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Mechanism of Vaccine-Induced Protection Against Helicobacter pylori
No full textHelicobacter pylori infection is experienced by half the global population. The immune response to H. pylori infection does not confer immunity but instead leads to a chronic inflammatory state, which usually enables the persistence of the pathogen and eventual disease manifestations such as ulcer and gastric cancer - the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Current treatments involve the use of multiple antibiotics which is effective to treat gastritis and peptic ulcer, but unable to treat gastric cancer. Further, antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem. Given the global impact, and disease burden, there is a need for vaccine development against H. pylori. Previous vaccination studies have shown the association of gastric inflammation and role of key immune cells, cytokines, hormones and antimicrobial peptides in mediating effective vaccination against H. pylori. This study sought to investigate the roles and the relationships between key mediators, and to identify novel mediators of vaccine-induced protection. To further our understanding of the mechanisms of vaccine-induced protection against H. pylori a combination of traditional in vitro and in vivo models, and organoid culture systems were employed. In chapter 3 of this study human gastric cancer cell lines and mouse model of infection were used to investigate the role of the gastric hormone-serotonin in the local immune response to H. pylori, and the expression pattern of serotonin receptors in the acute and chronic infection states. In chapter 4 mouse and human gastric organoid cultures in air-liquid-interface medium were established and characterised for the expression of key gastric markers and their use for studying the effect of cytokines and hormones in the gastric mucosa. Chapter 5 of this study involved the characterisation of gastric infiltrates in the stomach of vaccinated mice and a more detailed examination of the expression of serotonin and leptin receptors on key immune cell populations. In chapter 6 RNA sequencing was employed to determine expression patterns in key immune populations in vaccinated mice, to characterise the protective signatures and gain insights into how vaccination programs these cells. The findings of this study further revealed insights into the roles of gastric hormones, their receptors and other immune cells participating in vaccine-induced protection against H. pylori. Chapter 3 revealed that serotonin participates in H. pylori-induced inflammation by signalling 2 through its receptors and that different receptors participate in the acute, and chronic inflammatory states. Chapter 4 of this study showed that mouse gastric epithelial organoids are polarised and can be differentiated to express the cell types of the stomach lineage and can be used to investigate the role of cytokines and hormones on H. pylori colonization in the stomach. Using this model, IL-17A was discovered to have exerted an anti-bacterial effect on H. pylori, while leptin did not. In chapter 5 levels of CD4+ T cells at the systemic level were found not to affect vaccine-induced protection, confirming previous observations that the local response is required. A significant subpopulation of leptin receptor-positive CD4+ T cells are induced in vaccination against H. pylori in the gastric mucosa, while the expression of HTR1A on CD4+ T cells was unaffected by vaccination. This observation was confirmed by RNAseq analysis in the chapter 6 of this study. Additionally, RNAseq study revealed that both CD4 and CD8+ T cells play significant role in vaccination by expressing the important cytokines, hormones, and receptors that participate significantly in effective vaccination against H. pylori. The study also reveals that novel cytokines and hormones that are likely to participate in vaccine-induced protection. As a result of this work, it can be concluded that vaccination against H. pylori induces a characteristic protective ‘signature’ that involves the activation of T cells, increased levels of IL-17, gastric hormones and defensins. Serotonin participates in inflammation at both the acute and chronic infection stages, and may play a role in both epithelial and cellular immune responses. Leptin was not able to induce bacterial killing in the gastric epithelial model, however a leptin receptor-positive subpopulation of CD4+ T cells play vital roles in vaccination against H. pylori, implying that leptin receptor signalling acts on immune cell populations. The air-liquid interface organoid culture model is a viable option for future studies evaluating the effect of cytokines and hormones on H. pylori, including IL-17A, IL-17C and their receptors. It is also recommended that, in addition to CD4+ T cells, future vaccination studies should also focus on the role of CD8+ T cells in protective immunity.</p
Defence Lawyers’ Engagement with Procedural Justice: Emerging Practice from the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria
