85000 research outputs found
Sort by
Changing Lives: The Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centre family carer lived experience workforce story
No full textThis report outlines findings from a research project which mapped characteristics, roles, lived experience informed practices, and current and future capabilities across Victoria's Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centre family care lived experience (FCLE) workforce. The report also outlines 46 recommendations for resources, supports, practices, strategies, and policy require to further develop the family carer lived experience workforce. The report highlights the innovative nature of Victoria's new Connect centre model and the benefits to families, carers and supporters accessing services, and the FCLE workforce. </p
The Challenges of Researching AI in IS: AI and the Boundaries for IS Research and AI in Information Systems: Ethical and Methodological Challenges - Reports and Contextualization of Two ACIS Panels
No full textThis paper examines how the Information Systems (IS) discipline can meaningfully engage with the emerging landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), drawing on insights from two expert panels convened at the Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS) in late 2023 and 2024. These panels, comprising scholars at varying academic stages, interrogated the foundational differences between AI and earlier digital technologies studied by IS, particularly AI’s probabilistic, data-driven, and anthropomorphic nature. We argue that IS, with its long-standing sociotechnical orientation and interdisciplinary breadth, is uniquely positioned to address AI’s complex societal implications. However, doing so requires theoretical renewal, methodological adaptation toward anticipatory research, and institutional reform to enable faster, more relevant publishing. This paper outlines these challenges, presents pathways for disciplinary renewal, and calls on IS scholars to embrace their role in shaping responsible, human-centered AI. The discussion contributes to repositioning IS as an essential voice in global conversations on the design, deployment, and governance of AI technologies and IS researchers as key participants in shaping how AI technologies are responsibly integrated into the future.</p
Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 - Bush Projects team contribution
No full textBACKGROUND: This research draws on Elizabeth Grosz’s concept of ‘prostheses’ as bodily extensions that enable new possibilities, contrasting with the medicalized view of prostheses as corrective devices. Inspired by Grosz, Bruno Latour, and others, my work explores how clothing can function as prostheses, expanding human interactions with the environment. Specifically, it examines how garments can dissolve the binary between wet and dry spaces, fostering new forms of care and engagement with river ecosystems. CONTRIBUTION: This research was part of Bush Project’s contribution to Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070, NGV Australia’s 2024/5 summer exhibition. I was invited onto the BUSH Projects team, who along with 8 other Melbourne-based landscape architecture practices, developed speculative designs to stimulate public discourse on how we might reimagine urban river systems through an integrated lens of ecology, design, and cultural respect, advancing conversations on sustainability and urban resilience. Bush Project’s collaborative proposal work merges ecological science, landscape architecture, artistic research and Indigenous stewardship to propose a visionary model for future land use. My contribution to this project was the development of a uniform for river stewards that, like the project, reconsidered binaries of river and land. The project serves as a speculative, research-backed prototype for how cities can reclaim and restore degraded landscapes. SIGNIFICANCE: The Bush Projects team was invited to contribute to the exhibition by NGV Australia curator Ewin McEoin. Reviews by The Guardian and The Age emphasises the exhibition's role in challenging conventional urban development paradigms, while a review in Landscape Architecture Australia focused on the role of landscape architecture and speculative design in developing environmentally aware future trajectories for urban development.</p
Characterising Small Intestinal Function in a Mouse Model of Autism
No full textGastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD; autism), yet the mechanisms linking autism-associated genetic variants to altered motility remain poorly understood. The small intestine, a major site of digestion and absorption, plays a key role in gut-brain communication, but is under-investigated in ASD research. This thesis examined how the neuroligin-3 R451C mutation, a synaptic gene variant associated with ASD, alters small intestinal structure and function, and how these changes are further modulated by immune activation.The first aim was to refine video-based spatiotemporal (ST) mapping of intestinal motility. Existing software platforms (Analyse2, Scribble) were hindered by instability and poor edge detection. To address this, an open-source MATLAB tool, GutMap, was developed in collaboration with a software engineer. GutMap provides reliable edge detection, stable batch processing and improved cross-sectional and heatmap analyses, overcoming limitations of previous programs and enabling reproducible quantification of motility across intestinal regions.The second aim characterised small intestinal motility in Nlgn3R451C mice. Morphometric analyses revealed longer small intestines and impaired smooth muscle tone compared with wild-type controls. Ex vivo motility assays demonstrated region-specific alterations: the jejunum exhibited reduced resting diameter, disrupted myogenic slow waves and altered nitrergic regulation, whereas the ileum displayed reduced contraction amplitude and shortened contractile complexes, but preserved slow wave activity. Together, these findings establish