134125 research outputs found
Sort by
How deep does it really burn? Social and emotional implications of paediatric burn injuries and care on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
No full textBackground Paediatric burns are highly painful and traumatic injuries that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at disproportionate rates, yet their experiences are often omitted from burns research. This study aimed to better understand the social and emotional impacts and unmet support needs that paediatric burn injuries and care cause Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Methods This decolonial ethnographic study followed 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families’ experiences of paediatric burns care at a tertiary hospital in Queensland, Australia. Three methods were combined, including participant observations of burns care appointments/procedures (n = 54); retrospective thinking aloud sessions with burn specialists (n = 62); and yarning sessions with families (n = 14). Grounded theory analysis was conducted and triangulated for in-depth explorations of each family’s experiences. Results Paediatric burn injuries and care cause profound and prolonged social and emotional impacts for all members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. These include, but are not limited to, panic, shock, distress, guilt, and fear; along with social isolation, family disruptions, physical implications, and financial and food insecurities. These burdens were worsened when burns care was uncollaborative, culturally unsafe, and included minimal supports. Discussion Paediatric burn specialists play vital roles in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families throughout burns care and beyond. However, several barriers continue to hinder their ability to provide collaborative and culturally and trauma-responsive care. There is a strong need for burns care to incorporate routine mental health screening, and cultural and mental health supports for all members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.Full Tex
Clinical relevance of zebrafish for gene variants testing. Proof-of-principle with SMN1/SMA
No full textSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) results from SMN1 gene loss-of-function (LOF), with disease severity directly linked to the level of remaining SMN protein. Nusinersen, risdiplam, and onasemnogene abeparvovec are revolutionary treatments but should ideally be implemented before clinical symptoms appear. Because of this, prenatal and newborn screenings are increasingly used to identify common SMN1 variants and patients requiring therapy. However, for novel variants, clinicians lack robust analytic tools to predict pathogenicity before irreversible damage occurs. To address this gap, we deployed a zebrafish model presenting smn1-LOF, exhibiting progressive motor defects and death by only six days of age. We evaluated two SMN1-variants of uncertain significance (VUS) identified in newborn infants awaiting definite diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We demonstrated that while known pathogenic variants did not change the disease course, wild-type SMN1 and both infants variants rescued SMA hallmarks in zebrafish, demonstrating the relevance of this approach for VUS-testing within a crucial timeframe for patients. Extending the assay to known SMN1-hypomorphs showed partial rescue, weaker than wild-type or VUS, demonstrating that this approach can also discriminate partial-LOF effects. Both VUS were resolved to be non-pathogenic, and the therapeutic costs of >US$2 million per child were avoided. Beyond SMA, this study provides robust proof-of-principle that the zebrafish represents a powerful translational tool for VUS-analysis, and that such approaches should be considered in clinical settings for supporting diagnosis and treatment decisions.Full Tex
Identifying variations in experiences and life events across female offending trajectories in an Australian birth cohort
No full textDespite a substantial body of work on offending trajectories, limited knowledge exists about how certain life-course experiences and events are associated with female offending trajectories. Our study aims to address this gap by integrating the Developmental Life-course Criminology framework, General Strain Theory, and the feminist pathways perspective to explore how the history of childhood maltreatment, mental illness, and other life-course experiences vary across female offending trajectories. We achieved this by using linked, administrative data for all females registered as born in Queensland (Australia) in 1983 and 1984. Findings indicate that motherhood, mental health-related contact, receiving a mental health diagnosis, and childhood maltreatment were particularly prevalent among females following early onset, escalating, and chronic offending patterns. In contrast, marriage was more frequently observed among females classified in non-offending and low-rate offending trajectories. These findings have important implications for targeted policies and interventions to reduce female crime and improve well-being.No Full Tex
Meeting the challenges from mis- and disinformation in the Pacific: Issues and policy responses
Get PDFFalse and misleading information has been named the world’s second-greatest challenge in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Global Risks Report. The organisation, known for its annual Davos, Switzerland gathering of prominent political and business leaders, puts only trade wars and other economic conflict ahead of mis- and disinformation among global risks over the next two years in its latest experts survey.[1] Similarly, a UN ranking by experts from 136 countries named disinformation one of the greatest global threats.[2]
Those messages resonate strongly in regions such as the Pacific. There, small island states not only face some of the world’s gravest threats from rising sea levels and related climate change impacts,[3] but they also face increasingly pervasive misinformation about such threats. The problem has grown with rapid increases in online connectivity. A majority of Pacific island states now report more than 50 mobile phone subscriptions per 100 population,[4] connecting their communities to global social networks with billions of members and enabling the virtually instantaneous distribution of both factual and false information.[4]
We examine how false and misleading information has challenged effective Pacific region responses to climate change, as well as other critical issues around public health crises, elections and social stability. We draw on regional and United Nations initiatives and proposals to outline several policy responses that could be adopted, adapted or expanded throughout the region to address the mounting risks.Full Tex
Experiential marketing: systematic review and future research agenda
No full textPurpose
This study aims to systematically review the experiential marketing (EM) literature by synthesizing the scholarly articles on this domain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a hybrid review method comprising both structured literature review (adhering to the PRISMA framework) and lexicometric analysis.
