50716 research outputs found
Sort by
Engineering a Sustainable Future Through the Integration of Generative AI in Engineering Education
No full textEngineers’ work impacts society and the environment and plays a central role in delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, developing sustainability skills in engineering programs competes with a dense technical curriculum and has proven challenging. The mainstream adoption of generative AI (GAI) tools has prompted a review of teaching and learning, with expanding possibilities as new use cases emerge. This study reviews the impact that GAI is having on engineering education and proposes a framework for the use of GAI to facilitate greater socio-enviro-technical integration in the engineering curriculum. Based on a scoping review of the literature and a conceptual analysis, this paper provides a forward-looking perspective. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also transforming the practice of engineering, triggering the need to adjust graduate attributes accordingly. The increased productivity expected with the rise of AI in the workplace can scale-up the impact of engineering developments and underscores the need for graduates’ sustainability skills. Furthermore, engineers have a prominent role in the development of AI systems. Therefore, in advocating for the need to enhance graduate’s sustainability skills, we emphasize understanding its limitations and the sustainability of AI systems to address the paradox of AI for sustainability and the sustainability of AI itself.</p
The hepatitis B virus surface antigen:An evolved perfection and its unresolved mysteries
Get PDFThe Hepatitis B Virus has long afflicted the human race, with a widespread impact on the global health system and profound medical implications for those who are chronically infected. Despite its relatively recent discovery, over the last 50 years great advancements have been made towards the characterisation of this complex etiological agent. The virus itself has a highly evolved genome which encodes for seven viral proteins, three of which (the surface antigens) were consequential in the initial discovery and isolation of the virus. These surface antigens are ubiquitously important throughout the viral lifecycle, from capsid envelopment through to receptor-mediated invasion into the hepatocytes. The hepatitis B surface antigens (in particular, the large protein) adopt complex topological folds and tertiary structures, and it is this topological intricacy which facilitates the diverse roles the three surface antigens play in HBV maturation and infection. Here, the biochemical and topological attributes of the three surface antigens are reviewed in detail, with particular focus on their relevance to the establishment of infection. Further research is still required to elucidate the coordinates of the antigen loop and the dynamic topological changes of key motifs during entry and viral morphogenesis; these in turn may provide new leads for therapeutics which may potentiate a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B.</p
Optimising Exercise for Managing Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in People Diagnosed with Cancer
Get PDFBackground: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment. While exercise has shown promise in alleviating this burden, it remains underutilised in clinical practice due to the lack of accessible, clinician-friendly guidance. Aim: This review aimed to synthesise current evidence on exercise interventions for managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and provide practical insights to support clinicians in integrating these approaches into patient care. Methods: A search was conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus using keywords related to exercise and CIPN. Studies were included if they involved adults receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy and exercise-based interventions. Two authors independently screened studies and resolved conflicts with a third author. Study quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools, and only studies meeting a minimum quality standard were included. A balanced sampling approach was employed. Data on study design, participant characteristics, interventions, and outcomes were extracted. Results: Eleven studies were included, covering various exercise modalities: multimodal (n = 5), yoga (n = 2), aerobic (n = 1), resistance (n = 1), balance (n = 1), and sensorimotor (n = 1). Exercise interventions, particularly multimodal exercise, significantly improved symptom severity, functionality, and quality of life (p < 0.05). The studies had high methodological quality, with randomised controlled trials scoring between 9/13 and 11/13, and quasi-experimental studies scoring 8/9 on JBI tools. Conclusions: This review highlights the significant benefits of exercise, especially multimodal exercise, for managing CIPN and provides guidance for integrating these strategies into clinical practice. Future research is needed to refine exercise prescriptions and develop standardised guidelines.</p
Supporting children’s relationships with digital technologies
No full textThis chapter focuses on the peer-to-peer relationships of very young children that can be formed through the use of digital technologies. Digital technologies are now commonplace in the lives of young children; however, there is a dearth of research relating to children aged 0 to 3 years and their use of digital technology. This chapter draws attention to the often-expressed concern by parents and educators that using technology can be an isolating experience and detrimental to a child’s socialisation. Documented in this chapter will be the philosophical shift that occurred for the educators involved in this Investigation as they utilised technologies to support young children to foster relationships with their peers. It identifies the practices that were found to support young children to positively interact with their peers when using digital technologies as viewing, using, showing, and discussing. The chapter showcases the children and educators engaged in these practices and prompts thinking about how technologies can be used in the best interests of young children to support relationship building.</p
Changing patterns of referrals in response to a multicomponent rehabilitation program for people with dementia and their care partners
Get PDFOBJECTIVES: This article examines referral types and patterns over the first 30 months of a new multicomponent rehabilitation program for people with dementia and care partners, the Sustainable Personalised Intervention for Cognition Care and Engagement (SPICE) program.METHODS: Administrative referral records were analysed from July 2022 to December 2024.RESULTS: The most common referral sources (n = 239) were private geriatricians (n = 84), self-referral (n = 54), public geriatricians (n = 46) and community organisations (n = 30), with fewer referrals from general practitioners (n = 2) and community care providers (n = 2). Referrals from geriatricians increased over time, while those from community organisations and self-referrals remained stable.CONCLUSIONS: The changes in referral pathways suggest evolving awareness of the SPICE program. As multidisciplinary dementia care services expand under the Australian National Dementia Action Plan, further research is needed to understand referral pathways by health professionals across different sectors to enhance awareness and accessibility.</p
