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ItemNo Preview AvailableUtility of the STOP and STOP-BANG Questionnaires in a Pre-Screened Population Presenting for Overnight Polysomnography(Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 2009)Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a common condition, the diagnosis of which is often delayed by prolonged waiting lists at the point of referral or in the sleep laboratory. Clinical prediction tools may become useful in triaging assessment and management of this condition. Recent publications have proposed and validated two new pre-operative screening tools for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in surgical patients (STOP and STOP-BANG). These screening tools have not been examined in a general sleep population. Methods: All patients attending for in-laboratory polysomnography at Box Hill Hospital during the study period were asked to complete the STOP questionnaire, and sleep scientists recorded the biometric data required for the BANG component. Polysomnography proceeded with sleep staging and event scoring performed according to the Chicago Criteria. Risk stratification by the STOP and STOP-BANG tools was combined with total Respiratory Disturbance Index from polysomnogram reports. Results: 69 patients have been recruited, although data continues to be collected. As expected, there is a predominance of moderate and severe OSA in this cohort (45/69, 65%). The STOP-BANG tool maintains higher sensitivity, negative predictive value and odds ratios than the STOP tool at each degree of OSA severity examined. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrate superiority of the STOP-BANG tool for RDI > 15, when compared with STOP-BANG for RDI > 30 and STOP at both RDI cut-offs. Conclusions: With ongoing data collection we hope to confirm trends seen in predictive values with these tools. Removal of less discriminatory criteria may improve their statistical usefulness, perhaps allowing development into risk stratification tools that will assist in triaging investigation and management of patients with suspected OSA.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableUtility of the STOP and STOP-BANG Questionnaires in a Pre-screened Population Presenting for Overnight Polysomnography(Wiley, 2009)Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a common condition, the diagnosis of which is often delayed by prolonged waiting lists at the point of referral or in the sleep laboratory. Clinical prediction tools may become useful in triaging assessment and management of this condition. Recent publications have proposed and validated two new pre-operative screening tools for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in surgical patients (STOP and STOP-BANG). These screening tools have not been examined in a general sleep population. Methods: All patients attending for in-laboratory polysomnography at Box Hill Hospital during the study period were asked to complete the STOP question-naire, and sleep scientists recorded the biometric data required for the BANG component. Polysomnography proceeded with sleep staging and event scoring performed according to the Chicago Criteria. Risk stratification by the STOP and STOP-BANG tools was combined with total Respiratory Disturbance Index from polysomnogram reports. Results: 25 patients have been reviewed, although data continues to be collected. There is a high prevalence of moderate or severe OSA within this population (22/25, 88%). The STOP-BANG tool maintains higher sensitivity, negative predictive value and odds ratios than the STOP tool at each degree of OSA severity examined. Conclusions: With ongoing data collection we hope to confirm trends seen in predictive values with these tools. Removal of less discriminatory criteria may improve their statistical usefulness, perhaps allowing development into risk stratification tools that will assist in triaging investigation and management of patients with suspected OSA.
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ItemArtistic practices of the Bohol School of Painting: An analytical and archival study of nineteenth-century panel paintings in the Philippines(Archetype Publishing, 2005)In the center of the Philippines on the island of Bohol, a unique panel painting practice evolved linking western artistic methods introduced by the Spanish with Filipino knowledge of materials and techniques. The scientific analysis of five nineteenth century panel paintings belonging to the Baclayon Parish was undertaken and combined with an archival investigation of the Parish Archives to develop a better understanding of their provenance. Results illustrate the western construction methods used in the panel paintings with an oil medium as well as the utilization of local materials such as Kedondong wood for the panel support, cotton and bast fiber paper for a gap filler between the wood panels, and a transparent brown hydrocarbon for the ground layer. Some of the pigments identified correlate with the geological deposits from the region and others correspond with the archival church records. Other identified pigments were not referenced in the archives or found locally. The latter indicate the importation of high quality pigments, not of Filipino origin. Further, the good condition of the panels highlight their sound preparation and an environment suited for these particular works.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableUtility of the stop and stop-bang questionnaires in a pre-screened population presenting for overnight polysomnography(Wiley, 2009)Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a common condition, the diagnosis of which is often delayed by prolonged waiting lists at the point of referral or in the sleep laboratory. Clinical prediction tools may become useful in triaging assessment and management of this condition.Recent publications have proposed and validated two new pre-opera-tive screening tools for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in surgical patients (STOP and STOP-BANG). These screening tools have not been examined in a general sleep population.Methods: All patients attending for in-laboratory polysomnography at Box Hill Hospital during the study period were asked to complete the STOP questionnaire, and sleep scientists recorded the biometric data required for the BANG component. Polysomnography proceeded with sleep staging and event scoring performed according to the Chicago Criteria.Risk stratification by the STOP and STOP-BANG tools was combined with total Respiratory Disturbance Index from polysomnogram reports.Results: 69 patients have been recruited, although data continues to be collected. As expected, there is a predominance of moderate and severe OSA in this cohort (45/69, 65%).The STOP-BANG tool maintains higher sensitivity, negative predic-tive value and odds ratios than the STOP tool at each degree of OSA severity examined. