Digital Commons Network^™

Using Interviews And Peer Pairs To Better Understand How School Environments Affect Young Children's Playground Physical Activity Levels: A Qualitative Study, Anne-Maree Parrish, Heather Yeatman, Donald Iverson, Ken Russell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

School break times provide a daily opportunity for children to be active; however, research indicates this time is underutilized. Reasons for low children’s playground activity levels have primarily focused on physical barriers. This research aimed to contribute to physical environmental findings affecting children’s playground physical activity levels by identifying additional variables through the interview process. Thirteen public schools were included in the sample (total 2946 children). Physical activity and environmental data were collected over 3 days. Environmental variables were manually assessed at each of the 13 schools. Observational data were used to determine which three schools were the most and …

Circumventing The Who Code? An Observational Study, Nina J. Berry, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background This study compares the formula milk advertisements that appeared in parenting magazines published in two countries that have enacted measures to restrict the advertising of infant formula products in response to the international code with two that have not. Methods Content analysis was used to compare the type and frequency of formula milk advertisements that appeared in parenting magazines collected from the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia during 2007, and to examine whether there was a relationship between these frequencies and advertising regulations. Findings Advertisements that promoted formula products or brands occurred in all of the magazines sampled …

Healthy Beginnings Trial Phase 2 Study: Follow-Up And Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Li Ming Wen, Louise A. Baur, Chris Rissel, Vicki Flood, Judy M. Simpson, Alison Hayes, Louise L. Hardy, Karen Wardle

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: In 2007, we commenced the Healthy Beginnings Trial (HBT) Phase 1 study, which is the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of an early childhood obesity intervention in children aged up to 2 years. The results were promising with significant improvements in infant feeding practices and a lower mean body mass index (BMI). The aims of this proposed Phase 2 study are to determine if the early intervention will lead to a lower mean BMI, lower screen time, improved dietary behaviours and demonstrated costeffectiveness of the intervention, in children aged 3½ and 5 years. Methods/design: In …

The Effect Of Dairy Consumption On Blood Pressure In Mid-Childhood: Caps Cohort Study, A M. Rangan, V L. Flood, G Denyer, J G. Ayer, K L. Webb, G B. Marks, D S. Celermajer, Tim Gill

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background/objectives: It has been postulated that higher dairy consumption may affect blood pressure regulation. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dairy consumption and blood pressure in mid-childhood. Methods: Subjects (n=335) were participants of a birth cohort at high risk of asthma withinformation on diet at 18 months and blood pressure at 8 years. Multivariate analyses were used to assess the association of dairy consumption (serves) and micronutrient intakes (mg) at 18 m with blood pressure at 8 y. In a subgroup of children (n=201), dietary intake was measured at age 18 m and 9 y …

Why (Not) Alcohol Energy Drinks? A Qualitative Study With Australian University Students, Sandra C. Jones, Lance R. Barrie, Nina J. Berry

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction and Aims. Alcohol energy drinks (AEDs) are a recent entry to the ready-to-drink market, but there is an absence of research into the reasons young people consume these products and their consumption-related experiences.The aim of the current study was to investigate university students’ perceptions of, and experiences with, pre-mixed AEDs.

Design and Methods. Four focus groups with undergraduate university students in a large regional city in New South Wales; with transcripts coded for key themes.

Results.Participants reported a number of benefits of AED consumption,many of which were similar to other ready-to-drinks, such as taste and image. However, the primary …

Properties Of The B+-H2 And B+-D2 Complexes: A Theoretical And Spectroscopic Study, B L. J Poad, V Dryza, A A. Buchachenko, J Kos, E J. Bieske

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The rotationally resolved infrared spectrum of the B+-D2 ion-neutral complex is recorded in the D-D stretch vibration region (2805–2875  cm−1) by detecting B+ photofragments. Analysis of the spectrum confirms a T-shaped equilibrium geometry for the B+-D2 complex with a vibrationally averaged intermolecular bond length of 2.247 Å, around 0.02 Å shorter than for the previously characterised B+-H2 complex [V. Dryza, B. L. J. Poad, and E. J. Bieske, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 12986 (2008)10.1021/ja8018302]. The D-D stretch band centre occurs at 2839.76 ± 0.10 cm−1, representing a −153.8  cm−1 shift from the Q1(0) transition of the free D2 molecule. …

