Minerva Access

Apathetic villagers and the trolls who love them: Player amorality in online multiplayer games

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Sparrow, L; Gibbs, M; Arnold, M 2019-12-02 Apathetic villagers and the trolls who love them: Player amorality in online multiplayer games Conference Paper

Data-Driven Regular Expressions Evolution for Medical Text Classification Using Genetic Programming

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Liu, J; Bai, R; Lu, Z; Ge, P; Aickelin, U; Liu, D 2020-07 Data-Driven Regular Expressions Evolution for Medical Text Classification Using Genetic Programming Conference Paper

Machine learning with incomplete datasets using multi-objective optimization models

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Khorshidi, HA; Kirley, M; Aickelin, U 2020-07 Machine learning with incomplete datasets using multi-objective optimization models Conference Paper

Anredestrategien im Erwerb des Deutschen als Fremdsprache

Riehl, CM; Kretzenbacher, HL; Hajek, J; López, JB Anredestrategien im Erwerb des Deutschen als Fremdsprache Journal Article

Chapter 8. Double agent, double cross?

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Williams-van Klinken, C; Hajek, J 2020-10-15 Chapter 8. Double agent, double cross? This volume should be of interest not only to Austronesianists and historians of Insular Southeast Asia, but also to grammarians, typologists, historical linguists, creolists, and specialists in language contact. Chapter

Building knowledge in urban agriculture: the challenges of local food production in Sao Paulo and Melbourne

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Amato-Lourenco, LF; Buralli, RJ; Ranieri, GR; Hearn, AH; Williams, C; Mauad, T 2020-02-11 Building knowledge in urban agriculture: the challenges of local food production in Sao Paulo and Melbourne Journal Article

Emissions of trace gases from Australian temperate forest fires: emission factors and dependence on modified combustion efficiency

Guérette, E-A; Paton-Walsh, C; Desservettaz, M; Smith, TEL; Volkova, L; Weston, CJ; Meyer, CP Emissions of trace gases from Australian temperate forest fires: emission factors and dependence on modified combustion efficiency Abstract. We characterised trace gas emissions from Australian temperate forest fires through a mixture of in situ open-path FTIR measurements spectroscopy and selective ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and White cell FTIR spectroscopy of grab samples. We report emission factors for a total of 25 trace gas species measured in smoke from nine prescribed fires. We find significant dependence on modified combustion efficiency (MCE) for some species, although regional differences indicate that the use of MCE as a proxy may be limited. We also find that the fire-integrated MCE values derived from our in situ on-the-ground open-path measurements are not significantly different from those reported for airborne measurements of smoke from fires in the same ecosystem. We then compare our average emission factors to those measured for fires in North American temperate ecosystems and for fires in Australian savanna and find that, although emission factors of some species agree within 20 %, others differ by a factor of 2 or more. This indicates that the use of ecosystem-specific emission factors is warranted for applications involving emissions from Australian forest fires. Journal Article

Encountering automation: Redefining bodies through stories of technological change

Bissell, D Encountering automation: Redefining bodies through stories of technological change This article enhances our understanding of the thoroughly embodied nature of knowledge production in relation to automation by demonstrating how making sense of automation is a generative process, rather than the demystification of an already existing object of analysis. It argues that the process of knowing automation involves situated encounters that transform bodies at the level of their indeterminate capacities to affect and be affected which, in turn, contributes to the production of what automation is. Contrasting with more generalised diagnoses about how automation is deskilling or reskilling bodies, it evaluates the constitutive role of situated encounters that register in sensing bodies for reshaping capacities. Focusing on iron ore mining in Australia, an industry sector that is currently increasing its automated operations, the paper draws on a series of fieldwork encounters with people differently positioned in the mining sector. Through the presentation of five stories that incorporate combinations of these fieldwork encounters, the paper constructs a more complex picture of how automation is redefining different bodies. Rather than taken to be mere representations of automation, it argues that the listening to and telling of stories about automation is a form of encounter that redefines bodies in the process. Journal Article

