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Articles by Sippy Downs
Drone monitoring of endangered scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini movements and habitat use on a dynamic urbanised coastline in Australia
Akaike H (1974) A new look at the statistical model identification. IEEE Trans Autom Control 19:716–723 Article Google Scholar Ayres KA, Ketchum JT, González-Armas R, Galván-Magaña F, Hearn A, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Hoyos-Padilla EM, Kajiura SM (2021) The use of an unoccupied aerial vehicle to survey shark species over sand and rocky-reef habitats in a marine protected area. J Fish Biol 99:1735–1740.
Aboveground carbon dynamics following plantation thinning to establish a silvopastoral system in subtropical Australia
ABARES. (2025) Australian forest and wood products statistics. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/forestsaustralia/sofr/sofr-2018#daff-page-main. Accessed on 15 Sept 2025 Anderson G, Moore R (1987) Productivity in the first seven years of a Pinus radiata-annual pasture agroforest in Western Australia. Aust J Exp Agric 27:231–238. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9870231 Article Google Scholar Anderson MJ (2017) Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA).
Implementation of team-based learning in a new postgraduate medical curriculum
Background Team-based learning (TBL) is a structured, small group evidence-based learning activity that focuses on student-centered learning and broadly encompasses methods of teaching that shift the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student, an application of learning grounded in the constructivist view.
Convergent carnivores or divergent dasyurids? Inferring predation and locomotor strategies of extant and extinct carnivorous marsupials from locomotor shape
Hunting behaviour clusters The cluster analysis weighted sociality and relative size of prey as the highest predictors of hunting behaviour (Fig. 1). Larger predators that take relatively larger prey more frequently were separated into two categories, Social Hunters (indigo), and Large Grapplers (teal). As terrestrial carnivores increase in size, their proclivity to hunt larger prey also increases [16, 17].
Microbial rhizosphere and topsoil communities in young reforestation plantations
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article Volume 17 - 2026 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1915742 Reviewed by ORIGINAL RESEARCH article JV Jenny Vivian 1 AS Alison Shapcott 1,2,3 RL Robin L Chazdon 1 DJ David John Lee 1 1. Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia 2. School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia 3.
Congenital abnormalities in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: a scoping review
Background Pacific Island Countries and Territories experience disproportionately high rates of stillbirth, neonatal, and childhood deaths, yet the drivers of these outcomes remain unclear. The impact of congenital abnormalities within the Pacific has not been clearly established, despite these abnormalities being a leading global cause of infant and child mortality.
Author Correction: Immunisation of koalas against Chlamydia pecorum results in significant protection against chlamydial disease and mortality
Correction to: npj Vaccines https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-024-00938-5, published online 06 August 2024 I. In the original version of this article, the number of vaccinated koalas was incorrectly reported as 165 and should have been 163 koalas. This has been updated in the Abstract. Table 2 has been corrected and corresponding text in the “Results“ section, subheadings “Vaccinations” and “Vaccination protects koalas from death with chlamydial disease” has been updated.
Individualisation of Exercise Prescription in Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Sports Medicine - Open
Study Eligibility and Design Details of the search process are displayed in Fig. 1. The systematic search resulted in 3138 records. Checking the reference lists of eligible articles did not result in any additional articles.
Infant Directed Speech Facilitates Vowel Category Discrimination in Pre‐Verbal Infants
Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Data Availability Statement The EEG data collected in this study are available through the Open Science Framework (OSF) repository (https://osf.io/4qduy). Supporting Information Filename Description desc70125-sup-0001-SuppMat.docx2.6 MB Supporting File 1: desc70125-sup-0001-SuppMat.docx References 2013.
Toward consensus: a Delphi study on the core principles and indicators of respectful maternity care - Reproductive Health
Invitations to complete the round one online survey were emailed to 103 expert panel members. Twenty-eight participants were excluded because of non-functional, returned, or duplicated email addresses. Seventy-five participants initiated the survey, and 42 did not complete it. Ultimately, 33 participants provided complete data for this stage. The demographic data of the participants are presented in Table 1.