that the Nlgn3R451C mutation alters small intestinal structure and generates distinct regional motility disturbances through disrupted smooth muscle regulation and inhibitory neural signalling.The third aim assessed the impact of immune activation on intestinal function. Using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce colitis, robust colonic pathology and motility disturbances were observed in both genotypes, alongside subtle but region-specific changes in the small intestine. DSS treatment altered jejunal slow wave amplitude and disrupted propagating contraction duration and velocity in a genotype-dependent manner, while ileal motility responses diverged between wild-type and Nlgn3R451C mice. These results demonstrate that genetic predisposition to ASD modifies small intestinal response to inflammatory challenge, highlighting complex interactions between synaptic mutations and immune insults.Overall, this thesis provides the first comprehensive characterisation of small intestinal motility in the Nlgn3R451C mouse model of autism and establishes GutMap, a novel in-house software platform for reproducible motility analysis. GutMap overcomes the limitations of previous programs by providing stable, high-resolution and reproducible quantification of contractile patterns, and its development supported all subsequent experimental findings in this thesis. By integrating this methodological advance with genetic and inflammatory models, this thesis demonstrates that autism-associated synaptic mutations directly alter enteric structure and function and interact with immune activation to modulate motility. These findings advance understanding of neuro-immune regulation of the gut in ASD and highlight both GutMap and the Nlgn3R451C model as valuable tools for identifying therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal dysfunction.</p
Effect of Air-Assisted Turbulent Jet Ignition (AAC-TJI) on Natural Gas Engine Performance
No full textTurbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) involves the use of a pre-combustion chamber to ignite a lean mixture of fuel in the main combustion chamber using a fraction of the total fuel per cycle. TJI facilitates ultra-lean combustion by providing ignition sites distributed throughout the combustion chamber. By providing a fast burn rate, TJI allows fuels that burn slowly, such as Natural Gas (NG), to be considered as an alternative fuel for internal combustion engines. Turbulent jet ignition (TJI) enhances engine performance but faces challenges in achieving its full potential. Active TJI systems, which introduce fuel directly into the pre-chamber, address fuel shortages but are still hindered by scavenging issues that limit optimization. Scavenging is one of the major factors that reduce TJI performance due to the physical geometry of TJIs, which contain small orifices that connect the pre-chamber to the main chamber. Providing the right mixture of fuel and air inside the pre-chamber has been identified as one of the key challenges. The reason for this is that there is insufficient air pushed into the pre-chamber during each compression stroke. Furthermore, combustion residual gases such as CO2, CO, and NOx from the previous combustion cycle dilute the fuel-air mixture in the pre-chamber, preventing rapid combustion. This study introduces an air-assisted active pre-chamber (AAC-TJI) system aimed at enhancing combustion in natural gas engines. The system utilizes pressurized air to expel residual gases and optimize the air-fuel ratio. 3D CFD simulations and experimental tests were conducted at World Wide Mapping Point (WWMP), an engine speed of 1500 rpm, an Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP) of 3.3 bar, and wide-open throttle (WOT) conditions. Baseline tests employing a conventional spark plug configuration were followed by trials with the AAC-TJI system to evaluate its impact on engine performance.Despite challenges in the prototype’s size, experimental results demonstrated a 2.5% improvement in thermal efficiency with the AAC-TJI system. Further simulations at (λ = 1) and optimization of pre-chamber geometry, ignition, injection timing, and duration showed significant improvements. The AAC-TJI system achieved a lean burn limit (LBL) of λ = 2.15, compared to λ = 1.95 for active turbulent jet ignition (A-TJI) and λ = 1.8 for the baseline. Thermal efficiency (ηth) increased by 28% under optimized conditions, highlighting the potential of the novel air-assisted active turbulent jet ignition system to enhance engine performance.</p
Blind touch and the material intimacy of clothes
No full textThis article draws on sensory ethnographic research with people who are blind to explore how an orientation towards touch creates material intimacy with clothes. The notion of blind touch emerges from the figure of the blind seer, illustrating how cultural narratives create stereotypes that confine our understanding of an interconnected sensory experience. Similarly, a prioritisation of the visual elements of clothing overlooks the significance of how clothes feel on the body. Empirical research with people who are blind demonstrates how haptic knowledge is developed to feel “right away by touch” if a garment is suitable, while a sensitivity to hand-feel and body-feel separates tactile pleasure from bodily comfort. Material impressions in clothing, like marks and scuffs, form tactile traces of wear that prompt a negotiation between looking and feeling and the active interactions between body and garments can be characterised as gestures towards and with materiality.</p
Performance of open-cell recycled polypropylene grid structure modified with glass fibre and calcium carbonate
