Development and synthesis of innovative approaches to the surgical assessment of articular cartilage degeneration

This research has established, through ultrasound, near infrared spectroscopy and biomechanics experiments, parameters and parametric relationships that can form the framework for quantifying the integrity of the articular cartilage-on-bone laminate, and objectively distinguish between normal/healthy and abnormal/degenerated joint tissue, with a focus on articular cartilage. This has been achieved by: 1. using traditional experimental methods to produce new parameters for cartilage assessment; 2. using novel methodologies to develop new parameters; and 3. investigating the interrelationships between mechanical, structural and molec- ular properties to identify and select those parameters and methodologies that can be used in a future arthroscopic probe based on points 1 and 2. By combining the molecular, micro- and macro-structural characteristics of the tissue with its mechanical properties, we arrive at a set of critical benchmarking parameters for viable and early-stage non-viable cartilage. The interrelationships between these characteristics, examined using a multivariate analysis based on principal components analysis, multiple linear regression and general linear modeling, could then to deter- mine those parameters and relationships which have the potential to be developed into a future clinical device. Specifically, this research has found that the ultrasound and near infrared techniques can subsume the mechanical parameters and combine to characterise the tissue at the molecular, structural and mechanical levels over the full depth of the cartilage matrix. It is the opinion in this thesis that by enabling the determination of the precise area of in uence of a focal defect or disease in the joint, demarcating the boundaries of articular cartilage with dierent levels of degeneration around a focal defect, better surgical decisions that will advance the processes of joint management and treatment will be achieved. Providing the basis for a surgical tool, this research will contribute to the enhancement and quanti�cation of arthroscopic procedures, extending to post- treatment monitoring and as a research tool, will enable a robust method for evaluating developing (particularly focalised) treatments.

Development and implementation of the areawide Dynamic ROad traffic NoisE (DRONE) simulator

This paper discusses the areawide Dynamic ROad traffic NoisE (DRONE) simulator, and its implementation as a tool for noise abatement policy evaluation. DRONE involves integrating a road traffic noise estimation model with a traffic simulator to estimate road traffic noise in urban networks. An integrated traffic simulation-noise estimation model provides an interface for direct input of traffic flow properties from simulation model to noise estimation model that in turn estimates the noise on a spatial and temporal scale. The output from DRONE is linked with a geographical information system for visual representation of noise levels in the form of noise contour maps.

Development and validation of a novel approach to work sampling : a study of nurse practitioner work patterns

Objectives: This methodological paper reports on the development and validation of a work sampling instrument and data collection processes to conduct a national study of nurse practitioners’ work patterns. ---------- Design: Published work sampling instruments provided the basis for development and validation of a tool for use in a national study of nurse practitioner work activities across diverse contextual and clinical service models. Steps taken in the approach included design of a nurse practitioner-specific data collection tool and development of an innovative web-based program to train and establish inter rater reliability of a team of data collectors who were geographically dispersed across metropolitan, rural and remote health care settings. ---------- Setting: The study is part of a large funded study into nurse practitioner service. The Australian Nurse Practitioner Study is a national study phased over three years and was designed to provide essential information for Australian health service planners, regulators and consumer groups on the profile, process and outcome of nurse practitioner service. ---------- Results: The outcome if this phase of the study is empirically tested instruments, process and training materials for use in an international context by investigators interested in conducting a national study of nurse practitioner work practices. ---------- Conclusion: Development and preparation of a new approach to describing nurse practitioner practices using work sampling methods provides the groundwork for international collaboration in evaluation of nurse practitioner service.

Australia and New Zealand CBNG development and environmental implications

Following the success of Coalbed Natural Gas (CBNG) operations in the United States, companies in Australia and New Zealand have been actively exploring and developing this technology for the last two decades. In particular, the Bowen and Surat basins in Queensland, Australia, have undergone extensive CBNG development. Unfortunately, awareness of potential environmental problems associated with CBNG abstraction has not been widespread and legislation has at times struggled to keep up with rapid development. In Australia, the combined CBNG resource for both the Bowen and Surat basins has been estimated at approximately 10,500 PJ with gas content as high as 10 m3/tonne of coal. There are no official estimates for the magnitude of the CBNG resource in New Zealand but initial estimates suggest this could be up to 1,300 PJ with gas content ranging from 1 to 5 m3/tonne of coal. In Queensland, depressurization of the Walloon Coal Measures to recover CBNG has the potential to induce drawdown in adjacent deep aquifer systems through intraformational groundwater flow. In addition, CBNG operators have been disposing their co-produced water by using large unlined ponds, which is not the best practice for managing co-produced water. CBNG waters in Queensland have the typical geochemical signature associated with CBNG waters (Van Voast, 2003) and thus have the potential to impair soils and plant growth where land disposal is considered. Water quality from exploration wells in New Zealand exhibit the same characteristics although full scale production has not yet begun. In general, the environmental impacts that could arise from CBNG water extraction depend on the aquifer system, the quantity and quality of produced water, and on the method of treatment and disposal being used. Understanding these impacts is necessary to adequately manage CBNG waters so that environmental effects are minimized; if properly managed, CBNG waters can be used for beneficial applications and can become a valuable resource to stakeholders.

