Publications by authors named "Williams Brett"

Autophagy is a genetically regulated, eukaryotic catabolic pathway that responds to internal and external cellular signals. In plants, it plays crucial roles in development, and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Due to its role in limiting the hypersensitive response, research on the molecular mechanisms of autophagic signalling pathways in plant-microbe interactions has primarily focused on plant-pathogen responses.

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Objective: To evaluate whether recruit paramedics adapt their sleep behaviour during the first 12-months of shift work and to identify sleep behaviours that are associated with better shift work tolerance (SWT) after 12-months of shift work.

Methods: Recruit paramedics (n = 105; M = 25.81 years; 51.

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In the past few years, a significant decline in vaccination coverage has been noted, leading to measles outbreaks. Mothers' adherence or reluctance to undergo childhood immunization is a major contributing factor to a substantial population of children who remain unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated. This study aimed to investigate adherence to children's vaccination by investigating mothers' personal and contextual factors in addition to knowledge and attitudes scores.

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  • * A cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted in Sydney to test a new integrated approach for secondary fracture prevention in primary care settings, which includes alerts to doctors and management guidelines for osteoporotic fractures.
  • * The primary goal of the trial is to measure how many patients get bone density scans or prescriptions for osteoporosis treatment within three months of an initial fracture diagnosis, while also tracking additional outcomes related to osteoporosis management.
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Background: Paramedicine is a dynamic profession which has evolved from a "treat and transport" service into a complex network of health professionals working in a diverse range of clinical roles. Research is challenging in the paramedicine context, and internationally, research capacity and culture has developed slowly. International examples of research agendas and strategies in paramedicine exist, however, research priorities have not previously been identified in Ireland.

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A modified Hummer's method was used to synthesize aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide (GO). The morphology, chemical structure, and exfoliation state of GO were analyzed by combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The structural and rheological properties of the GO dispersions were studied as a function of GO concentration and pH.

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  • Vaccination is essential for effective healthcare, but many parents globally, especially mothers, are skeptical about vaccinating their children, impacting adherence rates.
  • A study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and adherence to routine and elective vaccinations among 533 Jordanian mothers, finding high levels of awareness and adherence to routine vaccines but only moderate adherence to elective ones.
  • The study highlighted the need for targeted health education campaigns to address misconceptions and improve understanding, particularly around elective vaccines, by utilizing primary healthcare centers and physicians as key information sources.
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Nicotiana benthamiana is predominantly distributed in arid habitats across northern Australia. However, none of six geographically isolated accessions shows obvious xerophytic morphological features. To investigate how these tender-looking plants withstand drought, we examined their responses to water deprivation, assessed phenotypic, physiological, and cellular responses, and analysed cuticular wax composition and wax biosynthesis gene expression profiles.

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Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) affect approximately 250 million people annually worldwide. Patients often experience a cycle of antimicrobial treatment and recurrent UTI (rUTI) that is thought to be facilitated by a gut reservoir of uropathogenic (UPEC).

Methods: 125 patients with UTI caused by an antibiotic-resistant organism (ARO) were enrolled from July 2016 to May 2019 in a longitudinal, multi-center cohort study.

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  • Researchers discovered a potential treatment called BLU-782, a small-molecule inhibitor that selectively targets ALK2, effectively blocking its dysregulated signaling in lab tests.
  • In mouse studies, BLU-782 demonstrated the ability to prevent unwanted bone formation following injury, suggesting it could be a viable preventative treatment for individuals with FOP.
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Introduction: Organ donation is a life-saving intervention that provides hope for patients with end-stage organ failure, improving their longevity and quality of life. However, the demand for organs far exceeds the supply, leading to a significant disparity between patients on transplant waiting lists and the availability of suitable organs. To address this issue, innovative strategies, such as uncontrolled donation after circulatory death (uDCD) programs, have been proposed to expand the donor pool to the prehospital setting.

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  • Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in Jordan are at a high risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), yet no prior studies have focused on this issue in the region.
  • A study involving 435 EMS workers revealed that lower back and neck pain were the most commonly reported issues, with significant prevalence of pain in other areas such as the upper back, knees, and shoulders.
  • Factors such as age, experience, gender, body mass index, and educational level were identified as significant contributors to the likelihood of experiencing WMSDs among these workers, indicating a need for national prevention strategies and educational programs.
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Aim: We aimed to describe trends in the incidence and outcomes of refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF) compared to non-refractory ventricular fibrillation (non-RVF) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods: Between 2010 and 2019, we included all OHCA cases involving adults ≥ 16 years old with an initial shockable rhythm and who received an attempted resuscitation by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or a bystander shock prior to EMS arrival in Victoria, Australia. Trends in incidence and survival outcomes over the study period were examined.

