Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Relationship Between Sodium And Potassium Intake And Blood Pressure In A Sample Of Overweight Adults, Rhoda Ndanuko, Linda C. Tapsell, Karen E. Charlton, Elizabeth Neale, Katrina M. O'Donnell, Marijka Batterham

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

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between sodium and potassium intakes and blood pressure (BP) in a clinical sample.

Methods: Secondary analysis of baseline data from 328 participants (mean age: 43.6 ± 8 y, mean body mass index [BMI]: 32.4 ± 4.2 kg/m², mean systolic BP [SBP]/diastolic BP [DBP]: 124.9 ± 14.5/73.3 ± 9.9 mm Hg) of the 12-mo HealthTrack randomized controlled weight loss trial was conducted. Resting BP and 24-h urine sodium and potassium were measured. Dietary intake was evaluated with 4-d food records and self-reported diet histories.

Results: Urinary sodium was …

Compositional Data Analysis As A Robust Tool To Delineate Hydrochemical Facies Within And Between Gas-Bearing Aquifers, D D.R Owen, V Pawlowsky-Glahn, J J. Egozcue, A Buccianti, John M. Bradd

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

Isometric log ratios of proportions of major ions, derived from intuitive sequential binary partitions, are used to characterize hydrochemical variability within and between coal seam gas (CSG) and surrounding aquifers in a number of sedimentary basins in the USA and Australia. These isometric log ratios are the coordinates corresponding to an orthonormal basis in the sample space (the simplex). The characteristic proportions of ions, as described by linear models of isometric log ratios, can be used for a mathematical-descriptive classification of water types. This is a more informative and robust method of describing water types than simply classifying a water …

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Academic Achievement In High Ability Students: Evidence From The Wollongong Youth Study., Wilma Vialle, Patrick C. L. Heaven, Joseph Ciarrochi

joseph Ciarrochi

The relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement is one that is regarded by many educators as a well-established fact. This belief has been often invoked in order to argue against the provision of ability grouping for gifted students. Refuting that commonly-held belief, this research examined the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement in 65 high-ability secondary students, a sample drawn from a longitudinal study of over 900 students. The research demonstrated that there were no differences in measured selfesteem between the gifted and non-gifted students. More contentiously, though, the research found no correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement for the …

Clinical Placements In General Practice: Relationships Between Practice Nurses And Tertiary Institutions, Kath Peters, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes

Susan McInnes

As a practice-based discipline a key component of undergraduate nurse education is clinical practice experience. The quality of clinical experiences has a significant impact on the students' ability to function competently post graduation. The relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and health service placement providers impacts upon the quality of clinical placements. In Australia, the growth of primary care nursing and the shortage of acute clinical places has prompted HEIs to explore the placement of students in general practice. Given the increasing attention being paid to non-traditional clinical placements, it is timely to explore how universities are establishing relationships and …

Baseline Characteristics Of Volunteers In The Smart Clinical Trial: Associations Between Habitual Physical Activity And Lifestyle Disease Risk Factors, Qingsheng Zhang, Jane E. O'Shea, Rebecca L. Thorne, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen E. Charlton

Qingsheng Zhang

Physical Activity has been suggested to have favorable effects on various cardiovascular risk factors, and may serve as an intervening variable in life-style intervention studies. We aimed to examine the relationship between habitual physical activity and selected cardiovascular markers at baseline in a sample of overweight women who participated in the SMART clinical trial [ACTRN12608000425392]. A sub-sample of eighty-six overweight/obese women (mean age ± S.D.: 45 ± 7.9 years) were included in this analysis. Anthropometric and fasting blood data was collected at baseline (t = 0). Habitual physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire (Baecke questionnaire). Associations were examined …

Clinical Placements In General Practice: Relationships Between Practice Nurses And Tertiary Institutions, Kath Peters, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

As a practice-based discipline a key component of undergraduate nurse education is clinical practice experience. The quality of clinical experiences has a significant impact on the students' ability to function competently post graduation. The relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and health service placement providers impacts upon the quality of clinical placements. In Australia, the growth of primary care nursing and the shortage of acute clinical places has prompted HEIs to explore the placement of students in general practice. Given the increasing attention being paid to non-traditional clinical placements, it is timely to explore how universities are establishing relationships and …