No full textThe exponential growth in plastic consumption has created an urgent environmental crisis, with insufficient recycling infrastructure unable to curb the escalating accumulation of waste in landfills and marine ecosystems. This study addresses this critical challenge by evaluating the structural performance of recycled polypropylene reinforced with calcium carbonate and glass fibres for ground slab and open-cell grid for concrete pavement applications. Six formulations were systematically investigated: virgin polypropylene, recycled polypropylene, and recycled variants containing 6–12 % calcium carbonate and 15–30 % glass fibres by weight. A series of microchemical and mechanical experiments, including X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, compression strength, Young’s modulus, tensile strength, flexural strength, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CoTE) measurements, were conducted. The results demonstrate that 30 % glass fibre reinforced recycled polypropylene achieved significant performance enhancements: 43.0 % improvement in compressive strength, threefold increase in flexural strength, and approximately 43 % reduction in coefficient of thermal expansion compared to virgin polypropylene. These mechanical properties exceed the minimum requirements for pavement grid applications, where compressive strengths of 35–40 MPa and flexural strengths above 50 MPa are typically required. The superior mechanical properties and enhanced dimensional stability position this formulation as a sustainable alternative to virgin polymer-based concrete pavement open-cell grid systems, offering both environmental benefits through waste utilisation and improved structural performance.</p
Investigation of particle penetration in a nasal maxillary ostium with optimised T-junction geometry and pulsatile flow
No full textVentilation of the maxillary sinus is essential for regulating pressure, preventing infection and providing mucous to the nasal anatomy. During infection, the pathway between the sinus and the nasal airway (ostia) can become inflamed and restrict ventilation. Surgery is often required to restore airflow. The current surgical standard involves the widening of the ostium. Although this restores fluid flow, it has been linked to post-surgical sequelae. This study examined the effects of pulsating flow and geometric modifications on airflow distribution in a T-junction model analogous to a nasal maxillary ostium. A circular T-junction with variable anterior and posterior radius of curvature (Rc) was used to simulate airflow through the nasal maxillary ostium, investigating flow behaviour under oscillatory inlet velocities at frequencies of 30, 45, 60, and 75 Hz. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations assessed how flow distribution through the nasal cavity and maxillary ostium (represented by the x- and y-branches) is affected by curvature and oscillatory frequency, focusing on implications for respiratory airflow, particle delivery and inhalation toxicology. Results indicated that increasing the anterior Rc enhanced airflow into the y-branch (analogous to the maxillary ostium), while posterior curvature had minimal impact. Higher oscillatory frequencies increased reverse flow, which may improve ventilation but could interfere with consistent drug delivery. These insights are valuable for optimising respiratory therapies and inhalation toxicology.</p
Comparative dietary safety assessment of a traditionally used Australian native grain
No full textIndigenous foods are increasingly being incorporated into contemporary diets, yet many lack dietary safety data and documented histories of use. This provides uncertainty for suppliers and poses challenges for food regulators assessing traditionally used foods entering modern markets. We present a case study of an Australian native grain (ganalay; Astrebla lappacea), traditionally used by the Gamilaraay Peoples, and compare it to commonly consumed wheat using in vitro bioassays and chemical analyses. The native grain exhibited no greater cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, or inflammatory signalling than wheat in human monocyte and hepatocyte bioassays. Chemical analysis showed contaminant levels were below tolerable limits, and no chemical classes of concern were detected. These findings suggest that the tested grain sample poses no greater risk than wheat within the in vitro and chemical contexts examined. This study demonstrates a practicable, low-cost safety assessment framework that supports the inclusion of traditionally used Indigenous foods within contemporary diets, while enabling Indigenous-led development of culturally significant species. The framework provides an initial evidence base that can be interpreted alongside cultural knowledge and histories of use, offering an accessible pathway for communities seeking to understand the safety of their foods, regardless of whether commercialisation is an intended outcome.</p
Conceptual perspectives on climate risk disclosures for businesses and public sector
No full textThe disclosure of climate-related risks is central to the approach to addressing the vulnerability of the financial system to both physical and transition risks. The public disclosure is a crucial aspect of this, as climate risks are systemic and interconnected, particularly from the perspective of global and national financial institutions. A cornerstone of the current approach is advocating for climate risk disclosure by companies, through the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). This paper argues that such an atomized regime is insufficient for addressing systemic risks or serving the broader public interest, as the TCFD framework primarily emphasizes private benefits. Using a conceptual and literature-based methodology, this study critically examines existing disclosure approaches and highlights their limitations in capturing systemic interdependencies and long-term vulnerabilities. In response, we propose a conceptual framework for climate risk disclosures that centers on public sector engagement, governance alignment, and public good considerations. Our analysis suggests that integrating public sector disclosures is essential to bridge current gaps, enhance systemic resilience, and support a more inclusive and comprehensive response to climate-related financial risks.</p