Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Bridging The Gap: Face-To-Face Or Online?, Peter Monaghan, Joshua Dos Santos, Simon B. Bedford

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of a presentation at The 2014 Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, 29-30 September, University of Sydney, Australia.

Understanding The Research-Policy Divide For Oral Health Inequality, Erica Bell, Leonard A. Crocombe, Steven Campbell, Lynette R. Goldberg, Bastian Seidel

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: No studies exist of the congruence of research in oral health to policy. This study aimed to examine the broad congruence of oral health research to policy, and implications for developing oral health research that is more policy relevant, particularly for the wider challenge of addressing unequal oral health outcomes, rather than specific policy translation issues. Methods: Bayesian-based software was used in a multi-layered method to compare the conceptual content of 127,193 oral health research abstracts published between 2000-2012 with eight current oral health policy documents from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Findings: Fifty-five …

Biological Correlates Of Mental Health: Can Oxytocin, Cortisol And Omega-3 Fatty Acids Improve Our Understanding Of Treatment Avoidance, Behavioural Withdrawal And Cognitive Changes Accompanying Depressive Symptoms?, Susan J. Thomas, Theresa A. Larkin, Peter R. Leeson, Coralie J. Wilson, Peter L. Mclennan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of a conference presentation.

Evaluating The Effects Of Physical Activity On Individuals Living With A Dementia In Residential Accommodation, Victoria Traynor, Nadine S. Veerhuis, A Blacklaw, S Goplan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of presentation from the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres' (DCRC) 2014 National Dementia Research Forum, Sydney, 19 September 2014.

Chemical Weathering (U-Series), Anthony Dosseto

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Synonyms Regolith formation rates; Soil formation rates Definition Uranium-series (U-series) isotopes are radionuclides that compose the 238U and 235U decay chains. Measurements of U-series isotopes in soils and river sediments can be used to infer timescales of chemical weathering and derive quantitative estimates of soil age and production rates as well as sediment transport rates through catchments.

Earth Is (Mostly) Flat: Apportionment Of The Flux Of Continental Sediment Over Millennial Time Scales: Reply, J K. Willenbring, Alexandru T. Codilean, B Mcelroy

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We thank Warrick et al. (2014) for the Comment on our recent synthesis of 10Be-derived denudation rates (Willenbring et al., 2013), in which we suggested that gently sloping areas, representing ∼90% of the Earth’s land surface, have sufficiently high rates of denudation to produce a majority of mass fluxes to the world’s ocean.

First, Warrick et al. take issue with labeling our global cosmogenic nuclide denudation fluxes “sediment” and with the inferred comparisons to other sediment yield apportionment studies. We apologize for instances of unclear wording related to the terms: sediment production, sediment to the oceans, and mass flux. Unlike …

Late-Holocene Climatic Variability Indicated By Three Natural Archives In Arid Southern Australia, Luke A. Gliganic, Timothy J. Cohen, Jan-Hendrik May, John D. Jansen, Gerald C. Nanson, Anthony Dosseto, Joshua R. Larsen, Maxime Aubert

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Three terrestrial climate proxies are used to investigate the evolution of Holocene palaeoenvironments in southern central Australia, all of which present a coherent record of palaeohydrology. Single-grain optically stimulated luminescence from sediments supplemented by 14C from charcoal and lacustrine shells was obtained to date shoreline deposits (Lake Callabonna) and the adjacent Mt Chambers Creek alluvial fan. Our findings are complemented by a U/Th-based record of speleothem growth in the Mt Chambers Creek catchment, which we interpret to reflect increased precipitation. Together, these archives shed light on the timing of, and possible sources of water for, Holocene pluvial intervals. We identified …

Food Patterns Of Australian Children Ages 9 To 13 Y In Relation To Ω-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Intake, Setyaningrum Rahmawaty, Philippa Lyons-Wall, Marijka Batterham, Karen Charlton, Barbara J. Meyer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine food patterns of Australian children ages 9 to 13 y in relation to ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 LCPUFA) intake.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted on nationally representative food data of 1110 Australian children ages 9 to 13 y (525 boys and 585 girls) that was obtained using two 24-h recalls. Principle component factor analysis was used to identify food patterns. Discriminant function analysis was used to identify the relationship between the food patterns and total ω-3 LCPUFA intake.