Proofreading Exonuclease On A Tether: The Complex Between The E. Coli Dna Polymerase Iii Subunits Α, Ε, Θ And Β Reveals A Highly Flexible Arrangement Of The Proofreading Domain, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Nicholas P. Horan, Andrew Robinson, Hiromasa Yagi, Flynn R. Hill, Slobodan Jergic, Zhi-Qiang Xu, Karin V. Loscha, Nan Li, Moeava Tehei, Aaron J. Oakley, Gottfried Otting, Thomas Huber, Nicholas E. Dixon

Professor Nick E Dixon

A complex of the three (αεθ) core subunits and the β2 sliding clamp is responsible for DNA synthesis by Pol III, the Escherichia coli chromosomal DNA replicase. The 1.7 Å crystal structure of a complex between the PHP domain of α (polymerase) and the C-terminal segment of ε (proofreading exonuclease) subunits shows that ε is attached to α at a site far from the polymerase active site. Both α and ε contain clamp-binding motifs (CBMs) that interact simultaneously with β2 in the polymerization mode of DNA replication by Pol III. Strengthening of both CBMs enables isolation of stable αεθ:β2 complexes. …

Single Molecule Characterization Of The Interactions Between Amyloid-Β Peptides And The Membranes Of Hippocampal Cells, Priyanka Narayan, Kristina A. Ganzinger, James Mccoll, Laura Weimann, Sarah Meehan, Seema Qamar, John A. Carver, Mark R. Wilson, Peter St George-Hyslop, Christopher M. Dobson, David Klenerman

Mark R Wilson

Oligomers of the 40 and 42 residue amyloid-β peptides (Aβ40 and Aβ42) have been implicated in the neuronal damage and impaired cognitive function associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms by which these misfolded species induce such detrimental effects on cells. In this work, we use single-molecule imaging techniques to examine the initial interactions between Aβ monomers and oligomers and the membranes of live cells. This highly sensitive method enables the visualization of individual Aβ species on the cell surface and characterization of their oligomerization state, all at biologically relevant, nanomolar concentrations. The results indicate …

Baseline Characteristics Of Volunteers In The Smart Clinical Trial: Associations Between Habitual Physical Activity And Lifestyle Disease Risk Factors, Qingsheng Zhang, Jane E. O'Shea, Rebecca L. Thorne, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen E. Charlton

Karen E. Charlton

Physical Activity has been suggested to have favorable effects on various cardiovascular risk factors, and may serve as an intervening variable in life-style intervention studies. We aimed to examine the relationship between habitual physical activity and selected cardiovascular markers at baseline in a sample of overweight women who participated in the SMART clinical trial [ACTRN12608000425392]. A sub-sample of eighty-six overweight/obese women (mean age ± S.D.: 45 ± 7.9 years) were included in this analysis. Anthropometric and fasting blood data was collected at baseline (t = 0). Habitual physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire (Baecke questionnaire). Associations were examined …

Single Molecule Characterization Of The Interactions Between Amyloid-Β Peptides And The Membranes Of Hippocampal Cells, Priyanka Narayan, Kristina A. Ganzinger, James Mccoll, Laura Weimann, Sarah Meehan, Seema Qamar, John A. Carver, Mark R. Wilson, Peter St George-Hyslop, Christopher M. Dobson, David Klenerman

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

Oligomers of the 40 and 42 residue amyloid-β peptides (Aβ40 and Aβ42) have been implicated in the neuronal damage and impaired cognitive function associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms by which these misfolded species induce such detrimental effects on cells. In this work, we use single-molecule imaging techniques to examine the initial interactions between Aβ monomers and oligomers and the membranes of live cells. This highly sensitive method enables the visualization of individual Aβ species on the cell surface and characterization of their oligomerization state, all at biologically relevant, nanomolar concentrations. The results indicate …

Coastal Evolution On Volcanic Oceanic Islands: A Complex Interplay Between Volcanism, Erosion, Sedimentation, Sea-Level Change And Biogenic Production, Ricardo S. Ramalho, Rui Quartau, Alan S. Trenhaile, Neil C. Mitchell, Colin D. Woodroffe, Sergio P. Avila

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

The growth and decay of oceanic hotspot volcanoes are intrinsically related to a competition between volcanic construction and erosive destruction, and coastlines are at the forefront of such confrontation. In this paper, we review the several mechanisms that interact and contribute to the development of coastlines on oceanic island volcanoes, and how these processes evolve throughout the islands' lifetime. Volcanic constructional processes dominate during the emergent island and subaerial shield-building stages. During the emergent island stage, surtseyan activity prevails and hydroclastic and pyroclastic structures form; these structures are generally ephemeral because they can be rapidly obliterated by marine erosion. With …

Facilitating Better Health Care For Mental Health Consumers Through Engagement: Complexities Of Establishing A Partnership Pilot Program Between Mental Health Professionals And University Exercise Physiology Students, Angela Douglas, Alex Gagan, Keirin Mccormack, Sarah Lisle

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

Abstract of the oral presentation.

