Readiness for interprofessional learning : a cross-faculty comparison between architecture and occupational therapy students

Health and wellbeing includes a need for built environments to accommodate and be inclusive of the broadest range of people and a corresponding need to ensure graduates are ready to engage in this field of interprofessional and inter-industry practise. All too often, interprofessional education in higher education is neglected with a tendency towards educational silos, particularly at a cross-faculty level. This paper reports on an initiative that embedded universal design practice education into the curricula of first year architecture and third year occupational therapy students and evaluated the impact on students’ readiness for interprofessional learning. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was given to students at the beginning and end of the semester during which students participated in a variety of online and face-to-face curriculum initiatives. Results showed that at the beginning of semester, occupational therapy students were significantly more positive about interprofessional learning than their architecture counterparts. Post-results showed that this trend continued but that occupational therapy students became less positive on some items after the interprofessional learning experience. This study provides insights into the interprofessional learning experiences of a group of students who have not previously been studied within the available literature.

Associations between measures of adiposity over 10 years and patella cartilage in population-based asymptomatic women

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) most commonly affects the patellofemoral compartment of the knee, and is a major cause of pain and disability. Structural changes that evolve prior to the onset of symptoms can be visualised using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is little known information about the role of adiposity on the early structural changes in the patella cartilage in younger, asymptomatic adult females.

Methods: One hundred and sixty asymptomatic women (20–49 years) participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study underwent knee MRI (2006–8). Weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured 10 years prior (1994–7, baseline) and at the time of MRI (current), with change over the period calculated (current–baseline). Relationships between measures of adiposity and patella cartilage volume and defects were examined.

Results: After adjustment for age and patella bone volume, there was a reduction of 13 ml (95% confidence interval (95% CI), −25.7, −0.55) in patella cartilage volume for every 1 unit increase in current BMI, and a reduction of 27 ml (95% CI −52.6, −1.5) per BMI unit increase over 10 years (P=0.04 for both). No significant association was observed between baseline BMI and patella cartilage volume (P=0.16). Increased baseline and current weight and BMI were associated with increased prevalence of patella cartilage defects (all P<0.001).

Conclusions: Adiposity and weight gain during midlife are associated with detrimental structural change at the patella in young to middle-aged healthy non-osteoarthritic women. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding weight gain in younger asymptomatic women may be important in the prevention of patellofemoral OA.

Correlation between extent of osteolytic damage and metastatic burden of human breast cancer metastasis in nude mice: Real-time PCR quantitation

Orthotopic or intracardiac injection of human breast cancer cell lines into immunocompromised mice allows study of the molecular basis of breast cancer metastasis. We have established a quantitative real-time PCR approach to analyze metastatic spread of human breast cancer cells inoculated into nude mice via these routes. We employed MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells genetically tagged with a bacterial β-galactosidase (Lac-Z) retroviral vector, enabling their detection by TaqMan® real-time PCR. PCR detection was linear, specific, more sensitive than conventional PCR, and could be used to directly quantitate metastatic burden in bone and soft organs. Attesting to the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR detection strategy, as few as several hundred metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells were detectable in 100 μm segments of paraffin-embedded lung tissue, and only in samples adjacent to sections that scored positive by histological detection. Moreover, the measured real-time PCR metastatic burden in the bone environment (mouse hind-limbs, n=48) displayed a high correlation to the degree of osteolytic damage observed by high resolution X-ray analysis (r 2=0.972). Such a direct linear relationship to tumor burden and bone damage substantiates the so-called `vicious cycle' hypothesis in which metastatic tumor cells promote the release of factors from the bone which continue to stimulate the tumor cells. The technique provides a useful tool for molecular and cellular analysis of human breast cancer metastasis to bone and soft organs, can easily be extended to other cell/marker/organ systems, and should also find application in preclinical assessment of anti-metastatic modalities.

Social support and schizophrenia: comparison between Singapore and China

Social support and family functioning impact on the psychosocial functioning of people with schizophrenia in Western contexts. This thesis explored whether these factors impact in the same way in Singapore and China. The findings suggest that cultural values need to be considered in psychosocial interventions for people with schizophrenia.

Comparison between response surface models and artificial neural networks in hydrologic forecasting

Developing an efficient and accurate hydrologic forecasting model is crucial to managing water resources and flooding issues. In this study, response surface (RS) models including multiple linear regression (MLR), quadratic response surface (QRS), and nonlinear response surface (NRS) were applied to daily runoff (e.g., discharge and water level) prediction. Two catchments, one in southeast China and the other in western Canada, were used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed models. Their performances were compared with artificial neural network (ANN) models, trained with the learning algorithms of the gradient descent with adaptive learning rate (ANN-GDA) and Levenberg-Marquardt (ANN-LM). The performances of both RS and ANN in relation to the lags used in the input data, the length of the training samples, long-term (monthly and yearly) predictions, and peak value predictions were also analyzed. The results indicate that the QRS and NRS were able to obtain equally good performance in runoff prediction, as compared with ANN-GDA and ANN-LM, but require lower computational efforts. The RS models bring practical benefits in their application to hydrologic forecasting, particularly in the cases of short-term flood forecasting (e.g., hourly) due to fast training capability, and could be considered as an alternative to ANN

Qualitative and historiometric methods in leadership research: a review of the first 25 years of the leadership quarterly

