Charging your phone using a public USB port? Beware of ‘juice jacking’

Chugh, R ORCiD: 0000-0003-0061-7206Have you ever used a public charging station to charge your mobile phone when it runs out of battery? If so, watch out for “juice jacking”. Cybercriminals are on the prowl to infect your mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers and access your personal data, or install malware while you charge them. Specifically, juice jacking is a cyber attack in which criminals use publicly accessible USB charging ports or cables to install malicious software on your mobile device and/or steal personal data from it

Building resilience among rural and remote nurses in Queensland, Australia

Hegney, DG ORCiD: 0000-0003-1267-1760© 2019 Aim: This study evaluated a workplace resilience intervention involving registered nurses working in rural and remote settings in Queensland, Australia. Background: The nature of nursing work provides a range of challenges to the psychological well-being of nurses. To address these challenges, research in the area of building resilience to enhance psychological well-being among nurses is growing rapidly, although few studies have investigated these phenomena in rural and remote settings. Design/methods: The study implemented and evaluated a Mindfulness Self-Care and Resiliency (MSCR) program delivered to registered nurses (N = 32) working in rural or remote locations, to enhance workplace resilience. Registered nurses who attended the program were invited to evaluate the program via a semi-structured telephone interview. Results/findings: Qualitative analysis showed that most nurses found the MSCR program valuable and relevant in terms of learning new knowledge and skills to help build resilience to stress in the workplace. Conclusion: The MSCR intervention was received positively by the registered nurses who participated and may have broader application across the rural healthcare sector

Interspecific plant competition increases soil labile organic carbon and nitrogen contents

Plant competition can impose species-specific effects on the dynamics of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) through rhizosphere processes and litter input. Therefore, it is crucial to quantify these effects in various terrestrial ecosystems for a better understanding of the mechanisms. Here, we collected subsoils containing low N from a subtropical forest and planted eight dominant tree species (two deciduous and six evergreens) in these soils in a greenhouse to explore the effects of interspecific plant competition on plant growth, soil C and N contents, and soil C and N mineralization rates after the plants had grown for 12 months. Soil labile organic C and N contents were represented by soil extractable organic C (EOC) and extractable organic N (EON) contents. We assessed the magnitude of the interspecific plant competition via the relative interaction intensity (RII) index, which was calculated from the biomass of seedlings in the mixed treatments compared with the single treatments. Our results showed that interspecific plant competition had species-specific effects on plant biomass and soil total C and N contents as well as soil C mineralization rates, whereas it tended to decrease soil N mineralization rates. However, interspecific plant competition significantly decreased plant C and N contents, and significantly increased soil EOC and EON contents with increasing RII. After classifying the communities into two functional types (i.e., deciduous–evergreen versus evergreen–evergreen), similar relationships were observed. These findings address the importance of quantifying interspecific plant competition on soil labile organic C and N contents, which is helpful for understanding soil C and N cycling in forest ecosystems. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Exploring the changing landscape of gambling in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood

Armstrong, TA ORCiD: 0000-0001-9683-7371; Browne, M ORCiD: 0000-0002-2668-6229; Hing, N ORCiD: 0000-0002-2150-9784; Rockloff, M ORCiD: 0000-0002-0080-2690; Russell, AM ORCiD: 0000-0002-3685-7220This report examines how gambling is changing in New South Wales, particularly amongst youth, due to the emergence of new forms of gambling and gambling-like products. New gambling products include those that are regulated as gambling, including betting on esports and betting on fantasy sports (including daily fantasy sports [DFS]). Gambling-like products include gambling-style games, such as social casino games, which are not regulated as gambling. Additional new products including loot boxes and skin gambling meet definitions of gambling, but are not regulated as such in New South Wales. The 2018-2021 Office of Responsible Gambling Strategic Plan states that there is “little evidence into potential harms arising from these forms of gambling”. This report helps to address this gap. The specific research questions for this study are: Research question 1: How are the formative gambling experiences of young adults (cohort aged 18-24 years) in New South Wales different from the experiences of an older cohort (aged 25-29 years)? Research question 2: What association can be made between early experiences with specific emerging technologies (e.g., social casino games, loot boxes, skin gambling, fantasy sports betting, esports betting) and gambling harm? Survey results o The older cohort (25-29) was more likely to have taken part in each traditional form of gambling in the last 12 months, and (based on recall) over their lifetime. o The younger cohort (18-24) was more likely to have taken part in most emerging forms of gambling and simulated gambling, apart from forms that involve expenditure (paid social casino games, paid fantasy sports, betting on esports). o The younger cohort was more likely to recall first taking part in each traditional form while under the age of 18. o The younger cohort was also more likely to recall first taking part in each emerging form while under the age of 18. o The older cohort was more likely to recall being exposed to gambling via adults in their household, including parents, although the younger cohort still recalled being exposed to gambling in this way. o Recalled lifetime use and frequency of engagement during the last 12 months were associated with lifetime and recent gambling-related harm, for all of the eleven emerging forms. o Those who recalled first engaging in each emerging form while underage were not significantly more likely to have experienced gambling related harm. Those who recalled first engaging while over the age of 18 were significantly more likely to have experienced harm in the last 12 months. o The associations between each emerging form and harm remained statistically significant when controlling for age, impulsivity and engagement in traditional forms of gambling, and using nonparametric analyses, indicating robust effects. While lower uptake of traditional forms of gambling amongst young people may help to reduce gambling harm, the higher uptake of emerging forms may sustain or even increase gambling harm in the future. Each gambling form was associated with gambling-related harm in the present study. Our conclusions are that these emerging forms are not benign, and warrant additional attention because they appeal to younger people, who are vulnerable to harm. Because gambling technologies can change quickly, it will be important to continue to study new forms of gambling and simulated gambling going forward. Since each form differs in terms of how it operates and how it is currently regulated, any changes to regulations will need to be considered on a form-by-form basis

