Self-Reports for Factors Impacting on the Ability of People with Acquired Disabilities to Obtain and/or Sustain Employment: An Australian Study

The purpose of this research is to study the factors impacting on the ability of people with acquired disabilities to gain and sustain employment, as well as finding a possible solutions to employment participation problems that would guide policy developers, employers and people with acquired disabilities. Several research have shown that people with a disability that can categorized as 'acquired' struggle to sustain employment and often suffer more discrimination than the other cohorts. Yet, not much research have sought to understand acquired disability in relation to employment outcomes. The study will follow an Active Case Study research design comprising of a casy study and intervention on 50 participants. The process will follow the following stages. Participants will be asked to complete a self report questionnaire to gain an insight of their experiences as jobseekers and perceptions of their own disabilities. This will be followed by unstructured observation to learn how participants go about their job search activities. The results from this self reporting process will enable the researcher to work on a schedule for the indepth interviews to further understand these experiences and perceptions. The interviews will beaudio recorded with the participant's full consent. The results from the indepth qualitative interviews will be used to craft questions for the pre- and post-measure questionnaires to be completed by participant before and after the intervention stage. The 50 participants will be divided into a control and an experimental group of 25 participants each. The control group will receive normal services. The experimental group will receive a structured program to assist in obtaining employment. Structured observation will be conducted on both groups during the process of the intervention to gage the impact of intervention. The process will go for six months. Both groups will be interviewed during the intervention for their views on observed points. At the end of the intervention, both groups will do the quantitative post-test measure to gage an change in perceptions. The qualitative and quantitative data from all components of the study will be analysed independently. The qualitative data will be analysed using Discourse Analysis, the quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics. The data will then be triangulated.</p

Exploring the prevalence of renewable energy practices and awareness levels in Palestine

The growing demand for energy in developing societies, coupled with dwindling conventional resources, necessitates the adoption of renewable energy (RE) sources. A comprehensive understanding of these sources and their optimal utilization is crucial. The awareness of the users plays a very important role in the effective utilization of different energy sources. Hence, this study examines the level of RE awareness in Palestine, identifying factors influencing public perception and exploring potential strategies for promoting RE adoption. This awareness depends on different factors related to the users' education level, community type, and type of building. Different factors that affect the willingness and attitude to gain knowledge about RE are presented. In addition, various practices highlighting the increasing level of awareness regarding the adoption of RE sources are investigated. In addition, the status of RE education and its potential impact on engineers have also been discussed. Various individual and institutional efforts are highlighted in the study as strategies to bridge the gap and overcome obstacles to adopting RE sources. Suggestions for better use of these resources have been highlighted. Thereafter, recommendations for effective RE implementation in Palestine are analyzed and conclusions are drawn. The main challenges in integrating RE into Palestine's existing energy grid and system include infrastructure limitations, resources and financial constraints, and political issues. Still, there are possibilities in the form of international collaboration and investment. A flexible and modular RE grid could also address some of these challenges by integrating small-scale systems that can be scaled up as needed.</p

Obstetric ultrasound and women with obesity: Do we need industry guidance?

Australia, like many developed countries is experiencing an obesity crisis, with maternal obesity associated with increased risks of fetal and maternal complications. For obstetric sonographers, there are technical challenges to exclude a fetal anomaly or pregnancy complication in a woman with obesity. Furthermore, scan times are often longer, greater probe pressure is needed and follow up scans are often undertaken to complete examinations. There are numerous studies reporting high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) amongst sonographers and papers that provide tips and tricks to improve imaging and ergonomics. However, there is no specific industry guidance by way of a guideline, consensus statement or position paper from our leading professional associations, on how we can address this complex issue obstetric sonographers encounter when scanning women with obesity, or our communication with women about the difficulties faced. Given the high and increasing rates of obesity, the high risk of pain and WRMSDs for sonographers and limitations associated with these examinations, this raises the question—is it time for our industry to discuss guidance and communication in obstetric ultrasound for women with obesity to mitigate sonographer risk of WRMSDs, while ensuring safe, high quality care for these women?.</p

A novel approach based on quantum key distribution using BB84 and E91 protocol for resilient encryption and eavesdropper detection