An extended measure of work-life balance culture : development and confirmation of the measure

This paper extends the work of Thompson, Beauvais and Lyness (1999) to develop a more comprehensive measure of work-life balance culture. Thompson et al. developed a survey based on three sub-dimensions which examine work-family culture. We have extended this to incorporate extra dimensions, and to broaden the measure to encompass life aspects beyond the family. Two studies were conducted in order to test and refine the measure. Over 700 participants in the first study completed the survey, and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis results show that the extended measure is robust. Further, a second study with a sample of 629 participants confirmed the general measure, with slight adaptations. The results are discussed in relation to the use of the measure for work-life balance research.

The role of nature-based experiences in the development and maintenance of wellness

Wellness is now seen as central to redefining the National Health agenda. There is growing evidence that contact with nature and physical activity in nature has considerable positive effects on human health. At the most basic level humanity is reliant on the natural world for resources such as air and water. However, a growing body of research is finding that beyond this fundamental relationship exposure to the non-human natural world can also positively enhance perceptions of physiological, emotional, psychological and spiritual health in ways that cannot be satisfied by alternate means. Theoretical explanations for this have posited that non-human nature might 1) restore mental fatigue, 2) trigger deep reflections, 3) provide an opportunity for nurturing and 4) rekindle innate connections. In this paper the authors show how human wellness is strongly connected to their relationship with the natural world. This paper points to how non-human nature could be better utilised for enhancing human health and wellness.

Evaluating sustainability of urban development and its contribution to a knowledge-base development

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to discuss the components of urban sustainability as to their implications about knowledge-base economy and society Design/methodology/approach – An indexing model which can be used by the local government specifically in Australia is presented to generate sustainable urban development policies. The model consists of sustainable neighbourhood indicators and employs a spatial indexing method to measure the sustainability performance of the urban settings Originality/value – This methodology puts in evidence about the use of indexing methodology in the assessment of sustainable neighbourhood performance Practical implications – This model could be considered as a practical decision aid tool for local government planning agencies for the evaluation of development scenarios Keywords – knowledge-based urban development, sustainable urban development, sustainable transport, sustainability assessment Paper type – Academic Research Paper

Anthony Browne and the cultural capital of classic fairy tales

Prolific British author/illustrator Anthony Browne both participates in the classic fairy-tale tradition and appropriates its cultural capital, ultimately undertaking a process of self-canonisation alongside the dissemination of fairy tales. In reading Browne’s Hansel and Gretel (1981), The Tunnel (1989) and Into the Forest (2004), a trajectory emerges that moves from broadly intertextual to more exclusively self-referential modes of representation which reward readers of “Anthony Browne”, rather than readers of “fairy tales”. All three books depict ‘babes in the woods’ stories wherein child characters must negotiate some form of threat outside the home in order to return home safely. Thus, they represent childhood agency. However, these visions of agency are ultimately subordinated to logics of capital, which means that child readers of Browne’s fairy-tale books are overtly invited to identify with children who act, but are interpellated as privileged if they ‘know’. Bourdieu’s model of ‘cultural capital’ offers a lens for considering Browne’s production of ‘value’ for his own works within a broader cultural landscape which privileges literary fairy tales as a register of juvenile cultural competency. If cultural capital can be formulated most simply as the symbolic exchange value of approved modes of knowing and being, it is clearly helpful when trying to unpack logics of meaning within heavily intertextual or citational texts. It is also helpful thinking about what kinds of stories we as a culture choose to disseminate, choose to privilege, or choose to suppress. Zipes notes of fairy tales that, “the genre itself becomes a kind of institute that is involved in the socialization and acculturation of readers” (22). He elaborates that, “We initiate readers and expect them to learn the fairy-tale code as part of our responsibility in the civilizing process” (Zipes 29), so it is little wonder that Tatar describes fairy tales as “a vital part of our cultural capital” (xix). Although Browne is clearly interested in literary fairy tales, the most obvious strategies of self-canonisation take place in Browne’s work not in words but in pictures: hidden in plain sight, as illustration becomes self-reflexive citation.