Bayesian Estimation and Inference: A User's Guide

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Oswald, FL 2015-02-01 Bayesian Estimation and Inference: A User's Guide This paper introduces the “Bayesian revolution” that is sweeping across multiple disciplines but has yet to gain a foothold in organizational research. The foundations of Bayesian estimation and inference are first reviewed. Then, two empirical examples are provided to show how Bayesian methods can overcome limitations of frequentist methods: (a) a structural equation model of testosterone’s effect on status in teams, where a Bayesian approach allows directly testing a traditional null hypothesis as a research hypothesis and allows estimating all possible residual covariances in a measurement model, neither of which are possible with frequentist methods; and (b) an ANOVA-style model from a true experiment of ego depletion’s effects on performance, where Bayesian estimation with informative priors allows results from all previous research (via a meta-analysis and other previous studies) to be combined with estimates of study effects in a principled manner, yielding support for hypotheses that is not obtained with frequentist methods. Data are available from the first author, code for the program Mplus is provided, and tables illustrate how to present Bayesian results. In conclusion, the many benefits and few hindrances of Bayesian methods are discussed, where the major hindrance has been an easily solvable lack of familiarity by organizational researchers. Journal Article

Measurement and statistics in 'organization science' Philosophical, sociological and historical perspectives

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Pierides, DC; Roffe, J 2016-01-01 Measurement and statistics in 'organization science' Philosophical, sociological and historical perspectives Chapter

Multilevel Latent Polynomial Regression for Modeling (In)Congruence Across Organizational Groups: The Case of Organizational Culture Research

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Zammuto, RF; Zhang, Z 2016-01-01 Multilevel Latent Polynomial Regression for Modeling (In)Congruence Across Organizational Groups: The Case of Organizational Culture Research This article addresses (in)congruence across different kinds of organizational respondents or “organizational groups”—such as managers versus non-managers or women versus men—and the effects of congruence on organizational outcomes. We introduce a novel multilevel latent polynomial regression model (MLPM) that treats standings of organizational groups as latent “random intercepts” at the organization level while subjecting these to latent interactions that enable response surface modeling to test congruence hypotheses. We focus on the case of organizational culture research, which usually samples managers and excludes non-managers. Reanalyzing data from 67 hospitals with 6,731 managers and non-managers, we find that non-managers perceive their organizations’ cultures as less humanistic and innovative and more controlling than managers, and we find that less congruence between managers and non-managers in these perceptions is associated with lower levels of quality improvement in organizations. Our results call into question the validity of findings from organizational culture and other research that tends to sample one organizational group to the exclusion of others. We discuss our findings and the MLPM, which can be extended to estimate latent interactions for tests of multilevel moderation/interactions. Journal Article

From Data to Causes II: Comparing Approaches to Panel Data Analysis

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Voelkle, MC; Tay, L; Allison, PD; Preacher, KJ; Zhang, Z; Hamaker, EL; Shamsollahi, A; Pierides, DC; KOVAL, P; Diener, E 2019 From Data to Causes II: Comparing Approaches to Panel Data Analysis This article compares a general cross-lagged model (GCLM) to other panel data methods based on their coherence with a causal logic and pragmatic concerns regarding modeled dynamics and hypothesis testing. We examine three “static” models that do not incorporate temporal dynamics: random- and fixed-effects models that estimate contemporaneous relationships; and latent curve models. We then describe “dynamic” models that incorporate temporal dynamics in the form of lagged effects: cross-lagged models estimated in a structural equation model (SEM) or multilevel model (MLM) framework; Arellano-Bond dynamic panel data methods; and autoregressive latent trajectory models. We describe the implications of overlooking temporal dynamics in static models and show how even popular cross-lagged models fail to control for stable factors over time. We also show that Arellano-Bond and autoregressive latent trajectory models have various shortcomings. By contrasting these approaches, we clarify the benefits and drawbacks of common methods for modeling panel data, including the GCLM approach we propose. We conclude with a discussion of issues regarding causal inference, including difficulties in separating different types of time-invariant and time-varying effects over time. Journal Article