Findings
The findings showed that several theories have been applied to EM research with stimulus-organism-response theory, cognitive-affect-behaviour model and flow theory being prominently used. The review also proposes a conceptual framework that illustrates the relationships between antecedents and consequences reported in the EM literature. Lexicometric analysis identified four major themes in EM research, including types of marketplaces, consumer responses, service aspects and active purchase behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this research were restricted to articles that met the predetermined criteria. As a result, the findings cannot be generalized to all EM research.
Practical implications
This study provides suggestions for retailers, marketing personnel and policymakers to use EM strategies as part of marketing campaigns and strategic decision-making.
Originality/value
While the EM literature is growing, it is often incoherent and fragmented. This study addresses this gap by synthesizing research in this field to provide a comprehensive understanding of the EM phenomenon. Furthermore, the review identifies under-researched areas in the EM domain and suggests future research directions with respect to alternative theories, context, characteristics and methods to extend research in this domain.No Full Tex
Missing out is a loss: Investigating the effectiveness of scarcity appeals in promoting insect-based foods
No full textAs the global population continues to grow, sustainable protein alternatives like insect-based foods are receiving increasing attention. However, despite their nutritional and environmental advantages, low consumer acceptance remains a major barrier to the successful commercialization and widespread adoption of insect-based foods. Given this challenge, the current research investigates whether scarcity appeals can enhance consumer acceptance of insect-based foods. Across three experiments (Study 1a, 1b, and 2) conducted with Chinese consumers, we demonstrate that demand-based scarcity messages (e.g., “limited due to high demand”) consistently increase acceptance of insect-based foods, primarily through enhanced perceptions of popularity. While supply-based scarcity also occasionally showed positive effects, its impact was less consistent across studies. Additionally, exploratory moderation analyses revealed that individual differences, such as food neophobia, need for uniqueness, and prior entomophagy experience, moderate the effectiveness of scarcity appeals. Specifically, the effects of demand-based scarcity were particularly pronounced among consumers who were more neophobic, less uniqueness-seeking, or inexperienced with insect consumption.No Full Tex
Just not worth it: a framework for the motivational dynamics of reporting workplace sexual harassment
No full textWorkplace sexual harassment (WSH) is a prevalent psychosocial hazard that harms workers and organisations. Addressing WSH effectively requires understanding of not only when it occurs, but also the mental and emotional factors influencing decisions to report it. While research has largely focused on external barriers to reporting, such as fear of retaliation, less is known about how environmental threats become internalised–shaping perceptions of safety, support, and dignity. This gap risks interventions that overlook victims and witnesses’ struggles, perpetuating silence and undermining safety. Accordingly, our study employed a qualitative triangulation approach to identify the primary internal factors that hinder employees from reporting WSH. Drawing on the perspectives of targets and witnesses (i.e. n = 203 survey respondents, n = 7 interviews) and subject matter experts (n = 7 interviews) and using reflexive thematic analysis, we propose a framework grounded in basic psychological need fulfilment and cognitive appraisals of legitimacy, risk-reward balance, and system efficacy. These findings highlight how WSH reporting is driven by internal unmet psychological needs, underscoring the importance of approaches that restore victims’ autonomy, competence, and connection. Future research should explore how such models can reshape organisational responses and promote safer reporting climates.No Full Tex
Evaluating bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a tool for assessing freshwater fish condition
