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Complete articles, Transnational Literature May 2018
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3D Mapping of the Submerged Crowie Barge Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Get PDFCopyright © 2018 Kleanthis Simyrdanis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.This study explores the applicability and effectiveness of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) as a tool for the high-resolution mapping of submerged and buried shipwrecks in 3D. This approach was trialled through modelling and field studies of Crowie, a paddle steamer barge which sunk at anchor in the Murray River at Morgan, South Australia, in the late 1950s. The mainly metallic structure of the ship is easily recognisable in the ERT data and was mapped in 3D both subaqueously and beneath the sediment-water interface. The innovative and successful use of ERT in this case study demonstrates that 3D ERT can be used for the detailed mapping of submerged cultural material. It will be particularly useful where other geophysical and diver based mapping techniques may be inappropriate due to shallow water depths, poor visibility, or other constraints
Changes in physiotherapy students’ knowledge and perceptions of EBP from first year to graduation: a mixed methods study
Get PDF© The Author(s). 2018 This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Abstract
Background
Dedicated Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) courses are often included in health professional education programs. It is important to understand the effectiveness of this training. This study investigated EBP outcomes in entry-level physiotherapy students from baseline to completion of all EBP training (graduation).
Methods
Mixed methods with an explanatory sequential design. Physiotherapy students completed two psychometrically–tested health professional EBP instruments at baseline and graduation. The Evidence-Based Practice Profile questionnaire collected self-reported data (Terminology, Confidence, Practice, Relevance, Sympathy), and the Knowledge of Research Evidence Competencies instrument collected objective data (Actual Knowledge). Focus groups with students were conducted at graduation to gain a deeper understanding of the factors impacting changes in students’ EBP knowledge, attitudes, behaviour and competency. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, 95% CI and effect sizes (ES) were used to examine changes in outcome scores from baseline to graduation. Transcribed focus group data were analysed following a qualitative descriptive approach with thematic analysis. A second stage of merged data analysis for mixed methods studies was undertaken using side-by-side comparisons to explore quantitatively assessed EBP measures with participants’ personal perceptions.
Results
Data were analysed from 56 participants who completed both instruments at baseline and graduation, and from 21 focus group participants. Large ES were reported across most outcomes: Relevance (ES 2.29, p ≤ 0.001), Practice (1.8, p ≤ 0.001), Confidence (1.67, p ≤ 0.001), Terminology (3.13, p ≤ 0.001) and Actual Knowledge (4.3, p ≤ 0.001). A medium ES was found for Sympathy (0.49, p = 0.008). Qualitative and quantitative findings mostly aligned but for statistical terminology, participants’ self-reported understanding was disparate with focus group reported experiences. Qualitative findings highlighted the importance of providing relevant context and positive role models for students during EBP training.
Conclusions
Following EBP training across an entry-level physiotherapy program, there were qualitative and significant quantitative changes in participants’ knowledge and perceptions of EBP. The qualitative and quantitative findings were mainly well-aligned with the exception of the Terminology domain, where the qualitative findings did not support the strength of the effect reported quantitatively. The findings of this study have implications for the timing and content of EBP curricula in entry-level health professional programs
Validation testing of a short food‐group‐based questionnaire to assess dietary risk in preschoolers aged 3–5 years
Get PDFThis article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving'. Copyright (2018) Dietitians Association of Australia. All rights reserved.
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (February 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policy.Background: Short questionnaire-style dietary assessment methods are useful for monitoring
compliance with dietary guidelines. A reliable and valid short food-based questionnaire for assessing
dietary risk in toddlers aged 1-3 years was recently adapted for use in pre-schoolers. This study aimed
to determine the reliability and validity of this 19-item Preschooler Dietary Questionnaire (PDQ) that
assesses dietary risk of 3-5 year-olds.
Methods: Primary caregivers of preschoolers completed a two-stage online survey: 1) a demographic
questionnaire and the PDQ; 2) a second PDQ and a validated 54-item semi-quantitative food frequency
questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary risk scores (0-100; higher score=higher risk) derived from the two PDQ
administrations (2.1±1.0 weeks apart) were compared and average scores assessed against the FFQ.
Cross-classification into dietary risk categories (low, 0-24; moderate, 25-49; high, 50-74; very high, 75-
100) was determined. The relationship of dietary risk scores with BMI z-score was assessed using
standard linear regression.