Quantum cryptography is anticipated to drive substantial advancements in the field of cybersecurity. The impending arrival of quantum cryptography has the potential to compromise current encryption methods, thereby possibly compromising the effectiveness of traditional key management-based security protocols. Quantum cryptography represents a burgeoning area that necessitates thorough examination and scrutiny to validate its efficacy in safeguarding data and securely distributing secret keys. One fundamental quantum key distribution protocol, BB84, encounters challenges when operating with fewer quantum bits (qubits) and bases that only support up to 8 qubits. This limitation weakens the system's security, making brute force, intercept, and resend attacks less challenging. Consequently, this study proposes a method to enhance the security of the BB84 protocol, to reduce susceptibility to attacks and eavesdropping. The proposed improved BB84 protocol utilizes 9, 12, and 16 quantum bits along with two, and three bases to significantly bolster security, allowing authorized parties to prevent the key distribution process and eliminate the use of compromised keys. Additionally, this study has implemented the E91 quantum key distribution protocol utilizing the Entanglement Pair Generation method to produce secure keys. While the existing E91 protocol ensures security through Bell’s theorem and Bell’s inequality, it overlooks the impact of noise, leading to inaccuracies in eavesdropper detection. Hence, this study introduces an additional security measure. Whenever an eavesdropper attempts to measure the quantum state, the proposed E91 protocol collapses its state from |10⟩ to |11⟩, setting the first qubit to |1⟩ and the other qubit to |0⟩, thus providing the eavesdropper with incorrect information, accompanied by a phase angle of 15π/8. This leads to misconception and misconfiguration, preventing eavesdroppers from obtaining useful details about transferred quantum states and compromising the keys. Additionally, considering that the proposed E91 protocol relies on entangled particles and utilizes double qubit gates, which are inherently noisier than single qubit gates and susceptible to quantum decoherence, this study employs error mitigation techniques in the final measurement to predict outcomes more efficiently</p

A Case Study Approach Towards a Salutogenic Job Demands-Resources Understanding and Response to Poor Principal Class Occupational Health Safety and Well-being in the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns

The occupational health, safety, and well-being of education leaders, particularly principals, has been in decline in Australia since 2011, as consistently reported by Dr. Philip Riley and his associates. This decline is attributed to the increasing demands and complexity of their roles. Despite various efforts, there is limited evidence of successful interventions within the Australian education sectors. This thesis employs a qualitative, multiple case, case study approach to generate new insights and respond to this crisis within the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns (CEDC), utilising the Salutogenic model of health and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory. The research aims to provide an informed salutogenic response to optimise the cultural conditions within the CEDC that guide better management practices for the broader principal class within the CEDC, thereby enhancing their ability to cope with their roles. The study focuses on high-performing experienced principals within the CEDC, employing within-case thematic analysis and between-case and cross-case analysis to identify their culturally adaptive strategies. Understanding the cultural origins and impact of these strategies is facilitated by the Salutogenic model of health and recent updates to JD-R theory, which together provide a new, and refined understanding of the culturally adaptive resources and strategies employed by principals to sustainably manage the complexity and demands of their role. The Salutogenic model of health emphasises culturally adaptive General Resistance Resources (GRRs), a motivation towards pro-active problem-solving behaviours and Sense of Coherence (SOC), which includes comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. The JD-R theory examines the balance between job demands and resources, identifying burnout resulting from prolonged exposure to job demands that exceed available adaptive resources. Recent updates to JD-R theory include self-regulatory behaviours, both adaptive (recovery, job crafting) and maladaptive (coping inflexibility, self-undermining). Key findings from the study highlight the importance of adaptive cultural and personal resources in coping with job demands. High-performing principals utilise adaptive strategies such as job crafting, emotional intelligence, a proactive personality and recovery to manage stress and strain to maintain well-being. To achieve this, the research identifies four major cross-case themes: Cultural Formation, Active Pursuit of Connected and Trusting Relationships, Wise Mindset, and Clearly Defined Boundaries. Cultural Formation captures the influence of social-cultural and environmental factors in the principals' formative years, including upbringing and professional influences. The study finds that a strong working-class background, stable family environments, and influential role models in education is influential in informing the principals' leadership styles and resilience, especially within the early years of their leadership. Active Pursuit of Connected and Trusting Relationships highlights how principals enthusiastically engage with their communities, leadership teams, staff, peers, and supportive partners to build trust and foster a supportive environment. Strategies include being visible, engaging in meaningful communication, mentoring staff and establishing strong leadership teams. Wise Mindset encompasses the cognitive and motivational resources that principals develop over time, including principled decision-making, finding meaningfulness in their work, proactive personality, resilience, self-reflection, humility, and healthy rebellion. These attributes enable principals to navigate the complexities of their roles efficiently and effectively. Clearly Defined Boundaries are established by principals through routines, processing time, prioritising self-care, and disconnecting from work to maintain a healthy work-life balance. These strategies can take several years to emerge within the principals practice but are critical in allowing them to sustainably manage the demands of the role and engage in healthy restorative behaviours. The study forwards a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which high-performing experienced principals optimise their use of personal and cultural resources through the development of the Wise Principal Model (WPM), which elucidates how principals leverage their adaptive resources to create resource gain spirals, thereby enhancing their capacity to manage job demands and reduce job strain. The WPM highlights the interplay between personal cultural resources, work cultural resources, and personal physical/psychological resources, offering a holistic framework for understanding principal well-being. The study concludes with recommendations for systemic support through targeted professional development, modifications to workplace practices, and access to critical resources. These recommendations aim to create the optimal cultural conditions within which the CEDC principal class better manage their roles whilst also maintaining their health and well-being.</p

Blockchain-based secured data sharing in healthcare: A systematic literature review

