cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
The effect of estrogenic compounds on psychosis-like behaviour in female rats
Creators: name: Sbisa, Alyssa
name: van den Buuse, Maarten
name: Gogos, Andrea
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 3214
subject: Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
classificationCode: 52
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology
classificationCode: 5202
subject: Biological psychology

description: 17β-estradiol treatment has shown benefit against schizophrenia symptoms, however longterm use may be associated with negative side-effects. Selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as raloxifene and tamoxifen, have been proposed as suitable alternatives to 17β- estradiol. An isomer of 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol, is considered less carcinogenic, and non-feminising in males, however little is known about its potential as a treatment for schizophrenia. Moreover, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic action of estrogens remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the ability of these estrogenic compounds to attenuate psychosis-like behaviour in rats. We used two acute pharmacologically-induced assays of psychosis-like behaviour: psychotomimetic drug-induced hyperlocomotion and disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI). Female Long Evans rats were either intact, ovariectomised (OVX), or OVX and chronically treated with 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol, raloxifene or tamoxifen. Only 17β-estradiol treatment attenuated locomotor hyperactivity induced by the indirect dopamine receptor agonist, methamphetamine. 17β-estradiol- and tamoxifen-treated rats showed attenuated methamphetamine- and apomorphine (dopamine D1/D2 receptor agonist)- induced disruption of PPI. Raloxifene-treated rats showed attenuated apomorphineinduced PPI disruption only. Baseline PPI was significantly reduced following OVX, and this deficit was reversed by all estrogenic compounds. Further, PPI in OVX rats was increased following administration of apomorphine. This study confirms a protective effect of 17β- estradiol in two established animal models of psychosis, while tamoxifen showed beneficial effects against PPI disruption. In contrast, 17α-estradiol and raloxifene showed little effect on dopamine receptor-mediated psychosis-like behaviours. This study highlights the utility of some estrogenic compounds to attenuate psychosis-like behaviour in rats, supporting the notion that estrogens have therapeutic potential for psychotic disorders.
title: Ultrabright Fluorine Containing Squaraine Fluorophores Used for Biological Imaging
Creators: name: Casa, Stefanie
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis outlines the relevance of fluorinated compounds in organic chemistry, more specifically in different scaffolds of fluorophores and the applications reported as well as highlighting the potential for different applications of the selected compounds in the first chapter. The second chapter describes the synthesis, characterization, optical, and physicochemical properties of a series of fluorinated squaraine dyes and highlights their potential in biological applications. The chemical structure of synthesized compounds was characterized using 1H and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Biological distribution studies and further imaging studies were conducted following the full characterization of compounds.
Legal Compliance by Design (LCbD) and through Design (LCtD): Preliminary Survey
Creators: name: Casanovas Romeu, Pompeu
name: Gonzalez-Conejero, Jorge
name: de Koker, Louis
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 4609
subject: Information systems

description: The purpose of this paper is twofold: (i) carrying out a preliminary survey of the literature and research projects on Compliance by Design (CbD); and (ii) clarifying the double process of (a) extending business managing techniques to other regulatory fields, and (b) converging trends in legal theory, legal technology and Artificial Intelligence. The paper highlights the connections and differences we found across different domains and proposals. We distinguish three different policydriven types of CbD: (i) business, (ii) regulatory, (iii) and legal. The recent deployment of ethical views, and the implementation of general principles of privacy and data protection lead to the conclusion that, in order to appropriately define legal compliance, Compliance through Design (CtD) should be differentiated from CbD.
Semantic Workflows in Law Enforcement Investigations and Legal Requirements
Creators: name: Mayer, Wolfgang
name: Casanovas Romeu, Pompeu
name: Stumptner, Markus
name: de Koker, Louis
name: Mendelson, Danuta
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 4609
subject: Information systems

description: Investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies depend on information that is obtained from a variety of sources, internal and external to the organization. Considering that investigations frequently span multiple jurisdictions and government agencies with varying objectives and powers, assessing and ensuring compliance with their policies and the legal framework is challenging. We present technical features and a semantic information modelling approach that can support compliant workflow execution in the context of law enforcement investigations and discuss how such an information system might be embedded in a complex legislative and social environment. Legal principles, and the concepts of Legal Compliance by Design (LCbD), and Legal Compliance through Design (LCtD) are also introduced.
Pica 8: Refining dietary reconstruction through amino acid δ 13 C analysis of tendon collagen and hair keratin
Creators: name: Mora, Alice
name: Pacheco, Aryel
name: Roberts, Charlotte
name: Smith, Colin
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: classificationCode: 370303
subject: Isotope geochemistry
classificationCode: 43
subject: History, heritage and archaeology
classificationCode: 4301
subject: Archaeology