Results: Preschoolers’ (n=74) risk scores were highly correlated yet statistically different for reliability
(ICC=0.87; mean bias 1.51, 95% CI 0.07, 2.95, p=0.040) and validity (r=0.85; mean bias -1.64, 95%
CI -2.86, -0.43, p=0.009). There was no systematic bias between the two tools. All participants were
classified into the same (80%) or adjacent (20%) category upon administration of each tool. Risk scores
were not associated with BMIz scores (β -0.09, 95%CI -0.02,-0.04, p=0.512).
Conclusion: The PDQ is a novel and useful screening instrument to rapidly identify preschooler
dietary, but not obesity, risk. The tool could facilitate referral to appropriate health professionals for
detailed assessment and intervention
A smartphone-based point-of-care quantitative urinalysis device for chronic kidney disease patients
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (April 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyThis paper presents the design and development of a smartphone-based urinalysis device that has the ability for chronic
kidney disease (CKD) patients themselves to conduct rapid and reliable quantitative urinalysis of human serum albumin
(HSA) using an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nanomaterial bioprobe with their own smartphones. The focus of
this paper is a novel solution to the device agnosticism issue as a wide diversity of smartphones co-exist in the market. The
solution comprises: a) custom-design and fabrication of an imaging housing that provides a consistent imaging condition
regardless of the physical dimensions and the camera position of the smartphone used, b) orchestration of an image
processing and analysis process that produces consistent image colour intensity values regardless of the camera sensor
and imaging software used by the smartphone, and c) special design and development of an intuitive cross-platform
mobile application that is scalable to growth, adaptable to changes, resilient to loss of data, and has an extremely
low requirement for smartphone hardware. Preliminary evaluation of the device has confirmed the effectiveness of the
proposed solution and the viability of such a smartphone-based device for people who have already developed or are
prone to CKD to regularly perform point-of-care (POC) urine testing in order to self monitor their own health conditions
without the burden of frequent visits to their doctors
The role of pre-sleep cognitions in adolescent sleep-onset problems
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier BV. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (March 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policy.Study Objectives: To examine the relationship between pre-sleep cognitions and
sleep-onset difficulties in an adolescent sample.
Methods: Participants were 385 students (59% male) from grades 9 to 11, between 13
and 18 yrs old (M=15.6, SD=1.0), from 8 co-educational high schools of varied socioeconomic
status in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. The cross-sectional study
used a questionnaire battery including the Sleep Anticipatory Anxiety Questionnaire -
Adolescent Version [SAAQ-A], completed during school time, followed by 8 days of
sleep diary completion and wearing wrist actigraphy to obtain subjective and
objective sleep onset latency [SOL].
Results: Significant relationships were found between somatic arousal (SAAQ-A
subscale) and objective SOL, and between sleep-related cognitions (SAAQ-A
subscale) and subjective SOL and SOL overestimation (sleep misperception). No
relationships were found between subjective SOL and somatic or rehearsal and
planning cognitions. Objective SOL was not related to rehearsal and planning, or
sleep-related cognition scores, and sleep misperception had no relationship with
somatic, and rehearsal and planning cognition scores.
Conclusions: These findings are similar to those in clinical adult populations, but also
notably different, for example the lack of association between negative sleep-related
pre-sleep cognitions and objective sleep difficulty. This study’s results provide a basis
for existing relationships between negative pre-sleep cognitions and subjective and
objective sleep difficulties in this population to be examined causally in more detail
Commonly available activity tracker apps and wearables as a mental health outcome indicator: A prospective observational cohort study among young adults with psychological distress
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier BV. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (April 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policy.Background: Monitoring is integral to adequately recognise and track mental health
indicators of symptoms and functioning. Early identification of warning signs from
digital footprints could facilitate adaptive and dynamic just in-time monitoring and
care for individuals with common mental disorders. Methods: Self-report data on
mental health and lifestyle behaviour from 120 male and female Australian young
adults experiencing psychological distress were collected online. API software was
used to download participant‟s daily activity duration measurements over eight
months from linked commercial activity tracker apps and wearables in real time. An
independent samples t-test was conducted to compare the differences in daily
durations of recorded physical activity between wearable devises and smartphone
apps. Entropy techniques using R interpol package were used to analyse volatility in
daily activity duration. Results: DASS-21 depression, stress and anxiety sub-scale
scores indicated the study sample on average, had a moderate level of psychological
distress. Daily activity duration was significantly greater from wearable devices when
compared with smartphone apps (t-test = 25.4, p<0.001). Entropy indices were not
related with any of the DASS-21 measures. However, significant correlation between DASS-21 anxiety subscale scores and entropy of those with over 45 days
measurements (r = 0.58, p = 0.02) was observed. Limitations: The observational
nature of this study prohibits causal inference. As a convenience sample was used, the
results may lack generalisability to the wider population. Conclusions: Continuous
monitoring using commercial apps and wearables as a resource to help clinicians
augment clinical care for common mental disorders appears viable
Biomechanical changes and recovery of gait function after total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (February 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyObjective
To determine the change in walking gait biomechanics after total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis (OA) compared to the pre-operative gait status, and to compare the recovery of gait following THA with healthy individuals.