From Data to Causes I: Building A General Cross-Lagged Panel Model (GCLM)

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Allison, PD; Tay, L; Voelkle, MC; Preacher, KJ; Zhang, Z; Hamaker, EL; Shamsollahi, A; Pierides, DC; KOVAL, P; Diener, E 2019 From Data to Causes I: Building A General Cross-Lagged Panel Model (GCLM) This is the first paper in a series of two that synthesizes, compares, and extends methods for causal inference with longitudinal panel data in a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. Starting with a cross-lagged approach, this paper builds a general cross-lagged panel model (GCLM) with parameters to account for stable factors while increasing the range of dynamic processes that can be modeled. We illustrate the GCLM by examining the relationship between national income and subjective well-being (SWB), showing how to examine hypotheses about short-run (via Granger-Sims tests) versus long-run effects (via impulse responses). When controlling for stable factors, we find no short-run or long-run effects among these variables, showing national SWB to be relatively stable, whereas income is less so. Our second paper addresses the differences between the GCLM and other methods. Online Supplementary Materials offer an Excel file automating GCLM input for Mplus (with an example also for Lavaan in R) and analyses using additional data sets and all program input/output. We also offer an introductory GCLM presentation at https://youtu.be/tHnnaRNPbXs. We conclude with a discussion of issues surrounding causal inference. Journal Article

Deciphering tumour heterogeneity in acute myeloid leukaemia at the single cell level

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Fennell, Katie Anne 2020 Deciphering tumour heterogeneity in acute myeloid leukaemia at the single cell level The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has allowed researchers to appreciate the enormous heterogeneity that exists between cells within a single tumour. This intratumour heterogeneity leads to diverse phenotypic outcomes, resulting in functionally distinct subpopulations of cancer cells. This functional heterogeneity fuels tumour evolution and therapeutic resistance and is thus a major barrier to producing cures in cancer. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive and heterogeneous malignancy with a high relapse rate. The prevailing paradigm to explain relapse in AML posits that genetic heterogeneity leads to pre-existing or acquired mutations that render certain cells refractory to therapy, resulting in the outgrowth of a resistant clone. Large-scale sequencing studies aimed at cataloguing genetic heterogeneity in AML have revealed several important observations. Firstly, AML has one of the lowest mutational burdens of any cancer. Secondly, a significant proportion of clinical relapse events cannot be attributed to an underlying genetic change. These important findings raise the possibility that mutations alone are insufficient to fully explain therapeutic resistance in AML. Indeed, we are now beginning to appreciate that both tumour evolution and clinical relapse can be driven by non-genetic processes. However, characterising the full extent of non-genetic heterogeneity and its relative contribution to both the evolutionary trajectory of the disease and therapeutic resistance requires innovative single cell methodologies. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has been instrumental in revealing the phenotypic heterogeneity of rare subpopulations of cells within a complex tumour. However, it is difficult to infer clonal relationships from scRNA-seq alone and this has hampered our ability to understand how individual malignant cells evolve over time. To overcome some of these challenges, we present a lentiviral method of tagging cells with unique heritable barcodes that are stably transcribed into RNA molecules in cells and therefore highly detected in microfluidic scRNA-seq workflows. This strategy, termed Single-cell Profiling and LINeage TRacking with expressed barcodes (SPLINTR), offers the ability to match the gene expression programmes of individual cells to their clonal lineage, in order to establish how initial transcriptional differences amongst heterogeneous malignant cells can shape thier future clonal behaviour during cancer progression. We apply our SPLINTR barcoding system to an in vivo model of clonal competition in order to determine the early transcriptional signatures that are associated with future clonal dominance in AML. We discover that clonal dominance is largely an intrinsic property amongst genetically identical clones. However, we find the deterministic nature of dominance is altered by the presence of other distinct competing mutational clones. Furthermore, SPLINTR enabled us to retrospectively identify a novel set of differentially expressed genes contained within certain clones prior to transplantation, which distinguished them from losing clones and was associated with their future dominance during disease progression. Finally, we find that resistance occurs to BET inhibitor therapy in the clinic in the absence of a clear genetic event. scRNA-seq of paired baseline and relapse AML patient bone marrow samples revealed than non-genetic resistance originates from either a population of pre-existing cells that phenotypically resemble LSCs, or through transcriptional adaptation as a result of therapeutic pressure. We then use SPLINTR coupled with scRNA-seq to interrogate our previously published in vitro model of non-genetic resistance to BET bromodomain inhibition. This provided further evidence that Lamarckian evolution in the form of gradual transcriptional adaptation drives non-genetic resistance. Future work aims to unravel the epigenetic states that mediate non-genetic transcriptional adaptation in a broader therapeutic context in AML. Collectively, the research presented in this thesis demonstrates the importance of applying novel single cell technologies to investigations of cellular diversity in cancer and highlights the underappreciated role of non-genetic heterogeneity in driving both disease evolution and therapeutic resistance in AML. These studies provide the molecular tools and rationale to further define the mechanisms by which non-genetic heterogeneity shapes cellular behaviour in cancer. © 2020 Katie Anne Fennell PhD thesis

