A social justice framework for safeguarding student learning engagement

The set of social justice principles and the Social Justice Framework (SJF), developed as resources for the sector as part of an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching project, adopt a recognitive approach to social justice and emphasise full participation and contribution within democratic society (Gale, 2000; Gale & Densmore, 2000). The SJF is contained within the major deliverable of the project, which is A Good Practice Guide for Safeguarding Student Learning Engagement (Nelson & Creagh, 2013) and is focused on good practice for activities that monitor student learning engagement and identify students at risk of disengaging in their first year. Examination of the social justice literature and its application to the higher education sector produced a set of five principles: Self-determination, Rights, Access, Equity and Participation. Each principle was defined and elucidated by a rationale and implications for practice, thus completing the SJF. The framework: reflects the notions of equity and social justice; provides a strategic approach for safeguarding engagement activities; and is supported by a suite of resources for practice and practitioners. The aim of this poster session is to engage in conversations about the SJF and how it might be applied to other types of student engagement activities critical to the first year of university life, such as orientation and transition programs, teamwork activities, peer programs and other academic support initiatives.

Peer journeys : building graduate capabilities for life long learning

Students experience university as peers. Peer-to-peer interaction offers unique opportunities for fostering the academic, social and emotional wellbeing of students (Kuh, 2008). Peer programs provide a formalisation of this relationship enabling students to partake both as peer leaders and program participants. The success of such programs is reliant on the university having a reserve of motivated and trained peer leaders. From their initial experience of peer programs as participants in first year and their ongoing involvement as peer leaders, students grow their graduate capabilities and employability skills through scaffolded peer leadership and training opportunities. Universities aspire to produce graduates who are inspirational leaders, effective collaborators and competent professionals ready to participate in the global community (DEEWR, 2012; Shook & Keup, 2012). This poster describes a model which scaffolds the development of peer leaders’ graduate capabilities using a university-wide supporting framework to grow a range of peer-to-peer initiatives across a variety of coordinated peer programs underpinned by a social justice framework (Gidley, Hampson, Wheller & Bereded-Samuel, 2010; Nelson & Creagh, 2012).

Making the implicit explicit : successful student skills for commencing cohorts

Making institutional expectations explicit using clear and common language engages commencing students and promotes help-seeking behaviour. When first year students enter university they cross the threshold into an unfamiliar environment (Devlin, Kift, Nelson, Smith & McKay, 2012). Universities endeavour to provide appropriate learning support services and resources; however research suggests that there is limited up take of these services, particularly in high risk students (Nelson-Field & Goodman, 2005). The Successful Student Skills Checklist is a tool which will be trialled during the 2013 Orientation period at the QUT Caboolture campus. The new tool is a response to the university’s commitment to provide “an environment where [students] are supported to take responsibility for their own learning, and to embrace an active role in succeeding to their full potential” (QUT, 2012, 6.2.1). This paper will outline the design of the support tool implemented during Orientation, as well as discuss the anticipated outcomes of the trial.

In situ observation of structural changes in polycrystalline silver catalysts by environmental scanning electron microscopy

Morphology changes induced in polycrystalline silver catalysts as a result of heating in either oxygen, water or oxygen-methanol atmospheres have been investigated by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), FT-Raman spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The silver catalyst of interest consisted of two distinct particle types, one of which contained a significant concentration of sub-surface hydroxy species (in addition to surface adsorbed atomic oxygen). Heating the sample to 663 K resulted in the production of 'pin-holes' in the silver structure as a consequence of near-surface explosions caused by sub-surface hydroxy recombination. Furthermore, 'pin-holes' were predominantly found in the vicinity of surface defects, such as platelets and edge structures. Reaction between methanol and oxygen also resulted in the formation of 'pin-holes' in the silver surface, which were inherently associated with the catalytic process. A reaction mechanism is suggested that involves the interaction of methanol with sub-surface oxygen species to form sub-surface hydroxy groups. The sub-surface hydroxy species subsequently erupt through the silver surface to again produce 'pin-holes'.

