20000 research outputs found
Sort by
Man wolf man (book review)
No full textReview of: Man wolf man by L. K. Holt (Elwood: John Leonard Press, 2007), 78 pp., ISBN: 9780977578771
A brief introduction to the analysis and design of networked control systems
No full textNetworked Control has emerged in recent years as a new and exciting area in systems science. The topic has many potential applications in diverse areas ranging from control of microrobots to biological and economic systems. The supporting theory is very rich and combines aspects of control, signal processing, telecommunications and information theory. In this paper, we will give a brief overview of recent developments in Networked Control with an emphasis on our contributions. We also point to several open problems in this emerging area
Choice of NSSI methods and conflict in the home during adolescence do not predict the likelihood of NSSI continuation in adulthood
No full textResearch has previously found that interpersonal factors, motivation, familial and social support, and lower psychological distress were related to non-suicidal self-injury cessation. Additionally, little research has examined if higher conflict in the home relates to cessation or continuation and frequency of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. While a range of research has found that conflict in homes leads to negative outcomes for children, the role it plays in non-suicidal self-injury behaviours has been minimally examined. The present research aimed to investigate whether method of non-suicidal self-injury used during adolescence, e.g., cutting or hitting, predicted frequency, continuation, or cessation of non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. A further aim was to examine the role of conflict in the home during adolescence upon frequency, cessation, or continuation of non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. The 722 participants were Australians aged between 18 and 61 years. Multiple logistic regressions examined the relationships between method of non-suicidal self-injury and type of conflict in the home on non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation. It was found that no method significantly predicted non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation. As a result, researchers examined if the number of times non-suicidal self-injury is used impacted outcomes, it was found that higher usage of non-suicidal self-injury is predictive of continuation. Neither conflict between parents in adolescence, or between the parent and the adolescent significantly predicted non-suicidal self-injury continuation in adulthood. These results indicate that several external factors to those examined here may have a higher impact on non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation for these adolescents
Self-care practices and occupational stress in the field of youth work: a scoping review
No full textYouth workers play a critical role in the emotional support and development of disadvantaged children placed within the Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) system. Similar to other child welfare professionals, youth workers experience elevated rates of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and staff turnover. Self-care is purported as a protective factor against occupational stress; however, a stronger understanding of self-care efficacy for the youth worker population is needed. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) five step procedural framework and aimed to (1) explore available research on self-care practices within the youth work field, (2) assess the quality of this research, and (3) consolidate existing information, identify gaps in the literature, and provide direction for further research. A search of four electronic databases and six associated journals yielded 556 articles. After screening articles against the inclusion criteria, a total of 6 studies were included in the review, with a quality assessment performed on the selected articles. Results indicated significant negative correlations between youth worker self-care practices and occupational stress, vocational dissatisfaction, and trauma-related symptoms. Quality of agency support, perceived capability, and the accumulation of occupational stressors were found to influence self-care engagement. Methodological issues identified from the quality assessment raised validity concerns, with lack of studies also impacting generalisability of the results. Existing research on youth worker self-care is minimal, with further qualitative studies needed to examine factors and practices idiosyncratic to this population. A self-care measure validated within the youth worker population is of elevated importance
Current clinical management and research on medical nutrition therapy for gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia: is it too glucocentric?
No full textIntroduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes of varying severity, with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. GDM has been found to increase the risk of several adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes including large for gestational age (LGA) infants, caesarean birth and neonatal hypoglycaemia. The traditional approach to GDM management largely focuses on monitoring and treatment of maternal hyperglycaemia. Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) (1, 2) is the first line of treatment, with insulin commenced if MNT is not sufficient to achieve glycaemic targets. However, there are significant gaps in evidence regarding the optimal MNT for GDM. It is possible that other clinical non-glycaemic variables may contribute to variations in therapeutic and pregnancy outcomes. Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and excessive maternal weight gain may drive increasing insulin resistance and further exacerbate maternal hyperglycaemia. