50716 research outputs found
Sort by
Social media influencer engagement: An exploration of service-dominant logic from the perspective of nano social media influencers
No full textA Systematic Review of Multimodal Signal Fusion for Acute Pain Assessment Systems
No full textPain assessment poses unique challenges due to its subjective and multifaceted nature, often requiring the integration of various sensor modalities. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent research focused specifically on acute pain assessment, with specific attention to: (a) identifying combinations of sensor modalities utilised for pain assessment, (b) exploring methods for fusing data from diverse sensing modalities, and (c) examining the application of artificial intelligence (AI) methods for pain assessment using multimodal sensor data. A thorough literature search was conducted in September 2024, encompassing IEEE Xplore, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, with a focus on papers published between January 2015 and September 2024. A total of 31 studies were included in this review, covering topics related to multimodal sensing, fusion techniques, and learning approaches. Notably, significant opportunities exist in integrating physiological signals, particularly from the heart, skin, and brain, by leveraging domain knowledge and deep learning methods to enhance the accuracy of pain monitoring systems. Furthermore, both the challenges and future directions for developing more effective pain assessment systems are discussed
Co-design of an Online Mindfulness Program for Informal Carers of People Living With Dementia:A Qualitative Study of Co-designers’ Experience
Get PDFInformal carers face significant challenges related to care provision for people living with dementia. Participating in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program could improve the wellbeing of informal carers. However, engaging in these programs can be difficult for informal carers due to the needs of their care recipients. Purpose: This study aimed to co-design an online mindfulness program in collaboration with a range of stakeholders and those with lived experience as carers. Methods: This co-design study adopted an interpretive descriptive qualitative approach to the development of the program. The stakeholders (co-designers) included people with lived experience as informal carers and experts with experience in delivering mindfulness programs. The co-designers reviewed the program content which comprised a range of resources including a booklet, online content and audio recordings of mindfulness activities and provided feedback on the content and delivery methods, via one-to-one interviews. The data were synthesised via inductive content analysis. Findings: Two main categories were formulated: support for participants and program delivery and content. Sub categories for support for participants included, recognition of participants’ roles, promoting self-care and acceptance through mindfulness, accounting for participants’ limitations, developing a virtual social support network and providing support beyond the program. Sub-categories for program delivery and content included tailoring the program to the practical needs of the participants, providing options for program delivery and ensure a culturally safe program. Conclusion: Co-design approaches in collaboration with people with lived experience is essential for the successful adaptation of authentic and appropriate programs which account for carers’ complex care demands and individual challenges. Co-design is an approach that can provide valuable insight about tailoring online programs for end-users to minimise implementation challenges and maximise the potential benefits.</p
Environmental Flows Rapidly Increase Zooplankton Abundance in a Regulated Lowland River
Get PDFZooplankton are important parts of the food web that support the survival of larval fish in floodplain rivers. Zooplankton abundance and community structure are sensitive to flow-driven changes in the environment, which have been heavily impacted by river regulation with dams. Environmental flows (e-flows) are managed dam releases designed to restore a degree of natural ecological functioning to regulated rivers. Native fish spawning can be triggered by e-flows, but it is not well understood whether these flows can stimulate instream zooplankton production in an appropriate timeframe to support feeding by fish larvae in their first weeks of life. This study aimed to investigate the immediate and longer-term impacts of a planned dam release during the drought of 2018 in the Macquarie–Wambuul River of New South Wales, Australia, on the abundance of zooplankton and associated environmental variables. Dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and chlorophyll a increased significantly at the onset of the e-flow. The zooplankton community was dominated by Cladocera (also named Diplostraca). The significant drivers of zooplankton community structure were NOx, temperature and river level. The start of the e-flow coincided with a significant increase in cladoceran densities, which resulted in up to 36.2 × 109 ± 1.5 × 109 Cladocera d−1 being exported through the study sites. Increased zooplankton exports were maintained for at least 6 weeks after the onset of the e-flow. These findings demonstrate that e-flows during drought can stimulate increased zooplankton abundance within appropriate timeframes to support the survival of native fish larvae.</p
Pilot implementation of an online program for family and friends supporting the mental health of paramedics in Australia:Lessons learned.
