19683 research outputs found
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Bridging the education gap: A comprehensive analysis of travel distance and education quality based spatial accessibility of early childhood education in Metropolitan Melbourne
No full textIn Australia, Melbourne's population is growing rapidly and will soon overtake Sydney, fuelled by a COVID-19 baby boom that has increased demand for early childhood education (ECE). In response, the Victorian Government has announced transformational reforms to improve the accessibility and quality of ECE for the growing urban population. This study aims to addresses the evolution and effectiveness of ECE reforms in Melbourne from 2021 to 2036 by proposing an innovative approach that integrates spatial accessibility and educational quality into ECE evaluations. Using the distance decay function, the Floating Catchment Area (FCA) method and the Huff model, it extends traditional geographical analyses by highlighting the importance of educational quality in parental choice and providing a refined technique for simulating local demand based on educational quality and travel distance. Overall, inequalities in educational resources have been identified, with a concentration of ECE services near the CBD, despite high population density, while peripheral areas have significant service deficits. Furthermore, the projected poor accessibility scores for 2026, 2031 and 2036 highlight the urgent need for educational infrastructure development, even in areas rated as having better accessibility in 2021.</p
Leaching of cannabinoids from cannabis sativa flowers using a pH-controlled aqueous solvent: Study of important parameters
No full textThis study investigates the leaching of cannabinoids, primarily in their acidic forms, from Cannabis sativa using a pH-controlled aqueous solvent. Key factors including the initial form of cannabis biomass (fresh vs. dry, ground vs. unground), solvent pH and ionic concentration (NaCl content), solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratio, leaching kinetics and temperature were assessed. The results indicated that the highest cannabinoid yield is obtained from fresh flowers, eliminating the need for drying and grinding, pre-treatment steps that are both time-consuming and energy-intensive. Peleg's model was applied to describe the leaching kinetics, demonstrating a high correlation (R2≥ 0.98) with experimental data. The model's parameters indicated rapid leaching, requiring less than 10 min for whole fresh and dried flowers and less than 30 sec for ground dried samples. Temperature analysis showed that heating was not preferred as elevated temperature converted acidic cannabinoids to neutral forms, lowering leaching yields. Thermodynamic analysis indicated an exothermic reaction. Additionally, salt addition of 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl to the pH 13.0 aqueous solvent enhanced the yield, while higher concentrations led to a sharp decrease in leaching yield due to cannabinoid precipitation. These findings demonstrate the efficiency of this method as a viable alternative for industrial cannabinoid extraction, reducing both energy use and process complexity.</p
Midwives’ management of gestational weight gain: Clinical practice behaviours and determinants using Normalisation Process Theory
No full textProblem: Despite national guidelines for managing gestational weight gain (GWG), little is known about their integration into routine midwifery practice. Background: Unhealthy GWG is associated with serious outcomes for both mothers and babies. Despite established guidelines, and midwives being well-positioned to manage GWG, many women do not achieve healthy GWG. Understanding the factors that influence GWG care is critical to improve midwifery practice. Aim: To examine midwives’ implementation of GWG-related practices and key factors associated with adherence to national guidelines. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of Australian registered midwives was conducted. Questions assessed midwives’ knowledge of GWG guidelines, their clinical practices, and factors that influence implementation which were informed by Normalisation Process Theory (NPT). Findings: National guidelines for GWG-related clinical practice are inconsistently implemented, with variability in midwives’ knowledge of BMI and recommended GWG ranges. More than 60 % of the midwives could not correctly identify the recommended GWG range for each BMI category. The multiple regression model using NPT constructs to predicted adherence to guidelines (adjusted R-square=0.33, p </p
Barriers to contraceptive use among people living with diabetes and/or hypertension: a qualitative study
No full textBackground: Pregnancy in individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension, especially when undiagnosed, untreated, or uncontrolled, can result in severe consequences, including maternal and child mortality. Contraception is crucial for the management of pregnancy in individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension. However, the decision-making and experiences related to contraception use among this population in low- and middle-income countries are poorly understood. This study aims to explore the barriers to contraception use among sexually active men and women living with diabetes and/or hypertension. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using the empirical phenomenological approach. We interviewed participants diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension, as well as stakeholders involved in providing care to individuals living with at least one of these two conditions and family planning service providers. Semi-structured interview guides were used, and data were collected through four focus group discussions, four in-depth interviews, and ten key informant interviews. All interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: People living with diabetes and/or hypertension encounter misunderstandings and various barriers when it comes to using contraception. These experiences were categorised into four main themes and nine sub-themes. The themes identified were: (i) lack of awareness/inadequate knowledge and misunderstanding, (ii) social and religious beliefs, (iii) barriers to available and affordable contraceptives, and (iv) lack of coordination between facilities providing family planning services and treatment and management for diabetes and/or hypertension. Conclusion: Findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and considerations involved in contraceptive use-related decision-making among individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension. These findings can be used in policymaking and programme development to promote contraceptive use and improve the reproductive health outcomes of this population.</p