Translation Of Tobacco Policy Into Practice In Disadvantaged And Marginalized Subpopulations: A Study Of Challenges And Opportunities In Remote Australian Indigenous Communities, Jan A. Robertson, Katherine M. Conigrave, Rowena Ivers, Kim Usher, Alan R. Clough

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: In Australia generally, smoking prevalence more than halved after 1980 and recently commenced to decline among Australia's disadvantaged Indigenous peoples. However, in some remote Indigenous Australian communities in the Northern Territory (NT), extremely high rates of up to 83% have not changed over the past 25 years. The World Health Organisation has called for public health and political leadership to address a global tobacco epidemic. For Indigenous Australians, unprecedented policies aim to overcome disadvantage and close the 'health gap' with reducing tobacco use the top priority. This study identifies challenges and opportunities to implementing these important new tobacco initiatives …

Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Humor Therapy In Residential Care: The Sydney Multisite Intervention Of Laughterbosses And Elderclowns (Smile), Belinda Goodenough, Lee-Fay Low, Anne-Nicole Casey, Lynn Chenoweth, Richard Fleming, Peter Spitzer, Jean-Paul Bell, Henry Brodaty

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Humor therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention with potential to improve mood and quality of life for institutionalized older persons, including those with dementia. The primary aims of the Sydney Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns (SMILE) are to examine the effects of humor therapy on residents' mood, quality of life, social engagement, and agitation. Methods: SMILE is a single-blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial where 398 consented residents in 35 residential aged care facilities will be allocated to receive humor therapy or usual care. Residents allocated to the intervention group will engage in humor therapy with professional performers (ElderClowns) and trained …

Study Protocol: A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Computer-Based Depression And Substance Abuse Intervention For People Attending Residential Substance Abuse Treatment, Peter J. Kelly, Frances Kay-Lambkin, Amanda Baker, Frank P. Deane, Adam C. Brooks, Alexandra Mitchell, Sarah Marshall, Meredith Whittington, Genevieve A. Dingle

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

"Background: A large proportion of people attending residential alcohol and other substance abuse treatment have a co-occurring mental illness. Empirical evidence suggests that it is important to treat both the substance abuse problem and co-occurring mental illness concurrently and in an integrated fashion. However, the majority of residential alcohol and other substance abuse services do not address mental illness in a systematic way. It is likely that computer delivered interventions could improve the ability of substance abuse services to address co-occurring mental illness. This protocol describes a study in which we will assess the effectiveness of adding a computer delivered …

Consumers' Salient Beliefs Regarding Dairy Products In The Functional Food Era: A Qualitative Study Using Concepts From The Theory Of Planned Behaviour, Deborah Nolan, Elizabeth Neale, Yasmine Probst, Karen E. Charlton, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Inadequate consumption of dairy products without appropriate dietary substitution may have deleterious health consequences. Social research reveals the factors that may impede compliance with dietary recommendations. This is particularly important given the recent introduction of functional dairy products. One of the challenges for public health professionals is to demonstrate the efficacy of nutrition education in improving attitudes toward nutrient rich foods. The aim of this study was to explore the salient beliefs of adult weight loss trial participants regarding both traditional and functional dairy products and to compare these with a control group not exposed to nutrition education Methods …

Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior And Barriers To Treatment To Predict Intention To Enter Further Treatment Following Residential Drug And Alcohol Detoxification: A Pilot Study, Peter J. Kelly, Frank P. Deane, Zoe Mccarthy, Trevor P. Crowe

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There has been limited research examining the impact of clients’ behavioural beliefs on whether they intend to access further treatment following residential drug and alcohol detoxification. Treatment post-detoxification is generally recommended to reduce relapse and for more sustained positive outcomes. The present pilot study examined the extent to which (1) primary components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), (2) perceived barriers to accessing treatment and (3) the participants’ previous involvement in substance abuse treatment predicted intentions to enter further treatment following residential detoxification. One hundred and sixty eight participants accessing Salvation Army detoxification units in Australia completed a survey …

Spectroscopic And Computational Study Of Β-Ethynylphenylene Substituted Zinc And Free-Base Porphyrins, John C. Earles, Keith C. Gordon, Adam W. I Stephenson, Ashton C. Partridge, David L. Officer