Blockchain technology is increasingly recognised for its potential to enhance the security, reliability, and resilience of distributed systems. By ensuring data integrity and protecting against unauthorised access, blockchain creates immutable and transparent records, making it an appealing option for various applications. In the current healthcare landscape, secure data sharing is essential for improving patient outcomes, streamlining healthcare operations, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. This paper conducts a systematic literature review to explore how blockchain can be utilised as a security solution for health data sharing. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of blockchain-based solutions in areas such as secure data management, data sharing, access control, trust and transparency, and authentication and authorisation. Our findings indicate that blockchain has significant potential to secure health data sharing, although we identify certain limitations in blockchain-based access control systems and propose potential solutions. Additionally, this paper provides detailed insights into future research directions in this domain.</p

The attitudes towards non-suicidal self-injury held by nurses who work in general settings in rural and remote Australia

This data management plan covers data relating to a Web-based survey investigating the attitudes of nurses working in rural and remote Australia towards consumers who engage in NSSI. Understanding the attitudes of nurses towards consumers who engage in NSSI in rural and remote Australia provides an opportunity to either improve or maintain comprehensive assessments and the overall healthcare experience for consumers. The survey will collect quantitative and qualitative data. No personal identifiers will be collected during this research.</p

Peanut cultivars' performance under elevated CO2 concentrations

The current atmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 418 ppm, and future projections suggest it will rise to around 550 ppm by mid-century and could reach 1,000 ppm by the end of the century due to anthropogenic emissions. Plant responses to elevated CO2 are highly variable, with some species showing significant increases in photosynthesis and biomass production, while others exhibit weaker or negligible growth responses. These differences are influenced by species-specific traits, nutrient availability, and environmental conditions. Understanding these variations is crucial for predicting crop performance under future climates and developing management strategies to optimize productivity and quality. This study focused on exploring the physiological changes induced by elevated CO2 and how these changes impacted peanut yield and kernel quality. Open Top Chambers (OTC) experiments were conducted to assess the effects of elevated CO2 on growth, biomass production, yield, and nutritional composition. A study with three commercial peanut cultivars examined the entire crop cycle to evaluate changes in physiological traits, photosynthesis, biomass allocation, and kernel and forage quality. The study analysed the impact of elevated CO2 on peanut agronomy, nutritional composition, to provide insights for developing strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on food and feed production.</p

Microalgae cultivation in stabilized landfill leachate for simultaneous treatment and biomass production

Background: The high toxicity of landfill leachate has motivated to an investigation of economical and ecological treatment prior releasing into environment. Recently, microalgae have emerged as an alternative method due to its ability to recover nutrient and potential for bio-fuel production. However, the high concentrations of inhibitory compounds and ammoniacal nitrogen in young landfill leachates require high dilutions for microalgae to thrive. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the performance of microalgae by using stabilized landfill leachate with lower to no dilutions in nutrient removal, biomass and lipid production. Methods: Leachate concentrations of 33, 44, 66, 89 and 100 v/v% were initially treated with the microalgae C. vulgaris. Parameters of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3–N), orthophosphate (PO43−), total phosphorus (TP) and colour removal were evaluated. Cost analysis was conducted to evaluate the economical appropriateness. Significant findings: The highest removals were achieved at 43.67% of COD, >97% of NH3–N, 79.26% of PO43−, 77.64% of TP and 44.04% of colour. Highest biomass yield obtained was 220 mg/L by 89 v/v% of leachate concentration with 8.14% of lipid yield. Cost of treatment was calculated to be ∼$0.02 per m3 leachate. The feasibility of stabilized landfill leachate treatment without any dilutions using microalgae was attained as they can survive amidst this condition, perform nutrient removals, and produce biomass simultaneously

My ‘normal’ isn't your normal. What is maternal wellbeing? A scoping review

Problem: Many global health strategies are developed to optimise ‘maternal wellbeing’. However, what is meant by this term and therefore how it is interpreted and understood by different groups of people is currently poorly understood. Background: For midwives to provide woman-centred care they must recognise the diverse understandings of what is considered ‘maternal wellbeing’ and be able to identify factors underpinning this. Aim: To identify and synthesise the literature related to the meaning and understanding of the term ‘maternal wellbeing.’ Methods: A search of PubMed, CINAHL Ultimate, OVID and Emcare databases was conducted between 2015 and 2024 for studies related to maternal wellbeing. Data from fourteen studies were charted and thematically analysed. Findings: Two overarching but interrelated themes were identified. One refers to the inner self, and the second to the woman's place in her social world. Theme 1, sense of self, comprises two sub-themes: finding a sense of self and sustaining a sense of self. Theme 2, the sense of place, comprises two sub-themes: sustaining place and making space in place. Discussion: Disconnects between the practice-oriented concept of wellbeing and wellbeing as perceived by women exist. Current maternal wellbeing assessment methods only measure the woman's sense of identity, and sense of self in their changed worlds. Conclusion: Clear articulation of maternal wellbeing is needed to operationalise health strategies, institutional policies, procedures and standards of care that support positive maternal and infant outcomes. Midwives are pivotal to promoting maternal wellbeing during transitions across the pregnancy, birth, and motherhood continuum.</p