Results: Four major food patterns emerged for each sex. For boys …

Mature Aged "Baby Boomer" Students' Contributions To Understanding Nursing Education, Sandra Walker, Trudy Dwyer, Teresa Sander, Lorna Moxham, Marc Broadbent, Kristin Edwards

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: Mature aged nursing students of the 'Baby Boomer' generation are important for health workforce retention and planning because once graduated, they are viewed as being more loyal to the profession and consequently likely to remain in the nursing workforce. A challenge though, related to this group is providing them with a fulfilling and worthwhile work integrated learning experience that enables them to engage with their new profession. Methods: An exploratory study was conducted using an online survey with open-ended questions to explore the supports for and barriers to the learning opportunities of "baby boomer" aged undergraduate-nursing students (n = …

Graphene Cryogel Papers With Enhanced Mechanical Strength For High Performance Lithium Battery Anodes, Kewei Shu, Caiyun Wang, Meng Wang, Chen Zhao, Gordon G. Wallace

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

A porous graphene paper was prepared by pressing a graphene cryogel, followed by thermal reduction at 220 °C. The cryogel was formed by freeze-drying a solution containing chemically reduced graphene and graphene oxide (CRG/GO). The formed graphene cryogel papers deliver a much higher discharge capacity and rate capability than that from conventional graphene papers fabricated by filtration. These new structures have a discharge capacity higher than 400 mA h g−1 at a current density of 2000 mA g−1 in sharp contrast to 229 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1 obtained from conventional graphene papers. These greatly improved electrochemical properties …

Cross Sectional Survey Of Human-Bat Interaction In Australia: Public Health Implications, Beverley J. Paterson, Michelle T. Butler, Keith Eastwood, Patrick M. Cashman, Alison Jones, David N. Durrheim

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background Flying foxes (megachiroptera) and insectivorous microbats (microchiroptera) are the known reservoirs for a range of recently emerged, highly pathogenic viruses. In Australia there is public health concern relating to bats' role as reservoirs of Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), which has clinical features identical to classical rabies. Three deaths from ABLV have occurred in Australia. A survey was conducted to determine the frequency of bat exposures amongst adults in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales; explore reasons for handling bats; examine reported practices upon encountering injured or trapped bats or experiencing bat bites or scratches; and investigate knowledge of …

Formation And Fragmentation Of Unsaturated Fatty Acid [M - 2h + Na] - Ions: Stabilized Carbanions For Charge-Directed Fragmentation, Michael C. Thomas, Benjamin B. Kirk, Jens Altvater, Stephen J. Blanksby, Geoffrey W. Nette

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Fatty acids are long-chain carboxylic acids that readily produce [M – H]– ions upon negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) and cationic complexes with alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals in positive ion ESI. In contrast, only one anionic monomeric fatty acid–metal ion complex has been reported in the literature, namely [M – 2H  +  FeIICl]–. In this manuscript, we present two methods to form anionic unsaturated fatty acid–sodium ion complexes (i.e., [M – 2H  +  Na]–). We find that these ions may be generated efficiently by two distinct methods: (1) negative ion ESI of a methanolic solution containing the fatty …

Environmental Character And History Of The Lake Eyre Basin, One Seventh Of The Australian Continent, Anna Habeck-Fardy, Gerald C. Nanson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

One of the world's largest internally drained (endorheic) basins, the 1.14 million km2 Lake Eyre (hydrological) Basin (LEB), covers nearly 15% of the Australian continent. Palaeoclimatic and associated flow regime variations are recorded in an archive of fluvial, aeolian and lacustrine sediments that are particularly accessible for deposits from the past ~ 300 ka, and are especially relevant for the past ~ 50 ka during which humans have inhabited Australia. Due to its great size, economic resources and diverse latitudinal extent, it has for over six decades been the focus of environmental, scientific and resource-based studies across numerous disciplines. With …