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrate superiority of the STOP-BANG tool for RDI > 15, when compared with STOP-BANG for RDI > 30 and STOP at both RDI cut-offs.Conclusions: With ongoing data collection we hope to confirm trends seen in predictive values with these tools. Removal of less discrimina-tory criteria may improve their statistical usefulness, perhaps allowing development into risk stratification tools that will assist in triaging investigation and management of patients with suspected OSA.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableIntercultural communication by non-native and native speakers of Japanese in text-based synchronous CMC.(ascilite, 2008)This study explores speech behaviour when non-native speakers of Japanese (NNSJ) and native speakers of Japanese (NSJ) exchange cultural information, specifically using text- based synchronous computer-mediated communication. This experimental study uses a scaffolding technique in which a Japanese language teacher is less present and NNSJ are left to communicate with NSJ within a restricted timeframe. This study demands their intercultural engagement, thus suggesting an outcome of intercultural relationship building. While the study examined participants’ speech behaviours – specifically, the key speech act of requesting – observed to be important for realising smooth intercultural relationships, it also highlighted attributes of available technologies useful in facilitating intercultural engagement. Since people from different cultural backgrounds have different perceptions of politeness reflected in their behaviour and language use, understanding how request strategies are used by NSJ could give NNSJ intercultural insights and skills in Japanese language and socio-cultural behaviour. CMC has been utilised in computer-assisted language learning (CALL), with students able to learn languages through a real-world context and access native speakers of the target language, beyond the classroom. CMC has been found to be an effective adopted ‘third place’ (Kramsch 1993) located at the intersection of the cultures the learner grew up with, and the cultures to which they are introduced. In the case of language use, technology allows NNSJ to record their conversations, and reflect on the language being used, thus gaining intercultural insights and skills; these could be transferable to other communication modes, whether computer-driven technology or face-to-face. It is intended that the findings of this study might shed light on the innovative enhancement of non-native Japanese speakers’ intercultural and socio-cultural competence through the use of text-based CMC.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableSpeckle and Conservation(International Seminars, 2008)The aim of this research is to demonstrate the usefulness of speckle, a trait of an expanded laser beam, for the non-destructive testing of artwork in both the imaging of subsurface structure and the quantitative detection of physical movement of canvas. Laser Speckle Contrast Method (LSCI) is a useful method for the viewing of subsurface layers and movement. By investigating the statistical properties of dynamic speckle it is possible to reveal drawings that are hidden beneath scattering layers such as the primary layer of paint or adhered paper. This is achieved by taking a series of speckle images captured in a short time frame and applying one of a number of post processing algorithms. We explore the limitations of this method when applied to various paper samples that have a sketch executed in various media beneath the top layer. The ability to resolve gray scale images was examined as well as looking at the dependence of the contrast of the revealed drawings to the temperature of the surface. Current work is being done on using LSCI to reveal indentations in artwork caused by the application process. The successful use of Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) both in the laboratory and in-situ for the detection of in-plane movement of painted canvas due to humidity fluctuations and the out-of-plane movement of paint as it dries has also been demonstrated. Canvas paintings can be very susceptible to movement due to changes of the environment. ESPI is a non-destructive technique yielding sensitive results that can detect displacement on a surface of less than the wavelength of the illuminating coherent light source. While ESPI has been successfully applied to the in-situ study of painted frescoes, previous studies have employed tensile testers as a support for painted canvas. We have shown a portable version of ESPI to be of use in tropical environment in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore with original artworks where variations in humidity occur and the samples have not undergone special preparation before analysis, revealing significant directional movements. Furthermore, a simple variation in the direction of beams paths permits the characterisation of out-of-plane movement, specifically as the height of paint shrinks due to the drying process. We have used ESPI to view the drying process of alkyd resin paints over the time period of 24 hours.
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ItemNo Preview Available“Tu” et “vous”: étude sociolinguistique dans la banlieue parisienne(Instituto Cervantes, 2003)
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ItemData Monitoring Sensor Network for Big Net Research Testbed(IEEE, 2009-01-01)Equipped with recent advances in electronics and communication, wireless sensor networks gained a rapid development to provide reliable information with higher Quality of Service (QoS) at lower costs. This paper presents a real-time tracking system developed as a part of the ISSNIP BigNet Testbed project. Here a GPS receiver was used to acquire position information of mobile nodes and GSM technology was used as the data communication media. Moreover, Google map based data visualization software was developed to locate the mobile nodes via Internet. This system can be used to accommodate various sensors, such as temperature, pressure, pH etc., and monitor the status of the nodes.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableStudent inclination to work with unfamiliar challenging problems: The role of resilience(The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 2003)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableTeacher Research can Enrich Teaching Practice: An Example(The Mathematical Association of Victoria, 2004)