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What if Gregor Samsa awakes in Bogotá? A collaborative work on an ever-transforming story
No full textAs 25 animators awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, they found themselves animating in their beds a gigantic insect. Celebrating the first century of Kafka´s Metamorphosis (1915), a group of Latin-American animators started in 2015 an Exquisite Corpse, situating Samsa’s dilemma out of Prague, but in the heart of a contemporary city: Bogotá.</p
Digital innovation drivers in retail banking: the role of leadership, culture, and technostress inhibitors
No full textPurpose: The empirical study of factors related to digital transformation (DT) in the banking sector is still limited, even though the importance of the topic is universally evident. To bridge that gap, this paper aims to explore the role of digital leadership (DL), innovative culture (IC) and technostress inhibitors (TI) to support engagement for improved digital innovation (DI). Based on the literature, these variables are crucial aspects of digitalisation, even though there is no agreement on their conclusiveness. Design/methodology/approach: This quantitative study tested a new conceptual model using survey data from five major banks in Libya. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data from the 292 usable responses. Findings: The results showed that DL and IC positively affect DI. Techno-work engagement (TE) mediated the relationship between leadership, culture and innovation. TI played a significant moderating role in leadership, culture and engagement relationships. Practical implications: The research findings highlight critical issues about how leadership style and fostering organisational support in the banking sector can enhance DT. Leaders must demonstrate a commitment to long-term resource allocation to avoid possible negative effects from digital stress while pursuing DI through work engagement. Social implications: The study suggests that fostering organisational support can enhance DT in retail banks, potentially leading to improved customer experiences and increased access to financial services. These programs will help banks contribute to societal and economic development. Originality/value: This timely study examines predictor mechanisms of innovation in retail banking that resonate within the restrictions of organisational and DI frameworks and the social exchange theory. Exploring the intervening effect of TE in the leadership, culture and innovation associations is unprecedented.</p
Using Machine Learning to Assist Decision Making in the Assessment of Mental Health Consumers Presenting to Emergency Departments
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to unlock a deeper understanding of the human experience in health settings. This research investigated the integration of AI and ML into mental health care, specifically focusing on their application within emergency departments (EDs). EDs serve as critical access points for mental health services, yet they face significant challenges, including overcrowding, long wait times, and a scarcity of specialised resources. The study explored how AI and ML could be harnessed to address these challenges, improve clinical decision making, and enhance patient outcomes. The thesis begins by framing the problem within the broader context of mental health care, highlighting the significance of the study. It underscores the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals, ethical AI use, and the inclusion of lived experience in shaping mental healthcare strategies. This foundational approach emphasises the need for an integrated model of care that balances technological innovation with ethical considerations and human-centred care. The research explored the role of technology in mental health, particularly its impact on individuals experiencing conditions such as suicidality. The dual nature of technology was examined, recognising its capacity to drive innovation and empowerment while also acknowledging the potential for technology to induce anxiety, fear, or paranoia among vulnerable populations.
This exploration underscores the need for a careful and ethical approach to the integration of AI in mental health care, considering the broader implications for patients and clinicians alike. A comprehensive literature review examines the concept of trust in AI, particularly in the context of health care. The review challenges the assumption that AI systems are inherently trustworthy and explores the anthropomorphisation of AI, questioning whether these systems should be deemed deserving of trust. The study also highlights the rapid advancements in AI and ML, particularly through the development of large language models. These models have significantly expanded the capabilities of natural language processing and offer considerable potential for healthcare applications.
However, the research identified ethical challenges associated with these technologies, including bias, privacy concerns, and the need for transparency in AI deployment. The thesis advocates the responsible development of AI systems that enhance rather than replace human clinical judgement. The methodological framework employed in this research was designed to ensure a thorough understanding of the needs and concerns of various stakeholders, including clinicians, patients, and interdisciplinary experts. The study utilised design thinking, coupled with a retrospective cohort analysis of sociodemographic factors and presentation features of individuals seeking mental health care in EDs. Ethical considerations were prioritised throughout the research, with a particular focus on cultural sensitivity and the inclusion of diverse perspectives.