Clinical Features Of Endemic Community-Acquired Psittacosis, J M. Branley, K M. Weston, J England, Dominic E. Dwyer, T C. Sorrell

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Following a large outbreak of community-acquired psittacosis in 2002 in residents of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia, we reviewed new cases in this area over a 7-year period from 2003 to 2009. Using the 2010 criteria from the Centers for Disease Control National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, 85 patients with possible psittacosis were identified, of which 48 were identified as definite or probable infection. Clinical features of these cases are summarized. In addition to Chlamydia-specific serology, specimens, where available, underwent nucleic acid testing for chlamydial DNA using real-time PCR. Chlamydophila psittaci DNA was detected in samples from 23 …

Development And Pilot Testing Of A Decision Aid For Drivers With Dementia, John Carmody, Jan Potter, Kate Lewis, Sanjay Bhargava, Victoria Traynor, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: An increasing number of older adults drive automobiles. Given that the prevalence of dementia is rising, it is necessary to address the issue of driving retirement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how a self-administered decision aid contributed to decision making about driving retirement by individuals living with dementia. The primary outcome measure in this study was decisional conflict. Knowledge, decision, satisfaction with decision, booklet use and booklet acceptability were the secondary outcome measures. Methods: A mixed methods approach was adopted. Drivers with dementia were recruited from an Aged Care clinic and a Primary Care center in …

Rapid Profiling Of Laser-Induced Photochemistry In Single Microdroplets Using Mass Spectrometry, Phillip J. Tracey, Bartholomew S. Vaughn, Brendon J. Roberts, Berwyck L. J Poad, Adam J. Trevitt

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Rapid assessment of laser-induced photochemistry in single microdroplets is afforded by on-demand microdroplet generation coupled to a commercial ion-trap mass spectrometer. Single microdroplets (diameter 50 μm, 65 pL) fall on a steel needle held at +2 kV where they subsequently form a spray that is directed toward the inlet of an ion-trap mass spectrometer. It is demonstrated that single microdroplet mass spectra are recordable, one at a time, for methanol droplets containing 100 μM 4-iodoaniline. Extending on this, to probe laser-initiated photochemistry in single picoliter volumes, a UV laser pulse is timed to intercept the droplet before hitting the needle. …

Enhanced Gelation Properties Of Purified Gellan Gum, Damian Kirchmajer, Benedikt Steinhoff, Holly Warren, Ross Clark, Marc In Het Panhuis

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Gellan gum is a hydrogel-forming polysaccharide when combined with monovalent or divalent cations such as sodium, magnesium, potassium or calcium. Commercially, gellan gums are sold with trace amounts of these cations, which have been proven to affect the gelation and mechanical properties of the resultant hydrogels. A new method based on impedance analysis for determining the gel transition temperature of purified and un-purified gellan gum is presented. The sodium salt form of gellan gum is shown to have lower dissolution and gel transition temperatures.

Testing A Model Of Alluvial Deposition In The Middle Son Valley, Madhya Pradesh, India - Irsl Dating Of Terraced Alluvial Sediments And Implications For Archaeological Surveys And Palaeoclimatic Reconstructions, Christina M. Neudorf, Richard G. Roberts, Zenobia Jacobs

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Over the past three decades, the Middle Son Valley, Madhya Pradesh, India has been the focus of archaeological, geological, and palaeoenvironmental investigations that aim to reconstruct regional climate changes in the Late Pleistocene and to understand the effects of the ∼74 ka Toba super-eruption on ecosystems and human populations in northern India. The most recently published model of alluvial deposition for the Middle Son Valley subdivides its alluvium into five stratigraphic formations, each associated with a specific artefact assemblage. In this study, new cross-valley topographic profiles, field observations and infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) age estimates are used to refine this …

Temperature Thresholds Of Physically Dormant Seeds And Plant Functional Response To Fire: Variation Among Species And Relative Impact Of Climate Change, Mark K. J Ooi, Andrew J. Denham, Victor M. Santana, Tony D. Auld

