Showing papers by "Australian Catholic University published in 2012"

Effect of SiO2 and Al2O3 on the setting and hardening of high calcium fly ash-based geopolymer systems

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of silica and alumina contents on setting, phase development, and physical properties of high calcium fly ash (ASTM Class C) geopolymers. The characteristic rapid setting properties and, hence, limited workability range of high calcium fly ash geopolymers has restricted both development and potential application of these binder systems compared to conventional geopolymer binders derived from bituminous coal, i.e., (ASTM Class F) sources or from calcined kaolin feedstocks. For this study, control of setting and hardening properties were investigated by adjusting SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the starting mix, via series of mixes formulated with varying SiO2 or Al2O3 contents to achieve SiO2/Al2O3 in the range 2.87–4.79. Foremost is the observation that the effect of varying silica and alumina in high calcium fly ash systems on setting and hardening properties is markedly different from that observed for traditional Class F geopolymer systems. Overall, increases in either silica or alumina content appear to shorten the setting time of high calcium-based systems unlike conventional geopolymer systems where increasing Al2O3 accelerates setting. The setting process was associated primarily with CSH or CASH formation. Furthermore, there appears to be a prevailing SiO2/Al2O3 ratio that prolongs setting, rather than Ca2+ ion content itself, while NASH primarily contributes to strength development. SiO2/Al2O3 ratios in the range of 3.20–3.70 resulted in products with highest strengths and longest setting times. These results suggest that initial predominance of Ca2+ ions and its reactions effectively help maintaining a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio at which amorphous geopolymer phase is stable to influence setting and initial strength development.

Planned vaginal birth or elective repeat caesarean: Patient preference restricted cohort with nested randomised trial

Abstract: Uncertainty exists about benefits and harms of a planned vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) compared with elective repeat caesarean (ERC). We conducted a prospective restricted cohort study consisting of a patient preference cohort study, and a small nested randomised trial to compare benefits and risks of a planned ERC with planned VBAC.

Critical care: the eight vital signs of patient monitoring

Abstract: Nurses have traditionally relied on five vital signs to assess their patients: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. However, as patients hospitalised today are sicker than in the past, these vital signs may not be adequate to identify those who are clinically deteriorating. This paper describes clinical issues to consider when measuring vital signs as well as proposing additional assessments of pain, level of consciousness and urine output, as part of routine patient assessment.

Relationship Between Running Loads and Soft-Tissue Injury in Elite Team Sport Athletes

Abstract: Although the potential link between running loads and soft-tissue injury is appealing, the evidence supporting or refuting this relationship in high-performance team sport athletes is nonexistent, with all published studies using subjective measures (e.g., ratings of perceived exertion) to quantify training loads. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk of low-intensity (e.g., walking, jogging, total distances) and highintensity (e.g., high acceleration and velocity efforts, repeated high-intensity exercise bouts) movement activities on lower body soft-tissue injury in elite team sport athletes. Thirty-four elite rugby league players participated in this study. Global positioning system data and the incidence of lower body soft-tissue injuries were monitored in 117 skill training sessions during the preseason and in-season periods. The frailty model (an extension of the Cox proportional regression model for recurrent events) was applied to calculate the relative risk of injury after controlling for all other training data. The risk of injury was 2.7 (95% confidence interval 1.2-6.5) times higher when very high-velocity running (i.e., sprinting) exceeded 9 m per session.Greater distances covered in mild, moderate, and maximum accelerations and low- and very low- intensitymovement velocities were associated with a reduced risk of injury. These results demonstrate that greater amounts of very high-velocity running (i.e., sprinting) are associated with an increased risk of lower body soft-tissue injury, whereas distances covered at low and moderate speeds offer a protective effect against soft-tissue injury. From an injury prevention perspective, these findings provide empirical support for restricting the amount of sprinting performed in preparation for elite team sport competition. However, coaches should also consider the consequences of reducing training loads on the development of physical qualities and playing performance.

