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The influence of beliefs and health literacy on medication-related outcomes in older adults: A cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Older adults often manage multiple chronic diseases which necessitates the use of multiple medicines. Nevertheless, they also face an elevated risk of harm when medicines are used inappropriately. Studies indicate that socioeconomic disadvantage, beliefs, and health literacy may correlate with non-adherence and inappropriate medicine use. However, older adults are underrepresented in the current body of literature. Objective: To investigate the influence of beliefs and health literacy on medication-related outcomes in older adults. Methods: Participants ≥65 years living in the community were invited to complete a survey. Participants were asked to report demographics, medicines and complete three questionnaires: Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication use Scale (SEAMS), Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) and Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Descriptive statistics, regressions and correlations were calculated. Results: A total of 154 participants were included in the analysis (35.7 % male, age range 65–110 y). Mean SEAMS score was 33.2 out of 39 (standard deviation (SD) = 8.0), reflecting high self-efficacy for adherence. Mean HLQ scores were high across the four scales measured in the survey (scales 1, 5, 6, and 9). Sixty-two participants (44.0 %) were using five or more medicines (polypharmacy) and 18 (15.4 %) reported use of a potentially inappropriate medicine. Regarding beliefs, mean BMQ-specific scores were as follows: necessity score 17.5 (SD = 5.1) and concern score 12.0 (SD = 4.0), indicating strong beliefs in the necessity of medicines and few concerns. Results of the regression analysis indicated that where the BMQ-Necessity scores were employed as the independent variable, there was statistical significance with polypharmacy (p < 0.001). Additionally, moderate positive correlations were identified between (1) necessity beliefs and both polypharmacy (r = 0.401, p < 0.001) and adherence (r = 0.477, p < 0.001), and (2) adherence and HLQ scale 5 (r = 0.343, p < 0.001), scale 6 (r = 0.326, p < 0.001) and scale 9 (r = 0.320, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Older adults who perceive their medicines as necessary are more inclined to report use of multiple medicines, leading to polypharmacy. Additionally, older adults with stronger beliefs in the necessity of medicines and higher levels of health literacy demonstrate greater self-efficacy for adherence. Health professionals should consider evaluating necessity beliefs in older adults to manage potential non-adherence, reduce the risk of polypharmacy, and thereby mitigate the risk of suboptimal medicine use
The influence of patients’ beliefs about medicines and the relationship with suboptimal medicine use in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review of quantitative studies
No full textBackground: Medication use in older adults is increasing, therefore, reducing the risk of suboptimal medicine use is imperative in achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. Research suggests that factors such as personal beliefs and beliefs about medicines may be associated with non-adherence and inappropriate medicine use. Aim: To systematically review and identify quantitative research on the influence of beliefs about medicines and the relationship with suboptimal medicine use in older adults. Method: Searches were conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for quantitative studies (inception to March 2023). Inclusion criteria: (1) exposure: participants’ beliefs (personal, cultural, and medication-related), (2) outcomes: polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medicines use, or non-adherence, and (3) participants: community-dwelling adults 65 years or above. Study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal (Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist) were completed independently by two investigators. Data were combined in a narrative synthesis and presented in a summary of findings table. Results: Nineteen articles were included: 15 cross-sectional and four cohort studies. Outcomes of included papers were as follows; adherence (n = 18) and potentially inappropriate medicine use (n = 1). Ten studies found stronger beliefs in the necessity of medicines and/or fewer concerns led to better adherence, with one paper contradicting these findings. Three studies did not find associations between adherence and beliefs. One study confirmed an association between unnecessary drug use and a lack of belief in a "powerful other" (e.g. doctor). Conclusion: Further investigation is necessary to (1) ascertain the importance of necessity or concern beliefs in fostering adherence and, (2) examine the influence of beliefs on polypharmacy and inappropriate medicine use
Synthesis and Investigation of Lightweight Sintered Hollow Metallic Spheres