From Data to Causes I: Building A General Cross-Lagged Panel Model (GCLM)

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Modeling interaction as a complex system

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

van Berkel, N; Dennis, S; Zyphur, M; Li, J; Heathcote, A; Kostakos, V 2020-02-01 Modeling interaction as a complex system Researchers in Human-Computer Interaction typically rely on experiments to assess the causal effects of experimental conditions on variables of interest. Although this classic approach can be very useful, it offers little help in tackling questions of causality in the kind of data that are increasingly common in HCI – capturing user behavior ‘in the wild.’ To analyze such data, model-based regressions such as cross-lagged panel models or vector autoregressions can be used, but these require parametric assumptions about the structural form of effects among the variables. To overcome some of the limitations associated with experiments and model-based regressions, we adopt and extend ‘empirical dynamic modelling’ methods from ecology that lend themselves to conceptualizing multiple users’ behavior as complex nonlinear dynamical systems. Extending a method known as ‘convergent cross mapping’ or CCM, we show how to make causal inferences that do not rely on experimental manipulations or model-based regressions and, by virtue of being non-parametric, can accommodate data emanating from complex nonlinear dynamical systems. By using this approach for multiple users, which we call ‘multiple convergent cross mapping’ or MCCM, researchers can achieve a better understanding of the interactions between users and technology – by distinguishing causality from correlation – in real-world settings. Journal Article

Making Quantitative Research Work: From Positivist Dogma to Actual Social Scientific Inquiry

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Pierides, DC 2020 Making Quantitative Research Work: From Positivist Dogma to Actual Social Scientific Inquiry Researchers misunderstand their role in creating ethical problems when they allow dogmas to purportedly divorce scientists and scientific practices from the values that they embody. Cortina (J Bus Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04195-8, 2019), Edwards (J Bus Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04197-6, 2019), and Powell (J Bus Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04196-7, 2019) help us clarify and further develop our position by responding to our critique of, and alternatives to, this misleading separation. In this rebuttal, we explore how the desire to achieve the separation of facts and values is unscientific on the very terms endorsed by its advocates—this separation is refuted by empirical observation. We show that positivists like Cortina and Edwards offer no rigorous theoretical or empirical justifications to substantiate their claims, let alone critique ours. Following Powell, we point to how classical pragmatism understands ‘purpose’ in scientific pursuits while also providing an alternative to the dogmas of positivism and related philosophical positions. In place of dogmatic, unscientific cries about an abstract and therefore always-unobservable ‘reality,’ we invite all organizational scholars to join us in shifting the discussion about quantitative research towards empirically grounded scientific inquiry. This makes the ethics of actual people and their practices central to quantitative research, including the thoughts, discourses, and behaviors of researchers who are always in particular places doing particular things. We propose that quantitative researchers can thus start to think about their research practices as a kind of work, rather than having the status of a kind of dogma. We conclude with some implications that this has for future research and education, including the relevance of research and research methods. Journal Article