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Variation in dormancy thresholds among species is rarely studied but may provide a basis to better understand the mechanisms controlling population persistence. Incorporating dormancy-breaking temperature thresholds into existing trait frameworks could improve predictions regarding seed bank persistence, and subsequently species resilience in response to fire, climate change and anthropogenic management. A key ecological strategy for many species from fire-prone ecosystems is the possession of a long-lived seed bank, ensuring recovery after fire. Physical dormancy is dominant in these ecosystems and maintaining this dormancy is directly linked to seed bank persistence. We identified a suite of seed-related factors relevant to maintaining …

Sex-Specific Triacylglycerides Are Widely Conserved In Drosophila And Mediate Mating Behavior, Jacqueline S.R Chin, Shane R. Ellis, Huong T. Pham, Stephen J. Blanksby, Kenji Mori, Qi Ling Koh, William J. Etges, Joanne Y. Yew

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Pheromones play an important role in the behavior, ecology, and evolution of many organisms. The structure of many insect pheromones typically consists of a hydrocarbon backbone, occasionally modified with various functional oxygen groups. Here we show that sex-specific triacylclyerides (TAGs) are broadly conserved across the subgenus Drosophila in 11 species and represent a novel class of pheromones that has been largely overlooked. In desert-adapted drosophilids, 13 different TAGs are secreted exclusively by males from the ejaculatory bulb, transferred to females during mating, and function synergistically to inhibit courtship from other males. Sex-specific TAGs are comprised of at least one short …

Rating Accessibility Of Packaging: A Medical Packaging Example, Jen Rowson, Aamir Sangrar, Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, Alison Bell, Karen Walton, Alaster Yoxall, Seri Rahayu Kamat

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Few previous work has been undertaken in understanding issues surrounding dexterity and access to packaging. Researchers had access to users who had known dexterity issues and had been advised by their doctor to decant their medication into bottles rather than use unit-dose blister packaging. Hence, it was decided to use a range of techniques to understand this problem. It was further proposed to develop a methodology by which the relative performance of packaging could be assessed with respect to dexterity issues. In this study, there were three objectives to carry out: motion-capture analysis, grip analysis and dexterity analysis when opening …

Annual Distributions And Sources Of Arctic Aerosol Components, Aerosol Optical Depth, And Aerosol Absorption, Thomas J. Breider, Loretta J. Mickley, Daniel Jacob, Qiaoqiao Wang, Jenny A. Fisher, Rachel Y.-W Chang, Becky Alexander

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Radiative forcing by aerosols and tropospheric ozone could play a significant role in recent Arctic warming. These species are in general poorly accounted for in climate models. We use the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model to construct a 3-D representation of Arctic aerosols and ozone that is consistent with observations and can be used in climate simulations. We focus on 2008, when extensive observations were made from different platforms as part of the International Polar Year. Comparison to aircraft, surface, and ship cruise observations suggests that GEOS-Chem provides in general a successful year-round simulation of Arctic black carbon (BC), organic …

Over-The-Counter (Otc) Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Nsaids): How Much Do Consumers Really Know?, Judy Mullan, Kathryn M. Weston, Andrew Bonney, Christopher Magee, J Mullan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Abstract of paper that was presented at the National Medicines Symposium (NMS) 2014, 21-23 May, Brisbane, Australia.

Hypochlorite-Induced Structural Modifications Enhance The Chaperone Activity Of Human Α2-Macroglobulin, Amy Wyatt, Janet Kumita, Richard W. Mifsud, Cherrie A. Gooden, Mark Wilson, Christopher M. Dobson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Hypochlorite, an oxidant generated in vivo by the innate immune system, kills invading pathogens largely by inducing the misfolding of microbial proteins. Concomitantly, the nonspecific activity of hypochlorite also damages host proteins, and the accumulation of damaged (misfolded) proteins is implicated in the pathology of a variety of debilitating human disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, and arthritis). It is well-known that cells respond to oxidative stress by up-regulating proteostasis machinery, but the direct activation of mammalian chaperones by hypochlorite has not, to our knowledge, been previously reported. In this study, we show that hypochlorite-induced modifications of human α2-macroglobulin (α2M) markedly …