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

A series of tetraphenylporphyrins appended at the β-pyrrolic position with an ethynylphenylene- or ethynylpyridine-substituent have been subjected to spectroscopic and density functional theory (DFT) analyses. The mean absolute deviation between corresponding experimental and DFT-derived vibrational spectra is up to 10.2 cm -1, suggesting that the DFT B3LYP/6-31G(d) method provides an accurate model of the β-substituted porphyrin systems. The configuration interactions that give rise to prominent electronic absorptions have been calculated using time-dependant DFT (TD-DFT) and have been rationalized with reference to the energy and topology of DFT calculated molecular orbitals. As the electron withdrawing capacity of the β-substituent increases the …

Rotationally Resolved Infrared Spectrum Of The Na+-D2 Complex: An Experimental And Theoretical Study, Berwyck L. Poad, V Dryza, J Klos, A A. Buchachenko, E J. Bieske

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The infrared spectrum of mass-selected Na+-D2 complexes is recorded in the D-D stretch vibration region (2915-2972 cm−1) by detecting Na+ photofragments resulting from photo-excitation of the complexes. Analysis of the rotationally resolved spectrum confirms a T-shaped equilibrium geometry for the complex and a vibrationally averaged intermolecular bond length of 2.461 Å. The D-D stretch band centre occurs at 2944.04 cm−1, representing a −49.6 cm−1 shift from the Q1(0) transition of the free D2 molecule. Variational rovibrational energy level calculations are performed for Na+-D2 utilising an ab initio potential energy surface developed previously for investigating the Na+-H2 complex [B. L. J. …

How Well Do Predators Adjust To Climate-Mediated Shifts In Prey Distribution? A Study On Australian Water Pythons, Beata Ujvari, Rick Shine, Thomas Madsen

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Climate change can move the spatial location of resources critical for population viability, and a species resilience to such changes will depend upon its ability to flexibly shift its activities away from no-longer-suitable sites to exploit new opportunities. Intuition suggests that vagile predators should be able to track spatial shifts in prey availability, but our data on water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia suggest a less encouraging scenario. These pythons undergo regular long-range (to .10 km) seasonal migrations to follow flooding-induced migrations by their prey (native dusky rats, Rattus colletti ). However, when an extreme flooding event virtually eliminated …

Cognitive Ability, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, And Social Dominance Orientation: A Five-Year Longitudinal Study Amongst Adolescents, Patrick C. L. Heaven, Joseph Ciarrochi, Peter Leeson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Case Study In Academic And Industry Collaboration: The Development Of An Adolescent Targeted Sun Protection Intervention In Nsw, Melinda Williams, Sandra Jones, Donald Iverson, Peter Caputi, Sofia Potente

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Academic and industry collaboration is increasingly identified as a critical element in the future health of Australians through linking theory and practice, with the major priority for academic institutions being the identification of new knowledge and the transfer of this knowledge into changes in policy and health services. Collaborations between academia and industry are increasingly encouraged in Australia by research funding schemes such as ARCLinkage and, more recently, NHMRC Partnerships. While a recent US study suggests that such schemes have a moderate effect on academics’ propensity to work with industry (Bozeman and Gaughan, 2007), industry groups have recognised the value …

When Does Alcohol Sponsorship Of Sport Become Sports Sponsorship Of Alcohol? A Case Study Of Developments In Sport In Australia, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Alcohol sponsorship of sport is common in Australia, with much debate about the appropriateness of linking sport with alcohol advertising and promotion. This paper provides examples of such sponsorships to appreciate the extent and nature of complex relationship between sport and alcohol sponsors. The public health and policy implications of alcohol sponsorship of sport extending to creating a sporting competition purely to promote an alcohol brand are considered.