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to determine whether pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal weight gain explain variations in therapeutic (insulin therapy or MNT only) and neonatal outcomes (including caesarean delivery, early delivery, large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants and small-for-gestational-age infants) and therefore should be included in future research, clinical management and risk-based models of care in women with GDM. Five research questions were developed to achieve this overarching aim. Results are presented by research question below. Methods: Five studies were conducted. A national online cross-sectional survey of dietitians was conducted to explore current dietetic practice in the management of MNT, and whether weight gain advice and monitoring is provided. Four retrospective cohort study analyses were conducted using de-identified prospectively collected clinical data in the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital Diabetes Centre Database System (DCDS) (1992-2019). These studies investigated the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal weight gain, and therapeutic and neonatal outcomes in women with singleton pregnancies who were diagnosed with GDM. The Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society 1998 criteria were used to diagnose GDM in the first three cohort studies. This involved a two-step process with an initial screening 50-gram glucose challenge test, proceeding to a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) if 1-hour BGL ≥ 7.8 mmol/L. GDM was diagnosed using a 75-gram OGTT if a fasting blood glucose level (FBGL) was ≥ 5.5 mmol/L and/or 2-hour BGL was ≥ 8.0 mmol/L. The fourth study diagnosed GDM by universal screening in a one-step process using the World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria. Diagnostic criteria using a 75-gram OGTT are one or more abnormal value/s: ≥5.1 mmol/L fasting, ≥10.0 mmol/L at 1 hour, or ≥8.5 mmol/L at 2 hours. Results: Research question 1: What is current dietetic clinical practice for the nutritional management of GDM in Australia, and is weight management advice included? The survey of dietitians (n=152) found, similar to a survey conducted in 2009, that most dietitians provide nutrition education related to carbohydrate frequency, distribution, quantity, and glycaemic index (GI). However, recommendations regarding minimum daily carbohydrate amounts (40-220 grams) and the percentage of energy from carbohydrate were widely variable (30-65%). Encouragingly, there was an increase in provision of gestational weight gain advice to 59% [(n=61/103) in 2019 versus 40% reported in 2009 [(n=77/195); p30 years, family history of diabetes, pre-pregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) prior GDM, early diagnosis of GDM (<24 weeks gestation), fasting venous BGL ≥5.3 mmol/l, and HbA1c at GDM diagnosis ≥5.5% (≥37 mmol/mol). Requirement for insulin in addition to MNT could be estimated according to the number of predictors present where 85.7%-93.1% of women with 6-7 predictors required insulin compared to 9.3%-14.7% of women with 0-1 predictors. Pre-pregnancy BMI ≥30 kg/m2 was an independent predictor of insulin therapy and several adverse outcomes in this model. Research question 3: What impact do pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal weight gain before and after GDM diagnosis have on the likelihood of an infant being born SGA or LGA? The first cohort study analysis was of 1695 singleton pregnancies from women with GDM from 1994-2009. This analysis found that significant independent predictors of LGA infants were: weight gain before GDM treatment initiation, pre-pregnancy BMI, weight gain after GDM treatment initiation, and treatment type, but not HbA1c at GDM presentation or smoking. Significant predictors of SGA infants were: weight gain before and after GDM treatment initiation, but not pre-pregnancy BMI, HbA1c at GDM presentation, or smoking. Research question 4: Are excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) at first presentation with GDM, and continued excessive gestational weight gain (cEGWG) after commencing GDM management independently associated with increased risk of insulin therapy and the likelihood of LGA infant birthweight? The third cohort study of 3281 singleton GDM pregnancies (1992-2015) found that 776 women had excessive gestational weight gain (23.6%). This was defined as exceeding the upper limit of Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended maternal weight gain target ranges for the entire pregnancy at of GDM presentation ≥18.1kg (BMI ≤18.5kg/m2); ≥16.1kg (18.5-24.9kg/m2); ≥11.6kg (25.0-29.9kg/m2); ≥9.1kg (≥30.0kg/m2). Women with excessive gestational weight gain had higher mean oral glucose tolerance fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (27.7 ± 4.2 weeks gestation) after adjustment for confounders (5.2 mmol/L [95% confidence intervals (CI) 5.1-5.3] versus 5.0 mmol/L [95% CI 4.9-5.0], p<0.01) and increased initiation of insulin therapy (47.0% versus 33.6%, p<0.0001) with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.4 (95% CI 1.1-1.7, p<0.01). For each 2 kg increment of continued excessive gestational weight gain, there was a 1.3-fold increased use of insulin therapy [95% CI 1.1-1.5], p<0.001, an 8-unit increase in final daily insulin dosage [95% CI 5.4-11.0], p<0.0001, and a 1.4-fold increase in LGA [95% CI 1.2-1.7], p<0.0001. Excessive gestational weight gain independently increases OGTT FPG. Continued excessive gestational weight gain in GDM increases the risk of LGA infants and insulin requirements. Research question 5: Will the addition of weight management to GDM management result in improved maternal and neonatal outcomes? The fourth cohort study was an analysis in women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with GDM from 2016-2019. At the time of commencing GDM management, all women (n=1034) were provided with personalised weight targets (PWT) for the remainder of the pregnancy. These weight targets were personalised according to pre-pregnancy BMI, weeks’ gestation and weight already gained. Logistic regression analysis found that women who exceeded their PWT had significantly higher mean insulin doses (28.8 ± 21.5 units vs 22.7 ± 18.7, p=0.006) and a higher rate of LGA infants (19% versus 9.8%, p<0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.99 ([95% CI 1.25-3.15], p=0.004 than women who achieved their PWT. There was no difference in rates of SGA infants in those who achieved versus exceeded their PWT (5.3% versus 8.0%) (aOR 0.77 [95% CI 0.41-1.44], p=0.41). Those who gained below their PWT had lower rates of LGA infants compared to women who achieved their PWT (aOR 0.48 [95% CI 0.25-0.95], p=0.034), but concurrently had increased rates of SGA infants (aOR 1.9 [1.19-3.12], p=0.008). These findings suggest that weight management after gestational diabetes diagnosis appears to provide additional benefits to glucose-lowering treatment. Conclusions: As this body of research shows, pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal weight gain before and during GDM management independently contribute to insulin requirements and risk of LGA and SGA infants. Findings from this thesis suggest that MNT would benefit from a greater focus on individualisation of energy intakes to achieve maternal weight gain recommendations. The overall findings from this body of research show that pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal weight gain contribute to variations in therapeutic and neonatal outcomes and therefore should be included in future research, clinical management, and risk-based models of care in women with GDM