description: No
description supplied
Voices from low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol of primary healthcare interventions within public health systems addressing intimate partner violence against women
Creators: name: Signorelli, Marcos Claudio
name: Hillel, Stav Amichai
name: de Oliveira, Daniel Canavese
name: Ayala Quintanilla, Beatriz
name: Hegarty, Kelsey
name: Taft, Angela
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems
classificationCode: 52
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology

description: Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) considerably harms the health, safety and well-being of women. In response, public health systems around the globe have been gradually implementing strategies. In particular, low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) have been developing innovative interventions in primary healthcare (PHC) addressing the problem. This paper describes a protocol for a systematic review of studies addressing the impacts and outcomes of PHC centre interventions addressing IPV against women from LMIC. Methods and analysis: A systematic search for studies will be conducted in African Index Medicus, Africa Portal Digital Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, Index Medicus for the Southeast Asia Region, IndMed, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature Database (LILACS), Medecins Sans Frontieres, MEDLINE, Minority Health and Health Equity Archive, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Scientific Electronic Library Online, (SciELO) and Social Policy and Practice. Studies will be in English, Spanish and Portuguese, published between 2007 and 2017, addressing IPV against women from LMIC, whose data quantitatively report on the impacts and outcomes for survivors and/or workers and/or public health systems preintervention and postintervention. Two trilingual reviewers will independently screen for study eligibility and data extraction, and a librarian will cross-check for compliance. Risk of bias and quality assessment of studies will be measured according to: (1) the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias for randomised controlled trials and (2) the Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies (MINORS). Data will be analysed and summarised using meta-analysis and narrative description of the evidence across studies. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols(PRISMA P) guidelines. Ethics and dissemination: This systematic review will be based on published studies, thus not requiring ethical approval. Findings will be presented in conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
title: RDMO. Research Data Management Organiser e. V.
title: Poster E-Science-Tage 2025
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Jagusch, Gerald
name: Klar, Jochen
name: Spenger, Martin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025

description: Der Verein "RDMO. Research Data Management Organiser e. V." wurde am 19.11.2024 gegründet. Das vorliegende Poster wurde für die E-Science-Tage 2025 erstellt und führt in die Software RDMO sowie die damit verbundenen Vereinsaktivitäten ein.
title: Bioreversible Derivatization of Drug Molecules with a Pyridine Ring for Improved Water Solubility: Model Studies
Creators: name: Bansal, Shubham
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2022

description: A prodrug is a modified drug molecule having no significant biological activity but converts to the parent drug in the biological system. Conventionally, the prodrug is designed and synthesized by modifying a functional group that serves as a ?synthetic handle?. However, certain drugs do not have any functional group for easy manipulations. For these drugs, it becomes challenging to design or synthesize a prodrug. Herein, we examine a series of methods for bioreversible derivatization of drugs with a pyridine ring to improve their physicochemical properties including water solubility and conjugation with a targeting moiety. Several model prodrugs were synthesized and examined for solubility, stability, and bioreversible conversion. Three water-soluble prodrug models (BW-HIF-352, BW-HIF-354, and BW-HIF-355) showed significant amount of drug activation under physiological conditions. The same method should be applicable to the preparation of prodrugs of other drugs that contain a pyridine ring or even a quinoline ring.
Plumage color manipulation has no effect on social dominance or fitness in zebra finches
Creators: name: Jerónimo, Sofia
name: Khadraoui, Mehdi
name: Wang, Daiping
name: Martin, Katrin
name: Lesku, John
name: Robert, Kylie
name: Schlicht, Emmi
name: Forstmeier, Wolfgang
name: Kempenaers, Bart
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2022
Subjects: classificationCode: 31
subject: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
classificationCode: 3103
subject: Ecology
classificationCode: 3104
subject: Evolutionary biology
classificationCode: 3109
subject: Zoology