No full textThis study investigates the use of Hollow Metallic Spheres (HMS) to enhance the properties of Metal Matrix Composite Syntactic Foam (MMCSF) and Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs), achieving substantial improvements in material consistency, structural integrity, and mechanical resilience. HMS contribute to enhanced porosity and impact energy absorption in MMCSF, while in TENG applications, they serve as effective triboelectric layers due to their lower work function and high dielectric constant, enabling efficient electron transfer and charge storage. The synthesis of HMS involves coating Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) spheres with a metal slurry in a fluidised bed spray system (FBS). Metal powders mixed with a PVA binder are sprayed onto EPS spheres, with Statistical Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimising parameters like airflow, inlet air temperature, atomising air pressure, and spray rate. FBS ensures uniform coating and prevents agglomeration, achieving a prediction accuracy of R² = 0.9965. SEM analysis confirmed an average shell thickness of approximately 340 µm for Al coated EPS (AlESp) and 110 µm for FeCrNi alloy coated EPS spheres (CS). The EPS core is removed through controlled debinding to produce Green Spheres (GS), followed by high-vacuum sintering. Supersolidus Liquid Phase Sintering (SLPS) at 650°C for Al coated spheres and 1250°C for FeCrNi coated spheres produced optimal density and minimal porosity. Comprehensive chemical, thermal characterisation, and mechanical tests confirmed the structural integrity and purity of HMS, with AlHMS sintered at 650°C yielding the highest collapse strength (2.54 ± 0.15 MPa at a 0.01 s⁻¹ strain rate) and lowest porosity (22 ± 3%). FeCrNi alloy HMS sintered at 1250°C showed reduced surface defects and densities of 0.434 g/cm³ for AlHMS, 0.91 g/cm³ for smaller spheres (SS), and 0.54 g/cm³ for larger spheres (SB), with smaller FeCrNi spheres (2.57 ± 0.48 mm) achieving a collapse strength of 9.1 ± 0.7 MPa at a 0.01 s⁻¹ strain rate. HMSs are chosen for TENG applications due to their robust strength, high elastic limit, conductivity, superior yield strength, and corrosion resistance. Micro-porous structures and consistent chemical composition are crucial for HMS's mechanical robustness and functional performance. Additionally, electronegativity differences and higher work function, compared to EPS spheres, enhance output voltage during HMS based TENG operation. Chapter 6 demonstrates that, for TENG applications, FeCrNi HMS outperformed EPS with a work function of 4.23 ± 0.2 eV versus 4.49 ± 0.2 eV for EPS and a dielectric constant reaching 3.8×10⁷ at 2 MHz, leading to a markedly improved energy output. HMS based TENGs generated an output of 25 V under minimal pressure, significantly outperforming EPS based TENGs. This study highlights the effectiveness of optimised coating and sintering processes in producing HMS with robust physiochemical properties, positioning HMS as a competitive material for MMCSF and TENG applications. These findings open new pathways for lightweight, high-performance solutions in structural and functional roles, marking a significant advancement in HMS synthesis and application.</p
Harmonic Analysis of Distortion Propagation and Modulation in Synchronous Reference Frame Control Systems
No full textThe reality of climate change and the popularity of emerging technologies such as electric cars, household batteries, large scale battery farms and solar photovoltaic power generation has driven a rise of grid tied DC-AC inverters}. These inverters require a synchronisation system to ensure that the AC power they produce is in phase with the AC in the grid. A popular strategy for synchronisation systems is to use a Synchronous Reference Frame Phase Locked Loop (SRF-PLL) which offers easy implementation and reliable robust performance. The performance of SRF-PLLs is heavily degraded by distortion in the form of unwanted harmonics and unbalanced grid conditions. There is much research available on the qualitative performance of SRF-PLLs regarding their response time, stability margins, bandwidth, and transient response with respect to their distortion mitigation strategies and parameters. However, there is little research addressing the quantitative performance of an SRF-PLL's distortion rejection ability. The non-linearities of the Park Transformation typically prevent detailed analysis of the distortion rejection ability of an SRF-PLL. This thesis offers a method of analysing and quantifying the distortion propagation through an SRF-PLL and presents a quantifiable link between performance metrics such as the response time of the SRF-PLL and its distortion rejection ability. This analysis method includes distortion mitigation strategies and common three-phase and single-phase variants of the SRF-PLL. This provides utility in the design stage of SRF-PLLs as trade-offs between the SRF-PLL's metrics can be done precisely instead of qualitatively and distortion mitigation strategies can be more accurately compared under different conditions mathematically instead of experimentally.</p
Visual Music and Calligraphy & Scared Texts