MicroRNAs in Insulin Resistance and Obesity

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short, single-stranded non-protein coding gene products which can regulate the gene expression through post-transcriptional inhibition of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation. They are known to be involved in many essential biological processes including development, insulin secretion, and adipocyte differentiation. miRNAs are involved in complex metabolic processes, such as energy and lipid metabolism, which have been studied in the context of diabetes and obesity. Obesity, hyperlipidemia (elevated levels of blood lipids), and insulin resistance are strongly associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes. These conditions are also associated with aberrant expression of multiple essential miRNAs in pancreatic islets of Langerhans and peripheral tissues, including adipose tissue. A thorough understanding of the physiological role these miRNAs play in these tissues, and changes to their expression under pathological conditions, will allow researchers to develop new therapeutics with the potential to correct the aberrant expression of miRNAs in type 2 diabetes and obesity.

A spatiotemporal analysis of gait freezing and the impact of pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation

Abstract: Gait freezing is an episodic arrest of locomotion due to an inability to take normal steps. Pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation is an emerging therapy proposed to improve gait freezing, even where refractory to medication. However, the efficacy and precise effects of pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation on Parkinsonian gait disturbance are not established. The clinical application of this new therapy is controversial and it is unknown if bilateral stimulation is more effective than unilateral. Here, in a double-blinded study using objective spatiotemporal gait analysis, we assessed the impact of unilateral and bilateral pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation on triggered episodes of gait freezing and on background deficits of unconstrained gait in Parkinson’s disease. Under experimental conditions, while OFF medication, Parkinsonian patients with severe gait freezing implanted with pedunculopontine nucleus stimulators below the pontomesencephalic junction were assessed during three conditions; off stimulation, unilateral stimulation and bilateral stimulation. Results were compared to Parkinsonian patients without gait freezing matched for disease severity and healthy controls. Pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation improved objective measures of gait freezing, with bilateral stimulation more effective than unilateral. During unconstrained walking, Parkinsonian patients who experience gait freezing had reduced step length and increased step length variability compared to patients without gait freezing; however, these deficits were unchanged by pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation. Chronic pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation improved Freezing of Gait Questionnaire scores, reflecting a reduction of the freezing encountered in patients’ usual environments and medication states. This study provides objective, double-blinded evidence that in a specific subgroup of Parkinsonian patients, stimulation of a caudal pedunculopontine nucleus region selectively improves gait freezing but not background deficits in step length. Bilateral stimulation was more effective than unilateral.

Psychosocial Antecedents and Consequences of Workplace Aggression for Hospital Nurses

Abstract: Purpose: To test a full model of the antecedents to and consequences of various forms of workplace aggression, considering psychosocial factors, for hospital nursing staff. Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Methods: Two hundred and seven nurses and midwives working across wards within a medium to large Australian hospital completed the survey. The survey response rate was 26.9%. Findings: High frequencies of nurses reported exposure to workplace bullying and internal and external emotional abuse violence types. In terms of antecedents, bullying was linked to high negative affectivity (NA), as well as low supervisor support and coworker support. Internal emotional abuse was associated with low levels of these support variables, as well as high outside work support and low job control. External threat of assault was related to high job demands and NA. In terms of consequences, bullying and verbal sexual harassment were linked to increased psychological distress levels. Bullying and internal emotional abuse were related to lowered organizational commitment. Changes in job satisfaction were not found for any of the workplace aggression types. NA was a significant covariate for all analyses examining consequences of aggression. Conclusions: Different combinations of work conditions (job demands-resources) and individual levels of NA predicted certain types of aggression. Further, nurse perceptions of psychological distress and organizational commitment were affected by exposure to several types of aggression, even after controlling for NA as a potential perceptual bias. This study therefore extends previous research on workplace bullying as a stressor to other types of workplace aggression for nurses. Clinical Relevance: The findings highlight factors that are important in considering effective prevention and intervention of workplace aggression among nursing staff, particularly those working in hospital settings. Language: en