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Aims: This study aims to identify the level of nursing care quality and examine its predictors considering nurses' demographic data, organizational culture, and communication skills.

Background: Quality of care is a determinant of the sustainability of any healthcare organization. Therefore, it is imperative to understand how factors may contribute to the quality of nursing care.

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Background: Nursing performance is a key indicator of patients' care quality and safety. Most healthcare research tools are available in the English language; however, nurses around the world can employ these tools if rigorously adapted and cross-culturally validated.

Aims And Objectives: This study aims to provide a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the six-dimension scale of nursing performance to be used among Arabic-speaking nurses.

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Introduction: Paramedics are critical in providing timely medical care to injured patients and responding to trauma events. However, they are often exposed to traumatic events such as death, serious injuries, and violence, which can increase their risk of developing mental health disorders. The nature of their work, including uncontrolled environments and frequent exposure to trauma, as well as the severity of the patient's conditions, all contribute to this risk.

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Crop plants and undomesticated resilient species employ different strategies to regulate their energy resources and growth. Most crop species are sensitive to stress and prioritise rapid growth to maximise yield or biomass production. In contrast, resilient plants grow slowly, are small, and allocate their resources for survival in challenging environments.

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Drought and extreme temperatures significantly limit chickpea productivity worldwide. The regulation of plant programmed cell death pathways is emerging as a key component of plant stress responses to maintain homeostasis at the cellular-level and a potential target for crop improvement against environmental stresses. Arabidopsis thaliana Bcl-2 associated athanogene 4 (AtBAG4) is a cytoprotective co-chaperone that is linked to plant responses to environmental stress.

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Background: The clinical learning environment is a fundamental component of healthcare education. In this setting, students can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become competent and efficient healthcare practitioners. Due to the importance of clinically based education, it is crucial to have a valid and reliable tool to enable its evaluation.

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Background: Immunization has been one of the most successful public health measures ever undertaken. However, a degree of hesitancy about vaccine use still exists. Healthcare professionals are in a unique position to provide advice and education to the public and may influence the decision to undergo immunization.

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Study Objectives: To explore potential relationships and longitudinal changes in sleep and mental health in recruit paramedics over the first 6 months of work, and whether sleep disturbances pre-emergency work predict future mental health outcomes.

Methods: Participants (N = 101, 52% female, Mage = 26 years) completed questionnaires prior to (baseline), and after 6 months of emergency work to assess for symptoms of insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and trauma exposure. At each timepoint, participants also completed a sleep diary and wore an actigraph for 14 days to assess sleep patterns.

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The zoo-housed southern white rhinoceros (SWR) population is of special concern due to their lack of consistent breeding success. An enhanced understanding of SWR social preferences could better inform management planning by promoting natural social relationships, which can positively affect their well-being. The large, multigeneration herd housed at the North Carolina Zoo provides an ideal opportunity to examine rhino sociality across different ages, kin types, and social groupings.

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Background: Competency frameworks outline the perceived knowledge, skills, attitudes, and other attributes required for professional practice. These frameworks have gained in popularity, in part for their ability to inform health professions education, assessment, professional mobility, and other activities. Previous research has highlighted inadequate reporting related to their development which may then jeopardize their defensibility and utility.

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Objectives: Depression and anxiety are prominent in paramedics, as is the prevalence of shift work disorder (SWD), a circadian sleep condition comorbid with mental health disorders. However, the role of mental health risk factors for SWD is largely unknown. This study investigated whether mental health levels in recruit paramedics before shift work predicted greater risk of SWD at 6-months into their career and explored whether shift and sleep factors mediated this relationship.

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Background: Paramedicine is a newly regulated profession in Australia and with the introduction of regulation in 2018 for this profession came increased responsibilities - including the introduction of a professional code of conduct. Several countries now have regulation of paramedicine and associated professional codes to guide ethical and professional behaviour. Despite this, there has been no published research into paramedic understanding and use of their professional codes.

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