The efficacy of an augmented virtual reality system to alleviate pain in children undergoing burns dressing changes : a randomised controlled trial

In children, the pain and anxiety associated with acute burn dressing changes can be severe, with drug treatment alone frequently proving to be inadequate. Virtual reality (VR) systems have been successfully trialled in limited numbers of adult and paediatric burn patients. Augmented reality (AR) differs from VR in that it overlays virtual images onto the physical world, instead of creating a complete virtual world. This prospective randomised controlled trial investigated the use of AR as an adjunct to analgesia and sedation in children with acute burns. Forty-two children (30 male and 12 female), with an age range of 3–14 years (median age 9 years) and a total burn surface area ranging from 1 to 16% were randomised into a treatment (AR) arm and a control (basic cognitive therapy) arm after administration of analgesia and/or sedation. Pain scores, pulse rates (PR), respiratory rates (RR) and oxygen saturations (SaO2) were recorded pre-procedurally, at 10 min intervals and post-procedurally. Parents were also asked to grade their child's overall pain score for the dressing change. Mean pain scores were significantly lower (p = 0.0060) in the AR group compared to the control group, as were parental pain assessment scores (p = 0.015). Respiratory and pulse rates showed significant changes over time within groups, however, these were not significantly different between the two study groups. Oxygen saturation did not differ significantly over time or between the two study groups. This trial shows that augmented reality is a useful adjunct to pharmacological analgesia.

Cherbourg State School in historical context.

Cherbourg State School is some 300 kilometres northwest of Brisbane. It is situated in an Aboriginal community at Cherbourg with approximately 250 students, all of whom are Indigenous Australian children. Cherbourg State School aims to generate good academic outcomes for its students from kindergarten to Year 7 and nurture a strong and positive sense of what it means to be Aboriginal in today's society. In a context where the community continues to grapple with many social issues born of the historical processes of dispossession and disempowerment, Cherbourg State School is determined that its children can and will learn to become 'Strong and Smart'. It is a journey that has been charted by Chris Sarra, the school's first Aboriginal principal, in his paper Young and Black and Deadly: Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Indigenous Students, which describes how pride and expectations were engendered in the school over a four-year period from 1998. In this article the author discusses the historical context of the school and its impact on the Indigenous people of Cherbourg. The aim is to consider the historical, political, social and cultural context around the creation of Cherbourg State School. The author critically examines the historical records of the role of the State Government and the white settlers in the setting up and creation of the Aboriginal Reserve and later the primary school. Throughout the author addresses an absence � a voice missing from history � the voice of the Aboriginal people. This exercise in collective memory was designed to provide an opportunity for those who have seldom been given the opportunity to tell their story. Instead of the official view of Cherbourg School it provides a narrative which restores the victims of history to a place of dignity and indeed humanity.

Industry short reports : School of Urban Development, QUT Jan, 2010

Management and staff of the spatial science program at QUT. Student numbers discussion, Alumni News, Staff and Laboratories moving, Work Integrated Learning in 2010.

Experts vs. Discounters: Consumer Free Riding and Experts Withholding Advice in Markets for Credence Goods

This paper studies the incentives for credence goods experts to invest effort in diagnosis if effort is both costly and unobservable, and if they face competition by discounters who are not able to perform a diagnosis. The unobservability of diagnosis effort and the credence characteristic of the good induce experts to choose incentive compatible tariff structures. This makes them vulnerable to competition by discounters. We explore the conditions under which honestly diagnosing experts survive competition by discounters; we identify situations in which experts misdiagnose consumers in order to prevent them from free-riding on experts' advice; and we discuss policy options to solve the free-riding consumers–cheating experts problem.

Testing the effectiveness of a Practice Development intervention on changing the culture of evidence based practice in an acute care environment

