19683 research outputs found
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Older than expected: fluvial aggradation of the Rhine's main terrace at Kärlich dated around 1.5Ma by electron spin resonance
No full textThe Mülheim–Kärlich clay pit (Kärlich hereinafter) is located along the Middle Rhine Valley (MRV), about 10 km north-westward of the city of Koblenz (Fig. 1a). Owing to its > 30 m thick Quaternary sequence (Fig. 1b), it perhaps represents the most significant sedimentary profile along this entire valley reach. The sequence provides key information on long-term landscape evolution in the MRV, including successive fluvial aggradation phases related to the so-called main terraces of the Rhine and the Moselle (e.g. Boenigk and Frechen, 2006, 1998), and is also relevant for its archaeological and palaeoenvironmental record (e.g. Gaudzinski et al., 1996). Despite this importance, the quality of chronological constraints on the whole Quaternary sequence is far from being uniform (Fig. 1b). dating of three tephra layers interspersed in loess and loess-like sediments yields ages ranging from ∼ 0.47 to ∼ 0.36 Ma (Van Den Bogaard et al., 1989; Gallant et al., 2014; Fig. 1b) for the upper part of the Middle Pleistocene sequence. Whilst intermediate units can be tentatively correlated to Marine Isotope Stages (MISs) 16–12 based on biostratigraphy and on the composition of volcanic mineral assemblages (Boenigk and Frechen, 1998), there is no numerical age control on the fluvial sequence at the base (Fig. 1b). It is merely constrained by questionable palaeomagnetic data suggesting a minimum age of 0.77 Ma (all geomagnetic boundaries are from Channell et al., 2020), corresponding to the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary (e.g. Boenigk and Frechen, 1998). Altogether, the lack of a reliable chronological framework for the fluvial units is highly problematic since Rhine deposits at Kärlich were often used as a reference site for a key terrace level in the Quaternary evolution of the river, the so-called main terraces (Boenigk and Frechen, 2006). This study thus aims to fill this gap by applying electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of quartz grains from two sediment samples of the Rhine's main terrace. This new age control further refines the whole Kärlich chronostratigraphy and numerically constrains, for the first time, the aggradation time of key terrace deposits along the MRV.</p
Whose body is it anyway? Cultural reflections on embodiment illusion research in eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder
No full textPsychological research has overwhelmingly derived from WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) populations and a “White = neutral” perspective, neglecting cultural considerations and generalisability across diverse contexts. </p
The value of employability-focused assessment: Student perceptions of career readiness
No full textPost-graduation employment outcomes remain a central focus for students, tertiary institutions, and governments. This interest has seen universities now aiming to provide students with a wide variety of authentic employability or career readiness opportunities to support each student’s work-ready preparedness, in a scalable and transferrable manner. This study explored the extent to which students perceive and value career readiness opportunities undertaken within their undergraduate degrees. Scaffolded opportunities and assessments were undertaken by students enrolled in professional and generic degrees within a Health Faculty. The activities and their assessment design aimed to support student career planning and readiness for future employment. This research affirmed the importance of embedding employability-focused curriculum throughout the degree, especially in first-year subjects within both professional and generic degrees. Whether the employability activity was a stand-alone assessment task, or intentionally designed to explicitly address employability and career readiness over the entire semester, students appreciated it. They recognised the value of these initiatives in enhancing their career readiness and facilitating their transition to employment. Multiple employability assessments scaffolded within subjects and throughout degrees can effectively cater to diverse student groups, providing opportunities to enhance their skills and confidence as they navigate the path to employment
Electrocatalytic amplification of coreactant electrochemiluminescence using redox mediators
No full textElectrochemiluminescence (ECL) has emerged as a sensitive analytical technique with a wide range of applications. While recent studies have begun to explore the role of redox mediators to facilitate ECL systems, this work extends these foundational insights by developing a comprehensive theoretical framework that supports, generalizes, and rationalizes mechanistic pathways borrowed from molecular electrocatalysis. This advancement is demonstrated through the electrocatalytic amplification of coreactant ECL within the [Ru(bpy)3]2+/TPrA system, utilizing a water-soluble redox-active Ir(III) complex as an electrocatalyst. Our investigation unveils previously uncharted mechanisms that enable the enhancement of Ru complex ECL at low electrode potentials, crucially without requiring the direct oxidation of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ or TPrA at the electrode, thus offering a deeper understanding of ECL activation through moelcular electrocatalysis. Through an integrated approach combining electrochemical analysis, spectroscopic investigation, and finite element modeling, we elucidate how the redox mediator critically modulates ECL efficiency by controlling the kinetics of radical species production and decay. The mediation by the Ir(III) complex not only governs the generation of TPrA radicals and excited [Ru(bpy)3]2+ states, thereby enhancing ECL intensity, but also the conditions under which ECL can be quenched. Further exploration of the mediator's redox characteristics provides predictive insights into ECL behavior, underscoring the mediator's redox potential as pivotal in determining ECL onset, peak potential, and intensity. This refined understanding paves the way for tailoring ECL systems for enhanced performance in analytical, imaging, and biomedical applications through the judicious selection of redox mediators