description: Colorful plumage ornaments may evolve because they play a role in mate choice or in intrasexual competition, acting as signals of species identity or of individual quality. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is a model organism for the study of mate choice and its colorful plumage ornaments are thought to be used in both of these contexts. Numerous genetic color variants have been described for this species, but they are rare in the wild. This raises the question whether discrimination against deviant phenotypes maintains the species' uniform plumage color (rare-mate disadvantage). Furthermore, comparison to closely related species suggests that the lack of colorful ornaments in female zebra finches is a derived condition. Male preferences for less-ornamented females may have led to sexual dichromatism in the zebra finch. Here, we test the role of plumage ornaments experimentally by altering male and female coloration to mimic 2 types of naturally occurring genetic color variants. We estimated effects on social dominance and reproductive success in large breeding aviaries in one domesticated and 2 recently wild-derived populations. Hypotheses, methods, and analyses were preregistered to ensure maximal objectivity of the results presented. Despite a fairly drastic manipulation and a powerful experimental design, we found no effect of the treatment on social dominance or on reproductive success. Our results suggest that mate choice is not the mechanism that maintains homogeneity of zebra finch plumage coloration, or that can explain the loss of ornaments in females.
2018 International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Creators: name: Ardern, Clare
name: Ekås, G
name: Grindem, H
name: Moksnes, H
name: Anderson, AF
name: Chotel, F
name: Cohen, M
name: Forssblad, M
name: Ganley, TJ
name: Feller, Julian
name: Karlsson, J
name: Kocher, MS
name: LaPrade, RF
name: McNamee, M
name: Mandelbaum, B
name: Micheli, L
name: Mohtadi, NGH
name: Reider, B
name: Roe, JP
name: Seil, R
name: Siebold, R
name: Silvers-Granelli, HJ
name: Soligard, T
name: Witvrouw, E
name: Engebretsen, L
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: In October 2017, the International Olympic Committee hosted an international expert group of physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in treating and researching pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a comprehensive, evidence-informed summary to support the clinician and help children with ACL injury and their parents/guardians make the best possible decisions. Representatives from the following societies attended: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine; European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society; European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, and Arthroscopy; International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine; Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America; and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla, y Deporte. Physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons with clinical and research experience in the field and an ethics expert with substantial experience in the area of sports injuries also participated. This consensus statement addresses 6 fundamental clinical questions regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and management of pediatric ACL injuries. Injury management is challenging in the current landscape of clinical uncertainty and limited scientific knowledge. Injury management decisions also occur against the backdrop of the complexity of shared decision making with children and the potential long-term ramifications of the injury.
Nonclassical Symmetry Solutions for Fourth-Order Phase Field Reaction–Diffusion
Creators: name: Broadbridge, Philip
name: Triadis, Dimetre
name: Gallage, Dilruk
name: Cesana, Pierluigi
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 46
subject: Information and computing sciences
classificationCode: 4601
subject: Applied computing
classificationCode: 51
subject: Physical sciences
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Using the nonclassical symmetry of nonlinear reaction-diffusion equations, some exact multi-dimensional time-dependent solutions are constructed for a fourth-order Allen-Cahn-Hilliard equation. This models a phase field that gives a phenomenological description of a two-phase system near critical temperature. Solutions are given for the changing phase of cylindrical or spherical inclusion, allowing for a "mushy" zone with a mixed state that is controlled by imposing a pure state at the boundary. The diffusion coefficients for transport of one phase through the mixture depend on the phase field value, since the physical structure of the mixture depends on the relative proportions of the two phases. A source term promotes stability of both of the pure phases but this tendency may be controlled or even reversed through the boundary conditions.
Implementation of hepatitis C cure in Australia: one year on
Creators: name: Richmond, Jacqueline
name: Wallace, John
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 3202
subject: Clinical sciences
classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems

description: OBJECTIVES: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) became universally available in Australia in March 2016, with an aim to achieve HCV elimination. Fourteen per cent of Australians with HCV have initiated treatment. The objective of this study was to explore and identify challenges and enablers that have emerged during this initial phase of HCV cure implementation. METHODS: Key stakeholders (KS) in primary care, non-government and government sectors were recruited to participate in a telephone-based semi-structured interview to describe challenges and enablers facing individuals with HCV and the healthcare system in implementing HCV cure. Data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Eleven KS participants were interviewed with each commending the significantly increased numbers of people accessing HCV treatment since March 2016. There was concern that this momentum was waning and that targeted interventions to normalise HCV treatment within primary care were needed. Furthermore, workforce development activities needed to acknowledge the priority of HCV elimination, and develop training and resources for clinicians, most of whom had limited HCV experience. The role of professional champions and multidisciplinary teams of both clinical and non-clinical workers was identified as critical for services that had cured a significant number of people with HCV. CONCLUSIONS: Australia has many of the essential elements necessary to eliminate HCV, including universally funded DAA access and multiple treatment access points through primary care. Additional systematic activity is needed to ensure that the DAA-access momentum is maintained and HCV elimination achieved.
Somatic GNAQ mutation in the forme fruste of Sturge-Weber syndrome
Creators: name: Hildebrand, Michael S
name: Harvey, A Simon
name: Malone, Stephen
name: Damiano, John A
name: Do, Hongdo
name: Ye, Zimeng
name: McQuillan, Lara
name: Maixner, Wirginia
name: Kalnins, Renate
name: Nolan, Bernadette
name: Wood, Martin
name: Ozturk, Ezgi
name: Jones, Nigel C
name: Gillies, Greta
name: Pope, Kate
name: Lockhart, Paul J
name: Dobrovic, Alexander
name: Leventer, Richard J
name: Scheffer, Ingrid E
name: Berkovic, Samuel F
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 3105
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 3202
subject: Clinical sciences
classificationCode: 3209
subject: Neurosciences
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine

description: Objective: To determine whether the GNAQ R183Q mutation is present in the forme fruste cases of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) to establish a definitive molecular diagnosis. Methods: We used sensitive droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to detect and quantify the GNAQ mutation in tissues from epilepsy surgery in 4 patients with leptomeningeal angiomatosis; none had ocular or cutaneous manifestations. Results: Low levels of the GNAQ mutation were detected in the brain tissue of all 4 cases - ranging from 0.42% to 7.1% frequency - but not in blood-derived DNA. Molecular evaluation confirmed the diagnosis in 1 case in which the radiologic and pathologic data were equivocal. Conclusions: We detected the mutation at low levels, consistent with mosaicism in the brain or skin (1.0%-18.1%) of classic cases. Our data confirm that the forme fruste is part of the spectrum of SWS, with the same molecular mechanism as the classic disease and that ddPCR is helpful where conventional diagnosis is uncertain.
Measuring and preventing alcohol use and related harm among young people in Asian countries: a thematic review
Creators: name: Jiang, Heng
name: Xiang, Xiaojun
name: Hao, Wei
name: Room, Robin
name: Zhang, Xiaojie
name: Wang, Xuyi
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems
classificationCode: 4206
subject: Public health

description: Background: The paper reviews alcohol consumption patterns and alcohol-related social and health issues among 15–29-year old young people in Asian countries, and discusses strategies for preventing and controlling alcohol use and related harms. Methods: We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science for reports, reviews and journal articles published in English between 1st Jan 1990 and 31st August 2016. Results: Forty-one reports, reviews and journal papers were identified and included in the final review. The current drinking levels and prevalence among young people are markedly different between eight included Asian countries, ranging from 4.2% in Malaysia to 49.3% in China. In a majority of the selected Asian countries, over 15% of total deaths among young men and 6% among young women aged 15–29 years are attributable to alcohol use. Alcohol use among young people is associated with a number of harms, including stress, family violence, injuries, suicide, and sexual and other risky behaviours. Alcohol policies, such as controlling sales, social supply and marketing, setting up/raising a legal drinking age, adding health warning labels on alcohol containers, and developing a surveillance system to monitor drinking pattern and risky drinking behaviour, could be potential means to reduce harmful use of alcohol and related harm among young people in Asia. Conclusions: The review reveals that drinking patterns and behaviours vary across eight selected Asian countries due to culture, policies and regional variations. The research evidence holds substantial policy implications for harm reduction on alcohol drinking among young people in Asian countries -- especially for China, which has almost no alcohol control policies at present.
What sources of bereavement support are perceived helpful by bereaved people and why? Empirical evidence for the compassionate communities approach
Creators: name: Aoun, Samar
name: Breen, Lauren J
name: White, Ishta
name: Rumbold, Bruce
name: Kellehear, Allan
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems

description: Aims: To determine who provides bereavement support in the community, what sources are perceived to be the most or least helpful and for what reason, and to identify the empirical elements for optimal support in developing any future compassionate communities approach in palliative care. Design: A population-based cross-sectional investigation of bereavement experiences. Sources of support (informal, community and professional) were categorised according to the Public Health Model of Bereavement Support; most helpful reasons were categorised using the Social Provisions Scale, and least helpful were analysed using inductive content analysis. Setting and participants: Bereaved people were recruited from databases of funeral providers in Australia via an anonymous postal survey (2013–2014). Results: In total, 678 bereaved people responded to the survey. The most frequently used sources of support were in the informal category such as family, friends and funeral providers. While the professional category sources were the least used, they had the highest proportions of perceived unhelpfulness whereas the lowest proportions of unhelpfulness were in the informal category. The functional types of helpful support were Attachment, Reliable Alliance, Social Integration and Guidance. The five themes for least helpful support were: Insensitivity, Absence of Anticipated Support, Poor Advice, Lack of Empathy and Systemic Hindrance. Conclusion: A public health approach, as exemplified by compassionate communities policies and practices, should be adopted to support the majority of bereaved people as much of this support is already provided in informal and other community settings by a range of people already involved in the everyday lives of those recently bereaved. This study has provided further support for the need to strengthen the compassionate communities approach, not only for end of life care for dying patients but also along the continuum of bereavement support.
Attitudes towards sports concussion in Australian exercise science students. Does the type and level of participation in sport matter?
Creators: name: Rist, Billymo
name: Young, Janet
name: Pearce, Alan
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 4207
subject: Sports science and exercise
classificationCode: 5201
subject: Applied and developmental psychology

description: No description supplied
A 3D upright MRI study of patellar alignment in participants with patellofemoral osteoarthritis and matched controls
Creators: name: EM Macri
name: AG D'Entremont
name: Crossley, Kay
name: Harvi Hart
name: BB Forster
name: DR Wilson
name: CR Ratzlaff
name: CH Goldsmith
name: KM Khan
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2021
Subjects: Uncategorized

description: No description supplied
Version as published online:
https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(18)30827-6/fulltext
Longitudinal Changes in Activity Participation in the First Year Post-Stroke and Association with Depressive Symptoms
Creators: name: Tse, Tamara
name: Linden, Thomas
name: Churilov, Leonid
name: Davis, Stephen
name: Donnan, Geoffrey
name: Carey, Leeanne
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2022
Subjects: classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems
classificationCode: 44
subject: Human society

description: Research question: 1. Does activity participation improve over time in the first year after stroke? 2. What is the association of depressive symptoms on retained activity participation 12-months post-stroke adjusting for neurological stroke severity and age? 3. Is an improvement in activity participation associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms between 3- and 12-months post-stroke? Design: Longitudinal observational study of activity participation and depressive symptoms in ischemic stroke survivors. Participants: A total of 100 stroke survivors with mild neurological stroke severity. Methods: A total of 100 stroke survivors were recruited from five metropolitan hospitals and assessed at 3- and 12-months post-stroke using measures of activity participation (Activity Card Sort-Australia (ACS-Aus)) and depressive symptoms (Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale Structured Interview Guide (MADRS-SIGMA)). Results: There was a significant association between time (pre-stroke to 3-months post-stroke) and current activity participation (−5.2 activities 95% CI −6.8 to −3.5, p < 0.01) and time (pre-stroke to 12-months) and current activity participation (−2.1 activities 95% CI −3.7 to −0.5, p = 0.01). At 12-months post-stroke, a one-point increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a median decrease of 0.3% (95% CI −1.4% to −0.1%, p = 0.02) of retained overall activity participation, assuming similar neurological stroke severity and age. A decrease in depressive symptoms between 3- and 12-months post-stroke was associated with an improvement of 0.31 (95% CI −0.5 to −0.1, p = 0.01) in current activity participation. Conclusions: Activity participation improves during the first year of recovery post-stroke in stroke survivors with mild neurological stroke severity and is associated with depressive symptoms over time and at 12-months post-stroke.Implications for rehabilitation Improvements in participation occur in the first 3-months post-stroke and continue to a lesser degree in the first year after stroke. Depressive symptoms are associated with lower participation at 12-months. A multidimensional approach targeting depressive symptoms and increasing participation in the early months post-stroke and throughout the first-year after stroke is recommended to increase overall recovery following stroke. A focus on increasing leisure activity participation is recommended to improve depressive symptoms.
Linear programming models for a fair and efficient traffic assignment in congested road networks
Creators: name: MORANDI, Valentina
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2017

description: Solving the road congestion problem is one of the major issues in modern cities since it causes time wasting, pollution, higher industrial costs and huge road maintenance costs. Among possible congestion avoidance methods, traffic assignment is a valuable choice since it does not involve huge investments to expand the road network. Traffic assignments are traditionally devoted to two main perspectives on which the well-known Wardropian principles are inspired : the user equilibrium (user's perspective) and the system optimum (system perspective). User equilibrium is a user-driven traffic assignment in which each user chooses the most convenient path selfishly. It guarantees that fairness among users is respected since, when the equilibrium is reached, all users sharing the same origin and destination will experience the same travel time. The main drawback in a user equilibrium is that the system total travel time is not minimized. On the other hand, the system optimum is a system-wide traffic assignment in which drivers are routed on the network in such a way the total travel time is minimized but users might experience travel times that are higher than the other users travelling from the same origin to the same destination. Thus, there are drawbacks in using one of the two assignments that can be partially overcome by applying users' fairness considerations while minimizing a system-oriented objective. In the last decade, few attempts have been done to present a users' needs and system efficiency trade-off traffic assignment with non-linear programming techniques. In this thesis linear programming models for a fair and efficient traffic assignment in congested road networks are presented.
Agent-Based Modeling Exploring Sovereign CDS Spreads in Europe
Creators: name: SIMAKOVA, Irina
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2018