Development and proof of concept evaluation for a low resource compatible Chikungunya virus diagnostic
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article ? This is an uncorrected proof. Citation: Balea R, Amarilla AA, Hobson-Peters J, Macdonald J, Suhrbier A, Kasimov VM, et al. (2025) Development and proof of concept evaluation for a low resource compatible Chikungunya virus diagnostic. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 19(9): e0012352.
Utility of rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy to detect malaria in health facilities across the Solomon Islands - Malaria Journal
Abstract Accurate and efficient malaria diagnosis is critical for effective malaria control and elimination. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been deployed over the last decade, particularly in rural and low-and-middle-income countries, as an alternative to microscopy-based diagnosis.
Storage duration of packed red blood cells transfused during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is associated with elevated pulmonary artery pressure and lung injury in a sheep model | Critical Care | Full Text
All time points are relative to the start of transfusion. A single sheep receiving fresh RBC transfusion was excluded before analysis due to a critical arrhythmia secondary to air embolism at 12H. This excluded experiment was terminated immediately at 12H and post-mortem analysis indicated potential previous thickening of the right and left ventricles. As indicated by ROTEM analysis, a single sheep in the control group did not respond to heparin.
Why Pilates is the smartest postnatal move you can make
You spent nine months growing a human. Your body expanded, shifted, softened, and adapted in the most extraordinary way. So, why do we expect women to “bounce back” in mere weeks? As a seasoned Pilates instructor and a mum myself, I’ll say this with confidence: Pilates is one of the most intelligent, respectful, and effective ways to move after birth. But before we talk about rebuilding strength, let me say this: you don’t need to rush.
The mindful movement program in primary schools: a single-arm pilot intervention study - BMC Psychology
Students were recruited from seven classrooms (ranging from the first year of formal education, Preparatory, to the third year of formal education, Year 2) across two inner city primary schools located in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Classrooms participating in School 1 were three classrooms (Preparatory, Year 1, Year 2).
Quantifying the effect of afternoon moderate-intensity exercise on sleep quality and quantity in healthy adult males using polysomnography
Keywords Sleep duration Physical activity Cycling Sleep architecture Sleep hygiene Health Practical Implications • Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed in the afternoon does not impair sleep quality or quantity • There is greater individual variance in some components of sleep quality and quantity after exercise (e.g., total sleep time and REM onset latency) • Individual approaches should be considered regarding the influence of afternoon moderate-intensity exercise on sleep quantity...
Barriers and enablers to a healthy lifestyle in people with infertility: a qualitative descriptive study - Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Our eligibility screening survey received 106 responses. Of these, 95 were not interviewed due to not meeting eligibility criteria (n = 66), not answering our contact attempts (n = 21), not providing any valid contact details (n = 6), being a duplicate response (n = 1) or declining to participate (n = 1). Eleven participants (nine women and two men) were interviewed, with a median age of 38 years and BMI of 24.3 kg m−2 (Table 1).
A scoping review of published reports of the infection prevention and control assessment framework: a comparison to the findings of the global report on infection prevention and control
1. World Health Organization. Global report on infection prevention and control. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. 2. World Health Organization. Global strategy on infection prevention and control. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. 3. World Health Organization. Guidelines on core components of infection prevention and control programmes at the national and acute health care facility level. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016. 4. World Health Organization.
A tutorial activity for students to experience generative artificial intelligence: students’ perceptions and actions
In 2020, Bailey (1) suggested to educators that they engage students in discussion about the issues of using artificial intelligence for writing their assessment before it becomes reality. In 2022 the swift arrival, adoption, and great potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools based on interactive large language models (LLMs) sparked vigorous debate about the impact across all areas of society (2–4). Chat GPT (Generative, Pretrained Transformer; Ref.
Is cannabis a slippery slope? Associations between psychological dysfunctioning, other substance use, and impaired driving, in a sample of active cannabis users
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Citation: Love S, Rowland B, Armstrong K (2024) Is cannabis a slippery slope? Associations between psychological dysfunctioning, other substance use, and impaired driving, in a sample of active cannabis users. PLoS ONE 19(10): e0310958.