No full textOnline Exhibition: https://www.luceartsandreligion.org/visual-musicResearch Background The online exhibition, Visual Music: Calligraphy & Sacred Texts, (2021) curated by Jonathan Homrighausen and sponsored by the Luce Center on Religion and the Arts at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, delves into the creative translation of sacred texts into visual forms. This exhibition aims to explore the intersection of religious texts and visual art, highlighting the innovative ways in which sacred writings can be interpreted and expressed through calligraphy.Research Significance and Contribution Dr. Manny Ling, challenges the traditional notion of calligraphy as merely “beautiful writing.” In today’s globalized world, artists encounter evolving cultural and societal attitudes, technological advancements, and new tools and materials, which necessitate a broader understanding of calligraphy. For this exhibition, calligraphy artists were invited to visually interpret their chosen sacred texts, transforming them into meaningful artworks.Dr. Ling’s piece, In the Beginning Was the Word (2018), based on John 1:1, exemplifies this approach. The artwork draws a parallel between Western Christian texts and Eastern Daoist philosophy, both of which assert that the world began with words. Dr. Ling’s work underscores the idea that words are fundamental to human existence and creation, emphasizing the profound impact of language in shaping our world.Reviewed by R.E. Natowicz, CrossCurrents, Volume 71, Number 3, September 2021, pp. 322-328 (Article). Published by The University of North Carolina Presshttps://muse.jhu.edu/article/839258Reviewed in Scripsit: Visual Music, Volume 45, No 1, Winter 2023. Published by the Washington Calligraphers Guild, USA.</p
The art of persuasion, metaphor and desire
No full textThis art project is an investigation into the relationship between the representation of women in billboard advertising and women’s health and wellbeing. The impact of advertising on the formation of female concepts of self-worth and self-empowerment is given specific attention. The project’s title The Art of Persuasion, Metaphor, and Desire is a visual, metaphorical, and psychological reference to the appropriation of female private space by billboard advertising in a contemporary urban (both western and eastern) context. The objective was to create a body of work which reflects a personal response to gender issues in advertising by creating an alternative iconography. The final installations are reflective works, which physically and metaphorically deconstruct and re-imagine the layering of meaning and content in contemporary representations of women. The intention is to reflect, re-structure, re-present and re-imagine visual and structural metaphor in advertising. I have done this by deconstructing and then reconstructing my own photographs of billboards, posters and the urban environment in Australia and China. I have endeavoured to create new, multi-layered metaphors, ambiguity and juxtapositions that ask reflective questions of the viewer rather than provide answers. I hope this imagery will elicit individual responses from the viewer, as these responses are crucial to the perception of these works as critical interventions. Contemporary high heel shoes, explicitly the stiletto and its historic counterpoint the Lotus Shoe, act as a potent gender symbol in the imagery. The psychological, metaphoric layering evinced by the contemporary high-heeled shoe references the political, social, economic and class history of women in eastern and western cultures. Chinese and European shoes, with their historic references, offered a rich and multi-layered perspective on culturally defined gender norms. The project is not about shoes but it is concerned with shoes as a metaphor for gender construction; therefore, the research into the Chinese and European history of shoes is generic rather than explicit. Research was undertaken in Australia and in China. The stiletto’s significance is as a universal female sign and icon. Its visual and metaphorical function, in the final works, is as a potent signifier of culturally constructed identity and gender representation. The rationale for the project is a body of research that indicates that women's attitudes toward their own bodies are influenced by the representation of women in the media and in advertising billboards and magazines. Based on this social research it was reasonable to think that women, when they look at a billboard, see themselves through the advertiser’s eyes. This means that the dominant, consumer culture influences women’s sense of self-worth and wellbeing. My research questions focused on current critical theory in regard to gender and concepts of female identity and self-worth, the construction of metaphoric meaning in advertising, the appropriation of private and public female spaces as a significant issue in the contemporary context and the significance of the historic nexus between masculine gender and technology.</p
An exploratory study of career resilience: future-proofing the project management profession for the 21st century
No full textWith the context of the 21st-century work environment becoming more dynamic, volatile and ambiguous as a result of ongoing stressors and shocks such as the coronavirus of 2019 pandemic (Covid-19), career resilience is recognised as a necessary survival mechanism. Career resilience comprises the capacity for individuals to utilise their proactive and adaptive skills in a manner that allows them to thrive and prosper in the face of adversity. Although the phenomenon of career resilience is gaining prominence, literature in this area and particularly its application to the project management (PM) profession remains scarce. The identified gap is addressed by this PhD study, which seeks to contribute empirical research on career resilience in the Australian PM profession and also provide evidence-based practical recommendations to navigate shocks like Covid-19.