Sprinting patterns of National Rugby League competition.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sprinting demands of National Rugby League (NRL) competition and characterize the sprinting patterns of different rugby league playing positions. Thirty-seven elite rugby league players (mean 6 SE age: 23.6 ± 0.5 years) underwent global positioning satellite analysis during 104 NRL appearances. The majority (67.5%) of sprint efforts were across distances of <20 m. The most common sprint distance for hit-up forwards was 6-10 m (46.3%). Outside backs had a greater proportion (33.7%) of sprint efforts over distances of ≥21 m. The proportion of sprint efforts over 40 m or greater for hit-up forwards, wide running forwards, adjustables, and outside backs was 5.0, 7.4, 5.0, and 9.7%, respectively. Of the sprints performed, approximately 48.0% involved contact, approximately 58.0% were preceded by forward locomotion (forward walking, jogging, or striding), whereas over 24.0% occurred from a standing start. Hit-up forwards more commonly sprinted from a standing start, or after lateral movement, whereas forward striding activities more commonly preceded sprint efforts for the adjustables and outside backs. The majority of sprint efforts were performed without the ball (78.7 vs. 21.3%). Most sprint efforts (67.5%) were followed by a long recovery (i.e., ≥5 minutes). Outside backs had the greatest proportion (76.1%) of long duration recovery periods and the smallest proportion (1.8%) of short duration recovery periods (i.e.<60 seconds) between sprints. The results of this study demonstrate differences among rugby league playing positions for the nature of sprint efforts and the typical distances covered during these efforts. Furthermore, the activities preceding and the recovery periods after sprint efforts were different among playing positions. These findings suggest that rugby league sprint training should be tailored to meet the individual demands of specific playing positions.

Students’ Research-Informed Socio-scientific Activism: Re/Visions for a Sustainable Future

Abstract: In many educational contexts throughout the world, increasing focus has been placed on socio-scientific issues; that is, disagreements about potential personal, social and/or environmental problems associated with fields of science and technology. Some suggest (as do we) that many of these potential problems, such as those associated with climate change, are so serious that education needs to be oriented towards encouraging and enabling students to become citizen activists, ready and willing to take personal and social actions to reduce risks associated with the issues. Towards this outcome, teachers we studied encouraged and enabled students to direct open-ended primary (e.g., correlational studies), as well as secondary (e.g., internet searches), research as sources of motivation and direction for their activist projects. In this paper, we concluded, based on constant comparative analyses of qualitative data, that school students’ tendencies towards socio-political activism appeared to depend on myriad, possibly interacting, factors. We focused, though, on curriculum policy statements, school culture, teacher characteristics and student-generated research findings. Our conclusions may be useful to those promoting education for sustainability, generally, and, more specifically, to those encouraging activism on such issues informed by student-led research.

Effects of case management in community aged care on client and carer outcomes: a systematic review of randomized trials and comparative observational studies

Abstract: Case management has been applied in community aged care to meet frail older people’s holistic needs and promote cost-effectiveness. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of case management in community aged care on client and carer outcomes. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL (EBSCO) and PsycINFO (CSA) from inception to 2011 July. Inclusion criteria were: no restriction on date, English language, community-dwelling older people and/or carers, case management in community aged care, published in refereed journals, randomized control trials (RCTs) or comparative observational studies, examining client or carer outcomes. Quality of studies was assessed by using such indicators as quality control, randomization, comparability, follow-up rate, dropout, blinding assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. Two reviewers independently screened potentially relevant studies, extracted information and assessed study quality. A narrative summary of findings were presented. Ten RCTs and five comparative observational studies were identified. One RCT was rated high quality. Client outcomes included mortality (7 studies), physical or cognitive functioning (6 studies), medical conditions (2 studies), behavioral problems (2 studies) , unmet service needs (3 studies), psychological health or well-being (7 studies) , and satisfaction with care (4 studies), while carer outcomes included stress or burden (6 studies), satisfaction with care (2 studies), psychological health or well-being (5 studies), and social consequences (such as social support and relationships with clients) (2 studies). Five of the seven studies reported that case management in community aged care interventions significantly improved psychological health or well-being in the intervention group, while all the three studies consistently reported fewer unmet service needs among the intervention participants. In contrast, available studies reported mixed results regarding client physical or cognitive functioning and carer stress or burden. There was also limited evidence indicating significant effects of the interventions on the other client and carer outcomes as described above. Available evidence showed that case management in community aged care can improve client psychological health or well-being and unmet service needs. Future studies should investigate what specific components of case management are crucial in improving clients and their carers’ outcomes.

Teaching with Tasks for Effective Mathematics Learning

Abstract: Este libro trata sobre la seleccion y el uso de tareas que pueden facilitar el aprendizaje de las matematicas. Se centra en las elecciones de tareas que realizan los profesores y las acciones que realizan al utilizar las tareas. Describe tareas que pueden usarse para facilitar el aprendizaje de las matematicas y pueden hacer que la experiencia de aprender matematicas sea atractiva y gratificante y que la ensenanza de las matematicas sea satisfactoria. Se basa en los hallazgos de un proyecto particular que investiga el uso de tareas matematicas y tambien en nuestros proyectos de investigacion anteriores y en nuestra experiencia en el trabajo con profesores de matematicas potenciales y en ejercicio.