The development and validation of two complementary measures of drivers' hazard perception ability

Hazard perception in driving involves a number of different processes. This paper reports the development of two measures designed to separate these processes. A Hazard Perception Test was developed to measure how quickly drivers could anticipate hazards overall, incorporating detection, trajectory prediction, and hazard classification judgements. A Hazard Change Detection Task was developed to measure how quickly drivers can detect a hazard in a static image regardless of whether they consider it hazardous or not. For the Hazard Perception Test, young novices were slower than mid-age experienced drivers, consistent with differences in crash risk, and test performance correlated with scores in pre-existing Hazard Perception Tests. For drivers aged 65 and over, scores on the Hazard Perception Test declined with age and correlated with both contrast sensitivity and a Useful Field of View measure. For the Hazard Change Detection Task, novices responded quicker than the experienced drivers, contrary to crash risk trends, and test performance did not correlate with measures of overall hazard perception. However for drivers aged 65 and over, test performance declined with age and correlated with both hazard perception and Useful Field of View. Overall we concluded that there was support for the validity of the Hazard Perception Test for all ages but the Hazard Change Detection Task might only be appropriate for use with older drivers.

Research-led educational renewal and economic-cultural convergence

The 'Queensland Model' grew out of three convergent agendas: educational renewal, urban redevelopment, and the Queensland state government's 'Smart State' strategy.

User-created content and everyday cultural practice : lessons from YouTube

This chapter sets out the debates about the changing role of audiences in relation to user-created content as they appear in New Media and Cultural Studies. The discussion moves beyond the simple dichotomies between active producers and passive audiences, and draws on empirical evidence, in order to examine those practices that are most ordinary and widespread. Building on the knowledge of television’s role in facilitating public life, and the everyday, affective practices through which it is experienced and used, I focus on the way in which YouTube operates as a site of community, creativity and cultural citizenship; and as an archive of popular cultural memory.

Development and validation of a pregnancy symptoms inventory

BACKGROUND. Physical symptoms are common in pregnancy and are predominantly associated with normal physiological changes. These symptoms have a social and economic cost, leading to absenteeism from work and additional medical interventions. There is currently no simple method for identifying common pregnancy related problems in the antenatal period. A validated tool, for use by pregnancy care providers would be useful. AIM: The aim of the project was to develop and validate a Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory for use by healthcare professionals (HCPs). METHODS: A list of symptoms was generated via expert consultation with midwives and obstetrician gynaecologists. Focus groups were conducted with pregnant women in their first, second or third trimester. The inventory was then tested for face validity and piloted for readability and comprehension. For test-re-test reliability, it was administered to the same women 2 to 3 days apart. Finally, outpatient midwives trialled the inventory for 1 month and rated its usefulness on a 10cm visual analogue scale (VAS). The number of referrals to other health care professionals was recorded during this month. RESULTS: Expert consultation and focus group discussions led to the generation of a 41-item inventory. Following face validity and readability testing, several items were modified. Individual item test re-test reliability was between .51 to 1 with the majority (34 items) scoring .0.70. During the testing phase, 211 surveys were collected in the 1 month trial. Tiredness (45.5%), poor sleep (27.5%) back pain (19.5%) and nausea (12.6%) were experienced often. Among the women surveyed, 16.2% claimed to sometimes or often be incontinent. Referrals to the incontinence nurse increased > 8 fold during the study period. The median rating by midwives of the ‘usefulness’ of the inventory was 8.4 (range 0.9 to 10). CONCLUSIONS: The Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory (PSI) was well accepted by women in the 1 month trial and may be a useful tool for pregnancy care providers and aids clinicians in early detection and subsequent treatment of symptoms. It shows promise for use in the research community for assessing the impact of lifestyle intervention in pregnancy.

Development and pilot test of a peer-support based Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management program : a study protocol

Background: People with cardiac disease and type 2 diabetes have higher hospital readmission rates (22%)compared to those without diabetes (6%). Self-management is an effective approach to achieve better health outcomes; however there is a lack of specifically designed programs for patients with these dual conditions. This project aims to extend the development and pilot test of a Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program incorporating user-friendly technologies and the preparation of lay personnel to provide follow-up support. Methods/Design: A randomised controlled trial will be used to explore the feasibility and acceptability of the Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program incorporating DVD case studies and trained peers to provide follow-up support by telephone and text-messaging. A total of 30 cardiac patients with type 2 diabetes will be randomised, either to the usual care group, or to the intervention group. Participants in the intervention group will received the Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program in addition to their usual care. The intervention consists of three faceto- face sessions as well as telephone and text-messaging follow up. The face-to-face sessions will be provided by a trained Research Nurse, commencing in the Coronary Care Unit, and continuing after discharge by trained peers. Peers will follow up patients for up to one month after discharge using text messages and telephone support. Data collection will be conducted at baseline (Time 1) and at one month (Time 2). The primary outcomes include self-efficacy, self-care behaviour and knowledge, measured by well established reliable tools. Discussion: This paper presents the study protocol of a randomised controlled trial to pilot evaluates a Cardiac- Diabetes Self-Management program, and the feasibility of incorporating peers in the follow-ups. Results of this study will provide directions for using such mode in delivering a self-management program for patients with both cardiac condition and diabetes. Furthermore, it will provide valuable information of refinement of the intervention program.