No full textInternational movements to establish more humane criminal justice systems have significantly changed court actors’ roles and court practices globally, including in Australia, most notably due to the advent of solution-focused practices (SFP) and solution-focused courts (SFCs). The Australian State of Victoria first adopted SFP almost three decades ago, and continues to expand the development of SFCs as dedicated places for the facilitation of SFP. SFP use non-traditional roles for court actors, and non-adversarial practices and processes, aiming to provide vulnerable defendants with a more humane environment in which to address the underlying causes of individuals’ chronic involvement in the criminal justice system. SFP have expanded the role of judicial officers, who are guided to focus on enhancing their interactions with defendants. Both procedural justice (PJ) and the ethic of care inform social relationships, and are important for judicial conduct and lawyers’ practice, especially in the context of SFP. PJ is regarded as the foundation on which judicial officers can foster better engagement with court users, thereby improving court users’ experiences, leading to greater satisfaction with court processes and compliance with court decisions. The ethic of care offers a moral decision-making approach based on concern for maintaining harmonious relationships, and shielding the vulnerable from harm. SFC studies have predominantly focused on the judicial officer’s role, leaving lawyers’ role in contributing to the court’s SFP under-investigated. In their daily interactions with court users, defence lawyers are well-placed to contribute to more humane court experiences for defendants. This thesis reports the findings of qualitative research exploring the PJ practices of 16 defence lawyers with experience working in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (MCV). The lawyers’ perceptions provide insights into their appreciation of court users experiencing the PJ elements of voice, respect and dignity. The ethic of care also emerged as significant to the participants’ practice and provides understanding of lawyers’ ethical values and orientation towards engaged ways of relating to court users. The outcomes of this study enable recommendations to be made about education for lawyers and magistrates, and to benefit criminal justice systems in Australia and internationally.</p
The emergence, stabilization, and destabilization of resources: Gated reverb and the sound of the 80s
No full textB2B marketing scholarship has begun to question the traditional perspective of resources as stable entities that are ‘out there’ for firms to be acquired, transformed, or leveraged to create value. It has instead begun to adopt a more processual perspective emphasizing resources as situational phenomena that come into existence through their use and may also fade away again. While such a process-relational perspective holds great promise to advance B2B resource thinking, it is still nascent, being marked by lingering conceptual inconsistencies and a relative lack of empirical research. Against this backdrop, our study explores the process of resource emergence, stabilization and destabilization, by drawing on the revelatory case study of the “gated reverb drum sound”, popularly known as “the sound of the 80s”. Using archival and primary data, we develop a process model that shows how resources emerge, gain traction and decline over time by moving through four phases: discovering, prototyping, commodifying, and overusing. We illuminate the material-discursive practices making up these phases, and the resource characteristics they enact at different points in time. Our findings provide a new way of thinking about the lifecycle of resources, and the involvement of humans and non-humans in this process, with significant implications for theory and practice.</p
Developing iHVI toolkit for Sunshine Coast and Noosa
No full textThis Project involves replicating the exiting Index of Heat Vulnerability toolkit, originally developed by RMIT GISail Research Team, for use in the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Noosa Council study areas.The iGEE web tool is a cloud-based open-source SaaS application to retrieve and attribute land surface temperature and landcover parameters.This platform specializes in environmental assessments for the Noosa, offering advanced geospatial insights to support urban planning, environmental management, and climate adaptation initiatives.</p
Myriad Reflector IV
No full textBackground Theories informing this project: How images are circulated through electronic, printed and painted media (Joselit); how the making methods are traced in the final painting (Graw); whether images have agency (Mitchell); the ‘quality’/accessibility of the image – how images are “compressed, reproduced, ripped, remixed... copied and pasted into other channels of distribution.” (Steyerl). According to various online sources ‘mirror balls’ have their genesis in an 1897 party for union workers in the USA electrical industry. They have also been known as glitter balls & disco balls. A 1917 patented version was called a Myriad Reflector. The largest was made in response to a challenge from musician Nile Rodgers for a 2014 Chic concert. Mirror balls might be described as ubiquitous – does this make them a valid subject for painting? Contribution The project rotates around two key questions: What place does painting hold in the contemporary ubiquity of images? How does a capricious selection of images relate to the hierarchies of painting as a medium? By using a deliberately capricious approach to selecting images, this project investigates how visual connections can be accidentally discovered. The project explores the impact of unpredictability on creative processes and outputs in relation to capricious image selection, means of production and competitive hierarchies. In this case a mirror ball emerged as an image. Significance There were over 600 entries to the prize. 40 works were shortlisted for exhibition. The judges: Melissa Keys, Senior Curator, Heide Museum of Modern Art; Dr. Vincent Alessi, CEO Linden New Art; Joanna Bosse, Curator, Bayside Gallery. The work was subsequently awarded the prize, of which $9000 went through RMIT as research income. There were several interviews & articles in online industry press outlets + a well-attended artist talk. Visitor numbers were high.</p
