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Understanding the role of deputy principals with a teaching and learning portfolio in Melbourne Catholic secondary schools
No full text© 2025 Maria Claire HaggettWhilst there is considerable research on principals, and middle and teacher leaders, there is limited research on senior leadership roles like assistant and deputy principals. This thesis investigated secondary school deputy principals with a portfolio for teaching and learning (DPTLs) in Melbourne, Australia. This is a significant and common role in Catholic secondary schools in Melbourne. This research contributes to the wider knowledge about deputy principals, and also those with portfolio roles like DPTLs.
The research questions focussed on the expectations, experiences, challenges and perceptions of influence of the DPTL role. Ten DPTLs from Melbourne Catholic secondary schools were interviewed at least twice and the interviews analysed thematically.
Key findings of this research were that while DPTLs shared broad experiences and challenges with other senior educational leaders, some were unique to this role. In addition to heavy administrative workloads, DPTLs’ daily work involved complex combinations of tasks focussed on developing teacher practice and organisational effectiveness. DPTLs were mostly strategic in the way they operated and sharing a vision for teaching and learning with the principal was critical to driving sustainable improvement. Challenges specific to the DPTL role included the management of change to pedagogy and curriculum, which often progressed slowly and could result in teacher resistance. This research demonstrated that DPTLs’ main areas of influence aligned with a common set of four core leadership practices: setting direction, developing people, developing the organisation and improving teaching and learning. The strongest areas of perceived influence were in developing others, improving teacher professional practice and, creating organisational conditions for successful learning.
These findings are significant as they suggest that a role like the DPTL leadership can be important for whole school improvement. They challenge some previous findings that the DP role is mostly administrative. DPTLs use a range of levers to drive improvement, leading in contextually sensitive ways to directly and indirectly influence teacher and student learning. Recommendations include more effective preparation prior to assuming a DPTL role and comprehensive support during tenure
Is sweat conductivity still a relevant screening test for cystic fibrosis? Participation over 10 years
No full textSkeletal muscle proteomics: considerations and opportunities
No full textSkeletal muscle accounts for 30-40% of body weight and plays an indispensable role in maintaining movement and is also a central regulator of whole-body metabolism. As such, understanding the molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle health and disease is vital. Proteomics has been revolutionized in recent years and provided new insights into skeletal muscle. In this review, we first highlight important considerations unique to the field which make skeletal muscle one of the most challenging tissues to analyse by mass spectrometry. We then highlight recent advances using the latest case studies and how this has allowed coverage of the skeletal muscle temporal, fibre type and stem cells proteome. We also discuss how exercise and metabolic dysfunction can remodel the muscle proteome. Finally, we discuss the future directions of the field and how they can be best leveraged to increase understanding of human biology.10.1038/s44324-025-00073-
Skeletal muscle Rac1 mediates exercise training adaptations towards muscle glycogen resynthesis and protein synthesis
No full textLong-term exercise training elicits tremendous health benefits; however, the molecular understanding is incomplete and identifying therapeutic targets has been challenging. Rho GTPases are among the most regulated groups of proteins after exercise in human skeletal muscle, yet, unexplored candidates for mediating the effects of exercise training. We found that the Rho GTPase Rac1 was activated acutely after multiple exercise modalities in human skeletal muscle. Loss of Rac1 specifically in muscle attenuated contraction-induced muscle protein synthesis, diminished improvements in running capacity, and prevented muscle hypertrophy after exercise training in mice. Additionally, Ncf1∗ mice revealed that Rac1 regulated glycogen resynthesis via a NOX2-dependent mechanism. Molecularly, Rac1 was required for contraction-induced p38MAPK signaling towards HSP27, MNK1, and CREB phosphorylation. In vivo muscle-targeted overexpression of a hyperactive Rac1-mutant elevated reactive oxidant species production during exercise but did not affect muscle mass. Using mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we found that loss or gain of Rac1 muscle protein affected pathways related to cytoskeleton organization, muscle adaptation, and large ribosomal subunits. Thus, skeletal muscle Rac1 mediates both molecular and functional adaptation to exercise training
Carbon footprint and staff demands of surgery and chemoradiation for muscle-invasive bladder cancer
