Auckland University of Technology

About: Auckland University of Technology is a education organization based out in Auckland, New Zealand. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 4116 authors who have published 13461 publications receiving 353076 citations. The organization is also known as: AUT & AUT University.

A fuzzy ontology for medical document retrieval

Abstract: Ontologies represent a method of formally expressing a shared understanding of information, and have been seen by many authors as a prerequisite for the "Semantic web". A mapping between query terms and members of an ontology is usually a key part of any ontology enhanced searching tool. However the relative importance of a particular mapping to an overloaded term may be different for different users, and this information is vital for accurate satisfaction of a query.One way of overcoming this problem is the postulation of a "fuzzy ontology". By adding a value for degree of membership to each term that is "overloaded", for each user or group of users then the recovered documents from ontology mediated search can reflect the likely information need. The author will discuss means of ontology fuzzification, by both analysis of a corpus of documents and the use of a relevance feedback mechanism and some possible extensions to this scheme.

The Stroke Riskometer(TM) App: validation of a data collection tool and stroke risk predictor

Abstract: Background: The greatest potential to reduce the burden of stroke is by primary prevention of first-ever stroke, which constitutes three quarters of all stroke. In addition to population-wide prevention strategies (the 'mass' approach), the 'high risk' approach aims to identify individuals at risk of stroke and to modify their risk factors, and risk, accordingly. Current methods of assessing and modifying stroke risk are difficult to access and implement by the general population, amongst whom most future strokes will arise. To help reduce the burden of stroke on individuals and the population a new app, the Stroke RiskometerTM, has been developed. We aim to explore the validity of the app for predicting the risk of stroke compared with current best methods. Methods: 752 stroke outcomes from a sample of 9501 individuals across three countries (New Zealand, Russia and the Netherlands) were utilized to investigate the performance of a novel stroke risk prediction tool algorithm (Stroke RiskometerTM) compared with two established stroke risk score prediction algorithms (Framingham Stroke Risk Score [FSRS] and QStroke). We calculated the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curve (AUROC) with 95% confidence intervals, Harrels C-statistic and D-statistics for measure of discrimination, R2 statistics to indicate level of variability accounted for by each prediction algorithm, the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic for calibration, and the sensitivity and specificity of each algorithm. Results: The Stroke RiskometerTM performed well against the FSRS five-year AUROC for both males (FSRS=75·0% (95% CI 72·3%-77·6%), Stroke RiskometerTM=74·0(95% CI 71·3%-76·7%) and females [FSRS=70·3% (95% CI 67·9%-72·8%, Stroke RiskometerTM=71·5% (95% CI 69·0%-73·9%)], and better than QStroke [males - 59·7% (95% CI 57·3%-62·0%) and comparable to females=71·1% (95% CI 69·0%-73·1%)]. Discriminative ability of all algorithms was low (C-statistic ranging from 0·51-0·56, D-statistic ranging from 0·01-0·12). Hosmer-Lemeshow illustrated that all of the predicted risk scores were not well calibrated with the observed event data (P<0·006). Conclusions: The Stroke RiskometerTM is comparable in performance for stroke prediction with FSRS and QStroke. All three algorithms performed equally poorly in predicting stroke events. The Stroke RiskometerTM will be continually developed and validated to address the need to improve the current stroke risk scoring systems to more accurately predict stroke, particularly by identifying robust ethnic/race ethnicity group and country specific risk factors. International Journal of Stroke

Corporate branding, emotional attachment and brand loyalty: the case of luxury fashion branding

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to develop and empirically test a theoretical framework that captures the impact of corporate branding on customer emotional attachment and brand loyalty in the luxury fashion market.Design/methodology/approach – Cross‐sectional data were collected from 282 customers who purchased luxury brands. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses of the framework developed for the study.Findings – Findings found limited effect of corporate branding on customer emotional attachment and brand loyalty. Among the six corporate branding dimensions examined, only corporate association, functional benefits, and symbolic benefits were found to have a significant impact on emotional attachment. Further, the impact of corporate branding on brand loyalty was only evident through functional benefits and corporate associations.Practical implications – This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that corporate branding efforts have a role, thought limited...