Postglacial Fringing-Reef To Barrier-Reef Conversion On Tahiti Links Darwin's Reef Types, Paul Blanchon, Marian Granados-Corea, Elizabeth Abbey, Juan C. Braga, Colin Braithwaite, David Kennedy, Tom Spencer, Jody M. Webster, Colin Woodroffe

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

In 1842 Charles Darwin claimed that vertical growth on a subsiding foundation caused fringing reefs to transform into barrier reefs then atolls. Yet historically no transition between reef types has been discovered and they are widely considered to develop independently from antecedent foundations during glacio-eustatic sea-level rise. Here we reconstruct reef development from cores recovered by IODP Expedition 310 to Tahiti, and show that a fringing reef retreated upslope during postglacial sea-level rise and transformed into a barrier reef when it encountered a Pleistocene reef-flat platform. The reef became stranded on the platform edge, creating a lagoon that isolated it …

The Evolution Of Nursing In Australian General Practice: A Comparative Analysis Of Workforce Surveys Ten Years On, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Yenna Salamonson, Patricia M. Davidson, Rajneesh Kaur, Samantha Young

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background Nursing in Australian general practice has grown rapidly over the last decade in response to government initiatives to strengthen primary care. There are limited data about how this expansion has impacted on the nursing role, scope of practice and workforce characteristics. This study aimed to describe the current demographic and employment characteristics of Australian nurses working in general practice and explore trends in their role over time. Methods In the nascence of the expansion of the role of nurses in Australian general practice (2003-2004) a national survey was undertaken to describe nurse demographics, clinical roles and competencies. This survey …

Diffusive Gradients In Thin Films Technique Provide Robust Prediction Of Metal Bioavailability And Toxicity In Estuarine Sediments, Elvio D. Amato, Stuart Simpson, Chad Jarolimek, Dianne Jolley

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Many sediment quality assessment frameworks incorporate contaminant bioavailability as a critical factor regulating toxicity in aquatic ecosystems. However, current approaches do not always adequately predict metal bioavailability to organisms living in the oxidised sediment surface layers. The deployment of the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) probes in sediments allows labile metals present in pore waters and weakly-bound to the particulate phase to be assessed in a time-integrated manner in situ. In this study, relationships between DGT-labile metal fluxes within 5 mm of the sediment-water interface and lethal and sub-lethal effects to the amphipod Melita plumulosa were assessed in a …

Understanding Place As 'Home' And 'Away' Through Practices Of Bird-Watching, Carrie Wilkinson, Gordon R. Waitt, Leah Maree Gibbs

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Bird-watching is an increasingly popular leisure activity. Previous research has taken for granted the identity of people who watch birds, often categorised by their level of skilled practice as 'dude', 'birder' or 'twitcher'. Feminist geographers encourage us to explore identity work as an outcome of the reciprocal relationships between practices and place. Our feminist approach illustrates that the practices of bird-watching are always much more than categorising birds as species. This paper illustrates how the practices of bird-watching are integral to the making and remaking of sense of place as 'home' and 'away', to sustain identities beyond accepted categories of …

Dietary Patterns And Weight Loss: Which Foods Make Up The Patterns?, Linda Tapsell

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Put simply, the target for the dietary management of weight loss is to achieve a consumption of fewer calories relative to energy expenditure [1] , but weight loss needs to be sustained [2]. One way of focusing on this problem is to consider shifts in dietary patterns that feel normal and routine, where a sustained change in dietary pattern supports a sustained change in weight [3].

The Effect Of Insulin Therapy Algorithms On Blood Glucose Levels In Patients Following Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review Protocol, Megan Higgs, Ritin Fernandez

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Review question/objective The objective of this review is to determine the best available evidence related to the effect of insulin therapy algorithms on blood glucose levels in patients in critical care environments following cardiac surgery. More specifically, the review question to be answered is: Among adults within critical care environments who are in the acute postoperative phase (5 days) following cardiac surgery, what is the effect of insulin therapy algorithms for the control of blood glucose levels?