Of Honour and Innocence: Royal Correspondence and the Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Tunstall, E 2019 Of Honour and Innocence: Royal Correspondence and the Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots This article considers the diplomatic tension caused by the discovery of Mary Queen of Scots’ involvement in the Babington Plot and how it was negotiated in the correspondence of Queen Elizabeth of England and King James VI of Scotland. Rhetorical strategies of honour and innocence were utilised within these letters to create narratives that sought to balance the needs of both monarchs and their kingdoms. While the correspondence did not prevent the suspension of relations between the kingdoms following Mary’s execution, they did play a vital role in restoring it shortly before the coming of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Journal Article

Is Quantitative Research Ethical? Tools for Ethically Practicing, Evaluating, and Using Quantitative Research

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Pierides, DC 2017-04-28 Is Quantitative Research Ethical? Tools for Ethically Practicing, Evaluating, and Using Quantitative Research This editorial offers new ways to ethically practice, evaluate, and use quantitative research (QR). Our central claim is that ready-made formulas for QR, including ‘best practices’ and common notions of ‘validity’ or ‘objectivity,’ are often divorced from the ethical and practical implications of doing, evaluating, and using QR for specific purposes. To focus on these implications, we critique common theoretical foundations for QR and then recommend approaches to QR that are ‘built for purpose,’ by which we mean designed to ethically address specific problems or situations on terms that are contextually relevant. For this, we propose a new tool for evaluating the quality of QR, which we call ‘relational validity.’ Studies, including their methods and results, are relationally valid when they ethically connect researchers’ purposes with the way that QR is oriented and the ways that it is done—including the concepts and units of analysis invoked, as well as what its ‘methods’ imply more generally. This new way of doing QR can provide the liberty required to address serious worldly problems on terms that are both practical and ethically informed in relation to the problems themselves rather than the confines of existing QR logics and practices. Journal Article

Statistics and Probability Have Always Been Value-Laden: An Historical Ontology of Quantitative Research Methods

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Zyphur, MJ; Pierides, DC 2020 Statistics and Probability Have Always Been Value-Laden: An Historical Ontology of Quantitative Research Methods Quantitative researchers often discuss research ethics as if specific ethical problems can be reduced to abstract normative logics (e.g., virtue ethics, utilitarianism, deontology). Such approaches overlook how values are embedded in every aspect of quantitative methods, including ‘observations,’ ‘facts,’ and notions of ‘objectivity.’ We describe how quantitative research practices, concepts, discourses, and their objects/subjects of study have always been value-laden, from the invention of statistics and probability in the 1600s to their subsequent adoption as a logic made to appear as if it exists prior to, and separate from, ethics and values. This logic, which was embraced in the Academy of Management from the 1960s, casts management researchers as ethical agents who ought to know about a reality conceptualized as naturally existing in the image of statistics and probability (replete with ‘constructs’), while overlooking that S&P logic and practices, which researchers made for themselves, have an appreciable role in making the world appear this way. We introduce a different way to conceptualize reality and ethics, wherein the process of scientific inquiry itself requires an examination of its own practices and commitments. Instead of resorting to decontextualized notions of ‘rigor’ and its ‘best practices,’ quantitative researchers can adopt more purposeful ways to reason about the ethics and relevance of their methods and their science. We end by considering implications for addressing ‘post truth’ and ‘alternative facts’ problems as collective concerns, wherein it is actually the pluralistic nature of description that makes defending a collectively valuable version of reality so important and urgent. Journal Article

Hospital Librarians' Contributions to Health Services' Accreditation: An Account of the Health Libraries for the National Safety and Quality in Health Services Standards (HeLiNS) Research Project, 2016-18