A combined environmental scanning electron microscopy and Raman microscopy study of methanol oxidation on silver(I) oxide

The techniques of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and Raman microscopy have been used to respectively elucidate the morphological changes and nature of the adsorbed species on silver(I) oxide powder, during methanol oxidation conditions. Heating Ag2O in either water vapour or oxygen resulted firstly in the decomposition of silver(I) oxide to polycrystalline silver at 578 K followed by sintering of the particles at higher temperature. Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of subsurface oxygen and hydroxyl species in addition to surface hydroxyl groups after interaction with water vapour. Similar species were identified following exposure to oxygen in an ambient atmosphere. This behaviour indicated that the polycrystalline silver formed from Ag2O decomposition was substantially more reactive than silver produced by electrochemical methods. The interaction of water at elevated temperatures subsequent to heating silver(I) oxide in oxygen resulted in a significantly enhanced concentration of subsurface hydroxyl species. The reaction of methanol with Ag2O at high temperatures was interesting in that an inhibition in silver grain growth was noted. Substantial structural modification of the silver(I) oxide material was induced by catalytic etching in a methanol/air mixture. In particular, "pin-hole" formation was observed to occur at temperatures in excess of 773 K, and it was also recorded that these "pin- holes" coalesced to form large-scale defects under typical industrial reaction conditions. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the working surface consisted mainly of subsurface oxygen and surface Ag=O species. The relative lack of sub-surface hydroxyl species suggested that it was the desorption of such moieties which was the cause of the "pin-hole" formation.

In situ imaging of catalytic etching on silver during methanol oxidation conditions by environmental scanning electron microscopy

Polycrystalline silver is used to catalytically oxidise methanol to formaldehyde. This paper reports the results of extensive investigations involving the use of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) to monitor structural changes in silver during simulated industrial reaction conditions. The interaction of oxygen, nitrogen, and water, either singly or in combination, with a silver catalyst at temperatures up to 973 K resulted in the appearance of a reconstructed silver surface. More spectacular was the effect an oxygen/methanol mixture had on the silver morphology. At a temperature of ca. 713 K pinholes were created in the vicinity of defects as a consequence of subsurface explosions. These holes gradually increased in size and large platelet features were created. Elevation of the catalyst temperature to 843 K facilitated the wholescale oxygen induced restructuring of the entire silver surface. Methanol reacted with subsurface oxygen to produce subsurface hydroxyl species which ultimately formed water in the subsurface layers of silver. The resultant hydrostatic pressure forced the silver surface to adopt a "hill and valley" conformation in order to minimise the surface free energy. Upon approaching typical industrial operating conditions widespread explosions occurred on the catalyst and it was also apparent that the silver surface was extremely mobile under the applied conditions. The interaction of methanol alone with silver resulted in the initial formation of pinholes primarily in the vicinity of defects, due to reaction with oxygen species incorporated in the catalyst during electrochemical synthesis. However, dramatic reduction in the hole concentration with time occurred as all the available oxygen became consumed. A remarkable correlation between formaldehyde production and hole concentration was found.

Security and privacy in eHealth : is it possible? A sociotechnical analysis

Advances in Information and Communication Technologies have the potential to improve many facets of modern healthcare service delivery. The implementation of electronic health records systems is a critical part of an eHealth system. Despite the potential gains, there are several obstacles that limit the wider development of electronic health record systems. Among these are the perceived threats to the security and privacy of patients’ health data, and a widely held belief that these cannot be adequately addressed. We hypothesise that the major concerns regarding eHealth security and privacy cannot be overcome through the implementation of technology alone. Human dimensions must be considered when analysing the provision of the three fundamental information security goals: confidentiality, integrity and availability. A sociotechnical analysis to establish the information security and privacy requirements when designing and developing a given eHealth system is important and timely. A framework that accommodates consideration of the legislative requirements and human perspectives in addition to the technological measures is useful in developing a measurable and accountable eHealth system. Successful implementation of this approach would enable the possibilities, practicalities and sustainabilities of proposed eHealth systems to be realised.

Consumer engagement with eHealth information through smartphones and tablets : an Australian perspective

This paper is a work in progress that examines current consumer engagement with eHealth information through Smartphones or tablets. We focus on three activity types: seeking, posting and ‘other’ engagement activity and compare two age groups, 25-40s and over 40-55s. Findings show that around 30% of the younger age group is engaging with Government and other Health providers’ websites, receiving eHealth emails, and reading other people’s comments about health related issues in online discussion groups/websites/blog. Approximately 20% engage with Government and other Health providers’ social media and watch or listen to audio or video podcasts. For the older age group, their most active engagement with eHealth information is in the seeking category through Government or other health websites (approximately 15%), and less than 10% for social media sites. Their posting activity is less than 5%. Other activities show that less than 15% of the older age group engages through receiving emails and reading blogs, less than 10% watch or listen to podcasts, and their online consulting activity is less than 7%. We note that scores are low for both groups in terms of engaging with eHealth information through Twitter.