Preparedness and training needs of a regional public mental health service to support people with intellectual disability
No full textObjective: To explore the preparedness and training needs of a regional public mental health workforce to support people with intellectual disability and mental ill health. Setting and Participants: Staff from a regional public mental health service in Victoria, Australia. Design: A mixed-methods design comprised a survey, interviews and a focus group to collect data about staff attitudes, confidence, education and professional development regarding supporting people with intellectual disability and mental ill health. Descriptive and thematic analyses were used. Results: Data from 31 survey respondents, seven interviews and one focus group were analysed. Survey descriptive analyses showed participants believed treating people with intellectual disability was part of their role but reported areas of low confidence along with insufficient education and training in intellectual disability mental health. Thematic analyses from interviews showed that underpinning confidence, education and training were the themes (1) need for flexibility, such as having more time and (2) solutions but with challenges, such as limited opportunity to upskill and availability of experts. A need for collaborative problem-solving where staff share skills and information to work towards person-centred solutions was a key theme from the focus group analysis. Conclusion: Professional development in intellectual disability mental health is required for the regional public mental health workforce but needs to account for the challenges experienced and reflect how teams function. Exploration of described preparedness offered a possible learning approach informed by workforce members. Collaborative learning approaches to supporting people with intellectual disability and mental ill health are suggested
Safety and tolerability of radiotherapy in combination with systemic targeted therapies for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a narrative review
No full textBackground and Objective: Palliative radiotherapy (RT) and systemic immuno- or targeted therapy both play significant roles in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Concurrent application of these therapies is increasing, however, no guidelines exist regarding the combination of systemic therapy with RT. This narrative review summarises the existing literature reporting toxicity observed after concurrent treatment with RT and immuno- or targeted therapeutic agents commonly used in HCC. Methods: The PubMed database was searched for studies published between 2011 and 2023 reporting toxicity data on patients treated concurrently with RT and targeted agents used in HCC. Due to the paucity of relevant literature in HCC, the inclusion criteria were expanded to include non-HCC cohorts treated with targeted therapies commonly used in advanced HCC. Key Content and Findings: Sixty-seven articles were included in this review. Twenty-two articles reported combined RT with sorafenib, one with regorafenib, 22 with bevacizumab, three with lenvatinib and 19 with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Significant findings include a high rate severe hepatotoxicity with combination RT and sorafenib, ranging from 0–19% with liver stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and 3–18% with conventionally fractionated liver RT. Severe gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities including perforation and ulceration were seen with combination bevacizumab and RT, ranging from 0–27% in the acute setting and 0–23% in the late setting. The safety profile of combination immune checkpoint blockade agents and RT was similar to that seen in monotherapy. Conclusions: Existing data suggests that combination RT and targeted therapy given the risk of severe adverse events including hepatotoxicity and GI toxicity. There is an urgent need for future studies specifically examining the impact of combination therapy in HCC patients to guide clinical decision-making in the evolving landscape of immune- and targeted therapies.</p
Navigating the paradox of excellence and equity in school leadership
No full textIn this paper, I examine the tensions that a school principal experienced in reconciling performative priorities with equitable practices in a government secondary school in a low Socio-Economic Status suburb in Victoria, Australia. I use the notion of paradox to explore how the principal navigated contradictions and tensions. I aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of sense-making processes, agency, and capacity for action in the face of resource constraints, competing priorities and conflicting options in educational spaces. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s notions of ‘striated spaces’ and ‘lines of flight’, I discuss how the principal worked simultaneously within and against inadequate resourcing and performativity pressures to cater for the more complex needs of a group of marginalised students in his school. I highlight the tensions that arose from this work. These tensions remained mostly unresolved, setting in motion an ongoing cycle of compliance, compromise, contradictions, and contestation. The findings show the complex interactions between material realities, punitive modes of accountability, self-discipline, and subjectivity. I conclude by discussing the need for an equity-informed policy agenda driven by a positive mode of accountability to enable equitable practices in school leadership and management
Flood Risk Assessment for Sustainable Transportation Planning and Development under Climate Change: A GIS-Based Comparative Analysis of CMIP6 Scenarios