Dietary inflammatory index is not associated with bone mineral density in functionally able community-dwelling older adults - European Journal of Nutrition
Abstract Osteoporosis poses a significant health and quality-of-life burden on older adults, particularly with associated fractures after a fall. A notable increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with aging contributes to a decline in bone mineral density (BMD). Certain food components have been shown to influence an individual’s inflammatory state and may contribute to optimal bone health as a modifiable risk factor, particularly later in life.
Development and validation of a Disorganised Thoughts Scale: a new measure to assess thinking difficulties in the general population - BMC Psychology
Despite advancements in the literature that examines self-regulatory dysfunction and psychopathology, there is currently no method to measure the general psychological condition of disorganised thinking (i.e., FTD). This study therefore sought to develop and provide preliminary validation for a new self-report scale (The DTS) that measures specific aspects of FTD. The items of the DTS were subject to EFA in a general Australian sample, and then CFA in three substance-controlled groups.
Low-level features predict perceived similarity for naturalistic images
Abstract The mechanisms by which humans perceptually organise individual regions of a visual scene to generate a coherent scene representation remain largely unknown. Our perception of statistical regularities has been relatively well-studied in simple stimuli, and explicit computational mechanisms that use low-level image features (e.g., luminance, contrast energy) to explain these perceptions have been described.
Machine learning for automating subjective clinical assessment of gait impairment in people with acquired brain injury - a comparison of an image extraction and classification system to expert scoring | Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Abstract Walking impairment is a common disability post acquired brain injury (ABI), with visually evident arm movement abnormality identified as negatively impacting a multitude of psychological factors. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) qualifiers scale has been used to subjectively assess arm movement abnormality, showing strong intra-rater and test-retest reliability, however, only moderate inter-rater reliability.
Anatomical and molecular insights into the antennal gland of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii - Cell and Tissue Research
Abstract In this study, the complex organization of the AnG in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii was revealed using various techniques, including conventional histology, histochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray tomography. The results showed the diversity of cells in the AnG and the detailed organization of the labyrinth’s tubule into four radiated areas from the central to peripheral zones.
Keeping up with the pathogens: improved antimicrobial resistance detection and prediction from Pseudomonas aeruginosa genomes - Genome Medicine
An extensive literature search was undertaken to identify all known and putative chromosomal variants that lead to AMR in P. aeruginosa.
A Bioinformatically Initiated Approach to Evaluate GATA1 Regulatory Regions in Samples with Weak D, Del, or D- Phenotypes Despite Normal RHD Exons
Keywords: Blood group, GATA1, Weak D, Del, Regulation, Bioinformatics The RhD antigen is clinically important and is included, alongside ABO, in routine immunohematology testing. Accurate typing of blood donors and patients as D+ or D– is required to minimize the risk of alloimmunization as anti-D is associated with mild to severe transfusion reactions [1].
Enhancing the palatability of cultivated meat
Highlights Select cultivated meat (CM) products have been approved for sale and consumption in Singapore, the USA, and Israel. Palatability, a term encompassing the taste, texture, and aroma of foods, plays a central role in the appeal of foods. Currently, the consumer appeal of CM is relatively low, including low perceptions of palatability and a variable willingness to try.
Coral reefs in transition: Temporal photoquadrat analyses and validation of underwater hyperspectral imaging for resource-efficient monitoring in Guam
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Citation: Mills MS, Ungermann M, Rigot G, den Haan J, Leon JX, Schils T (2024) Coral reefs in transition: Temporal photoquadrat analyses and validation of underwater hyperspectral imaging for resource-efficient monitoring in Guam. PLoS ONE 19(3): e0299523.