In the spirit of the 25th anniversary edition of The Leadership Quarterly, as the world's premier outlet for leadership research, we have reviewed qualitative and historiometric research across those 25. years. Qualitative research is a complex and cluttered area of scholarship. This is not because there is an inherent confusion about it. Rather, it is because 'qualitative' research is a cover-all term for a wide range of research strategies, paradigms, parent disciplines, sources of data, and methods of analysis for them. More so than in previous journal review articles, we explored variation in qualitative analysis as well as variety in qualitative data. In terms of methodologies, our efforts concentrated on case study, content analysis, grounded theory and historiometrics. We also examined trends toward post-positivism, post-modernity and liquid modernity, and their resultant benefits for researching leadership. Future directions for leadership research are posited. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Transitions in reflective practice: exploring student development and preferred methods of engagement

Aim: Health-care professional students are required to demonstrate their reflective practice skills during their degree training programme. Online and digital technologies are increasingly being used to support this skill development. Our study aimed to explore whether different technology-based methods supported student growth and skill development in reflective practice at separate developmental time points (novice and competent). Methods: Third- (n = 23) and fourth-year undergraduate dietetic students (n = 22) from a single university were cross-sectionally surveyed via an online anonymous questionnaire at the end of the academic year. The mixed methods survey of 37 questions investigated the student experience of different reflective practice activities, their effect on a student's ability to self-reflect and whether using them aided a student's perceived transition towards becoming a competent dietitian. The data analysis included brief thematic enquiry, descriptive and independent t-test statistical examination. Results: Differences emerged in the way students engaged in reflection over time. Fourth-year students preferred to use more independent methods such as e-journaling (fourth- vs third-year students, P = 0.003) and engaged in reflection for reasons outside assessment (fourth- vs third-years, P = 0.027). Fourth-year students also identified fewer negative barriers to participating in reflection and reported being comfortable engaging in reflective practice. Conclusions: Overall, offering students a range of ways to engage in reflective practice over time supported their understanding and increased confidence in their reflective practice skills, thus potentially enabling a smoother transition into their profession where reflective practice is an essential and autonomous skill. © 2014 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Performing research as a method of analysis

This paper outlines a theatre-based research method undertaken as a means of analysing and representing data from a study into first-year teachers’ identity transformation. It reports on the processes employed, and the attempt by the researcher to bring together complimentary and innovative ways of interpreting interview data. Interview data from twelve teachers throughout their first year of teaching were scripted, rehearsed and performed to ‘expert’ audiences. The written script provided the basis for analysis of the teachers’ identity transformation as seen through their firsts – epiphanic and/or revelatory experiences that marked a moment of transition or transformation. The script served as an effective tool for data analysis, particularly when developing an understanding of the process of data reduction. Initially dissatisfied with the term ‘data reduction’, believing it to be counter-intuitive to ‘reduce’ the participants’ descriptions of their experiences, the process of scripting emphasised the importance of honing in on meaning, and reconciled such concerns by creating a snapshot of each participant’s first as representative of their experiences. Later, the performance revealed more nuanced understandings of the participants’ experiences as viewed through the eyes of the teacher-actors and audiences. The actors selected to represent the experiences of the first-year teachers in the performance were also teachers. The process of casting, and the teacher-actors’ experiences of rehearsing and performing the work ‘The First Time’ over the past two years will also be discussed. This paper concludes with some of the feedback from various audiences of both the performance and the written thesis from arts- and non-arts-based practitioners. Some feedback contends that the theatre-based method was less rigorous than other more ‘traditional’ methods. Such feedback prompts the consideration of weighing the benefits of employing theatre-based research against the risk of alienating some members of the audiences (both of the performance and the page). This paper includes live/digital excerpts of the theatre-based performance ‘The First Time’.

Relationship between severity of obesity and mental health: an Australian community survey

Introduction
In Australia the incidence of obesity is increasing rapidly and has become a significant public health concern. In addition to the many physical consequences of obesity many studies have reported significant mental health consequences, including major depression, mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between severity of obesity and perceived mental health in an Australian community sample.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey design was used. A total of 118 participants, aged between 19 and 75 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 returned a completed questionnaire. The SF-36 Health Survey, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used.

Results
After adjusting for age, gender, perceived social support and physical health quality of life, obesity was not significantly associated with mental health quality of life (SF-36). The strongest factor influencing mental health was perceived physical health. Mediation analyses suggest that physical health mediates the relationship between obesity and mental health quality of life.

Discussion
Our findings support the view that physical health mediates the relationship between obesity and mental health. Public health interventions should focus on reducing the impact of obesity on physical health by encouraging participation in healthy lifestyles, which in turn, may improve mental wellbeing.

Attitudes to animal dilemmas: an exploratory comparison between Mexican and English children

This research explores some of the factors that influence the relations about empathy and /or rejection that children establish towards some animal species. The role that school has within the social context in these dynamics was considered. Attitudes of young children (aged 7 to 9) from Mexico and England towards specific animal species, examining attitudinal differences not only between cultures, and educational systems, but between species have been compared. Ecological dilemmas involving animals are used as a method to analyse children’s constructions of the environment in the field of moral development and conservation. Children expressed more negative attitudes towards spiders and snakes, than towards monkeys and birds. Although these attitudes in themselves are not surprising, the material in this study provides new information on how young children construct their moral ideas on conservation matters through the used of ecological dilemmas. Children’s reactions vary according to culture, experience, affiliation for a particular animal and school ethos.