Get PDFIntroduction: Paramedics experience disproportionately high rates of mental health concerns, often relying on informal support from family and friends. While this support is vital, it can impose significant strain on family and friends, who frequently lack the necessary resources and skills for their role. To address this, a novel online program, Minds Together, was developed specifically for family and friends to enhance their ability to support the mental health of paramedics while prioritizing their own mental health and wellbeing. Methods: The feasibility and acceptability of the program was evaluated through a pilot study involving 53 participants randomized to either program or waitlist groups. Data collection included pre- and post-intervention surveys, program usage metrics, post-project surveys, and feedback from user testing. The Global Impact Analytics Framework (GIAF) guided analysis of planning, pre-engagement, pre-readiness, usability, dissemination, adoption, and contextual factors. Results: Participants valued the program for its lived-experience content and self-paced format. Broad dissemination reached over one million individuals, and usability and relevance were rated highly. However, low engagement and completion rates reflected challenges common to online interventions. Barriers included limited access duration, participants' time constraints, and difficulties in reaching the target audience. Suggestions included flexible access, advanced content options, and targeted outreach strategies. Conclusion: Minds Together shows promise as a scalable intervention for family and friends of paramedics. Future research will address barriers, explore long-term outcomes, and refine the program to better meet family and friends' diverse needs, improving mental health support for paramedics and their support network.</p
Acute metabolite responses to swimming exercise of different intensities in highly trained male and female swimmers
No full textWe investigated metabolite responses to different swimming intensities in 16 highly trained swimmers (9 males, 7 females, aged 16–24 years). After determining critical swimming speed (CS) with a 12 × 25 m maximal effort test, participants completed three swimming trials at moderate (below CS), heavy (at CS), and severe (above CS) intensities on separate days. Capillary blood samples (1 mL) were collected before and after each trial for metabolite profiling via mass spectrometry. Orthogonal partial least squares analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolite changes between moderate and severe intensity trials [R2X (cum): 0.56; R2Y(cum): 0.95, pR2Y: 0.02, pQ2: 0.02]. Free fatty acids (FFAs) 18:0, 20:0, 20:4, and 22:4 showed higher log2 fold changes (log2FC) after moderate compared to heavy and severe trials (all p < 0.01). Plasma lactate, pyruvate, alanine, and HDL-4 cholesterol concentrations had greater log2FC after heavy and severe trials than moderate (all p < 0.01). Males tended to show lower log2FC in FFA than females in the severe trial, though this was not significant. These findings demonstrate that swimming intensity influences metabolite profiles, with reduced lipid metabolism and increased TCA cycle activity as intensity rises. A 1 mL capillary blood sample can effectively capture these metabolic shifts.</p
Understanding consumer trust and distrust in a public service ecosystem
No full textPurpose – Despite consumer trust being a key construct within the services marketing domain, there is a lack of consensus on the conceptualisation – specifically the relationship with distrust, and variations across different actors in the services ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to explore the conceptualisations of trust and distrust across different levels of a public service ecosystem in a transformative context of energy services. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature review of 70 academic papers that explore trust and distrust in the energy service sector was undertaken. Findings – The results revealed two potential models of the relationship between trust and distrust in a public service ecosystem. Furthermore, the results identified that trust and distrust appear to vary for different actors in the energy service ecosystem and have different antecedent factors. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to directly compare and explore the differences between trust and distrust in a public service context and identified little consensus in the conceptualisation of trust and distrust. Furthermore, this study is the first to adopt an ecosystem perspective for trust or distrust with trust resulting from interactions with individuals at all levels of the ecosystem whereas distrust was derived from structures and processes at the meso and macro-level.</p
