60 results match your criteria: "Ara Institute of Canterbury[Affiliation]"

This study investigates the effectiveness of blood flow restriction (BFR) training in maintaining athletic performance during a taper phase in basketball players. The taper phase aims to reduce external load while maintaining training intensity. Seventeen experienced basketball players were randomised into two groups: a placebo group ( = 8, 22.

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The construction industry significantly impacts the environment through natural resource depletion and energy consumption, leading to environmental degradation. Circular Economy (CE) material efficiency strategies-such as material reuse, design for disassembly, prefabrication, and recycling-offer promising solutions for reducing resource consumption and waste. This paper explores stakeholders' perspectives on the costs and benefits of implementing CE material efficiency strategies in the construction industry, using the 3-R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) framework.

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This paper offers a critical discussion of the evolution and impact of an international nursing writing group, developed to support nursing faculty and academics globally. Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the writing group adapted and thrived online with a flattened power structure, and shared influence and acknowledgment of mutual capacity and contribution. The writing group attracted participants from various countries, with international members enriching collaboration, and fostering a global network of nursing scholars.

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Optimal nutrition during infancy is critical given its influence on lifelong health and wellbeing. Two novel methods of infant complementary feeding, commercial baby food pouch use and baby-led weaning (BLW), are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Household food insecurity may influence complementary feeding practices adopted by families, but no studies have investigated the use of BLW and baby food pouches in families experiencing food insecurity.

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Arterial stiffness is associated with an array of debilitating health conditions. While exercise typically has beneficial effects on both arterial stiffness and overall health, more research is needed to understand the associations of different types of fitness indices with arterial stiffness. To investigate the relationship between balance, strength, cardiovascular fitness and physical activity with arterial stiffness (as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV)) in older adults.

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Aims And Objectives: To explore nurses' experiences of assisted dying and understand how their perspectives inform their participation decision-making.

Background: Assisted dying is a complex and contentious issue with the potential to create moral unrest for nurses. The nursing role in assisted dying varies between jurisdictions.

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Introduction: Internationally, healthcare improvement remains a clinical and educational priority. Consensus in Europe, Canada and the USA to implement quality improvement (QI) education into preregistration nursing curricula ensures students become equipped with the skills and knowledge required to improve practice. Now, New Zealand and Australia are beginning to implement QI education into their nursing curricula.

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Background: This study reports on the process of competence assessment in undergraduate nursing programmes in New Zealand.

Aim: To identify current competence assessment practice and determine how competence assessment is constructed in order to reflect student development.

Design: This research utilised a qualitative exploratory-descriptive design.

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Ex-vivo atherosclerotic plaque characterization using spectral photon-counting CT: Comparing material quantification to histology.

Atherosclerosis

August 2023

Free Radical Biochemistry Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; Department of Radiology, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand; European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: Atherosclerotic plaques are characterized as being vulnerable to rupture based on a series of histologically defined features, including a lipid-rich necrotic core, spotty calcification and ulceration. Existing imaging modalities have limitations in their ability to distinguish between different materials and structural features. We examined whether X-ray spectral photon-counting computer tomography (SPCCT) images were able to distinguish key plaque features in a surgically excised specimen from the carotid artery with comparison to histological images.

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Objectives: Manual therapy is a specific hands-on approach used and taught by various professions such as physiotherapy and osteopathy. The current paradigm of teaching manual therapy incorporates the traditional 'See one, do one, teach one' approach. However, this 'teacher centred' approach may not enable learners to develop the complex clinical skills of manual therapy.

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The demands of national and international professional rugby union matches are well established, however, there has not been a comparative study investigating running demands in New Zealand teams playing in club (amateur), Heartland Championship (semi-professional Div 2), the Mitre 10 Cup (semi-professional Div 1) or Super Rugby (professional) competitions. This information could enable specific training and rehabilitation that programmes to be developed to meet the needs of players in the different competitions. Players wore 10 Hz GPS units during games for one rugby season to determine absolute (m) and relative (m.

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Either 'a blessing in disguise', or 'I couldn't get help,': Australian and Aotearoa NZ women's experiences of early infant feeding during COVID-19.

Women Birth

May 2023

College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia; Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Mt Helen Campus, Australia; Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, Western Health Partnership, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: To manage the COVID-19 pandemic, public health restrictions and a rapid pivot to telehealth occurred. Peripartum services were significantly affected by a strained infrastructure. Decreased face to face access to health services and support affected maternal experiences and confidence internationally, yet little was reported with the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand context.

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Background: Cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache, and manual therapy is one of the most common treatment choices for this and other types of headache. Nonetheless, recent guidelines on the management of cervicogenic headache underlined the lack of trials comparing manual and exercise therapy to sham or no-treatment controls. The main objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of different forms of manual and exercise therapy in people living with cervicogenic headache, when compared to other treatments, sham, or no treatment controls.