The reliability of a linear position transducer for measuring countermovement jump performance in national-level road cyclists
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Citation: Turner A, McKean M, Doyle D, Burkett B (2024) The reliability of a linear position transducer for measuring countermovement jump performance in national-level road cyclists. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0298291. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298291 Editor: Luca Russo, Università Telematica degli Studi IUL, ITALY Received: July 6, 2023; Accepted: January 23, 2024; Published: February 6, 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Turner et al.
CrustyBase v.2.0: new features and enhanced utilities to support open science - BMC Genomics
Over the last decade, reduced costs and improved efficiency of RNAseq technologies has resulted in an enormous surge in the production of transcriptomic data in life science research [1, 2]. These data can be used to obtain genetic sequences of coding DNA region, but more importantly they enable accurate quantitation of mRNA abundance across a set of samples in the given experiment.
Scavenger richness and functional diversity modify carrion consumption in the surf zone of ocean beaches
Coastal seascapes consist of a mosaic of ecosystems, and marine animals (e.g. fish, whales, and crustaceans) connect these different ecosystems as they move among distinct habitats to feed, reproduce, and disperse (Grober-Dunsmore et al., 2009; Sheaves, 2009).
Regulation of steroid production and key genes in catfish Heteropneustes fossilis using recombinant gonadotropins - Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
Abstract The two gonadotropins, FSH and LH, stimulate growth and development of the gonads through gonadal biosynthesis of steroid hormones and growth factors. To date, cDNA sequences encoding gonadotropin subunits have been isolated and characterized from a large number of fish species. Recently, we successfully cloned and characterized gonadotropins (LHβ, FSHβ, and GPα) from the pituitary glands of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis.
Influence of scat ageing on the gut microbiome: how old is too old? - BMC Genomics
Experimental design and sample processing Fresh koala scats were collected from the cages of five individual koalas held for veterinary checks at Endeavour Veterinary Ecology Clinic in Toorbul, Queensland under animal ethics approval from the University of the Sunshine Coast. The koalas came from different locations, which we note may influence the microbial composition of their scat microbiomes.
The International Framework for School Health Promotion: Supporting Young People Through and After the COVID‐19 Pandemic*
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) an international public health emergency; by March 11, 2020, a global pandemic was declared.1 This led many governments worldwide to impose unprecedented restrictions on communities to limit the spread of the virus, including social distancing; travel limitations; curfews; lockdowns; and the closure of civic facilities (eg, playgrounds, swimming pools) and community clubs, sporting facilities,...
Development of diagnostic and point of care assays for a gammaherpesvirus infecting koalas
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Abstract The recent listing of koala populations as endangered across much of their range has highlighted the need for better management interventions. Disease is a key threat to koala populations but currently there is no information across the threatened populations on the distribution or impact of a gammaherpesvirus, phascolarctid gammaherpesvirus 1 (PhaHV-1).
Hierarchical status is rapidly assessed from behaviourally dominant faces - Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
Abstract Recognition of social hierarchy is a key feature that helps us navigate through our complex social environment. Neuroimaging studies have identified brain structures involved in the processing of hierarchical stimuli, but the precise temporal dynamics of brain activity associated with such processing remains largely unknown.
Factors associated with physical activity participation among children: a systematic review protocol - Systematic Reviews
This systematic review protocol is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guideline [21], and the systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions [22]. The protocol for the systematic review is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO) with registration number CRD42021270057.
From rookeries to foraging grounds: understanding regional connectivity and genetic diversity in hawksbill turtles
1 Introduction The hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, is found in subtropical marine systems worldwide, but many populations are declining, particularly in the Indian and Western Pacific regions (Mortimer and Donnelly, 2008; Hamann et al., 2022; Madden Hof et al., 2022).
Frontiers | Bridging the Gap in Healthcare: Creating an Online Health Information Prototype for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities to Promote Equity and Knowledge Transfer
Lisa Theresa Dam1 Petra Heidler2, 3* Isabel King4 1International Cooperative Cross-Border Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme in Educational & Communication Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Burgenland, Austria, Austria 2Department of International Business and Export Management, IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, Austria 3Department of Health Sciences, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Austria 4Department of Exercise Physiology, School of Health and Behavioral...