Reflection as a dialogic strategy for developing a professional identity

The benefits of reflective practice have been well established in the literature (Rogers, 2001), as have models to embed reflective thinking in higher education curriculum (Ryan and Ryan, 2012). Reflection is commonly envisaged as a textual practice, through which students ‘reflect in and on action’ (Schön 1983), and articulate their experiences, learning and outcomes in written portfolios, journals, or blogs. While such approaches to individual written reflection are undoubtedly beneficial for deepening insight and self-criticality, reflection can also provide other benefits when approached as a collaborative, oral activity. This poster presents a dialogic model of reflective practice that affords the opportunity for developing presentation skills, critique, community and professional identity formation. This dialogic approach to reflection is illustrated by a first year subject (‘KIB101 Visual Communication’ at QUT), in which students apply visual theory (presented in lectures) to communication and graphic design problems in the studio. In regular (fortnightly) presentations, they critically reflect upon their work in progress by aligning it with the concepts, design principles and professional language of the lectures. This iterative process facilitates responsive peer feedback, similarly couched in the formal terms of the discipline. This ‘mirrored reflection’ not only provides opportunities to incrementally improve, it also sets designs in a theoretical frame; provides the opportunity for comparative analysis (to see design principles applied by peers in different ways); to practice formal design language and presentation techniques of the discipline and; because peer critique is framed as an act of generosity; it affords the development of a supportive community of practice. In these ways, dialogic reflection helps students develop a professional voice and identity from first year. Evidence of impact is provided by quantitative and qualitative student feedback over several years, as well as institutional feedback and recognition.

No association between MTHFR A1298C and MTRR A66G polymorphisms, and MS in an Australian cohort

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in debilitating neuropathology. Pathogenesis is primarily defined by CNS inflammation and demyelination of nerve axons. Methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) is an enzyme that catalyzes the remethylation of homocysteine (Hcy) to methionine via cobalamin and folate dependant reactions. Cobalamin acts as an intermediate methyl carrier between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and Hcy. MTRR plays a critical role in maintaining cobalamin in an active form and is consequently an important determinant of total plasma Hcy (pHcy) concentrations. Elevated intracellular pHcy levels have been suggested to play a role in CNS dysfunction, neurodegenerative, and cerebrovascular diseases. Our investigation entailed the genotyping of a cohort of 140 cases and matched controls for MTRR and MTHFR, by restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Two polymorphisms: MTRR A66G and MTHFR A1298C were investigated in an Australian age and gender matched case-control study. No significant allelic frequency difference was observed between cases and controls at the α = 0.05 level (MTRR χ2 = 0.005, P = 0.95, MTHFR χ2 = 1.15, P = 0.28). Our preliminary findings suggest no association between the MTRR A66G and MTHFR A1298C polymorphisms and MS

Association of the NuMA region on chromosome 11q13 with breast cancer susceptibility

The development of breast cancer is a complex process that involves multiple genes at many stages, from initial cell cycle dysregulation to disease progression. To identify genetic variations that influence this process, we conducted a large-scale association study using a collection of German cases and controls and >25,000 SNPs located within 16,000 genes. One of the loci identified was located on chromosome 11q13 [odds ratio (OR)=1.85, P=0.017]. The initial association was subsequently tested in two independent breast cancer collections. In both sample sets, the frequency of the susceptibility allele was increased in the cases (OR=1.6, P=0.01). The susceptibility allele was also associated with an increase in cancer family history (P=0.1). Fine mapping showed that the region of association extends approximately 300 kb and spans several genes, including the gene encoding the nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA). A nonsynonymous SNP (A794G) in NuMA was identified that showed a stronger association with breast cancer risk than the initial marker SNP (OR=2.8, P=0.005 initial sample; OR=2.1, P=0.002 combined). NuMA is a cell cycle-related protein essential for normal mitosis that is degraded in early apoptosis. NuMA-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion proteins have been described in acute promyelocytic leukemia. Although the potential functional relevance of the A794G variation requires further biological validation, we conclude that variations in the NuMA gene are likely responsible for the observed increased breast cancer risk.