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Ritchie, A; Gilbert, C; Gaca, M; Siemensma, G; Taylor, J 2020-03-31 Hospital Librarians' Contributions to Health Services' Accreditation: An Account of the Health Libraries for the National Safety and Quality in Health Services Standards (HeLiNS) Research Project, 2016-18 Journal Article

Health information work - a scoping review protocol

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Gray, K; Gilbert, C 2019-02-15 Health information work - a scoping review protocol Background: The work of managing health data, health information or health knowledge is a vital, yet unacknowledged, function in our current health system. This protocol is for a literature review which explores the evolution and development of the concept of health information work. Methodology: A scoping review of published literature in the domains of health sciences, information technology and information sciences has been carried out. A thematic and bibliometric analysis of the resulting set of publications is currently being undertaken. Results: The review results will shed light on the responsibilities and the contribution of the health information workforce, with a synthesis of themes identified in the literature, and analysis of publication year spans, prominent authors, institutions and source journals. Journal Article

Digital Health and Professional Identity in Australian Health Libraries: Evidence from the 2018 Australian Health Information Workforce Census

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Gilbert, C; Gray, K; Butler-Henderson, K; Ritchie, A 2020-01-01 Digital Health and Professional Identity in Australian Health Libraries: Evidence from the 2018 Australian Health Information Workforce Census Abstract Objective – This research aimed to examine the characteristics of the current health library professional workforce in Australia. The study also sought to explore the areas of health library competency domains and job functions that may reflect progress toward a specialized digital health information capability. Methods – Health librarians’ responses to the May 2018 Australian Health Information Workforce Census were analysed and compared with results obtained in earlier census counts. The health librarian characteristics were also compared with other health information occupations included in the Census. Results – There were 238 usable health librarian responses. These indicate that the health librarian workforce continues to be a comparatively mature population, with substantial experience, increasing involvement in data- and technology-intensive functions, high levels of professional association membership, and participation in continuing education activities. Notably there are emerging role titles and job functions which point to a greater digital health focus in the changing work realm. Conclusion – The health librarian workforce has adapted its skills, in line with the increased digital emphasis in health information work. However, as with other health information occupational groups, it is possible that health system planners and funders are not aware of librarians’ current functions and skills. This mature workforce may undergo significant attrition and consequent loss of expertise in the next decade. Continued advocacy and strategic planning around these factors with workforce, healthcare quality, and educational organizations will be required. Journal Article

Advanced Star Polymers: From Synthetic Developments to Biomedical Applications

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Allison, Stephanie Nadine 2020 Advanced Star Polymers: From Synthetic Developments to Biomedical Applications The developments in polymer synthesis and their applications over the last 100 years have had a profound effect on the world as we know it. While polymers abound in our everyday lives, significant advances continue to be made in the field of polymer chemistry. The first reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) method was discovered in the 1980s, enabling the synthesis of polymers with tailored molecular weights and advanced architectures. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is one type of RDRP that has shown exceptional promise for the synthesis of advanced materials, with recent developments in photo-mediated RAFT polymerization leading to unprecedented control of polymer size and architecture. Star polymers are one type of advanced architecture readily synthesized by RDRP and other techniques for a range of applications. Many of the recent advances in RAFT polymerization have yet to be applied in advanced architectures such as stars. Thus, the objective of this thesis is to investigate the synthesis of star polymers and their applications, with focus on stars synthesized by photo-mediated RAFT polymerization and N-carboxyanhydride ring-opening polymerization (NCA ROP). We first investigated the synthesis of star polymers via photoiniferter RAFT polymerization using a core-first approach. Multifunctional cores were synthesized for star synthesis via RAFT polymerization and early results demonstrated the highly “living” nature of the star polymers. This highly living nature allowed us to synthesize ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) star polymers with molecular weights in excess of 20 MDa, the largest reported for any RDRP techniques to date. Although photoiniferter RAFT polymerization resulted in highly living stars, it does suffer from two significant limitations. The polymerizations are sensitive to oxygen and can only be mediated by a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Photoinduced energy/electron transfer (PET)-RAFT polymerization can overcome these limitations by employing a photoredox catalyst or photosensitizer. We synthesized a novel self-assembled photocatalyst with broadband and near-infrared (NIR) absorbance, facilitating polymerization across the UV, visible light, and NIR regions. Using this photocatalyst we reported the first NIR-mediated RDRP in aqueous conditions and NIR-mediated star polymerization. Finally, the application of star polymers with degradable polypeptide segments was investigated for lysosomal escape of a model drug in vitro. Endo-lysosomal escape of therapeutics to reach their site of action remains a challenge in the field of nanoparticle drug delivery. Star polymers have exceptional potential in drug delivery stemming from their nanometer size and compact, unimolecular structure that allows for functionalization of distinct core, arm, and peripheral regions. Dye-loaded polypeptide star polymers with PEG-brush coronas were biocompatible, demonstrated successful internalization by cells, and allowed the dye to escape the lysosome due to enzymatic degradation of the polypeptide arms while a nondegradable control star accumulated in the lysosome, demonstrating the advantage of polypeptide stars for drug delivery. Together, these results mark exciting advances in the synthesis of star polymers and their applications. The versatility and exquisite control of photo-mediated RAFT polymerizations are demonstrated, while the advances reported in this thesis show great potential for numerous biomedical applications including biomaterials, cell surface modification, and drug delivery. © 2020 Stephanie Nadine Allison PhD thesis