I find it reassuring when Google misrecognises us
No full text‘This Hideous Insert’ publication was produced during and in response to the ‘This Hideous Replica’ exhibition at RMIT Gallery 23 Aug 2024 - 16 Oct 2024. Melody Ellis was invited to curate a group of writers to join her in residence at RMIT Gallery where each writer wrote with and alongside the artworks in the exhibition. The collective of writers named cheerleading is without spirit (an anagram of writing this Hideous Replica) included Melody Ellis, Aaron Billings, Zara Gudnason, Jenny Hedley, Timothy Loveday, Benedicte O’Leary-Rutherford, Susan-Elin Solimani and Beau Windon. I find it reassuring when Google misrecognises us was written in response to the themes of the exhibition which ‘adopted monstrous replication as a tactic, condition and curatorial framework for exploring algorithmic culture, simultaneously alienating, seductive and out-of-control’ (Stern and Dockray, 2024). I find it reassuring when Google misrecognises us is a creative-critical fragmented essay about digital doppelgangers and navigating an increasingly digitised world.</p
Police Perceptions of Using Alternative and Anonymous Reports of Sexual Assault to Improve Responses to Sexual Offending
No full textThis article examines the potential of alternative reporting options for policing responses to sexual assault drawing on interviews and roundtables with specialist police officers in Australia (n = 22). Alternative reporting options in this study were defined as written interview protocols that can be submitted by victim-survivors to police anonymously. We found that alternative reporting options can assist police with intelligence gathering and proactive policing and help prevent delayed reporting. However, police also identified several limitations of alternative reporting options for policing responses to sexual assault, including the challenges for police in safeguarding victim-survivors’ anonymity in particular situations, the limits of policing systems in effectively capturing and utilising intelligence contained in reports, and the potential legal implications if victim-survivors later wish to make a formal statement and proceed with an investigation. We conclude by discussing the implications for policing of sexual assault and making recommendations as to the investments policing agencies should make to maximise the potential of alternative reports.</p
A Compact Fluorescence System for Tumor Detection: Performance and Integration Potential
No full textFluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) is an innovative technique for accurately localizing tumors during surgery, particularly valuable in brain tumor detection. FGS uses advanced spectral and imaging tools to provide precise, quantitative fluorescence measurements that enhance surgical accuracy. However, the current challenge with these advanced tools lies in their lack of miniaturization, which limits their practicality in complex surgical environments. In this study, we present a miniaturized fluorescence detection system, developed using state-of-the-art CMOS color sensors, to overcome this challenge and improve brain tumor localization. Our 3.1 × 3 mm multispectral sensor platform measures fluorescence intensity ratios at 635 nm and 514 nm, producing a high-resolution fluorescence distribution map for a 16 mm × 16 mm area. This device shows a high correlation (R2 > 0.98) with standard benchtop spectrometers, confirming its accuracy for real-time, on-chip fluorescence detection. With its compact size, our system has strong potential for integration with existing handheld surgical tools, aiming to improve outcomes in tumor resection and enhance intraoperative tumor visualization.</p
Nitrogen-Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond – Optoelectronic Biointerface for Wireless Neuronal Stimulation
No full textThis study presents a semiconducting optoelectronic system for light-controlled non-genetic neuronal stimulation using visible light. The system architecture is entirely wireless, comprising a thin film of nitrogen-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond directly grown on a semiconducting silicon substrate. When immersed in a physiological medium and subjected to pulsed illumination in the visible (595 nm) or near-infrared wavelength (808 nm) range, charge accumulation at the device-medium interface induces a transient ionic displacement current capable of electrically stimulating neurons with high temporal resolution. With a measured photoresponsivity of 7.5 mA W-1, the efficacy of this biointerface is demonstrated through optoelectronic stimulation of degenerate rat retinas using 595 nm irradiation, pulse durations of 50-500 ms, and irradiance levels of 1.1-4.3 mW mm-2, all below the safe ocular threshold. This work presents the pioneering utilization of a diamond-based optoelectronic platform, capable of generating sufficiently large photocurrents for neuronal stimulation in the retina.</p
Integrated Assessment of Cascade Dam Systems for Multiple Natural Hazards