The findings of the research provide a detailed analysis of the complexities involved in mental health care delivery in EDs. This research underscores the essential role of EDs in providing frontline mental health services while also identifying significant challenges, such as the need for more specialised resources and the ethical integration of AI into clinical practice. The research demonstrates the potential of ML to improve service provision, particularly through predictive modelling and clinical decision support systems. However, it also highlights limitations related to data quality, trust, and ethical considerations, emphasising the importance of a cautious and responsible approach to AI integration.
In conclusion, the thesis discusses the broader implications of the research findings for clinical practice and policy. It offers recommendations for future research, including the evaluation of safety planning interventions, the exploration of collaborative care models, and the utilisation of ML for enhanced predictive modelling in mental health settings. The research advocates a comprehensive and integrated approach to mental health care that leverages the potential of AI while maintaining a strong ethical framework. Overall, the research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the role of AI and ML in mental health care. It highlights the need for trust, transparency, and ethical considerations in the development of AI-based tools, ensuring that these technologies complement human clinical judgement rather than replace it. The findings suggest that, with careful and ethical deployment, AI has the potential to significantly improve mental healthcare delivery, leading to more effective, equitable, and patient-centred services.</p
The tangle in the feedback loop: Learner agency through a feedback loop activity across four university language programs
No full textThis study investigated a semester-long feedback loop activity carried out by six colleagues in four
different language programs at the same university. 38 students participated from six different classes
with varied proficiency levels in Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish. The goal of this activity was to
provide tailored feedback with a view to enhancing the feedback process and improving learning.
While the success of the activity varied across the six classes, there was evidence of increased student
engagement with feedback and improved understanding of their role in the feedback process.
Unexpected differences emerged in the way the feedback loop activity was implemented in the respective
classrooms. The reasons for these differences as well as for differences in levels of learner engagement
were explored using Bronfenbrenner’s (1977, 1993) ecological framework, demonstrating its usefulness
as a model for understanding feedback practices in university language programs.</p
Reinforcement Learning based Method for Online Parameter Identification of the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines
No full textThis paper presents a new method for identifying in-real time the permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs)' inductances by utilizing machine learning algorithms. The proposed technique combines deep learning (DL) and reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms with the aim of solving the problems of the existing online methods associated with the inverter's non-linearity, noise, and the accuracy of the measured rotor position. Extensive experimental tests were implemented to judge the estimation accuracy as well as the effectiveness of the proposed solution under critical operating conditions including full load, variation of speed and field weakening conditions.</p
Screening the Persistence Ability of Bacillus Isolates in Commercial Poultry Birds
No full textThe beneficial properties of probiotic administration to agricultural chickens has been widely reported. However, the ability to colonise the chicken gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has not been considered an important quality of probiotic strains. In practice, probiotic administration often has varied effects due to factors like diet, age, and environment which influence microbial communities in the gut. One proposed method to reduce variation and ensure efficacy is to produce probiotics which can persist within the GIT. Although widely reported as probiotics, Bacillus spp. are generally regarded as transient members of the chicken microbiota. Identifying Bacillus isolates with the rare ability to survive, proliferate, and persist within the chicken GIT could lead to improvements in probiotic efficacy. This thesis examines the diversity of Bacillus isolates derived from chickens and investigates their ability to persist following oral administration. This work presents a novel method to screen persistence in Bacillus within the broiler GIT with the use of spontaneously generated rifampicin-resistant mutants. This approach offers a quick and accessible way to screen numerous isolates, identifying those capable of persisting and selecting input isolates from the native host microbiota. Isolates which were able to persist were evaluated using genomic tools to search for those genetic characteristics which facilitate persistence within the host and explore the evolutionary relationships between chicken-derived isolates.</p
Participation as relational investment: thinking beyond social capital in culturally and linguistically diverse educational contexts
No full textDeparting from normative notions of participation as passive or respon?sive vis-à-vis active or agentic, this article conceptualises participation as ‘relational investment’. Drawing from a qualitative case study of a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Australian primary classroom, I argue that students’ decisions about how to participate are shaped by the nature of their social relationships. Thus, I illuminate all participatory strategies as agentic and subject to the relational conditions of the field. Building on Bourdieu’s (1977, 1990, 1992) theorisations of ‘social capital’ and how this has been mobilised in Norton’s (1995) concept of ‘invest?ment’ (used as a model for language learning), I illustrate the limits of the economic logic of capital embedded in these theoretical tools. Instead, I propose engaging with the notion of ‘sociality’ (Bottero’s 2009) to capture how the characteristics of classroom social relationships shape the ways students invest in participating.</p
Developing an AI Capability Framework for the Trilateral Security Dialogue (TSD): US, Australia, and Japan
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a pivotal driver of economic growth and strategic relationships among nations, a trend expected to persist in the foreseeable future. Recognizing the imperative for economic competitiveness and strategic stability, the consensus on the necessity for collaborative efforts to establish AI standards, policies, guidelines, and ethical safeguards has gained widespread acceptance among major global actors. Against the backdrop of escalating global tensions, fragmentation of economic trade and supply chains, and intensified technological competition, countries such as Australia, Japan, and the US are converging in terms of strategy and policy to navigate the transformative domains of AI and associated next-generation technologies. The members of the Trilateral Security Dialogue (TSD) possess significant strengths in AI. However, the challenge lies in establishing common and practical grounds to harness their comparative advantages as they face mounting challenges from the bifurcation of AI standards, and normative frameworks, investment constraints, talent shortages, and competing interests among their respective private sectors.