In this age of evidence-based practice, nurses are increasingly expected to use research evidence in a systematic and judicious way when making decisions about patient care practices. Clinicians recognise the role of research when it provides valid, realistic answers in practical situations. Nonetheless, research is still perceived by some nurses as external to practice and implementing research findings into practice is often difficult. Since its conceptual platform in the 1960s, the emergence and growth of Nursing Development Units, and later, Practice Development Units has been described in the literature as strategic, organisational vehicles for changing the way nurses think about nursing by promoting and supporting a culture of inquiry and research-based practice. Thus, some scholars argue that practice development is situated in the gap between research and practice. Since the 1990s, the discourse has shifted from the structure and outcomes of developing practice to the process of developing practice, using a Practice Development methodology; underpinned by critical social science theory, as a vehicle for changing the culture and context of care. The nursing and practice development literature is dominated by descriptive reports of local practice development activity, typically focusing on reflection on processes or outcomes of processes, and describing perceived benefits. However, despite the volume of published literature, there is little published empirical research in the Australian or international context on the effectiveness of Practice Development as a methodology for changing the culture and context of care - leaving a gap in the literature. The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a Practice Development model for clinical practice review and change on changing the culture and context of care for nurses working in an acute care setting. A longitudinal, pre-test/post-test, non-equivalent control group design was used to answer the following research questions: 1. Is there a relationship between nurses' perceptions of the culture and context of care and nurses' perceptions of research and evidence-based practice? 2. Is there a relationship between engagement in a facilitated process of Practice Development and change in nurses' perceptions of the culture and context of care? 3. Is there a relationship between engagement in a facilitated process of Practice Development and change in nurses' perceptions of research and evidence-based practice? Through a critical analysis of the literature and synthesis of the findings of past evaluations of Nursing and Practice Development structures and processes, this research has identified key attributes consistent throughout the chronological and theoretical development of Nursing and Practice Development that exemplify a culture and context of care that is conducive to creating a culture of inquiry and evidence-based practice. The study findings were then used in the development, validation and testing of an instrument to measure change in the culture and context of care. Furthermore, this research has also provided empirical evidence of the relationship of the key attributes to each other and to barriers to research and evidence-based practice. The research also provides empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of a Practice Development methodology in changing the culture and context of care. This research is noteworthy in its contribution to advancing the discipline of nursing by providing evidence of the degree to which attributes of the culture and context of care, namely autonomy and control, workplace empowerment and constructive team dynamics, can be connected to engagement with research and evidence-based practice.

Reducing the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder in children following natural disasters

A significant number of children suffer long term psychological disturbance following exposure to a natural disaster. Evidence suggests that a dose-response relationship exists, so that children and adolescents who experience the most intense or extensive exposure to the risk factors for PTSD are likely to develop the most serious and persistent symptoms. Risk factors include gender, age, personality, extent of exposure to the natural disaster, amount of damage to property and infrastructure, witnessing injury or death of others or perceiving a threat to their own life. Knowing these factors enables various strategies to be put in place to decrease the risk of psychological disturbance following the aftermath of traumatic events. Re-establishing a sense of safety, security and normality is important in the aftermath of a natural disaster, and promoting social connectedness, positive family functioning, and effective coping mechanisms can make children more resilient in the face of catastrophic events. This paper examines the risk and protective factors associated with the development of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and considers how schools can use this knowledge to contribute to the recovery effort, and reduce the prevalence of PTSD amongst pupils in the wake of a natural disaster.

E-learning and access : getting behind the hype

Rapid advances in information and communications technology (ICT) - particularly the development of online technologies -have transformed the nature of economic, social and cultural relations across the globe. In the context of higher education in post-industrial societies, technological change has had a significant impact on university operating environments. In a broad sense, technological advancement has contributed significantly to the increasing complexity of global economies and societies, which is reflected in the rise of lifelong learning discourses with which universities are engaging. More specifically, the ever-expanding array of ICT available within the university sector has generated new management and pedagogical imperatives for higher education in the information age.

The use of high dynamic range luminance mapping in the assessment, understanding and defining of visual issues in post occupancy building assessment

The international focus on embracing daylighting for energy efficient lighting purposes and the corporate sector’s indulgence in the perception of workplace and work practice “transparency” has spurned an increase in highly glazed commercial buildings. This in turn has renewed issues of visual comfort and daylight-derived glare for occupants. In order to ascertain evidence, or predict risk, of these events; appraisals of these complex visual environments require detailed information on the luminances present in an occupant’s field of view. Conventional luminance meters are an expensive and time consuming method of achieving these results. To create a luminance map of an occupant’s visual field using such a meter requires too many individual measurements to be a practical measurement technique. The application of digital cameras as luminance measurement devices has solved this problem. With high dynamic range imaging, a single digital image can be created to provide luminances on a pixel-by-pixel level within the broad field of view afforded by a fish-eye lens: virtually replicating an occupant’s visual field and providing rapid yet detailed luminance information for the entire scene. With proper calibration, relatively inexpensive digital cameras can be successfully applied to the task of luminance measurements, placing them in the realm of tools that any lighting professional should own. This paper discusses how a digital camera can become a luminance measurement device and then presents an analysis of results obtained from post occupancy measurements from building assessments conducted by the Mobile Architecture Built Environment Laboratory (MABEL) project. This discussion leads to the important realisation that the placement of such tools in the hands of lighting professionals internationally will provide new opportunities for the lighting community in terms of research on critical issues in lighting such as daylight glare and visual quality and comfort.

Appreciating diversity: Confronting homophobia at school

The development of sexual identity is a complex, lifelong process involving the interplay of sex, gender and orientation, occurring within a social framework of heterosexual dominance (Murray 2001). Australia has a richly diverse culture and, at some point in our lives, we will all meet people, who look, think, live, or act differently to ourselves. Through understanding and celebrating the diversity of our culture, we enrich our lives and the lives of others. Schools influence how boys (and girls) see themselves and each other; those of us who work in schools cannot pretend to be outside the process of gender construction. In our daily business we send messages, set boundaries and respond with support, disinterest or censure to the acting out of various masculinities and femininities.