No full textDams play a pivotal role in water storage and supply management, hydropower generation, flood control while providing recreational and environmental benefits. Hence, the number of dams is gradually increasing to serve these purposes along major rivers and their tributaries, creating cascade dam systems. On the other hand, downstream demographics of dams and human settlements are fast growing and becoming major cities. Thus, cascade dam failure can bring catastrophic events like flash floods due to the rapid and uncontrolled release of the impounded water, causing loss of lives and demolishing structures and properties. On that account, it is essential to comprehensively analyze the consequences of dam failures in a cascade system due to natural hazards such as earthquakes and rainfall events while considering the probability of occurrence.Stage one of the research was planned to develop a terrain dataset incorporating high and low-resolution datasets and to evaluate its performance in a 2D hydrodynamic model in a data-scarce region. Accordingly, the low-resolution global datasets such as Multi-Error-Removed Improved Terrain (MERIT) and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM), along with local DEM and cross-section data along with Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR), were employed. It is identified that the DEM developed by the integration of datasets is shown to produce more accurate results than the global datasets, SRTM and MERIT Hydro, which are commonly used in data-scarce regions. Moreover, MERIT Hydro DEM produced better results than SRTM which was prominent in the comparison of hydraulic parameters. In the second Stage of the research, it was aimed to derive the generalized dam breach parameters in Concrete Faced Rockfill Dams (CFRD), Concrete Arch dams (CA) and Clay core rockfill dams (CCRD), utilizing the structural outputs from Finite Element Models (FEM) models. Furthermore, the assessment of dam breach parameters in a cascade dam failure was conducted. The results revealed that the generalized dam breach parameters vary depending on the dam type for the same Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA). CA breach size is 0.4% lower compared to CFRD and CCRD for the same Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) due to the different failure modes. Moreover, dam breach height is the most significant dam breach parameter in a seismic-induced cascade dam failure. Breach width can be identified as a moderately significant parameter and dam breach slope is less significant for earthquake-induced dam failure modeling. Moreover, it was found that the sensitivity of dam breach parameters behaves similarly when both individual and cascade dam breaches are considered due to an earthquake.The third Stage of the thesis aimed to develop numerical models for the analysis of different numerical model characteristics and to model the integrated occurrence of earthquakes and floods. It was found that Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (SHC) is more significant than Wetting Front Suction (WFS) in 2D hydrodynamic models with infiltration on grid approach. On the other hand, the hydrological models are very effective considering the efficiency of computational cost. Moreover, the coupled lumped-hydrodynamic models have been shown to be more effective in the simulation of flood characteristics considering the computational time and accuracy for the same flood events rather than considering the hydrodynamic model for the whole study area.Stage 4 of the research was designed to evaluate the performance-based approach in the numerical model characteristics, and to investigate the applicability of matrix of extreme events of earthquakes and rainfall events proposed based on the seismicity of the study area and probability of occurrence. The study highlights the significance of soil conditions in assessing the risk of dam failures for compound events. The outcomes of the study revealed that the matrix of extreme events can be utilized in dam risk management for compound events for a cascade dam system.In the fifth stage of the research, the cascade dam system for a matrix of extreme events were analysed and 46% and 79% decrements in total flow in the intermediate dam and third (final dam) of the cascade dam system were observed respectively between individual and cascade dam failure. Therefore, it is recommended to simulate cascade dam failure when the conditions are met rather than considering one individual dam failure for disaster mitigation strategies. When cascade dam failures are investigated, the ability to withstand flood or to attenuate flood peak will vary depending on factors such as dam-to-dam spacing, reservoir capacity, spillway capacity, and breach geometry in a seismic event. Hence, a holistic approach is recommended when considering the cascade dam failure in regard to the population at risk and buildings such that major evacuation measures can be taken beforehand.Overall, this research identifies the methodology for the development of terrain datasets from the existing high and low-resolution datasets. Moreover, the generalized dam breach parameters for CFRD, CA, and CCRD can be applied for hydrodynamic modeling of seismic-induced dam failures which is a novel approach utilizing structural outputs. Additionally, the knowledge gained from the analysis of underlying numerical equations, model geometry, soil condition, and hydrological uncertainty can be applied in the decision-making of scenario modeling. Furthermore, the developed framework of the matrix of extreme events for the analysis of consequences of cascade dam failures could be implemented in disaster management platforms. The developed maps of probabilistic cascade dam break floods will assist in the compilation of effective disaster mitigation strategies considering the event magnitude. In summary, the overall outcome of this work will open a new path within the area of research towards developing effective disaster mitigation strategies for different probabilistic scenarios of earthquake and flood events using the terrain datasets developed using multiple terrain datasets and by incorporating the best suitable dam breach parameters.</p