In this context, developing interoperable AI systems present complex challenges and overcoming them requires continual risk assessment and heightened investment in capabilities to stay ahead of adversaries. As nations navigate these challenges, collaboration and innovation are paramount for maintaining strategic relevance in an increasingly AI-driven world. As such, collaborative AI sharing and development among the TSD partners will play a pivotal role in shaping their collective strategic posture and ensuring future competitiveness. As the global reliance on AI technologies further deepens, pooling resources and expertise has become essential for harnessing the full potential of AI-driven innovations. Through strategic minilateral frameworks like the TSD, the three nations can capitalize on their complementary strengths and capabilities to collectively address emerging security challenges, bolster regional stability, and maintain technological leadership
Investigating factors influencing the attrition of women in the cyber security workforce: literature review
No full textThis report aims to enhance overall understanding of gender equality in the Australian cyber security profession with a view to offering solutions to reduce gender disparities.
The authors establish quantitative and statistical support for the presence of gendered barriers in cyber security, review extant literature to highlight the organisational and societal factors that contribute to gender disparities in cyber security and canvas policies and initiatives designed to support efforts to improve gender diversity and inclusion in cyber security
Evaluating the feasibility of “Friends in Nature,” a complex nature-based social intervention to address loneliness and quality of life in six cities worldwide
No full textBackground: Loneliness, a major public health concern, could be alleviated through social interventions with nature contact as a primary component. “Friends in Nature” is a complex nature-based social intervention designed to be implemented as part of “Reimagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces" (RECETAS). This project aims to alleviate loneliness and promote health-related quality of life in six different geographic areas worldwide. Feasibility studies are crucial to assess the viability of complex interventions and study procedures before conducting definitive studies. This paper aims to describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of the six-related feasibility studies on the “Friends in Nature” intervention. These studies specifically evaluate feasibility of recruitment and study procedures, intervention implementation, and data collection and distribution. Methods: We defined a comprehensive set of indicators to assess the feasibility of “Friends in Nature.” For the first domain, recruitment procedures were assessed to determine their adequacy, while attrition rates were examined to assess participant retention. For the second domain, the implementation of interventions was evaluated, along with the study design’s ability to adapt to unexpected situations and participant adherence to the intervention. Finally, for the third domain, completion rates and the acceptability of the study activities were also analyzed. The feasibility of using specific scales to assess loneliness and well-being was also explored. Results: The feasibility indicators defined for this study were useful to assess the feasibility of “Friends in Nature.” Recruitment procedures were generally found to be adequate, and the number of dropouts was low. Interventions were implemented with minor adjustments, and facilitators played a vital role in the well-functioning of the interventions. Although some unexpected situations occurred during the study, adaptations were made, and participants were generally satisfied with the activities proposed. Scales used to assess loneliness and quality of life showed potential for measuring the effects of nature-based social prescribing in the full trial. Conclusion: This paper offers valuable insights into the design and execution of feasibility studies for complex interventions like “Friends in Nature.” Findings from these assessments explore the feasibility of “Friends in Nature” and will inform the main RECETAS studies, which are designed to strengthen the evidence base to support the use of nature-based social prescribing to reduce loneliness and promote quality of life. Trial registration : Barcelona trial: NCT05488496, Prague trial: NCT05522140, and Helsinki trial: NCT05507684.</p