This research utilises the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) theory, coupled with the Interactional Psychological perspective to account for the interacting effects of personal, organisational and contextual factors on the career resilience of PM practitioners. A mixed methods research strategy was adopted, comprising both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques to explore the complex concept of career resilience. Stage One of this study consists of a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) to gather together and review existing and relevant literature on career resilience. From this review, a conceptual model of key variables and hypotheses was developed to assess their level of influence on the career resilience of PM practitioners. Stage Two of this study involved quantitative data collection using an online Qualtrics survey consisting of established scales, followed by a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test the proposed hypotheses, based on a sample of 148 PM practitioners. These practitioners were affiliated with the two peak PM bodies—the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). Stage Three consists of the qualitative analysis of responses to free-text questions included in the online survey. The Conventional Content Analysis (CCA) technique was applied to analyse open-ended questions concerning the PM practitioners’ perceived levels of individual and career resilience (both pre- and post-Covid-19), the organisational support they received (both before and during Covid-19) and their intent to leave the PM profession.
This research is novel in its exploration of career resilience in the PM profession through the adoption of both qualitative and quantitative methods to address the existing knowledge gap and provide recommendations to assist in the understanding and successful navigation of VUCA work environment. In addition to identifying which variables influence PM practitioners’ career resilience, this research has also gathered their successful strategies for overcoming career challenges, as well as the necessary personal resources and organisational support required to develop and maintain their career resilience. The results indicate that individual resilience and career adaptability are the most influential predictors of PM practitioners’ career resilience. Therefore, support through training and development activities targeted at fostering these capacities should be prioritised such as encouraging professional growth, network development and improving mental health and wellbeing. This research found that common work-related challenges experienced by PM practitioners are associated with project work structure, the precarious nature of project work and difficulties in stakeholder communication. Career-resilient PM practitioners responded through strategies comprising effective communication, drawing on past experience, maintaining a positive mindset, and undertaking job crafting and adaptation in the face of change.
The data gathered from this research provides evidence-based practical recommendations to PM practitioners and their organisations directed at enhancing career resilience capacities. The findings provide value to PM practitioners through directing their efforts on enhancing the necessary capacities which influence their career resilience. Organisations also stand to benefit from this study’s results. Project-based organisations’ (PBOs’) ability to provide support and resources to their PM employees influences the career resilience of their workforce, as well as their intentions to keep contributing to the strategic objectives of the organisation and the profession. This research study also provides recommendations to stimulate further research on career resilience in the PM profession
Contemporising Indian picture recitation through performance
No full textPicture recitation is a multi-sensory experience combining image, text, voice, memory, and performance. It was historically performed in India, but is now a dying art form. My affinity for this art form is investigated through contemplation about my personal and cultural background, to unravel how various elements of this practice have already been embedded in my lived experience. This practice-led research culminates in a picture recitation of one-hour duration, drawing on the influence of ancient Indian poetry as well as mediaeval Indian miniature paintings, and contemporises it with research from neuroscience and microbiology and the aesthetics of scientific digital illustration.
This dissertation discusses background to the research, the methodology of performance and how it has improved with the uptake of new skills, as well as challenges faced at various stages, and changes made through reflection and analysis, providing insights into embodied, tacit, and observational knowledge, to inspire readers to initiate their picture recitation practice.
My studio practice explores the interconnections of humans and their environments via erotic and emotional affect and post-human agency as the content of picture recitation, while simultaneously
attempting to decolonise cultural knowledge by drawing upon traditional Indian art forms in a contemporary manner. During the final examination, my picture recitation performance titled Why Runs
the Abhisarika will be performed live at RMIT University
The catalogue: Museum publishing as social practice
No full textMuseums are in transition. In the past two decades, large public institutions in Australia, North America and Europe have been caught between their accepted role of caring for public collections and ever-expanding missions responding to contemporary audiences. The advent of social modes of curatorial practice and programming initiatives has resulted in visible change in museums. These revisions to museum values and practice affords a question: How might a social publishing practice serve the contemporary museum and its audiences?