Get PDFThe nutritional status, or condition, of fish is a key health proxy influencing vital life history processes including migration, reproduction, and recruitment. Numerous morphological, biochemical, and electronic metrics are used to assess fish condition, yet it remains unclear if these metrics are congruent with each other and across species. This study evaluates bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a tool for assessing fish condition by comparing it with morphological (e.g. condition index, hepatosomatic index) and biochemical (e.g. percentage and total-body mass compositions of lipid, mineral, protein and water content and bulk C:N ratios in muscle tissue) condition metrics in three native Australian fish species (Macquaria ambigua, Nematalosa erebi, and Percalates novemaculeata) and one invasive species (Cyprinus carpio). Using simple least-squares linear regressions and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we uncovered that BIA parameters correlated strongly with total-body masses of biochemical components that covary with body size, but showed weaker correlations with percentage compositions of the same components. However, phase angle, a common BIA measure, showed some significant correlations with morphological condition and lipid content, although these relationships were generally weak and species dependent. These findings suggest that BIA can effectively estimate certain physiological parameters, but caution should be applied when interpreting BIA metrics, as their relationship with established indicators of condition may vary. The current study underscores the importance of combining multiple methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of fish condition in freshwater ecosystems, which can be used to provide mechanistic linkages with anthropogenic impacts.Full Tex
The ornamental trade in painted woolly bats (Kerivoula picta) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Get PDFThe ornamental wildlife trade poses a potential conservation threat to bats, including the painted woolly bat, Kerivoula picta. While studies have documented the fact that K. picta is widely sold online, with specimens moving from Asia to markets all over the world, there is no literature on the K. picta trade in any of its 11 range countries. We surveyed shops in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam to record all bats in ornamental trade, interviewed vendors to gain insight into the supply chain and performed a comprehensive legislative review to assess this trade’s legality. Our surveys revealed that Kerivoula picta is the most popular bat species in an ornamental trade that largely caters to tourists in HCMC. Adults and dependent young seem to be mostly, if not, entirely sourced from the wild in Vietnam. Two independent lines of anecdotal evidence indicate that K. picta has recently become increasingly difficult to find in the wild near HCMC and elsewhere in the Mekong Delta, leading to concern that this bat may have been overharvested for ornamental trade. With a potentially large population decline and K. picta not explicitly protected by Vietnam’s wildlife-protection laws, we recommend including it on lists of endangered, precious and rare species in the updated regulation(s). We also suggest Vietnam act to add K. picta to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which would set restrictions on transboundary movements of painted woolly bats.Full Tex
Autogenous and drying shrinkage of ultra-high performance concrete strengthened with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers
No full textDespite being widely used in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), the anti-shrinkage performance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE or PE) fibers remains inadequately understood. This study systematically investigates the effects of varying lengths (6–18 mm) and contents (0.5–1%) of PE fibers on autogenous and drying shrinkage of UHPC up to 90 days after casting. The autogenous shrinkage of UHPC was found to increase continuously, accounting for 70–80% of the total shrinkage by 90 days, whereas drying shrinkage tended to stabilize after 60 days. PE fibers exhibited shrinkage inhibition effects comparable to those of steel fibers at the same contents, reducing autogenous shrinkage by up to 25%. This performance is attributed to their similar mechanical properties and the superior fiber-matrix bonding of PE fibers to steel fibers, as confirmed by micro-morphological analysis. However, high PE fiber content caused agglomeration, impairing fiber uniform dispersibility and diminishing the shrinkage inhibition effect. Notably, increasing PE fiber lengths (from 6 to 18 mm) was more effective in restraining shrinkage than increasing PE fiber content, reducing autogenous shrinkage by up to 19%. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) model accurately predicted autogenous shrinkage in plain UHPC but overestimated it in fiber-reinforced UHPC, as it fails to account for the anti-shrinkage contributions of short fibers. These findings highlight the critical roles of PE fiber length and uniform dispersion in mitigating UHPC shrinkage.No Full Tex