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Objective: To investigate predictors of breastfeeding self-efficacy, postnatal care experiences, and there subsequent impact on breastfeeding outcomes in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: A cross-sectional online survey collected data between August and October 2020 with recruitment via social media. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive analyses, and linear and logistic regression analysis related to the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form findings.

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Derivation of Empirical Relationships to Predict Cambodian Masonry Strength.

Materials (Basel)

July 2022

Department of Architectural and Engineering Studies, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.

Masonry material characteristics, such as compressive strength, and the relationship between brick, mortar, and masonry compressive strengths are required for the analysis and assessment of masonry structures. This paper aimed to investigate the compressive strength relationship of Cambodian masonry. A total number of 42 prisms were constructed in the laboratory using six different brick/mortar combinations.

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An Evaluation of Barriers and Facilitators for a Pressure Injury Prevention Link Nurse Role: A Mixed-Methods Study in New Zealand.

J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs

February 2023

Chris Moir, PhD, RN, Centre for Postgraduate Nursing Studies, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators for nurses in a pressure injury prevention (PIP) link nurse role.

Design: Mixed-methods study that used nominal group technique with focus groups, followed by online surveys.

Sample And Setting: The PIP link nurse project recruited 52 RNs; 32 completed the PIP educational program and participated in data collection.

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Fertiliser has been a vital part of agriculture due to it boosting crop productivity and preventing starvation throughout the world. Despite this huge contribution, the application of nitrogen (N) fertilisers results in N leaching and the formation of greenhouse gases, which threaten the environment and human health. To minimise the impacts, slow/controlled release fertilisers (S/CRFs) have been being developed since the beginning of the 20th century.

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Effects of the residential built environment on remote work productivity and satisfaction during COVID-19 lockdowns: An analysis of workers' perceptions.

Build Environ

July 2022

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Av., Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan.

COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to stay home and switch to the remote working mode, which - reportedly - affect job satisfaction and productivity. The present study investigates the relationship between the residential environment and worker's job satisfaction and productivity in the remote working mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. A hypothetical structural equation model (SEM) of the influencing factors is constructed based on a literature review and experts' opinions.

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Implementing a safety program is an essential step toward improving safety performance. This research aims to develop an overall project success (OPS) model for building projects through investigating the direct and indirect impact of safety critical success factors (CSFs) on OPS mediated by safety program elements. First, interviews were carried out with experts in the Iraqi construction industry, and then a questionnaire survey was utilized to obtain feedback from construction professionals.

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District nursing and family/whanau assessment practices: A New Zealand study.

Nurs Open

March 2022

School of Health Sciences, College of Education, Health and Human Development, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Aim: District Nurses apply specialized nursing knowledge and assessment skills to provide care in New Zealand communities. This study aimed to identify whether District Nurse's (both Registered and supervised Enrolled Nurse's) had knowledge of, and used the 15-Minute Interview tool, including Ecomaps/Genograms, and if not, what they saw as enablers or barriers to doing so.

Design: Participatory action research was used, following the phases of look, think and act.

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Characterization of Three Amu-Darya Basin Clays in Ceramic Brick Industry and Their Applications with Brick Waste.

Materials (Basel)

December 2021

Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia.

This study examined the chemical, mineralogical, physical, thermal, and technological characteristics of the Dostluk (DM), Halach (HM), and Sakar (HM) clay deposits located in the Amu-Darya basin of Turkmenistan. The potential suitability of these deposits was evaluated for the local ceramic brick industry. The chemical and mineralogical features were identified by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), ion chromatography (IC), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques.

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Article Synopsis
  • University athletes face unique stressors from training, academics, and social pressures, which can negatively impact their sleep and overall performance.
  • A study involving 82 elite athletes revealed a decline in sleep quality and duration at the start of the academic year, leading to issues like mood changes and increased risk of injury or illness.
  • Those who achieved at least 8 hours of quality sleep were associated with better mood, energy, training quality, and lower chances of suffering from stress-related problems, highlighting the importance of good sleep habits for athletic performance.
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Stakeholder based weights of new sustainability indicators providing pandemic resilience for residential buildings.

Sustain Cities Soc

December 2021

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, The Environment & Resource Efficiency Cluster (EREC), Nazarbayev University, Kabanbay Batyr Ave. 53, Nur-Sultan 010000 Kazakhstan.

During COVID-19, the building and service characteristics of residential buildings turned out to be more critical due to lockdowns. The present research assesses the importance of new sustainability indicators for residential buildings in three categories (e.g.

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The construction sector is recognized as one of the most dangerous industries in the world. The situation is worsening in Iraq, as a result of a lack of attention to safety in the building industry and the poor implementation of safety programs. This research aims to identify the critical safety factors (CSFs) of safety program implementation in the Iraqi construction industry.

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Objective: To describe the participatory approach used to inform the development of a video game designed to increase children's nutrition knowledge. The objectives were to (1) assess children's nutrition areas of focus, (2) explore parents' and children's perceptions of video games for nutrition education, and (3) collect information on children's video game preferences.

Design: Qualitative research design using 10 focus group interviews and 5 workshops.

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