In this research I explore publishing as a critical activity for museums to enact their mission statements, and in doing so engage with new audiences. This research aims to understand how museum and publishing professionals might employ social-practice methods to publishing outcomes, for the benefit of both audiences and publishers.
I consider these questions through a reflective practice approach in my capacity as the publisher at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne, Australia. The research is structured through a case study approach examining three projects I have undertaken at the NGV in close detail. Three museum publication archetypes – the recurrent publication, the catalogue, and the collection handbook – are contextualised through critical bibliographic work and discussion of significant practice precedents in the field.
Using critical revisions and interventions with three museum publication archetypes, this study contributes three propositions for expanded models of museum publishing. Ultimately, it argues for publishing as a key agent for the expansion and diversification of museum audiences. I argue that revised publishing approaches can offer a platform for critical engagement with public institutions and in turn broader interpretations of museum programming and collections.
Through close critical reflection and analysis of social practice approaches within museum publishing, the research stands to inform future practice within museums and illustrated publishing more broadly. The hope is that the research might support museums and publishers to offer more diverse, inclusive and discursive museum publishing at scale, to allow future audiences to better see themselves represented by public institutions
High-speed underwater optical wireless communication system models investigation: from design to application
No full textUnderwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) systems have been widely researched to achieve high speed and secure wireless communications. Compared with conventional underwater wireless communication systems based on acoustic waves, UOWC systems have the key advantages of higher data rates and lower latency. However, due to the complex underwater environment, UOWC systems have limited transmission distance and communication reliability. To investigate and optimize UOWC systems, an accurate theoretical model to characterize the performance of UOWC systems is important. Therefore, the main focus of this thesis is to establish accurate UOWC system models to provide the framework and foundation for further in vestigations. These accurate models are developed from the basic theory and verified via extensive simulations. Moreover, these accurate models can be employed to investigate the system performance in challenging underwater channels and provide optimized solutions for practical scenarios.
This thesis first presents the fundamental overview and current progress of the UOWC systems. The previous UOWC models mainly focused on the line-of-sight (LOS) link considered constant filter transmittance for simplicity, and we established an accurate LOS UOWC system model, incorporating the previously overlooked filter transmittance with incident angles. The proposed model was verified by MonteCarlo(MC)simulations. Results show that our proposed model which considered various incident angles can provide fluctuation of received signal power and solar noise than previous simple models. These fluctuations can further impact the practical signal-noise-ratio (SNR) and bit-error-rate (BER) performance of UOWC systems.
In addition, LOS UOWC systems face the limitation that the signal light can be easily blocked by marine biology or complex underwater topography. To overcome this challenge, we further establish an accurate theoretical model for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) UOWC systems, which use the water surface to reflect signal light. This model is also validated by MC simulations. Results show that our proposed model can capture the changes of received powers of both signal and background lights with various transmitter and receiver alignments and orientations, which typically affect the SNR and BER performance of UOWCsystems.
Following that, the advanced NLOS UOWC models are employed to build a framework incorporating wavy surfaces. Most previous NLOS UOWC studies have assumed a flat water surface or general sine or cosine wave model for simplicity, which leads to inaccurate performance modeling of the NLOS UOWC system. In this thesis, the NLOS UOWCsystem model considering the Pierson wave model incorporating wind speed was built and investigated. Results show that the theoretical results agree well with MC simulations, which verify the accuracy of our proposed model with a wavy surface. Moreover, wavy water surfaces not only result in higher channel losses but also lead to channel delays, which further impact the practical SNR performance.
Finally, to improve system performance under strong wind, the multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) principle is considered in NLOS UOWC systems with complex wavy surfaces. Results show that MIMO can significantly reduce the impact of the wavy surface to increase the probability of receiving strong signal power. Therefore, a more completed UOWC platform to obtain accurate performance theoretically and to overcome some limitations of wavy surfaces is achieved in this thesis, benefiting the future UOWC system development and optimization