38139 research outputs found
Sort by
First nation voices matter! Multi-level community consultations determine the design elements of a modified sport programme to promote healthy ageing in First Nation men
Get PDFPublic health faces the global impact of rising physical inactivity on health and quality of life. The link between physical activity and health is well recognized, however the effectiveness of health promoting physical activity and sport programmes in First Nation populations is unclear. Study objective: to identify appropriate programmes, design elements and potential participation barriers and enablers: aim to design a sport programme for Sunshine Coast dwelling First Nation Australian men. Qualitative data were collected from two participant groups of First Nation Australian men ≥ 18 years (n = 23) and analysed using descriptive summary and content analysis. Multi-level community consultation identified perceived enablers and barriers to participation and sport programme elements. The significant finding was the emergence of the sport programme design through First Nation voices, over multiple levels of community consultation, that facilitated the progression of the research project from stage two to stage three (sport programme implementation)
Hydrophobic silicone modified membranes for efficient oil/water separation: Synthesis, fabrication and application
No full textOil leakage and discharge of organic wastewater have not only threatened the ecosystem, but also greatly aggravated water scarcity. Efficient separation of oil-water mixture has become a global challenge. To solve this issue, various hydrophobic membranes with special wettability have been developed in past decades. Among them, the hydrophobic silicone-modified membranes have attracted much attention due to their low cost, easy processing and large-scale production. Herein, recent progresses of hydrophobic silicone-modified membranes for oil-water separation are reviewed. Basic mechanisms and principles for efficient oil-water separation are presented as a starting point for the discussion. Then, according to the modified silicone polymers or molecules, we give a detail description of their synthesis and briefly introduce the main reactions with the substrate, the typical grafting strategy and fabricating methods. Subsequently, the performance and oil-water application of various hydrophobic membranes modified silicone are introduced. Finally, some problems and challenges faced by silicone modification are summarized and present, and their future development is also prospected
Are train horns improving road safety? Road users’ perspective
Get PDFTrain horns are used as a control at railway level crossing for safety. Despite their wide use, limited information exists on their actual safety benefits. This study used focus groups with road users to understand their perceptions of the usefulness of train horns. This study showed that the message heard by road users is very simple and contrasts with the amount of information train drivers want to convey. The perceived benefits of the train horn were: (i) an additional layer of protection at active crossings; (ii) an important safety feature at rural/passive crossings; (iii) an increased safety benefit for vulnerable road users; and (iv) a greater safety benefit at night. The disadvantages of the use of train horns were perceived as outweighed by the safety benefits. This study highlights that reducing train horns, if safe to do so, could face resistance from road users and the rail industry
Enablers and constraints to teacher educator wellbeing amidst institutional accountability cultures: a PERMA perspective
Get PDFThe work of contemporary teacher educators in university contexts is under increasing political and public scrutiny as the focus on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) reform intensifies. Consequently, there are growing concerns for teacher educators’ wellbeing amidst escalating expectations and pressures. While research has explored the wellbeing of university academics more generally, less is understood about teacher educators more specifically. This paper aims to deepen understanding of the perceived enablers and constraints influencing how teacher educators experience wellbeing within their everyday work as academics in higher education contexts. Using metalogue as method, nine teacher educators from two Australian universities collectively reflected on their wellbeing during an online focus group session guided by an arts-based activity. Framed by the key constructs of the PERMA wellbeing framework, the ensuing metalogue was analysed thematically. Findings highlighted the particular importance they place on feeling a sense of value, purpose, and meaning in their work as educators for their wellbeing. Findings further showed how the impact of current external reform-driven accountabilities on their work and that of educators in the profession more broadly constrain their wellbeing. These findings have implications for institutional leaders and teacher educators in Australia and internationally where academics are experiencing performative cultures
Price optimization for manufacturers in a competitive retail market: imported products and online crowdfunding option
Get PDFThis study explores how manufacturers in the competitive supply chain can set prices and secure funding effectively. We use game theory to look at how competition between domestic and foreign manufacturers affects pricing decisions. Our research investigates how a domestic manufacturer can improve its market share by addressing financial challenges through modern financing methods. In this scenario, a domestic manufacturer competes with a foreign one to attract a retailer’s market share and profits. The retailer decides what products to buy and how to price them based on bid prices and demand. We also consider that the domestic manufacturer will use online crowdfunding platforms to tackle its financial problem. Hence, our study sets up a supply chain where competition revolves around both operational and financial decisions. Mathematical models are developed to analyze how costs, finances, market potential, and price sensitivity impact various parts of the supply chain. The results reveal that decisions made on the crowdfunding platform significantly influence other supply chain decisions. Manufacturers and retailers need to pay attention to the financial decisions made on this platform to maximize profits. Also, domestic and foreign manufacturers should consider customer preferences for their products when setting prices. Finally, the results demonstrate that a domestic manufacturer can gain a competitive edge in the retail market by carefully considering both product pricing and financial decisions, including those made on the lending platform. © 2024, The Author(s)
Radiative Heat Transfer Measurements of Titan Atmospheric Entry in a Shock Tube
No full textMeasurements were performed in the T6 Stalker facility operating in Aluminum Shock Tube mode for conditions