A comprehensive study on reliability performance of photovoltaic-battery-based microgrids under different energy management strategies
No full textAs the demand for power reliability keeps rising in modern society, the integration of energy storage systems into power networks increases at an unprecedented rate. Meanwhile, reliability analysis and enhancement of a power network attracts more and more attention. This paper explores the impact of four different energy management strategies (EMSs) on the reliability of microgrids, which play an important role in future distribution networks. The reliability performance is analysed on different levels, including converter interfaces and battery storage units on device level as well as power supply reliability on system level. The numerical analysis has shown that the employed EMS can remarkably affect the reliability indices of the system. The battery lifetime can be increased by more than 50% and annual energy loss can be reduced by up to 92%. Since the economic decision-making depends on the components lifetime and overall system performance, this paper provides deep insights for power engineers to properly design, plan and control future microgrids
A Cross-Sectional Study of Bitter-Taste Receptor Genotypes, Oral Health, and Markers of Oral Inflammation
No full text(1) Background: The aetiology of oral disease is multifactorial, involving genetic and environmental factors, including dietary ones. Bitter taste genetics may be related to oral health through dietary modulation or non-gustatory roles, including modulation of inflammation. Investigations of bitter taste and oral health associations to date have been restricted to specific polymorphisms, limited outcomes (caries), and age-groups (children), and links to inflammation remain to be elucidated. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study (n = 65) investigated the correlations between bitter taste genotypes, oral health outcomes, and oral inflammation markers. Oral examinations were conducted, including saliva testing with evaluation of flow rate, pH, and buffering and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 levels. DNA was collected via buccal swabs and used to evaluate the presence of multiple bitter-taste receptor gene polymorphisms. (3) Results: The major allele for TAS2R4-rs2233998, TAS2R5-rs2227264, TAS2R50-rs1376251, and TAS2R9-rs3741845 was associated with a higher mean of unstimulated salivary flow rate, FRAP, TNF-α, IL-1β, and likelihood of filled teeth. Presence of the major allele for TAS2R4-rs2234001 and TAS2R9-rs3741845 was associated with lower means FRAP, TNF-α, IL-1β, DMFT index, and likelihood of missing teeth. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest relationships between bitter-taste genotypes, oral health outcomes, and inflammatory markers. These findings justify the need for further studies that could help identify risk groups and develop novel agents for maintaining oral health
Large area used by squirrel gliders in an urban area, uncovered using GPS telemetry
No full textThe squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) is a threatened, gliding marsupial that persists in fragmented landscapes despite its restricted capacity to cross large gaps. As measures to maintain and/or restore suitable habitat depend on knowledge about the species' ecological requirements, we investigated the area used by squirrel gliders in an urban area near Newcastle, Australia. Using GPS telemetry data and the autocorrelated kernel density estimator, we estimated area used to average 10.8 ha and varied from 4.6 to 15 ha, which is equal to or greater than found in previous studies that spanned longer time periods. This has implications when identifying the minimum patch size necessary for ensuring the long-term conservation of a squirrel glider population
An assessment of a dental education program for young Aboriginal children in Australia
No full textYoung Aboriginal children have a high prevalence of Early Childhood Caries which may cause pain, facial swelling and difficulty with eating and sleeping. Although Early Childhood Caries is preventable, current approaches have not been successful in reducing the caries prevalence among this priority population. The main reasons for this relate to a shortage of dental facilities and staff in rural and remote locations, children not receiving preventive care in a timely manner and a lack of culturally appropriate services. To contribute to the prevention of dental caries in Aboriginal children, The University of Newcastle and The University of Sydney implemented a dental education program, ‘Smiles not Tears’. The program is unique as it utilises Aboriginal Health Workers and does not rely on dental facilities or dental personnel. Aboriginal Health Workers have an important role in providing healthcare for Indigenous people. Their role covers an array of health services, prevention and screening in a culturally appropriate environment. However, dental screening and preventive dental advice is excluded. To include dental screening and preventive dental advice in the Aboriginal Health Workers role, the Smiles not Tears dental education program was developed and implemented in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in New South Wales, Australia. Through the program Aboriginal Health Workers are trained to offer fluoride toothpaste and toothbrushes, teach families about dental health, and screen children’s teeth for dental caries. The program was assessed using both quantitative and qualitative methodology to record caries prevalence, feasibility and cultural appropriateness. After analysing the results of the training program, dental examinations and end of study interviews it was clear that the Smiles not Tears program provided considerable benefits. Aboriginal Health Workers had improved knowledge and confidence in delivering oral health messages to families and learnt how to screen teeth for dental caries at its earliest stage. Young Aboriginal children had a significant reduction in dental caries, with most children in the program having healthy teeth and the program was considered culturally appropriate