Thin film deposition and characterization of pure and iron-doped electron-beam evaporated tungsten oxide for gas sensors

Pure Tungsten Oxide (WO3) and Iron-doped (10 at%) Tungsten Oxide (WO3:Fe) nanostructured thin films were prepared using a dual crucible Electron Beam Evaporation techniques. The films were deposited at room temperature in high vacuum condition on glass substrate and post-heat treated at 300 oC for 1 hour. From the study of X-ray diffraction and Raman the characteristics of the as-deposited WO3 and WO3:Fe films indicated non-crystalline nature. The surface roughness of all the films showed in the order of 2.5 nm as observed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed tungsten oxide films with stoichiometry close to WO3. The addition of Fe to WO3 produced a smaller particle size and lower porosity as observed using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). A slight difference in optical band gap energies of 3.22 eV and 3.12 eV were found between the as-deposited WO3 and WO3:Fe films, respectively. However, the difference in the band gap energies of the annealed films were significantly higher having values of 3.12 eV and 2.61 eV for the WO3 and WO3:Fe films, respectively. The heat treated samples were investigated for gas sensing applications using noise spectroscopy and doping of Fe to WO3 reduced the sensitivity to certain gasses. Detailed study of the WO3 and WO3:Fe films gas sensing properties is the subject of another paper.

Identifying the learning development of students who are refugees

Students who are refugees need understanding and support to settle successfully into mainstream Australian classrooms. Teachers not aware of students’ prior learning and the process of second language acquisition may have difficulty providing the most appropriate learning environments to meet these students’ needs. This study found that, with no coordination of information on students’ learning backgrounds nor of their learning needs and development, students were in danger of being identified as at-risk of having a learning disability, with little support to substantiate such claims.

Heparan sulfate mediates the proliferation and differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells

The growth and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells is controlled by various growth factors, the activities of which can be modulated by heparan sulfates. We have previously underscored the necessity of sulfated glycosaminoglycans for the FGF-2-stimulated differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells. Here we show that exogenous application of heparan sulfate to cultures of primary rat MSCs stimulates their proliferation leading to increased expression of osteogenic markers and enhanced bone nodule formation. FGF-2 can also increase the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of rMSCs when applied exogenously during their linear growth. However, as opposed to exogenous HS, the continuous use of FGF-2 during in vitro differentiation completely blocked rMSC mineralization. Furthermore, we show that the effects of both FGF-2 and HS are mediated through FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) and that inhibition of signaling through this receptor arrests cell growth resulting in the cells being unable to reach the critical density necessary to induce differentiation. Interestingly, blocking FGFR1 signaling in post-confluent osteogenic cultures significantly increased calcium deposition. Taken together our data clearly suggests that FGFR1 signaling plays an important role during osteogenic differentiation, firstly by stimulating cell growth that is closely followed by an inhibitory affect once the cells have reached confluence. It also underlines the importance of HS as a co-receptor for the signaling of endogenous FGF-2 and suggests that purified glycosaminoglycans may be attractive alternatives to growth factors for improved ex vivo growth and differentiation of MSCs.

Composite load model decomposition : induction motor contribution

In this thesis, a new technique has been developed for determining the composition of a collection of loads including induction motors. The application would be to provide a representation of the dynamic electrical load of Brisbane so that the ability of the power system to survive a given fault can be predicted. Most of the work on load modelling to date has been on post disturbance analysis, not on continuous on-line models for loads. The post disturbance methods are unsuitable for load modelling where the aim is to determine the control action or a safety margin for a specific disturbance. This thesis is based on on-line load models. Dr. Tania Parveen considers 10 induction motors with different power ratings, inertia and torque damping constants to validate the approach, and their composite models are developed with different percentage contributions for each motor. This thesis also shows how measurements of a composite load respond to normal power system variations and this information can be used to continuously decompose the load continuously and to characterize regarding the load into different sizes and amounts of motor loads.

Reunitising hundredths: prototypic and nonprototypic representations

This paper reports on a study in which 29 Year 6 students (selected from the top 30% of 176 Year 6 students) were individually interviewed to explore their ability to reunitise hundredths as tenths (Behr, Harel, Post & Lesh, 1992) when represented by prototypic (PRO) and nonprototypic (NPRO) models. The results showed that 55.2% of the students were able to unitise both models and that reunitising was more successful with the PRO model. The interviews revealed that many of these students had incomplete, fragmented or non-existent structural knowledge of the reunitising process and often relied on syntactic clues to complete the tasks. The implication for teaching is that instruction should not be limited to PRO representations of the part/whole notion of fraction and that the basic structures (equal parts, link between name and number of equal parts) of the part/whole notion needs to be revisited often.