Methods
Systematic review with meta-analysis of studies investigating changes in gait biomechanics after THA compared to (1) preoperative levels and (2) healthy individuals. Data were pooled at commonly reported time points and standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated in meta-analyses for spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic parameters.
Results
Seventy-four studies with a total of 2,477 patients were included. At 6 weeks postoperative, increases were evident for walking speed (SMD: 0.32, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.14, 0.50), stride length (SMD: 0.40, 95% CI 0.19, 0.61), step length (SMD: 0.41, 95% CI 0.23, 0.59), and transverse plane hip range of motion (ROM) (SMD: 0.36, 95% CI 0.05, 0.67) compared to pre-operative gait. Sagittal, coronal and transverse hip ROM was significantly increased at 3 months (SMDs: 0.50 to 1.07). At 12 months postoperative, patients demonstrated deficits compared with healthy individuals for walking speed (SMD: −0.59, 95% CI −1.08 to −0.11), stride length (SMD: −1.27, 95% CI -1.63, −0.91), single limb support time (SMD: −0.82, 95% CI −1.23, −0.41) and sagittal plane hip ROM (SMD: −1.16, 95% CI −1.83, −0.49). Risk of bias scores ranged from seven to 24 out of 26.
Conclusions
Following THA for OA, early improvements were demonstrated for spatiotemporal and kinematic gait patterns compared to the pre-operative levels. Deficits were still observed in THA patients compared to healthy individuals at 12 months
Improving cardiovascular health and quality of life in people with severe mental illness: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Get PDFThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Background
The estimated 300,000 adults in Australia with severe mental illness (SMI) have markedly reduced life expectancy compared to the general population, mainly due to physical health comorbidities. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the commonest cause of early death and people with SMI have high rates of most modifiable risk factors, with associated quality of life (QoL) reduction. High blood pressure, smoking, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and obesity are major modifiable CVD risk factors. Poor delivery of recommended monitoring and risk reduction is a national and international problem. Therefore, effective preventive interventions to safeguard and support physical health are urgently needed in this population.
Methods
This trial used a rigorous process, including extensive piloting, to develop an intervention that delivers recommended physical health care to reduce CVD risk and improve QoL for people with SMI. Components of this intervention are integrated using the Flinders Program of chronic condition management (CCM) which is a comprehensive psychosocial care planning approach that places the patient at the centre of their care, and focuses on building their self-management capacity within a collaborative approach, therefore providing a recovery-oriented framework. The primary project aim is to evaluate the effectiveness and health economics of the CCM intervention. The main outcome measures examine CVD risk and quality of life. The second aim is to identify essential components, enablers and barriers at patient, clinical and organisational levels for national, sustained implementation of recommended physical health care delivery to people with SMI. Participants will be recruited from a community-based public psychiatric service.
Discussion
This study constitutes the first large-scale trial, worldwide, using the Flinders Program with this population. By combining a standardised yet flexible motivational process with a targeted set of evidence-based interventions, the chief aim is to reduce CVD risk by 20%. If achieved, this will be a ground-breaking outcome, and the program will be subsequently translated nationwide and abroad. The trial will be of great interest to people with mental illness, family carers, mental health services, governments and primary care providers because the Flinders Program can be delivered in diverse settings by any clinical discipline and supervised peers.The study is funded by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council project grant. Project ID: APP1121334