No full textOBJECTIVE: To calculate the environmental and labour impact of two complete care pathways for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with similar oncological outcomes: radical cystectomy (RC) and chemoradiation (CRT), by quantifying the total carbon footprint and staff demands. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The RC was robot-assisted surgery with pelvic lymph node dissection and ileal conduit. CRT included 20 fractions of 2/2.75 Gy with mitomycin C (Day 1) and capecitabine every radiation day. Waste audits identified medical products (n = 284), for which a cradle-to-gate environmental impact analysis was conducted from treatment selection to first post-treatment evaluation. Energy use was based on primary data, technical specifications or literature. Patient travel was based on the average distance, assuming petrol-fuelled cars. Staff demands were assessed by timing clinical staff assignment. The carbon footprint was calculated in CO2-equivalents using the Ecoinvent Database 3.10. RESULTS: The carbon footprint was 208 kg CO2-equivalents for RC vs 264 kg CO2-equivalents for CRT. The larger footprint of CRT arose from travel movements and energy use: 5- and 1.5-fold higher than RC, respectively. Main contributors to the total footprint were medical products for RC (49%), and patient travel for CRT (74%). A hotspot analysis identified 10 medical products with the highest impact, which accounted for 60% of the total impact of all medical products. RC averaged 93.5 staff hours per patient vs 29.0 staff hours per patient for CRT. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to analyse the environmental impact of complete care pathways in uro-oncology. Key strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of MIBC treatment include low-impact patient travel, reviewing high-impact surgical products, and using renewable energy by hospitals. Insight into staff demands per treatment assists efficient allocation of scarce personnel
Acetylcholine-loaded nanoparticles protect against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in in vitro cardiac spheroids
No full textDoxorubicin (DOX) is widely used in chemotherapy, yet it significantly contributes to heart failure-associated death. Acetylcholine (ACh) is cardioprotective by enhancing heart rate variability and reducing mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation. Nonetheless, the protective role of ACh in countering DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) remains underexplored as current approaches to increasing ACh levels are invasive and unsafe for patients. In this study, we explore the protective effects of ACh against DIC through three distinct ACh administration strategies: (i) freely-suspended 100 µM ACh; (ii) ACh-producing cholinergic neurons (CNs); or (iii) ACh-loaded nanoparticles (ACh-NPs). These are tested in in vitro cardiac spheroids (CSs), which have previously been shown to approximate the complex DIC. We assess ACh’s protective effects by measuring the toxicity ratio (cell death/viability), contractile activity, gene expression changes via qPCR and nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Our findings show that ACh effectively attenuates DOX-induced cell death and contractile dysfunction. ACh also counteracts the DOX-induced downregulation of genes controlling myocardial fibrosis, endothelial and cardiomyocyte dysfunction, and autonomic dysregulation. ACh cardioprotection against DOX is dependent on NO signaling in endothelial cells but not in cardiac myocytes or fibroblasts. Altogether, this study shows for the first time that elevating ACh levels showed a promising therapeutic approach for preventing DIC
Beyond Siloed Systems: The Metaphors of Collaboration between Domestic Violence and Substance Use Sectors
No full text© 2025 Thu Van Adora CallalySubstance use can increase the intensity, frequency, and severity of domestic and family violence (DFV) within families. The evidence base highlights the clear intersection between these two issues. However, despite this empirical evidence, discussions of substance use in the context of DFV often provoke fierce debate or complete omission. Consequently, Australian policy and frontline practice frequently address these issues separately, contributing to fragmented supports for families in need. Although there is interest to enhance professionals’ collaborative capacity between the substance use and DFV sectors, progress has stagnated over the last decades.
This research begins with a narrative review of the literature on substance use and DFV, emphasising their impact on victim-survivors and those who use violence. It also includes an analysis of the narratives framing substance use and DFV, illustrating how these framings continue to shape current practices and contribute to tensions between the two sectors. A scoping review of programs for men who use violence and substances identifies systemic challenges in sustaining collaborative capacity and highlights significant barriers to addressing this critical interaction.
In response, moving beyond an examination of frontline practices, the study evaluates the broader systemic context in which the substance use and DFV sectors operate. This qualitative study adopts a system’s action research approach to explore and improve how professionals conceptualise and enact cross-sectoral collaboration between substance use and DFV services. Grounded in principles of systems theory, including holism and boundaries, the study examines the latent systemic dynamics that influence collaborative practices through metaphor analysis.
Data collection occurred in two stages. First, 26 interviews with senior managers, practitioners and policy actors were conducted to investigate dominant metaphorical concepts and how these metaphors shape their capacity to collaborate with others. Metaphor analysis revealed that professionals compared collaboration as: a process of geopolitics; fixing infrastructure; running a business; and playing a game. Second, a national Policy Stakeholder Group (PSG) was convened, involving six facilitated discussions to explore how intersections between DFV and substance use contribute to either collaborative bottlenecks or flows. The study found that metaphorical concepts evolved as participants engaged with one another within a group context. While some topics - such as challenging the view that substance use causes violence, recognising the need for greater support for victim-survivors who use substances, and exploring the concept of substance use coercion - generated enthusiasm for change, other topics contributed to collaborative bottlenecks. These bottleneck topics included short-term funding structures, accountability for those who use violence, and debates surrounding the (de) gendering of DFV. When these topics arose, participants often refrained from openly discussing differing views – a reflection of these topics being understood as unknown terrain.