STI and HIV testing: examining factors that influence uptake among domestic Australian-born, domestic overseas-born and international tertiary students studying in Australia | BMC Public Health | Full Text
This study found that among sexually active students at five universities in South-East Queensland, Australia, regardless of student category, STI and HIV knowledge was positively associated with STI and HIV testing respectively, controlling for sexual risk behaviour and demographics. This suggests universities have an opportunity to promote increased STI and HIV testing across all student cohorts through sexual health education and health promotion programs.
Beyond ecology: ecosystem restoration as a process for social-ecological transformation
Glossary Ecosystem restoration ‘the process of halting and reversing degradation, resulting in improved ecosystem services and recovered biodiversity. Ecosystem restoration encompasses a wide continuum of practices, depending on local conditions and societal choice’ix. Logic model a chain that articulates causes, effects, and consequences of initiatives.
Exploring the limits to turning performance with size and shape variation in dogs
Manoeuvrability, the ability to make rapid changes in direction, is central to animal locomotion. Turning performance may depend on the ability to successfully complete key challenges including: withstanding additional lateral forces, maintaining sufficient friction, lateral leaning during a turn and rotating the body to align with the new heading.
Rapid sample preparation and low-resource molecular detection of hepatopancreatic parvoviruses (HPV) by recombinase polymerase amplification lateral flow detection assay in shrimps (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis)
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Abstract Background Viral diseases are a major problem in shrimp aquaculture facilities as these diseases reduce growth rates, which inevitably lead to production and profit losses. Hepatopancreatic parvoviruses (HPV) are common diseases in shrimp that appear to be associated with high or low levels of replication in specific genetic lineages.
Does exposure to social media content influence attitudes towards, and engagement in, road rule violations? A systematic review
Results within studies & synthesis of results Driving-related content on YouTube. A total of 4 studies examined driving-related content on YouTube. Basch, Mouser [17] examined the nature of content in 100 distracted driving videos and found that videos originating from Television were more likely to contain phone use while driving material compared to consumer-based videos. Importantly, they were also more likely to mention that the behaviour was illegal.
Swimming performance, physiology, and post-activation performance enhancement following dryland transition phase warmup: A systematic review
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Abstract Background In swimming, the period between the end of the swimming warmup and the beginning of competition is critical to performance, here termed the transition phase. Several options are available during this phase, necessitating a systematic review to understand if optimal strategies exist.
Theme A health professionals need to learn/know that CRPS exists A common response is exemplified by Hannah who said, “Oh God, where to begin with that?… I think they should know more about CRPS. I don’t think a lot of them do know about it.” Carolyn also stated, “and the physios, because the physios don’t understand either”. All participants had encountered at least one health professional who had not heard of CRPS.
Biomass and mineral nutrient partitioning among self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same strawberry plant
Loading metrics Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article Abstract Pollen-parent effects on fruit size and quality have been found previously among competing self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same Redlands Joy strawberry plant. These effects occur independently of the percentage of fertilized seeds on the fruit, but the expression of these effects on fruit size and some aspects of quality are greatest when calcium is in shortest supply.
Problematic gaming: the role of desire thinking, metacognition, and the Proteus Effect
ABSTRACT This study evaluated whether the metacognitive model of desire thinking, with the addition of the Proteus Effect (i.e. the behavioural transformation of a gamer based on their avatar characteristics), contributes to problematic gaming behaviour. The research project was conducted using an online survey and quantitative research methodology. Inclusion criteria specified the research sample (N = 374) had to be ≥ 18 years and playing the same video game for a minimum of 12 months.
Towards a generic prototyping approach for therapeutically-relevant peptides and proteins in a cell-free translation system - Nature Communications
Abstract Advances in peptide and protein therapeutics increased the need for rapid and cost-effective polypeptide prototyping. While in vitro translation systems are well suited for fast and multiplexed polypeptide prototyping, they suffer from misfolding, aggregation and disulfide-bond scrambling of the translated products.
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