relevant to Titan entry. Spatially and spectrally resolved radiation emitted from a high-temperature test gas behind a
normal shock was recorded by means of emission spectroscopy. For Titan atmospheric entry, the main radiator of
interest is cyano radical, formed in the nonequilibrium region behind the shock. The tests reported in this work
measured radiation at velocities from 3.1 to 8.5 km/s and freestream pressures of 13, 20, and 133 Pa at a nominal
composition of 98% N2 and 2% CH4. These shock layer radiation experiments employed an optical emission
spectroscopy system on each side of the facility to allow two spectral regions to be measured simultaneously for
each test, covering the spectral range of 200–900 nm. The present work provides a new, comprehensive benchmark set
of data relevant to Titan entry studies
Perspectives on teacher standards in the mentoring process: Insights from mentors and early career teachers in an Australian context
No full textMentoring programmes are considered a core component of professional learning approaches for early career teachers (ECTs) as they commence in and progress through the first few years in the profession. Mentoring in the contemporary Australian context, however, is situated within a culture of high teacher standardisation, as is the case in numerous countries across the word. The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (“the Standards”), for example, are the measuring device against which full teacher registration of ECTs is awarded as well as being put forward as the framework that informs teacher goal setting and development. In such circumstances, lines between mentoring purposed for teacher growth and for accountability may be blurred, and mentoring may be delimited to teachers’ work privileged in the Standards. In this paper, we report on data collected and thematically analysed from semi-structured interviews with 15 mentors and 15 ECTs from eight independent schools across Queensland and New South Wales in Australia about the role of the Standards in their mentoring work. Findings demonstrated that these mentors and ECTs address the Standards during mentoring ranging from regulatory to developmental to cursory. These findings have implications for the development of mentoring programmes, in Australia and elsewhere, where mentoring occurs in neoliberal cultures of audit
Analyzing Air Passenger Flows between New Zealand's Small Regions and Australia - A Gravity Model
No full textDue to the geographic location of Australia and New Zealand, air transport is the dominant mode of travel between the two nations and to and from the rest of the world. While the trans-Tasman air passenger market between the two countries has grown over the last 20 years, direct air routes to Australian destinations from New Zealand’s regional cities of Dunedin, Hamilton and Palmerston North have seen a major decline and, in most cases, the complete closure of those routes. This study uses the two-stage least squares (2SLS) gravity model to investigate the determinants of air passenger numbers on eight sampled city-pair routes. Empirical results show that for these trans-Tasman markets, expanded seat capacity has a strong positive impact on air passenger numbers. A longer driving time to travel to the nearest alternative international airport, the 2008/09 GFC and the winter season in New Zealand are also associated with an increase in air passenger numbers. In contrast, the presence of full-service network carriers has a negative impact on air passenger numbers
Disparities in Global Authorship and Data Source in the Pediatric Blood and Cancer Journal 2011-2021: Realities and Strategies for Improvement
No full textBackground
Research expands knowledge and improves outcomes. Research is needed in all settings, but most often occurs in high-income countries (HIC) compared to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Publication in scientific peer-reviewed journals and authorship position are important for academic/clinical advancement. We explored the current state of global authorship and data source distribution for publications in the Pediatric Blood and Cancer (PBC) journal.
Procedure
LMIC-affiliated author inclusion and position in selected article categories of the PBC (2011–2021) were recorded. Articles with at least one LMIC-affiliated author (first-listed affiliation) and 5% of exclusively HIC-authored articles were verified. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.
Results
Of 4504 articles reviewed, 593 (13%) included at least one LMIC-affiliated author (517/593 [87%] as first author and 488/593 [82%]) as senior author. In a subset of articles with LMIC-sourced data, 148/675 (22%) included exclusively HIC authors. Within the LMIC-sourced data subset, 81/675 (12%) articles were mixed HIC/LMIC affiliation and 446/675 (66%) were exclusively LMIC-affiliated. The frequency of LMIC-affiliated authors as first or senior author within HIC/LMIC-affiliated collaborations was 31/81 (38%) and 9/81 (11%), respectively.
Conclusion
As more than 80% of children live in LMICs and the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer is increasingly engaged across LMICs, all researchers/clinicians must justly be given an opportunity to conduct, write, publish, and be recognized for their research. PBC is uniquely poised to promote equitable publishing practices and opportunities for professional recognition by drawing on emerging best practices for equitable authorship, including potentially restructuring authorship guidelines and requirements
Maritime Law Enforcement in the Era of Autonomous Ships: Use of Force and Safeguards
No full textThis chapter deals with the role of maritime autonomous vehicles (MAVs) in the context of law enforcement operations that may involve the use of force. In such a context, any deployment of MAVs must first adhere to the existing jurisdictional parameters under both UNCLOS and other international treaties that regulate this conduct. These jurisdictional limits concern what law enforcement powers may be exercised where, over what activities, and in relation to what vessels or which persons. Secondly, if the operation of MAVs for law enforcement purposes involves the use of force, legal requirements resulting from both the rules on the use of force and international human rights instruments must be observed. These rules vary, depending on the degree of autonomy of the MAV deployed, the specific location where a maritime law enforcement operation is carried out, and the way in which a MAV used for a law enforcement operation affects the persons on board the controlled vessels. While jurisprudence of different human rights courts and bodies provides some guidance for states in discerning when they must uphold international human rights obligations when operating at sea, this chapter argues that the pertinent standards cannot be considered fully settled, and the deployment of MAVs will require further refinement as to when states must either act or refrain from acting so as to protect international human rights