Making Waves: connecting art, science and principles of ecomuseology

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Poliness, Kerrie Jean 2019 Making Waves: connecting art, science and principles of ecomuseology How can geometric abstraction contribute to supporting the preservation of biodiversity and sustainable design? Grids dominate the visible and invisible landscapes that design and plan our world. Fast algorithms are paired with meshes to collect and compute data. The thesis addresses what I consider to be the biggest hurdle for the future, integrating design and nature in ways that are sustainable. In proposing solutions, it explains the development and value of slow algorithms in the creation of instruction-based artworks to produce large-scale wall drawings that are immersive, participatory, site responsive and convey fundamental concepts about diversity. The thesis examines the synergy between two distinct areas of activity in my arts practice. One is a contemporary art practice that explores conceptual and intuitive processes of abstraction to make geometric, non-objective art. The other is a collaborative, applied arts practice, working with a variety of everyday people and specialists to develop exhibitions and educational tools connecting local history and the environment in using an eco-museum framework. The thesis focuses on my development of a method of geometric abstraction that combines insights from eco-museology, physics and intuition to create new artworks which act as visualisation tools to convey patterns in nature and beyond in response to the current imperative to preserve biological and cultural diversity. The resultant artworks serve as reflective spaces in which to observe and experience the generation of diversity via abstraction. The thesis identifies future applications of the process of organic geometry, including the generation of adaptive meshes for use in conservation management to help refine our interrelationships with the natural world. Various artworks, projects and exhibitions are documented throughout the thesis and in two appendices to illustrate concepts within the pages of the thesis: The first Appendix, 'Whoosh #1', is a prototype instruction-based artwork used as a template for several series of wave drawings and future instruction-based artworks. As this Appendix is an original artwork, a redacted version is included here, access to the complete version of 'Whoosh #1' is conditional, see page 321 for further details. A second Appendix, 'Making Waves: activities and outcomes' (2012-19), documents artworks completed during the research period, these including four series of wave drawings, three public artworks and several workshops and talks as well an ecomuseum art program. This Appendix is attached to the thesis, see page 334. © 2019 Kerrie Jean Poliness PhD thesis