description: In this thesis, we systematize the studies of an agent-based modeling in finance. We introduce the application of the agent-based modeling to the detection of the linkage between two complex systems on the macro- and micro-levels ? the European market of sovereign Credit Default Swaps (macro-level) and the Italian equity market (micro-level). To execute this, we develop a framework for the capacity to slave the simulated dynamics of the first market to the changes in the dynamic direction of the second market in a long term by the transformation of the $-game slaving algorithm in the part of the choice of the optimal strategy. Moreover, by means of the Tremor Price Dynamics, we explain the practicality of the global market dynamics for the predictions of the local market fluctuations. Then, we use the effect of decoupling to obtain the knowledge about the time of (negative) bubble occurrence in the European market of sovereign CDS, and on its base we divide analytically the time series of two markets into separate bubble-periods. As a result, we obtain the information confirming the lead-lag linkage between the European market of sovereign Credit Default Swaps and the Italian equity market which could not been caught by means of the standard approach. Finally, we demonstrate a simple example of how to make the predictions of the changes in the dynamic direction of the lagged local market on the base of the bubble-periods appearing on the leading global market.
Dressing the Dressing Chain
Creators: name: Evripidou, Charalambos
name: Van Der Kamp, Pieter
name: Zhang, Cheng
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2022
Subjects: classificationCode: 49
subject: Mathematical sciences
classificationCode: 4901
subject: Applied mathematics
classificationCode: 4904
subject: Pure mathematics

description: The dressing chain is derived by applying Darboux transformations to the spectral problem of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. It is also an auto-Bäcklund transformation for the modified KdV equation. We show that by applying Darboux transformations to the spectral problem of the dressing chain one obtains the lattice KdV equation as the dressing chain of the dressing chain and, that the lattice KdV equation also arises as an auto- Bäcklund transformation for a modified dressing chain. In analogy to the results obtained for the dressing chain (Veselov and Shabat proved complete integrability for odd dimensional periodic reductions), we study the (0; n)-periodic reduction of the lattice KdV equation, which is a two-valued correspondence. We provide explicit formulas for its branches and establish complete integrability for odd n.
Stochastic Programming Models for Optimal Risk Control with Financial Derivatives
Creators: name: VARUN, Vivek
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2018

description: Stochastic optimization models have been extensively applied to financial portfolios and have proven their effectiveness in asset and asset-liability management; hardly however they have been applied to decision universe including not only financial but also derivatives written on the underlying, derivatives such as options or futures with their dedicated risk profiles and associated modeling complexities. Including options in the portfolio gives us the opportunity to hedge the underlying and to speculate on them to increase the profit potential given a certain risk level. The modeling of options in multistage stochastic programming framework would have many advantages, for instance, a put option can be used for insuring a portfolio against any downside movement in the market, high volatility in options prices is risky but rewarding if captured accurately, in-the-money call/put options at maturity can be used to buy/sell the underlying security at a price lower/higher than the market price, optimally increasing and reducing inventory. We present here multistage models to include cash and physical settled call and put options in a portfolio along with other asset classes.
Genome Variants Associated with RNA Splicing variations in Bovine are Extensively Shared Between Tissues
Creators: name: Xiang, Ruidong
name: Hayes, Ben J
name: Vander Jagt, Christy J
name: MacLeod, Iona
name: Khansefid, Majid
name: Bowman, Philip
name: Yuan, Zehu
name: Prowse-Wilkins, Claire P
name: Reich, Coralie M
name: Mason, Brett A
name: Garner, Josie B
name: Marett, Leah C
name: Chen, Yizhou
name: Bolormaa, Sunduimijid
name: Daetwyler, Hans
name: Chamberlain, Amanda
name: Goddard, Michael E
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023