Relationship Between Self-care and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults With Moderate to Advanced Heart Failure

Abstract: Background Heart failure (HF) patients who follow the treatment regimen and attend to symptoms before they escalate are assumed to have better health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than those with poor self-care, but there are few data available to support or refute this assumption. Objective The objective of the study was to describe the relationship between HF self-care and HRQOL in older (≥65 years old) adults with moderate to advanced HF. Methods Self-care was measured using the 3 scales (maintenance, management, and confidence) of the Self-care of Heart Failure Index. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating better self-care. Health-related quality of life was measured with the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire, a 2-subscale (physical and emotional) instrument. Lower numbers on the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire indicate better HRQOL. Pearson correlations, independent-samples t-tests, and linear and logistic regression modeling were used in the analysis. Results In 207 adults (72.9 [SD, 6.3] years), New York Heart Association class III (82%) or IV, significant linear associations were observed between self-care confidence and total (r = -0.211; P = .002), physical (r = -0.189; P = .006), and emotional HRQOL (r = -0.201; P = .004). Patients reporting better (below median) HRQOL had higher confidence scores compared with patients reporting above-median HRQOL scores (58.8 [19.2] vs 52.8 [19.6]; P = .028). Confidence was an independent determinant of total (βs = -3.191; P = .002), physical (βs = -2.346; P = .002), and emotional (βs = -3.182; P = .002) HRQOL controlling for other Self-care of Heart Failure Index scores, age, gender, and New York Heart Association class. Each 1-point increase in confidence was associated with a decrease in the likelihood that patients had worse (above median) HRQOL scores (odds ratio, 0.980 [95% confidence interval, 0.963-0.998]) with the same controls. No significant associations were found between self-care maintenance or management and HRQOL. Conclusions The degree of individual confidence in HF self-care is related to HRQOL, but self-reports of specific maintenance and management behaviors are not. Interventions that improve self-care confidence may be particularly important in older adults with moderate to advanced HF.

Achieving employee wellbeing in a changing work environment An expert commentary on current scholarship

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this expert commentary is to provide an overview of current scholarship on changes occurring in the work environment and its impact on employee wellbeing. The commentary touches on frontier issues such as measurement of healthy work environment, positive and negative changes in work environment influencing employee wellbeing, link between employee productivity and wellbeing, challenges in converting theory into practice, sustainable organizational behavior, workplace wellness, and several other issues germane to the special issue.Design/methodology/approach – The expert commentary explicates the current state of scholarship in relation to the theme of the special issue. The design of the expert commentary, a scholarly conversation between the Guest Editors and University Distinguished Professor Ellen Ernst Kossek, provides an easy to access summary of the current knowledge in the area. This format is intended to inform readers of IJM and to stimulate further scholarship in the are...

Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF): Building the ICT in education capacity of the next generation of teachers in Australia

Abstract: The Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) project is a unique nationally significant project funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations (DEEWR, Au$8.8 million) and the Information and Communication Technology Innovation Fund (ICTIF). This 2011-2012 project has ambitiously attempted to build the ICT education (ICTE) capacity of the next generation of Australian teachers through its focus on pre-service teachers, teacher educators and the new Australian Curriculum. This paper will provide an overview of the project including a description of its genesis in a changing educational and political landscape, its structure and operations, its grounding in contemporary theory, the research opportunities it has engendered and its tangible outcomes.

Mortality and Clostridium difficile infection: a review

Abstract: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common cause of diarrhoea in hospitalised patients. Around the world, the incidence and severity of CDI appears to be increasing, particularly in the northern hemisphere. The purpose of this integrative review was to investigate and describe mortality in hospitalised patients with CDI. A search of the literature between 1 January 2005 and 30 April 2011 focusing on mortality and CDI in hospitalised patients was conducted using electronic databases. Papers were reviewed and analysed individually and themes were combined using integrative methods. All cause mortality at 30 days varied from 9% to 38%. Three studies report attributable mortality at 30 days, varying from 5.7% to 6.9%. In hospital mortality ranged from 8% to 37.2% All cause 30 day mortality appeared to be high, with 15 studies indicating a mortality of 15% or greater. Findings support the notion that CDI is a serious infection and measures to prevent and control CDI are needed. Future studies investigating the mortality of CDI in settings outside of Europe and North America are needed. Similarly, future studies should include data on patient co-morbidities.