An overview of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the detection of insect pests in stored grains

Johnson, JB ORCiD: 0000-0002-9172-8587Applications of near-infrared spectroscopy for measuring various aspects of grain quality have expanded rapidly in recent years. One application that could be of particular use to growers and industry is the detection of insect pests across a range of stored grains. This prospect was first reported over 20 years ago, but the accuracy of this technique does not currently meet FDA standards for the quantification of insect fragments in bulk wheat and flour samples. When considering bulk samples, near-infrared spectroscopy may be suitable for identifying the presence of infestation in samples, followed by flotation testing to provide an accurate quantitative value. Much higher accuracy has been found for the detection of pest species at the single-kernel level. With faster spectrophotometers and kernel sorting systems, single-kernel analysis is likely to be utilised more in the future and could even render bulk analysis of samples redundant. This technology could allow for the detection and identification of pest species in every single kernel of a representative grain sample. The development and application of more sensitive spectrophotometers, such as FT-NIR (Fourier transform near infrared) and more powerful chemometric data analysis techniques are also likely to provide significant improvements, through allowing the minute chemical differences present in bulk infested grains to be accurately detected and quantified

Prevalence of the use of chemical restraint in the management of challenging behaviours associated with adult mental health conditions: A meta-synthesis

Gerace, A ORCiD: 0000-0001-8272-8799INTRODUCTION: Chemical restraint is used to manage uncontrolled aggression, agitation, or violent behaviours of consumers with mental health disorders admitted to acute psychiatric or emergency settings. AIM: This systematic review aimed to synthesise the international prevalence of chemical restraint for non-consenting adults. METHOD: PsychINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE/PubMed and Google Scholar databses were searched for peer-reviewed literature published between January 1996 and July 2018. This paper reports on data extracted from retrospective audits of chemical restraint practice. RESULTS: 48 papers were included. The median prevalence of use of any restraint was 21.2% (25th% 8.0 to 75th% 36.3). Median prevalence of people who were chemically restrained, of all people restrained in any manner, was 43.1% (25th% 22.9% to 75th% 70.7%). Of all people admitted to facility(ies), the median prevalence of chemical restraint was 7.4% (25th% 2.7 to 75th% 17.6). There was no statistically-significant difference in any prevalence measure considering healthcare setting or country. There was a significant decrease over the review period in the use of any restraint, including chemical restraint. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This is first known comprehensive meta-view of chemical restraint use worldwide, highlighting the need for standardised data collection to enable comparisons between healthcare settings and countries. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: There is an international imperative to reduce or eliminate the use of coercive practices, such as physical and chemical restraint, in mental health care. This study provides important information for mental health nursing by synthesising the international prevalence of chemical restraint for non-consenting adults. This meta-view of the worldwide use of chemical restraint can inform ongoing efforts to reduce its use

Cardiopulmonary function and aerobic exercise in Parkinson's: A systematic review of the literature

Ledger, SJ ORCiD: 0000-0001-7364-8535Background: Cardiorespiratory impairments are considered the main cause of mortality in the late stages of Parkinson's. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve pulmonary function in asthmatic patients and in healthy people. However, effects of aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary function in people with Parkinson's have not been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to review the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary function in people with Parkinson's. Method: A systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE, AMED, and CINHAL Plus, and relevant associated keywords, from January 1970 to January 2020. Inclusion criteria for the studies were: aerobic exercise as part of the intervention, pulmonary function test and/or cardiopulmonary exercise test as outcome measures. Results: In total, 329 citations were identified from the search, of which nine were included in this review. In general, aerobic exercise was found to have positive effects on cardiac function for people with Parkinson's, but there is a lack of studies on the effects of aerobic exercise on pulmonary function. Conclusion: People with early stages of Parkinson's may experience positive effects of aerobic exercise on cardiac fitness. Further research is needed in this area, particularly into the effects of aerobic exercise on pulmonary function in early stages of the disease