description: Background: Mammalian phenotypes are shaped by numerous genome variants, many of which may regulate gene transcription or RNA splicing. To identify variants with regulatory functions in cattle, an important economic and model species, we used sequence variants to map a type of expression quantitative trait loci (expression QTLs) that are associated with variations in the RNA splicing, i.e., sQTLs. To further the understanding of regulatory variants, sQTLs were compare with other two types of expression QTLs, 1) variants associated with variations in gene expression, i.e., geQTLs and 2) variants associated with variations in exon expression, i.e., eeQTLs, in different tissues. Results: Using whole genome and RNA sequence data from four tissues of over 200 cattle, sQTLs identified using exon inclusion ratios were verified by matching their effects on adjacent intron excision ratios. sQTLs contained the highest percentage of variants that are within the intronic region of genes and contained the lowest percentage of variants that are within intergenic regions, compared to eeQTLs and geQTLs. Many geQTLs and sQTLs are also detected as eeQTLs. Many expression QTLs, including sQTLs, were significant in all four tissues and had a similar effect in each tissue. To verify such expression QTL sharing between tissues, variants surrounding (±1 Mb) the exon or gene were used to build local genomic relationship matrices (LGRM) and estimated genetic correlations between tissues. For many exons, the splicing and expression level was determined by the same cis additive genetic variance in different tissues. Thus, an effective but simple-to-implement meta-analysis combining information from three tissues is introduced to increase power to detect and validate sQTLs. sQTLs and eeQTLs together were more enriched for variants associated with cattle complex traits, compared to geQTLs. Several putative causal mutations were identified, including an sQTL at Chr6:87392580 within the 5th exon of kappa casein (CSN3) associated with milk production traits. Conclusions: Using novel analytical approaches, we report the first identification of numerous bovine sQTLs which are extensively shared between multiple tissue types. The significant overlaps between bovine sQTLs and complex traits QTL highlight the contribution of regulatory mutations to phenotypic variations.
Annular and pants thrackles
Creators: name: Misereh, Grace Omollo
name: Nikolayevsky, Yury
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 46
subject: Information and computing sciences
classificationCode: 49
subject: Mathematical sciences

description: A thrackle is a drawing of a graph in which each pair of edges meets precisely once. Conway's Thrackle Conjecture asserts that a thrackle drawing of a graph on the plane cannot have more edges than vertices. We prove the Conjecture for thrackle drawings all of whose vertices lie on the boundaries of d ≤ 3 connected domains in the complement of the drawing. We also give a detailed description of thrackle drawings corresponding to the cases when d = 2 (annular thrackles) and d = 3 (pants thrackles).
Optimization Models in Logistics
Creators: name: DEILAMI MOEZI, Sarem
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2018

description: In this thesis, we study three problems in logistics: Single Link Shipping, Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) and Scheduling. Firstly, we review the single link shipping problem in the case of multi-product and multi-modal shipping with given sets of frequencies and lead times. The contribution is on the single link case, that is due to the introduction of different sets of frequencies for each type of vehicles and to the introduction of lead times. Secondly, we introduce a two-echelon vendor-buyer supply chain model under VMI, which is more applicable to real-world inventory control systems. Then, considering that the objective function is very complex to solve exactly by using conventional techniques, some solution algorithms are used. Finally, we introduce the problem of scheduling on a single machine with focusing on Early/Tardy problem with distinct due dates. Then, an INLP model is formulated and an algorithm is developed in order to solve the single machine earliness and tardiness problem. For all the three problems, numerical results are discussed.
Network Theory in Finance: Applications to Financial Contagion Analysis and Portfolio Optimization
Creators: name: TORRI, Gabriele
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2019