Genetic polymorphisms in DPF3 associated with risk of breast cancer and lymph node metastases

Background Several studies have identified rare genetic variations responsible for many cases of familial breast cancer but their contribution to total breast cancer incidence is relatively small. More common genetic variations with low penetrance have been postulated to account for a higher proportion of the population risk of breast cancer. Methods and Results In an effort to identify genes that influence non-familial breast cancer risk, we tested over 25,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within approximately 14,000 genes in a large-scale case-control study in 254 German women with breast cancer and 268 age-matched women without malignant disease. We identified a marker on chromosome 14q24.3-q31.1 that was marginally associated with breast cancer status (OR = 1.5, P = 0.07). Genotypes for this SNP were also significantly associated with indicators of breast cancer severity, including presence of lymph node metastases ( P = 0.006) and earlier age of onset ( P = 0.01). The association with breast cancer status was replicated in two independent samples (OR = 1.35, P = 0.05). High-density association fine mapping showed that the association spanned about 80 kb of the zinc-finger gene DPF3 (also known as CERD4 ). One SNP in intron 1 was found to be more strongly associated with breast cancer status in all three sample collections (OR = 1.6, P = 0.003) as well as with increased lymph node metastases ( P = 0.01) and tumor size ( P = 0.01). Conclusion Polymorphisms in the 5' region of DPF3 were associated with increased risk of breast cancer development, lymph node metastases, age of onset, and tumor size in women of European ancestry. This large-scale association study suggests that genetic variation in DPF3 contributes to breast cancer susceptibility and severity.

Large-scale association study identifies ICAM gene region as breast and prostate cancer susceptibility locus

We conducted a large-scale association study to identify genes that influence nonfamilial breast cancer risk using a collection of German cases and matched controls and >25,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms located within 16,000 genes. One of the candidate loci identified was located on chromosome 19p13.2 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, P = 0.001]. The effect was substantially stronger in the subset of cases with reported family history of breast cancer (OR = 3.4, P = 0.001). The finding was subsequently replicated in two independent collections (combined OR = 1.4, P < 0.001) and was also associated with predisposition to prostate cancer in an independent sample set of prostate cancer cases and matched controls (OR = 1.4, P = 0.002). High-density single nucleotide polymorphism mapping showed that the extent of association spans 20 kb and includes the intercellular adhesion molecule genes ICAM1, ICAM4, and ICAM5. Although genetic variants in ICAM5 showed the strongest association with disease status, ICAM1 is expressed at highest levels in normal and tumor breast tissue. A variant in ICAM5 was also associated with disease progression and prognosis. Because ICAMs are suitable targets for antibodies and small molecules, these findings may not only provide diagnostic and prognostic markers but also new therapeutic opportunities in breast and prostate cancer.

Analysis of androgen and anti-androgen regulation of KLK-related peptidase 2, 3, and 4 alternative transcripts in prostate cancer

We assessed whether alternative transcripts (using KLK2, KLK3 and KLK4 as models) are differentially regulated by androgens and anti-androgens as an indicator of prostate cancers as they acquire treatment resistance. Using RNAseq of LNCaP cells treated with dihydrotestosterone, bicalutamide and enzalutamide, we show that the expression of variant KLK transcripts is markedly different to other variant transcripts at those loci. We also reveal that KLK variants are also over 2-fold more highly expressed in prostate cancers compared to their corresponding normal prostate. We propose that androgens and anti-androgens can activate specific variant transcripts of critical prostate cancer genes during treatment resistance

Understanding requirements of novel healthcare information systems for management of advanced prostate cancer

Effective management of chronic diseases is a global health priority. A healthcare information system offers opportunities to address challenges of chronic disease management. However, the requirements of health information systems are often not well understood. The accuracy of requirements has a direct impact on the successful design and implementation of a health information system. Our research describes methods used to understand the requirements of health information systems for advanced prostate cancer management. The research conducted a survey to identify heterogeneous sources of clinical records. Our research showed that the General Practitioner was the common source of patient's clinical records (41%) followed by the Urologist (14%) and other clinicians (14%). Our research describes a method to identify diverse data sources and proposes a novel patient journey browser prototype that integrates disparate data sources.