Prevalence and Epidemiological Patterns of Enterobius vermicularis Infection in Thailand: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground: Enterobiasis, caused by Enterobius vermicularis, is recognized as a common intestinal helminthiasis worldwide. Despite multiple surveys in Thailand, no pooled synthesis at the country level has been carried out to evaluate prevalence patterns, temporal trends, or vulnerable groups. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to provide an updated and comprehensive estimate of the prevalence of E. vermicularis in Thailand and to identify high-risk populations for targeted interventions. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251053217). Studies reporting E. vermicularis infection in Thailand were systematically searched in international and Thai databases. Pooled prevalence and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed according to year, region, age, population type, and diagnostic method. Results: A total of 56 studies, including 52,765 participants, were analyzed. The overall pooled prevalence was estimated at 3.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1–5.9%), with a decline observed in the subgroup analysis by publication year, from 4.75% in 2000–2009 to 1.15% in 2020–2023. The highest prevalence was reported in Central Thailand (7.93%). High infection rates were found among immigrant children (25.2%), hilltribe children (19.9%), Karen students (15.5%), and children in orphanages (11.4%). A markedly higher prevalence was detected by the Scotch tape method compared with direct smear/concentration (12.9% vs. 0.33%). No significant difference in infection risk was observed between males and females (OR = 1.03, p = 0.65). Conclusions: The pooled prevalence of E. vermicularis in Thailand was estimated at 3.6%, but this figure should be interpreted with caution due to high heterogeneity across studies. More meaningful insights were identified in subgroup analyses, which revealed a temporal decline in prevalence, geographic clustering in Central Thailand, and disproportionately high infection rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged child populations. No statistically significant association was found between gender and risk of infection. These patterns underscore the need for targeted screening, deworming, and hygiene interventions, along with the standardized use of the Scotch tape technique for accurate surveillance and comparability of future studies
Authors’ reply to Peter Bridgewater, ‘Australia resistant to World Heritage in Danger listing? Yes, but … a response to James, Hamman, and Hølleland (2025)’
No full textA reply by the authors of the original article ‘The Fear of Losing National and Institutional Face: Exploring Australia’s Resistance to World Heritage In Danger Listing’. International Journal of Heritage Studies 31 (7): 918–34 to a response by Peter Bridgewater. The response is welcomed, but the scope of the original article should be noted, as should the following points in reply. The original understanding of the In Danger List has been superseded and what matters now is understanding how states respond, what that tells us about how they see World Heritage and why they see it in the way that they do. The comparison with the Ramsar Convention’s Montreux Record should be downplayed. Saving face can co-exist with – indeed was actuated through – Australia’s establishment of legal and policy frames. There is a lack of evidence for a loss of tourism revenue should the Great Barrier Reef be listed In Danger. The utility and practicality of the suggested ’Global Heritage Emergency Watchlist’ is far from clear. While unlikely to be explicitly acknowledged in participants’ accounts, face can be productively read alongside and indeed through the other factors as a consistent explanatory tool as Australia’s resistance to In Danger listing enters its fifth decade
Podcasts as pedagogy in higher education: A scoping review to map and advance the field
No full textPodcasts are now one of the most ubiquitous forms of digital engagement and entertainment. Their increasing global impact also extends to higher education (HE), where they serve a variety of pedagogical purposes despite limited conceptual clarity. This paper reports on a scoping review exploring the concept and role of podcasts in HE teaching and learning. Based on a review of 91 publications, the paper maps definitions, taxonomies and pedagogical uses of podcasts, leading to a working definition of the concept ‘educational podcasts’. This conceptualisation seeks to capture the many types of pedagogical work for which podcasts are used in contemporary HE, which are explored in an adapted taxonomy based on the scoping review. The paper then points to four key areas for future research. Together, the paper thinks productively and creatively toward further development in researching and teaching of, with and through podcasts. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic? Podcasts have been used in teaching and learning within higher education for more than a decade. Podcasts have great potential for teaching and learning. Much of the related research either fails to define a podcast or uses the terminology variously. What this paper adds? This paper explores the ways that podcasts have been defined and studied in higher education teaching and learning. It clarifies and clearly summarises various bodies of literature. It offers an updated taxonomy and definition of educational podcasts. It outlines a research agenda for studying podcasts and teaching/learning in higher education in the years to come. Implications for practice and/or policy Podcasts can be used in innovative ways both within and beyond higher education classrooms. Educators (and students) are encouraged to think creatively and productively about how podcasts can enhance teaching and learning. Policymakers, researchers, educators and other stakeholders are wise to consider the longer-term impacts and possibilities for podcasts as a key source of pedagogy for students and the general public.</p