description: Network theory is a powerful tool for the analysis of complex systems, and in recent years a growing body of literature highlights the usefulness of this approach in finance. This thesis explores two particular fields of application of network theory in finance. The first is the modelization of systemic risk and financial contagion in a banking network, and is discussed in three chapters: first we estimate sparse partial correlation networks build from credit default swaps (CDS) spreads using tlasso, a methodology based on the multivariate t-Student distribution, suitable for data with fat tails and outliers. Then we propose an analysis based on network-DCoVaR, a tail-risk network constructed using quantile graphical models. We study in depth the characteristics of the resulting networks, focusing in particular on the structural properties of the system. Finally, we study a liquidity contagion model in presence of a network with communities. The second field of application is portfolio optimization. In particular, the tlasso model is applied to the estimation of parameters in Markowitz style portfolios. The covariance matrix of a set of assets, and in particular its inverse, the so-called precision matrix, is closely related to graphical models. Here, the previously cited tlasso model is used for the estimation of the precision matrix. Moreover, the interpretation of the precision matrix as a network opens the possibility to implement investment strategies based on network indicators. The main contributions of the thesis are the following: first, we introduced the use of tlasso in the financial literature, extending the results obtained. Then we introduce the network version of ?CoVaR, and we propose an estimation procedure based on the SCAD penalization framework. Concerning the study of systemic risk, this work is among the first to focus on the presence of a community structure in a banking system, that is particular in the Europe setting where national borders are still relevant divisions.
What non-technical skills competencies are addressed by Australian standards documents for health professionals who work in secondary and tertiary clinical settings? A qualitative comparative analysis.
Creators: name: Peddle, Monica
name: Bearman, Margaret
name: Radomski, Natalie
name: McKenna, Lisa
name: Nestel, Debra
Publisher: name: La Trobe
Year: 2023
Subjects: classificationCode: 32
subject: Biomedical and clinical sciences
classificationCode: 42
subject: Health sciences
subject: FOS: Health sciences
classificationCode: 4203
subject: Health services and systems
classificationCode: 4205
subject: Nursing
classificationCode: 52
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology

description: Objectives: At minimum, safe patient outcomes are recognised as resulting from a combination of technical and non-technical skills. Flin and colleagues provide a practical framework of non-technical skills, cognitive, social and interpersonal, that complement technical skills, with categories identified as situational awareness, communication, team working, decision-making, leadership, coping with stress and managing fatigue. The aim of this research was to explore the alignment of categories and elements of non-technical skills with those in the published standards documents of several health professions in Australia. Design: A qualitative comparative analysis using document analysis and deductive coding examined, extracted and interpreted data from competency standards documents focusing on non-technical skills categories and elements. Participants: A purposive sample of 11 health professions competency standards documents required for registration in Australia. Findings: The 11 competency standards documents contained 1616 statements. Although standards documents addressed all non-technical skills categories, there was limited reporting of managing stress and coping with fatigue. Of the 31 elements included in the non-technical skills framework, 22 were not common to all health professions and 3 elements were missing from the standards documents. Additionally, the documents were composed differently with no common taxonomy and multifaceted statements. Conclusion: While commonalities identified in the standards documents related to non-technical skills categories are likely to support patient safety, gaps in associated elements may undermine their effectiveness. The notable lack of reference to stress and fatigue requires further attention for health professional well-being in Australia. A shared taxonomy with clear statements may offer the best support for collaborative practice and positive patient outcomes. Competency standards need to be flexible to respond to the emerging demands of current healthcare practice along with consumer and health service needs.
Essays on Stochastic Orderings in Portfolio Selection
Creators: name: MALAVASI, Matteo
Publisher: name: Universit� degli studi di Bergamo
Year: 2019

description: Stochastic Orderings represent a relevant approach in portfolio selection for various reasons. Firstly, Stochastic Ordering are theoretically justified by Expected Utility theory. Typically, investors are classified according to their attitude toward risk. For each class of investors then, it is possible to define stochastic orderings coherent with investors' preference. Secondly, Stochastic Orderings are flexible enough to allow different definitions of efficiency suitable for each category of investors. This Thesis proposes several applications of Stochastic Orderings to portfolio selection problems. In the first chapter, an analysis of the relationship between Second order of Stochastic Dominance efficient set and Mean Variance Efficient Frontier is proposed. Not only the two sets differ under many aspects, but the Global Minimum Variance portfolio and other Mean Variance Efficient portfolios are dominated in the sense of Second order of Stochastic Dominance. Based on this fact, the chapter concludes proposing dominating strategies able to outperform the Global Minimum Variance portfolio. In the second chapter, starting from recent findings in the literature, that address the behavior of investors as non satiable, nor risk averting nor risk seeking, an extension of classic definition of Stochastic Dominance efficiency, linked to behavioral finance is given. In particular, investors' behavior changes according to market conditions. The last part of the chapter presents a methodology, based on estimation function theory, to test for portfolio efficiency with respect a general stochastic ordering. Both the analysis of efficiency for Second order of Stochastic Dominance and behavioral finance, questioned the validity of highly diversified choices. For this reason, this thesis concludes introducing Risk Diversification measures, a new class of functional quantifying the amount of idiosyncratic risk diversified among the assets in a portfolio. The Mean Risk Diversification Efficient Frontier is introduced, along with the concept of Mean Risk Diversification efficiency. The empirical analysis describes the relationship between risk aversion, Risk Diversification and classic diversification, and show how Risk Diversification based strategies perform under periods of financial distress.