Prefabrication:Ian McKay and Partners’ Guardian House for Canberra’s NCDC (1968-69)
No full textCanberra as a planned city is often perceived as one with locally specific buildings: however, the conditions of efficiency, labour, and transport were central to erecting a capital under the direction of the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC). This paper reveals how innovations in timber construction from war experience, the NCDC’s shared history with the Snowy Hydro Scheme (1949-74), and publications tracking the construction of the Sydney Opera House (1957-66), forged cultures and agents of timber and masonry prefabrication, in both housing and public buildings, in East Coast Australian post-war architecture.National and local exchange is inscribed in Guardian House’s materiality - sheathed, triangulated plywood prefabricated trusses sourced from Sydney resulted in the distinct floating canopy roof. Timber serves as both structure and skin, in contrast to surrounding development, with the plywood soffit wrapping from interior to exterior.This study reveals an alternative historiography to Australian architecture: highlighting transnational and national cultures of prefabrication; as well as post-war structural innovation outside of the Melbourne School. Guardian House is a rare example of highly awarded public building which received heritage listing after its demolition, which is analysed through re-drawing and modelling the project. Unearthing Guardian House reveals these conditions and networks of material cultures and agents involved in this building, and more broadly, the larger NCDC project’s material innovation and locally responsive public architecture
Role of village health worker in control activities for malaria elimination efforts:A systematic review
No full textBACKGROUND: Malaria elimination efforts are expensive and often challenging because they are usually located in the hard-to-reach areas. Malaria elimination efforts can be greatly enhanced through the involvement of village health workers (VHWs). This systematic review aimed to study the role of VHWs in malaria elimination programs in hard-to-reach areas.METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in five life sciences databases including PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, ProQuest, and Medline, and Google. They were searched from their inception to October 2024 for studies reporting the roles of VHW in malaria elimination activities.RESULTS: Of 14,884 articles screened, 44 articles met the inclusion criteria. Nearly 65.9 % (29) of the studies were from Africa and the rest were from Asia. Thirty-seven studies were from the hard-to-reach areas. The hard-to-reach areas included villages (18/44), hard-to-reach villages (2/44), rural areas (7/44), one study each on border areas, border forested areas, and refugee and conflict areas. VHWs were mostly involved in diagnosis and treatment of malaria (21/44), three studies on behaviour change communication and reactive case detection, four on prevention using long-lasting insecticidal nets and intermittent preventive treatment of children, two studies each on seasonal malaria chemoprevention, health education, and intermittent preventive treatment in children.CONCLUSION: VHWs engaged in a number of malaria control activities in a hard-to-reach areas. They were primarily involved in routine control of malaria and were not regularly engaged in malaria elimination activities. As more countries are pursuing the national goal of malaria elimination, VHWs should be integrated into the elimination program.</p
Learning models for enhancing farmers’ water management skills in rural areas of Sargodha, Pakistan
No full textSince life on the planet, water has been claiming as a lifeline for human beings. The efficient use of water retains productive agriculture, environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, and economic growth. Manageable irrigation in Pakistan is considered as lowest amongst the world yet. Incredibly, the quality of groundwater is not merely declining by overexploitation but also getting worse. This study conducted in District Sargodha, Punjab-Pakistan, had the purpose of analyzing the impact of three farmers Learning Models such as the Value Management Model (VM), Collaborative Problem-Solving Workshops (CPSW) model, and Discovery Learning Model (DL). Particularly in materials and methods, a well-structured survey instrument was prepared for data collection. Both validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured before conducting the full-length study. Census study was designed because of not having a substantial trained population. A crosssectional survey design was adopted for data collection, and data were collected from 92 trained farmers. In the analysis, both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyse the data in SPSS. In descriptive, mean, standard deviation, rank, frequency, and percentage were computed. In Inferential, a paired t-test was computed to analyse the impact of training in enhancing small farmers’ income. The regression model was also computed to predict the variables such as farmers’ knowledge level before receiving training regarding Learning Models, Methods of Irrigation, Water Saving Technique, and different salt/nutrient and water measurement tools
The Impact of Different Types of Social Resources on Coping Self-Efficacy and Distress During Australia’s Black Summer Bushfires
No full textWhile social resources are known to promote positive psychological outcomes after disasters, little is known about the unique influence of different social resources on distress and coping during a disaster. This study examined the association between five social resources: sense of belonging, bushfire reciprocal support, emotional support, practical support and loneliness, and two psychological outcomes, distress and coping self-efficacy, during Australia’s 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires. Survey data collected from 2611 bushfire-affected Australians in late 2020 was analysed using regression modelling. Higher perceived emotional and practical support and lower levels of loneliness predicted increased coping self-efficacy, and higher sense of belonging and lower loneliness predicted reduced distress. However, higher emotional and reciprocal support predicted higher distress after accounting for coping self-efficacy. The findings suggest having higher access to some social resources may not directly reduce distress but may reduce distress indirectly through increasing coping self-efficacy. While access to social resources, particularly bonding social capital, is likely important for supporting psychological response during disasters, the findings suggest this may be dependent on the perceived quantity, quality and expectations of these social resources. The findings indicate that different social resources interact with disaster-related psychological outcomes in distinct, complex and sometimes non-linear ways.</p