The Response Of Melita Plumulosa To Continuous And Pulsed Exposures To Contaminated Sediment: A Study Of Avoidance And Toxicity, D J. Ward, D F. Jolley, Stuart L. Simpson

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The distribution of contaminants is seldom homogeneous in aquatic systems and microniches within benthic sediments can make them particularly heterogeneous. Following exposure to ‘pulsed’ dissolved copper concentrations, toxicity to the epibenthic amphipod, Melita plumulosa, is best described by the time-averaged concentration. In this study we investigated the behavioural response of M. plumulosa, to contaminated marine sediments. Based on the rate at which the organism avoided contamination, we then investigated how toxic effects may occur through pulsed exposures to contaminated sediments. Four field-contaminated marine sediments were collected from the field and characterised as containing potentially toxic concentrations of metals. These sediments …

Photoelectrochemical Cell Study On Closely Arranged Vertical Nanorod Bundles Of Cdse And Zn Doped Cdse Films, D Soundararajan, J K. Yoon, J S. Kwon, Y I. Kim, S H. Kim, J H. Park, Y J. Kim, D -Y Park, B C. Kim, G G. Wallace, J M. Ko

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Closely arranged CdSe and Zn doped CdSe vertical nanorod bundles were grown directly on FTO coated glass by using electrodeposition method. Structural analysis by XRD showed the hexagonal phase without any precipitates related to Zn. FE-SEM image showed end capped vertically aligned nanorods arranged closely. From the UV-vis transmittance spectra, band gap energy was found to vary between 1.94 and 1.98 eV due to the incorporation of Zn. Solar cell parameters were obtained by assembling photoelectrochemical cells using CdSe and CdSe:Zn photoanodes, Pt cathode and polysulfide (1M Na2S + 1M S + 1M NaOH) electrolyte. The efficiency was found to …

A Multi-Scale Geospatial Study Of Wetlands Distribution And Agricultural Zones, And The Case Of India, N Nagabhatla, Rohan Wickramasuriya, N Prasad, Max Finlayson

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

This paper highlights the global and the regional scale representation of wetlands ecosystems using geospatial tools and multiple data sets. At global scale, the Ramsar database is investigated for representation of the wetlands sites of international importance against the "global agricultural zones" derived from the thematic aggregation of Global Irrigated Area Map databases. The analysis of "Ramsar sites" under cultivation reflects the present trend in wetlands use for agriculture. The scenario is also compared with the historical pattern derived from Vavilov's food zones of 1926. Observed is an aggregate increase in cropped wetlands area from 25% (1926) to 43% (2006). …

A Combined Experimental And Theoretical Study Of Ion Solvation In Liquid N-Methylacetamide, Haibo Yu, Christopher L. Mazzanti, Troy W. Whitfield, Roger E. Koeppe Ii, Olaf S. Andersen, Benoit Roux

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Most current biomolecular simulations are based on potential energy functions that treat the electrostatic energy as a sum of pairwise Coulombic interactions between effective fixed atomic charges. This approximation, in which many-body induced polarization effects are included in an average way, is expected to be satisfactory for a wide range of systems, but less accurate for processes involving the transfer and partition of ions among heterogeneous environments. The limitations of these potential energy functions are perhaps most obvious in studies of ion permeation through membrane channels. In many cases, the pore is so narrow that the permeating ion must shed …

The Length Distributions Of Non-Coding And Coding Sequences In Relation To Gene Expression: A Study On Arabidopsis Thaliana, R Caldwell, J Kongcharoen, Y Lin, R Zhang

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Older Patients' Attitudes To General Practice Registrars: A Qualitative Study, Andrew D. Bonney, Lyn Phillipson, Sandra C. Jones, Donald Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Research suggests that older patients may be reluctant to engage general practice registrars (GPRs) in their care. The authors undertook a qualitative study of the attitudes of older patients to GPRs to investigate this issue. Method Thirty-eight patients aged 60 years and over from three training practices participated in semistructured telephone interviews, which explored patients responses to GPRs. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a template analysis approach. Results Analysis of the interviews produced five major themes concerning patient attitudes to GPRs: desire for continuity, desire for access, openness, trust and a desire for meaningful communication. Discussion …

Decreased Density Of Serotonin 2a Receptors In The Superior Temporal Gyrus In Schizophrenia - A Postmortem Study, Xu-Feng Huang, Chao Deng, Qing Wang, Kai Kang

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The superior temporal gyrus (STG) is strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia,particularly with regards to auditory hallucinations. In this study, using in situ quantitative autoradiography in postmortem tissue, we investigated the binding of the [3H]ketanserin to 5-HT2A receptors and [3H] mesulergine to 5-HT2C receptors in the left STG of 8 male schizophrenic patients compared to 8 control subjects. A strong [3H]ketanserin binding was observed in the STG, however there was a very weak [3H] mesulergine binding in the STG. A significant decrease in binding of [3H]ketanserin was clearly observed in schizophrenia patients in comparison with control subjects. There were …