The study concludes with a discussion on the synthesising constructs of Organising Structures, Using Language and Making Change. Key findings from this study include the enduring influence of language in shaping collaborative practices, the need for reconfiguring conceptual boundaries to enhance professionals’ collaborative capacity, and the importance of cultivating sustained opportunities for informed discussions on the politically sensitive intersections of substance use and DFV. The study reveals how cross-sectoral collaboration requires conversations that challenges assumptions of current sectoral boundaries and emphasises the role of purposeful dialogue in providing an authorising environment to address these intersections. Without it, professionals’ ability to co-construct shared knowledge and understanding on the topic of substance use and DFV remain severely constrained, perpetuating sectoral silos and harms for families in need of support. Through conscious attention to professionals’ language practices, the study identifies ways to improve service responses for families who experience substance use and DFV
Investigating the mechanism of action and effects of polyacrylamide hydrogel (Arthramid Vet) on the joints of Thoroughbred horses
No full text© 2025 Eleonora Lidia MorrellOsteoarthritis (OA) is responsible for a considerable number of lameness cases in horses, mainly in the metacarpophalangeal and carpal joints; causing chronic pain, poor performance, and early retirement from racing. In racing Thoroughbreds, as well as OA being a common problem, osteochondral disease is very commonly found in the metacarpophalangeal (fetlock) and carpal joints (fetlock osteochondral disease is known as palmar or plantar osteochondral disease, POD). Synovial changes are an important factor in the pathophysiology of OA, but the relationship between osteochondral disease and synovitis in racing Thoroughbreds is unclear. Intra-articular corticosteroids are commonly used in the treatment of equine OA, but now polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAHG) has received significant recent interest as a novel treatment in horses; however, the mechanism of action remains unclear. The aims of this study were to characterise and grade the histologic changes in the synovium of the fetlock, carpal and tarsal joints of Thoroughbred racehorses; and to examine their association with gross lesions including the presence of osteochondral disease. Regarding PAHG, the objectives were to characterize the synovial changes associated with administration of PAHG in joints with OA and determine the likely mechanism(s) by which PAHG may reduce joint pain and/or inflammation.
A retrospective study was performed on post mortem samples from horses euthanased for reasons unrelated to the present study. The fetlock, carpal and tarsal joints of 54 Thoroughbred racehorses were examined post mortem and gross changes including the presence of POD. Synovial membranes of the same joints were examined histologically and a semi-quantitative scoring and grading system was developed. The sensory nerves and type A synoviocytes in the synovium of joints from horses administered PAHG were examined to investigate changes to inflammatory cell populations and look for any reduction of sensory nerves. Furthermore, the direct and indirect effects of PAHG on cultured neurons and macrophages were examined.
The main gross lesion in the forelimb fetlock joints of Thoroughbred horses at post mortem was POD, including cartilage loss and cartilage wear lines, while the main gross changes in the hindlimb fetlock joints were the presence of cartilage linear fissures and cartilage loss. The total histopathological score of the synovium from carpal joints was significantly higher than the total score of the forelimb fetlock joints. The total synovitis score was not associated with the total gross score for POD in the forelimb fetlock joints. Where horses had received PAHG treatment, intimal thickening and macrophage infiltration into the subintima was observed. Between 2-9 months post treatment, PAHG was no longer observed in the synovium. There was no correlation between number, size or quantity of synovial sensory nerves and time since PAHG injection. To confirm that there were no direct or indirect toxic effects of PAHG on neurons, equine and rat neurons were cultured in vitro and co-incubated with PAHG and also supernatants from macrophages treated with PAHG. No toxic effects of PAHG on neurons were observed. Since macrophages were seen to play a key role in the tissue responses to PAHG injections in vivo, the effects of this compound were examined more closely in cultured equine macrophages in vitro. PAHG induced equine macrophages to produce the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, consistent with the adoption of the M2 phenotype.