No full textClimate change is causing a range of environmental impacts, including increased flood frequency and intensity, posing significant risks to human populations and transportation infrastructure. Assessing flood risk under climate change is critical, but it is challenging due to uncertainties associated with climate projections and the need to consider the interactions between different factors that influence flood risk. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are powerful tools that can be used to assess flood risk under climate change by gathering and integrating a range of data types and sources to create detailed maps of flood-prone areas. The primary goal of this research is to create a comprehensive GIS-based flood risk map that includes various climate change scenarios derived from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. This goal will leverage the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology to better understand the impacts of these climate change scenarios on the transportation network. Furthermore, this study aims to evaluate the existing flood risk map and assess the potential impacts of prospective climate scenarios on the levels of flood risk. The results showed that the northern and coastal regions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are at higher risk of flooding, with the majority of the population living in these areas. The projections for future flood risk levels indicate that under the SSP245 scenario, flood risk levels will generally be low, but some areas in the northern and eastern regions of the UAE may still face high to very high flood risk levels due to extensive urbanization and low-lying coastal regions. Under the SSP585 scenario, flood risk levels are projected to be significantly higher, with a widespread distribution of very high and high flood risk levels across the study area, leading to severe damage to infrastructure, property, and human lives. The recent publication of the CMIP6 models marks a significant advancement, and according to the authors’ knowledge, there have been no studies that have yet explored the application of CMIP6 scenarios. Consequently, the insights provided by this study are poised to be exceptionally beneficial to researchers globally, underscoring the urgent necessity for holistic sustainable flood risk management approaches for geography, planning, and development areas. These approaches should integrate both sustainable transportation infrastructure development and risk mitigation strategies to effectively address the anticipated impacts of flooding events within the study region
Immersive virtual reality for unintentional injury prevention training with children: A systematic review
No full textResearchers and educators continue to explore the potential of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) technology for safety training in children, as unintentional injuries persist as the leading cause of global mortality among this cohort. In order to implement IVR as a safety training tool, it is important to understand its effectiveness compared to other methods. However, few studies have systematically summarised the use of IVR for unintentional injury prevention training with children. To address this gap, a systematic review was conducted using five databases, following the PRISMA guidelines. Sixteen studies published until March 2024 were identified that evaluated the effectiveness of IVR technology for unintentional injury prevention training with children aged 1–14 years. We evaluated: i) the types of unintentional injury skills taught, ii) research designs, data collection methods and measures used, iii) IVR interface and equipment utilised, and iv) the effectiveness of IVR technologies in comparison to conventional methods of training. The majority of the identified studies focused on road safety, with three on fire safety, and one on water safety. Varied instruments were used to measure outcomes including knowledge, behaviour, immersion, interest, enjoyment, and usability. IVR interventions employed head-mounted displays (N = 13) and Cave Automatic Virtual Environments (N = 3), with either interactive or passive experiences. Overall, the studies suggest a positive role for IVR in unintentional injury prevention training with children. However, only two studies made direct comparisons with other methods, underscoring the need for a cautious interpretation of the findings. Future studies should prioritise evaluating the transfer of learnings from the virtual environment to real-world settings, direct comparisons between IVR and conventional training methods, the relationship between different IVR learning approaches and cognitive and motor skill acquisition, and the correlation between immersion and learning outcomes. </p
Children’s Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes in Military Families: A Rapid Review
No full textAbstract: In light of ongoing global military conflicts, including the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war, it is imperative to study the effects of parental military service and deployment on the health and well-being of children within military families. Emerging evidence suggests that children with a parent in service appear to face unique developmental challenges associated with the military lifestyle, which differ from those experienced by civilian children. However, there is currently limited systematic research that compares the developmental outcomes of children with serving parents to their civilian peers. Therefore, the aim of this review is to synthesize existing literature on the behavioral, social, emotional, and educational functioning of children with currently serving parents in defense forces, in comparison to their civilian counterparts. This rapid systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology framework, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and Cochrane Rapid Review methodological recommendations The following databases were searched: Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Relevant online databases were searched from February 2012 to 2022 to examine the contemporary literature. Fourteen identified published quantitative studies were identified. No qualitative studies were found, and no study reported on academic outcomes. Despite considerable sample heterogeneity across studies, military children of all ages appear to be a particularly vulnerable population. Findings suggest that children in military families experience substantially higher risk for negative psychological, social, and behavioral health outcomes than their civilian counterparts, with parental deployment increasing risk across all developmental stages (i.e., early, middle, and late childhood). Among these age groups, adolescents of currently serving members showed highest risk, particularly concerning suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors. Implications are discussed in terms of early detection, preventative interventions, and support services for families and children with a serving parent. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022313999.</p