Spectroscopic Study Of The Benchmark Mn+-H2 Complex, Viktoras Dryza, Berwyck L. J Poad, Evan J. Bieske

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We have recorded the rotationally resolved infrared spectrum of the weakly bound Mn+-H2 complex in the H-H stretch region (4022-4078 cm(-1)) by monitoring Mn+ photodissociation products. The band center of Mn+-H2, the H-H stretch transition, is shifted by -111.8 cm(-1) from the transition of the free H2 molecule. The spectroscopic data suggest that the Mn+-H2 complex consists of a slightly perturbed H2 molecule attached to the Mn+ ion in a T-shaped configuration with a vibrationally averaged intermolecular separation of 2.73 A. Together with the measured Mn+...H2 binding energy of 7.9 kJ/mol (Weis, P.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 1997, …

A Spectroscopic And Dft Study Of Thiophene-Substituted Metalloporphyrins As Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Dyes, Sanjeev Gambhir, Keith C. Gordon, David L. Officer, Samual J. Lind

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

A combination of density functional theory calculations, electronic absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy has been applied to a series of beta-substituted zinc porphyrins to elucidate how the substituent affects the electronic structure of the metalloporphyrin and assign the nature of electronic transitions in the visible region. The use of conjugated beta substituents invokes a large perturbation to both the nature and energy of the frontier molecular orbitals and results in the generation of additional molecular orbitals from the parent metalloporphyrin species. A complicated electronic absorption spectra is observed which can be rationalised by an extension of Goutermans' four-orbital model. The …

On The Utilization Of Energy Minimization To The Study Of Ion Selectivity, Haibo Yu, Benoit Roux

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The major pitfalls in studying ion selectivity in binding site models using energy minimization based methods are examined and discussed. It is shown that the properties derived from energy minimization are strongly configuration-dependent and that the results should be interpreted with caution. It is concluded that computational studies of ion selectivity must include thermal fluctuations and entropic effects.

Stroke And Plasma Markers Of Milk Fat Intake - A Prospective Nested Case-Control Study, Bengt Vessby, Eva M. Warensjo, Goran Hallmans, Lars Weinehall, Ingegerd Johansson, Birgitta Stegmayr, Annika Smedman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

Dairy products are high in saturated fat and are traditionally a risk factor for vascular diseases. The fatty acids 15:0 and 17:0 of plasma lipids are biomarkers of milk fat intake. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the risk of a first-ever stroke in relation to the plasma milk fat biomarkers.

Methods

A prospective case-control study was nested within two population based health surveys in Northern Sweden. Among 129 stroke cases and 257 matched controls, plasma samples for fatty acid analyses were available in 108 cases and 216 control subjects. Proportions of 15:0 and 17:0 of …

Nmr Study Of Complexes Between Low Molecular Mass Inhibitors And The West Nile Virus Ns2b-Ns3 Protease, X Su, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Hiromasa Yagi, S P. Lim, D Wen, D Ekonomiuk, D Huang, T Keller, S Sonntag, A Caflisch, S G. Vasudevan, G Otting

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The two-component NS2B-NS3 protease of West Nile virus is essential for its replication and presents an attractive target for drug development. Here, we describe protocols for the high-yield expression of stable isotope-labelled samples in vivo and in vitro. We also describe the use of NMR spectroscopy to determine the binding mode of new low molecular mass inhibitors of the West Nile virus NS2B-NS3 protease which were discovered using high-throughput in vitro screening. Binding to the substrate-binding sites S1 and S3 is confirmed by intermolecular NOEs and comparison with the binding mode of a previously identified low molecular mass inhibitor. Our …

Assembling A Nutrient Database For A Large Cohort Study: Blue Mountains Eye Study, Victoria M. Flood, W Smith, E Rochtchina, Jie J. Wang, Paul Mitchell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To construct a nutrient database for use with a large population-based cohort study, the Blue Mountains Eye Study, dietary intakes were estimated using the Australian electronic food composition nutrient databases to which values for additional nutrients were added, including folate, vitamin B12, carotenoids and fatty acids. The addition of nutrient data from alternative, overseas, database sources may be useful in relation to the assessment of outcome measures, however the data obtained from these sources need to be interpreted with care, especially in relation to absolute quantities of intake.