These findings suggest that while synovitis may play an important role in OA, and osteochondral disease may eventually lead to OA, synovitis is not an inherent feature of osteochondral disease, including POD. PAHG does not appear to cause direct toxic effects to neurons. But after it is taken up into the synovium by macrophages and type A synoviocytes, this material may induce the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype with the release of IL-10 and other anti-inflammatory factors, which reduces the stimulation of sensory nerves. Overall, these findings may have implications for the treatment and management of OA and osteochondral disease in horses, as well as understanding the causes of pain and lameness. Further studies are required to confirm the mechanism of action of PAHG in vivo; and investigate comparisons between PAHG and intra-articular corticosteroids in different presentations of OA and joint pain
Crisis and Climax of 1929: Surrealism and the Imprints of Desire
No full text© 2025 Arielle MarshallAt the end of the 1920s, sexuality became both a creative engine and a crisis point for the surrealist movement in Paris. This thesis centres on a singular work from that decisive moment: ‘1929’, a collaborative booklet of poems by Benjamin Péret and Louis Aragon, illustrated with explicit photographs by Man Ray titled ‘Les Quatre Saisons’. Censored for obscenity since its first edition, this libertine calendar has, despite its notoriety, been neglected in scholarship. Grounded in close reading, archival research, and contextual analysis, this study shows how ‘1929’ enacts surrealism’s core tenets: liberation of desire, cultural subversion, and aesthetic experimentation.
A clandestine collaboration mixing poems and photographs, ‘1929’ poses an interpretive challenge: is it a surrealist manifesto, an artist’s book, a historical object, a literary text, or a photographic document? Through four analytical axes—materiality, censorship, literature, photography—the thesis takes this curious object as a focal point to reveal surrealism’s engagement with eroticism at a pivotal moment in its history. It maps connections between ‘1929’, its creators, and their contexts, linking it to the collective ‘Recherches sur la sexualité’, three erotic books from 1928 (Aragon’s ‘Le Con d’Irène’, Bataille’s ‘Histoire de l’œil’, Péret’s ‘Les Couilles enragées’), and Man Ray’s visual production. Each chapter interrogates a distinct facet of surrealist practice reflected in ‘1929’, opening tensions around its creation and reception: between originality and reproduction (Chapter 2), censorship and value (Chapter 3), literature and pornography (Chapter 4), the artist and the model (Chapter 5).
This research adopts an interdisciplinary approach that bridges art history, literary criticism, and cultural studies. Situating ‘1929’ within Parisian avant-garde print culture, it uncovers one of surrealism’s most provocative gestures and traces its entanglements with censorship. Through ‘1929’ and related works, it articulates key traits of surrealist erotic expression across three mediums: artists’ books (Chapter 2), poetic texts (Chapter 4), and photography (Chapter 5). Pluralist in theoretical outlook, it uses structuralist and post-structuralist lenses to explore how the surrealists materialise desire in representations of sexuality, gender, and temporality to subvert norms and rationalist thought.
If eroticism fuelled the surrealist project for ‘total liberation’ in the late 1920s, why has ‘1929’ slipped ostensibly from its histories? This thesis re-evaluates the work’s place within interwar surrealism and offers a new account of the movement from its margins. It argues that surrealist artists and writers intentionally harness explicit sexuality for an aesthetics of shock, aimed at psychic and social disruption. ‘1929’ deploys pornographic codes for subversive and critical ends, using experimental strategies (parody, juxtaposition, intermediality) that destabilise categories of medium, meaning, and value. Between public and private, high and low, artwork and document, ‘1929’ embodies the complex tensions that shaped surrealism at the close of the decade
Australasian guideline for the performance of sweat chloride testing 3rd edition: to support cystic fibrosis screening, diagnosis and monitoring
No full textThe sweat test is used as a biological marker of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction, but there is growing recognition that sweat chloride concentrations of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) can overlap with those without CF. There are also people without CF whose symptoms are caused by abnormalities of CFTR. To support clinical decisions, the sweat chloride test conducted appropriately should provide consistent results between laboratories and common decision limits should be used. International consensus guidelines now recommend a standard set of clinical decision limits for sweat chloride, with values between 30 and 59 mmol/L, as the intermediate result for all ages. It is therefore timely to update the Australasian guideline decision limits to align with international consensus guidelines and peak body recommendations. At the same time, the technical aspects for performance of the sweat chloride test should be reviewed. This paper updates (and replaces) the guideline for the performance of the sweat chloride test that were last published by the AACB in 2017. This freely available guideline was developed to support Australasian laboratories, and laboratories from other regions, with the accurate performance of sweat chloride testing. The guideline provides 16 recommendations for the performance of the sweat chloride test encompassing the total testing process. Previous recommendations related to sweat conductivity testing have been removed from this guideline. The sweat chloride decision limits of ≥30 mmol/L support a review by a CF physician for all age groups. Sweat chloride concentrations of ≥60 mmol/L are supportive of a diagnosis of CF