Personal Risk Attitudes in Postgraduate Risk Management Education

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Vaz-Serra, P; Edwards, P; Gao, S; Francis, V 2017 Personal Risk Attitudes in Postgraduate Risk Management Education Risk management is important for contemporary construction organisations and is a vital constituent of project management education. Before learning about the processes of systematic risk management, construction and project management students need to better understand risk concepts and their own attitudes towards risk. Risk is a psycho- social construct experienced and perceived by individuals. In the Risk in Construction subject offered in the Master of Construction Management programme at the University of Melbourne, students were first invited to respond to a simple questionnaire that measured their own risk attitudes from a task, team and individual risk perspective. This self-knowledge discovery was then applied in their subsequent individual and group assignment work for the subject. The risk profiles were also used in a novel approach to assignment group formation. Students valued the opportunity to explore the alignment between formal project risk management and their own risk attitudes, and used their newly-found understanding in other management-related subjects. Future research will explore cultural and gender influences in these student journeys of self-understanding. Conference Paper

Nanomechanical mapping reveals localized stiffening of the basilar membrane after cochlear implantation

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Choong, JK; Hampson, AJ; Brody, KM; Lo, J; Bester, CW; Gummer, AW; Reynolds, NP; O'Leary, SJ 2020-01-01 Nanomechanical mapping reveals localized stiffening of the basilar membrane after cochlear implantation Cochlear implantation leads to many structural changes within the cochlea which can impair residual hearing. In patients with preserved low-frequency hearing, a delayed hearing loss can occur weeks-to-years post-implantation. We explore whether stiffening of the basilar membrane (BM) may be a contributory factor in an animal model. Our objective is to map changes in morphology and Young's modulus of basal and apical areas of the BM after cochlear implantation, using quantitative nanomechanical atomic force microscopy (QNM-AFM) after cochlear implant surgery. Cochlear implantation was undertaken in the guinea pig, and the BM was harvested at four time-points: 1 day, 14 days, 28 days and 84 days post-implantation for QNM-AFM analysis. Auditory brainstem response thresholds were determined prior to implantation and termination. BM tissue showed altered morphology and a progressive increase in Young's modulus, mainly in the apex, over time after implantation. BM tissue from the cochlear base demonstrated areas of extreme stiffness which are likely due to micro-calcification on the BM. In conclusion, stiffening of the BM after cochlear implantation occurs over time, even at sites far apical to a cochlear implant. Journal Article

A new method for three-dimensional immunofluorescence study of the cochlea

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Brody, KM; Hampson, AJ; Cho, H-J; Johnson, P; O'Leary, SJ 2020-07-01 A new method for three-dimensional immunofluorescence study of the cochlea Visualisation of cochlear histopathology in three-dimensions has been long desired in the field of hearing research. This paper outlines a technique that has made this possible and shows a research application in the field of hearing protection after cochlear implantation. The technique utilises robust immunofluorescent labelling followed by effective tissue clearing and fast image acquisition using Light Sheet Microscopy. We can access the health of individual components by immunofluorescent detection of proteins such as myosin VIIa to look at cochlear hair cells, NaKATPase alpha 3 to look at spiral ganglion neurons, and IBA1 to look at macrophages within a single cochlea, whilst maintaining the integrity of fine membranous structures and keeping the cochlear implant in place. This allows the tissue response to cochlear implantation to be studied in detail, including the immune reaction to the implant and the impact on the structure and health of neural components such as hair cells. This technique reduces time and labour required for sectioning of cochleae and can allow visualisation of cellular detail. Use of image analysis software allows conversion of high-resolution image stacks into three-dimensional interactive data sets so volumes and numbers of surfaces can be measured. Immunofluorescent whole cochlea labelling and Light Sheet Microscopy have the capacity to be applied to many questions in hearing research of both the cochlea and vestibular system. Journal Article

Pandemic letter from America: how the US handling of COVID-19 provides the starkest warning for us all

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Elshaug, A 2020 Pandemic letter from America: how the US handling of COVID-19 provides the starkest warning for us all Media

Non-communicable Disease Prevention

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Elshaug, A 2019-11 Non-communicable Disease Prevention This informative and accessible book provides practical guidelines, key learning points, and dynamic, real-world case studies to aid NCD program managers, policy officers and decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries, so that they ... Chapter