Social capital, homeless young people and the family

Abstract: Drawing on ethnographic data from a study on homeless youth, this article examines the relationship between young people and their families through the concept of social capital. The author argues that the lack of family as a source of social capital for homeless youth is a central factor that contributes to young people's homelessness. It presents evidence that shows that the families of homeless youth do not provide a source of social capital and this leads to young people exploring other options of support that lead to and reinforce their homelessness. Yet, many young people who have experienced homelessness have a resilient connection to their family. I propose that for a relationship, in this instance ‘the family’, to constitute social capital they need to fulfil three components that constitute social capital: (1) contact with a group of people (or a person) considered family, (2) this family must have access to valued resources (such as to economic, cultural and/or social capital) and (3) have shar...

Oppression and exposure as differentiating predictors of types of workplace violence for nurses

Abstract: Aims and objectives. To extend a model of the antecedents of workplace bullying to apply to a wider range of types of workplace aggression, including bullying and several types of violence, among nurses. Background. Research that has focused on workplace bullying has found that the Demand-Control-Support model, negative affectivity and certain demographic factors play important roles as antecedents of bullying. Design. A cross-sectional design. Methods. A validated questionnaire was sent to the work addresses of all nursing and midwifery staff in a medium-to-large hospital in Australia. A total of 273 nurses and midwives returned their completed questionnaires. Ordinal regressions were conducted to assess the antecedents of workplace aggression across bullying and violence. Results. Aspects of the Demand-Control-Support model and job tenure significantly predicted particular forms of violence, while negative affectivity and work schedule were significant for bullying. Conclusions. The patterns of the results suggest key mechanisms that characterise certain forms of violence and distinguish between bullying and types of violence across the range of workplace aggression. In particular, oppression and exposure appear to differentiate types of workplace violence. Relevance to clinical practice. The study suggests ways in which nursing and hospital managers may act to reduce the likelihood of certain forms of aggression, particularly violence, from occurring.

Heed, A Missing Link Between Trust, Monitoring and Performance In Knowledge Intensive Teams

Abstract: This longitudinal study aimed to explain performance differences of knowledge intensive project teams. Team level data gathered at three measurement moments were used. Antecedents of performance studied were: trust in team members, trust in supervisors, monitoring by team members and monitoring by supervisors. Heedful interrelating, a concept developed by Weick and Roberts (1993) was expected to mediate between trust in team members, monitoring by team members and team performance. Correlation analysis and structural equation modelling were employed to analyse the data. The results show that heedful interrelating of team members, built on a combination of trust and monitoring by team members and trust in supervisors is an important factor in promoting team performance.

Knowledge and beliefs about antibiotics among people in Yogyakarta City Indonesia: a cross sectional population-based survey

Abstract: Background Misconceptions about antibiotic use among community members potentially lead to inappropriate use of antibiotics in the community. This population-based study was aimed at examining common knowledge and beliefs about antibiotic use of people in an urban area of Indonesia.

Older adults have greater difficulty imagining future rather than atemporal experiences.

Abstract: Episodic future thinking refers to mentally traveling forward in time to preexperience an event, and emerging research suggests that this is more difficult for older adults. The current study was designed to better understand the effect of aging on separate component processes of age differences in episodic future thinking. Young (n = 24) and older (n = 25) adults were asked to construct a) atemporal scenarios, b) future scenarios, and c) a narrative that involved navigation. Each of these conditions assesses the capacity to construct and describe a scene, but only the future scenario requires a subjective sense of self in time (autonoetic consciousness). The composite measure of performance showed that relative to young adults, older adults have substantially reduced capacity for all three types of construction, suggesting that age-related difficulty imagining future episodic events may reflect a more general cognitive decline with age. In addition, older adults were worse at imagining future experiences than atemporal experiences, indicating limited capacity for autonoetic consciousness. Further, this difference between imagining atemporal and future experiences was not as evident among younger adults. These deficits in episodic future thinking have implications for the daily lives of older adults in terms of anticipating and planning for the future.