition more smoothly into the workforce. Using cluster analysis, we identify three segment groups of young adults with physical disabilities. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is then applied to examine differences and identify strategies that could provide assistance and support to these groups of workers in their travel to work. This study is the first to segment this group of workers and identify strategies to mitigate the often-unique challenges they face in their physical journey to work
Children’s Experiences of Disaster: A Case Study from Lombok, Indonesia
No full textThis book explores policy, legal, and practice implications regarding the emerging field of disaster justice, using case studies of floods, bushfires, heatwaves, and earthquakes in Australia and Southern and South-east Asia. It reveals geographic locational and social disadvantage and structural inequities that lead to increased risk and vulnerability to disaster, and which impact ability to recover post-disaster. Written by multidisciplinary disaster researchers, the book addresses all stages of the disaster management cycle, demonstrating or recommending just approaches to preparation, response and recovery. It notably reveals how procedural, distributional and interactional aspects of justice enhance resilience, and offers a cutting edge analysis of disaster justice for managers, policy makers, researchers in justice, climate change or emergency management. [Book Synopsos