A Review of Football Injuries on Third and Fourth Generation Artificial Turfs Compared with Natural Turf

Abstract: Football codes (rugby union, soccer, American football) train and play matches on natural and artificial turfs. A review of injuries on different turfs was needed to inform practitioners and sporting bodies on turf-related injury mechanisms and risk factors. Therefore, the aim of this review was to compare the incidence, nature and mechanisms of injuries sustained on newer generation artificial turfs and natural turfs. Electronic databases were searched using the keywords 'artificial turf', 'natural turf', 'grass' and 'inj*'. Delimitation of 120 articles sourced to those addressing injuries in football codes and those using third and fourth generation artificial turfs or natural turfs resulted in 11 experimental papers. These 11 papers provided 20 cohorts that could be assessed using magnitude-based inferences for injury incidence rate ratio calculations pertaining to differences between surfaces. Analysis showed that 16 of the 20 cohorts showed trivial effects for overall incidence rate ratios between surfaces. There was increased risk of ankle injury playing on artificial turf in eight cohorts, with incidence rate ratios from 0.7 to 5.2. Evidence concerning risk of knee injuries on the two surfaces was inconsistent, with incidence rate ratios from 0.4 to 2.8. Two cohorts showed beneficial inferences over the 90% likelihood value for effects of artificial surface on muscle injuries for soccer players; however, there were also two harmful, four unclear and five trivial inferences across the three football codes. Inferences relating to injury severity were inconsistent, with the exception that artificial turf was very likely to have harmful effects for minor injuries in rugby union training and severe injuries in young female soccer players. No clear differences between surfaces were evident in relation to training versus match injuries. Potential mechanisms for differing injury patterns on artificial turf compared with natural turf include increased peak torque and rotational stiffness properties of shoe-surface interfaces, decreased impact attenuation properties of surfaces, differing foot loading patterns and detrimental physiological responses. Changing between surfaces may be a precursor for injury in soccer. In conclusion, studies have provided strong evidence for comparable rates of injury between new generation artificial turfs and natural turfs. An exception is the likely increased risk of ankle injury on third and fourth generation artificial turfs. Therefore, ankle injury prevention strategies must be a priority for athletes who play on artificial turf regularly. Clarification of effects of artificial surfaces on muscle and knee injuries are required given inconsistencies in incidence rate ratios depending on the football code, athlete, gender or match versus training.

30-Year Trends in Stroke Rates and Outcome in Auckland, New Zealand (1981-2012): A Multi-Ethnic Population-Based Series of Studies

Abstract: Background Insufficient data exist on population-based trends in morbidity and mortality to determine the success of prevention strategies and improvements in health care delivery in stroke. The aim of this study was to determine trends in incidence and outcome (1-year mortality, 28-day case-fatality) in relation to management and risk factors for stroke in the multi-ethnic population of Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) over 30-years. Methods Four stroke incidence population-based register studies were undertaken in adult residents (aged ≥15 years) of Auckland NZ in 1981–1982, 1991–1992, 2002–2003 and 2011–2012. All used standard World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria and multiple overlapping sources of case-ascertainment for hospitalised and non-hospitalised, fatal and non-fatal, new stroke events. Ethnicity was consistently self-identified into four major groups. Crude and age-adjusted (WHO world population standard) annual incidence and mortality with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated per 100,000 people, assuming a Poisson distribution. Results 5400 new stroke patients were registered in four 12 month recruitment phases over the 30-year study period; 79% were NZ/European, 6% Māori, 8% Pacific people, and 7% were of Asian or other origin. Overall stroke incidence and 1-year mortality decreased by 23% (95% CI 5%-31%) and 62% (95% CI 36%-86%), respectively, from 1981 to 2012. Whilst stroke incidence and mortality declined across all groups in NZ from 1991, Māori and Pacific groups had the slowest rate of decline and continue to experience stroke at a significantly younger age (mean ages 60 and 62 years, respectively) compared with NZ/Europeans (mean age 75 years). There was also a decline in 28-day stroke case fatality (overall by 14%, 95% CI 11%-17%) across all ethnic groups from 1981 to 2012. However, there were significant increases in the frequencies of pre-morbid hypertension, myocardial infarction, and diabetes mellitus, but a reduction in frequency of current smoking among stroke patients. Conclusions In this unique temporal series of studies spanning 30 years, stroke incidence, early case-fatality and 1-year mortality have declined, but ethnic disparities in risk and outcome for stroke persisted suggesting that primary stroke prevention remains crucial to reducing the burden of this disease.