Flexibly navigating cultural diversity: How polycultural identity facilitates a meaningful and rich life
No full textSuper-diverse societies, like Australia, offer individuals frequent opportunities to engage with cultural elements from a variety of sources in everyday life. While previous research suggests that a polycultural identity—the integration and blending of multiple diverse cultural elements into the self—is associated with positive personal and intercultural outcomes, the mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unclear. We theorised that polycultural identity functions as an adaptive response to super-diversity, emerging among individuals who demonstrate flexibility in perspective-taking, tolerance for contradiction, and a desire to broaden the self through social interactions. Data from a diverse Australian sample recruited via Prolific (N = 483) supported a path model in which polycultural identity mediated the relationship between two malleability-related variables and two well-being outcomes: flourishing and a psychologically rich life. This pattern suggests that polycultural identity may indeed represent a form of positive adaptation to diversity. We also examined links between polycultural identity and aspects of the self, specifically, true self, self-consistency, self-concept clarity, and personal identity strength. The findings indicate that polycultural identity may prioritise enhanced self-understanding and personal agency over a stable, clearly defined, and immutable sense of self. These results offer novel insights into the nature of polycultural identity as a potentially adaptive resource in environments that demand psychological flexibility.</p
Is Male Loneliness an Epidemic? A Gendered and Structural Reframing
No full text"In this paper, we argue that these framings of men’s loneliness flatten the causes and distort the implications of this issue. We point out that the framing of men’s social disconnection as a product of individual men’s inability to form meaningful relationships depoliticises what is a deeply structural and gendered phenomenon. We seek to illustrate the argument that discussing men’s social disconnection without a rigorous analysis of masculinity, power, race and gender risks reproducing responses (to male loneliness) that will reinforce harmful gender norms and obscure opportunities for meaningful change. This approach also risks missing how such disconnection is actively produced and maintained by systems that both constrain and reward men in unequal ways."</p
The effects of anthropogenic sound on behaviour and physiology in female Port Jackson sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Elasmobranchii)
No full textElasmobranchs play a key role in marine ecosystems that continue to face many threats from human activities. Anthropogenic sound is now recognised as a global pollutant, but the effects on sharks are poorly understood. Using a behavioural playback laboratory experiment, we exposed adult female Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) to biological and anthropogenic sounds. We focused on females due to their distinct seasonal behavioural patterns. Sharks were exposed to two acoustic conditions containing ambient or anthropogenic sounds in a 'before - during - after' exposure experiment. Recorded behaviours included activity levels, vertical swimming behaviours, tracking distance from the sound-source, use of a shelter structure, and gill movement counts as a proxy for respiration rate to predict physiological changes. While no significant differences were observed across their activities during treatment phases of playback, Port Jackson sharks increased use of the shelter during anthropogenic playback versus ambient sound conditions, and an increase in respiratory rate in the 'during' phase of anthropogenic playback that was not observed in ambient sound trials. In the 'after' phase of exposure to anthropogenic sounds, an increase in inactivity was observed, coupled with a decrease in respiratory rate. These findings suggest that there is a complex relationship between physiological and behavioural impacts to sound that requires further research. We demonstrate that anthropogenic sound affects H. portusjacksoni, but these effects may not be solely determined by measuring behaviour alone. Future research should include direct physiological measures to assess the overall impact of anthropogenic sounds on elasmobranchs.</p
Energy Efficient Artificial Intelligence using Vector Symbolic Architectures
No full textSubmitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.</p
Mapping Grassland Invertebrate Networks: Comparative Analyses of Survey Methods and Community Networks for Plant-Floral Visitor Interactions
No full textA thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science to the School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.This thesis was a recipient of the Research Masters Award in recognition of the originality and high standard of the research and the impact of the work in the context of the field of research.</p