Future potential of economic impact assessment

Williams, GA ORCiD: 0000-0002-1645-6104Economic impact assessment (EcIA) has attracted some criticism due to its limited focus. Typically, EcIA is used to validate the proposed proposals based on growth in income and employment. This paper argues that EcIA should play a more active and stronger role in impact assessment. For example, the impacts of the proposed projects should be assessed using the economic development goals rather than only changes in economic growth. The conceptual framework for the comprehensive impact assessment is discussed. Examples of indicators that can be used in relation to sustainable development goals are provided. © 2019, © 2019 IAIA

Exploring the nurse navigator role: A thematic analysis

Baldwin, AE ORCiD: 0000-0002-6325-4142; Byrne, AJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-8679-8310; Ferguson, B ORCiD: 0000-0002-7440-3609; Harvey, CL ORCiD: 0000-0001-9016-8840; Hegney, DG ORCiD: 0000-0003-1267-1760; Judd, JA ORCiD: 0000-0001-8441-5008; Willis, EM ORCiD: 0000-0001-7576-971XBackground: Patients with complex chronic conditions experience fragmentation of care, unnecessary hospitalization and reduced quality of life, with an increased incidence of poor health outcomes. Aim(s): The aim of this paper was to explore how nurse navigators manage client care. This was achieved through an examination of narratives provided by the nurse navigator that evaluated their scope of practice. Method(s): All nurse navigators employed by Queensland Health were invited to participate in a study evaluating the effectiveness of the service. Eighty-four self-reported vignettes were thematically analysed to understand the work from the nurses’ perspectives. Results: Two themes emerged from the vignettes. Theme 1, the layers of complexity, is comprised of three sub-themes: the complex patient, the complex system and patient outcomes. Theme 2, professional attributes, has two sub-themes: person-centred care and clinical excellence. Conclusion: Navigators innovatively integrate services and address the fragmented nature of the health system. They apply expert clinical and social skills, through consistent and robust communication, to meet the needs of those with multiple chronic conditions. Implications for nursing management: Results provide insight into the new role, illuminating the work they achieve, despite system complexities. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Lt

Comparing the effects of FIFO/DIDO workers being home versus away on sleep and loneliness for partners of Australian mining workers

Alfrey, KR ORCiD: 0000-0001-6004-3406; Ferguson, SA ORCiD: 0000-0002-9682-7971; Rebar, A ORCiD: 0000-0003-3164-993X; Vincent, GE ORCiD: 0000-0002-7036-7823Fly in Fly out/Drive in Drive out (FIFO/DIDO) is a prevalent work arrangement in the Australian mining industry and has been associated with adverse outcomes such as psychological stress, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and work/life interference. FIFO/DIDO work arrangements have the potential to not only impact the FIFO/DIDO worker, but also the partner of the FIFO/DIDO worker. However, there is sparse empirical evidence on the impact of FIFO/DIDO work arrangements on partners’ sleep and subsequent performance. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to describe and compare partners’ sleep quality, sleep duration, sleepiness, and loneliness when the FIFO/DIDO workers were at home (off-shift) and away (on-shift). A secondary aim of this study was to examine whether differences in partners’ sleep quality and sleep duration as a result of FIFO/DIDO worker’s absence could be partially explained through the presence of dependents in the home, relationship duration, chronotype, duration in a FIFO/DIDO role, and loneliness. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 195 female and 4 male participants, mostly aged between 18 and 44 years and who had been in a relationship with a FIFO/DIDO mining worker for more than five years. Of note, most participants subjectively reported poor sleep quality, insufficient sleep duration, excessive sleepiness, and moderate to extreme loneliness compared to the general population regardless of whether the FIFO/DIDO workers were at home or away. Compared to when the FIFO/DIDO workers were at home, partners experienced reduced sleep quality and increased loneliness when the FIFO/DIDO workers were away. Secondary analyses revealed that loneliness may partially underpin the negative effect that FIFO/DIDO workers’ absence has on sleep quality. Further research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to poor sleep quality, insufficient sleep duration, excessive sleepiness, and loneliness of FIFO/DIDO partners to inform appropriate strategies to support FIFO/DIDO partners’ health and wellbeing not only in the mining population, but other industries that incorporate similar FIFO/DIDO work arrangements (e.g., emergency services, offshore drilling, and transport)