Variation In Personality Traits Of Medical Students Between Schools Of Medicine, Ian Wilson, Barbara Griffin, Lisa Lampe, Diann Eley, Gerry Corrigan, Brian Kelly, Pamela Stagg

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

Introduction: While there have been studies exploring the impact of personality on medical student selection and performance there has not been an investigation of the personality of students at different schools.

Method: Demographic data and responses to the NEO measure of personality traits were collected from medical students in the first two weeks of their enrolment (2011) in seven medical schools in Australia. Personality traits were analysed by school features, gender and age using logistic regression.

Results: Differences were detected between schools in the personality traits of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Higher Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were associated with attending an Undergraduate …

Proofreading Exonuclease On A Tether: The Complex Between The E. Coli Dna Polymerase Iii Subunits Α, Ε, Θ And Β Reveals A Highly Flexible Arrangement Of The Proofreading Domain, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Nicholas P. Horan, Andrew Robinson, Hiromasa Yagi, Flynn R. Hill, Slobodan Jergic, Zhi-Qiang Xu, Karin V. Loscha, Nan Li, Moeava Tehei, Aaron J. Oakley, Gottfried Otting, Thomas Huber, Nicholas E. Dixon

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

A complex of the three (αεθ) core subunits and the β2 sliding clamp is responsible for DNA synthesis by Pol III, the Escherichia coli chromosomal DNA replicase. The 1.7 Å crystal structure of a complex between the PHP domain of α (polymerase) and the C-terminal segment of ε (proofreading exonuclease) subunits shows that ε is attached to α at a site far from the polymerase active site. Both α and ε contain clamp-binding motifs (CBMs) that interact simultaneously with β2 in the polymerization mode of DNA replication by Pol III. Strengthening of both CBMs enables isolation of stable αεθ:β2 complexes. …

Clinical Placements In General Practice: Relationships Between Practice Nurses And Tertiary Institutions, Kath Peters, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes

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

As a practice-based discipline a key component of undergraduate nurse education is clinical practice experience. The quality of clinical experiences has a significant impact on the students' ability to function competently post graduation. The relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and health service placement providers impacts upon the quality of clinical placements. In Australia, the growth of primary care nursing and the shortage of acute clinical places has prompted HEIs to explore the placement of students in general practice. Given the increasing attention being paid to non-traditional clinical placements, it is timely to explore how universities are establishing relationships and …

Falling Between The 'Service Cracks': Women Living With Alcohol-Related Brain Injury (Arbi), Renee Brighton, Lorna Moxham, Victoria Traynor

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

Abstract of paper that presented at the 1st Australasian Mental Health and Addiction Nursing Conference.

Abrupt Transitions Between Macrobenthic Faunal Assemblages Across Seagrass Bed Margins, R.S.K Barnes, S Hamylton

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

The nature of the transition from one contrasting macrobenthic assemblage to another across interfaces between intertidal seagrass and unvegetated sand was investigated in the subtropical Moreton Bay Marine Park, eastern Australia, via six two-dimensional core lattices. The same pattern of transition was manifested in each lattice. Macrofaunal abundance, species density (both observed and estimated total) and assemblage composition did not vary with distance away from the interface within the 0.75 m wide marginal bands of each habitat type. Neither were there significant differences in assemblage metrics or composition between the marginal and non-edge regions of either habitat. There were, however, …

A Geospatial Assessment Of The Relationship Between Reef Flat Community Calcium Carbonate Production And Wave Energy, S M. Hamylton, A Pescud, J X. Leon, D Callaghan

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

The ability of benthic communities inhabiting coral reefs to produce calcium carbonate underpins the development of reef platforms and associated sedimentary landforms, as well as the fixation of inorganic carbon and buffering of diurnal pH fluctuations in ocean surface waters. Quantification of the relationship between reef flat community calcium carbonate production and wave energy provides an empirical basis for understanding and managing this functionally important process. This study employs geospatial techniques across the reef platform at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, to (1) map the distribution and estimate the total magnitude of reef community carbonate production and (2) empirically ascertain …

Real-Time Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals A Direct Interaction Between Uvrc And Uvrb On Dna Tightropes, Craig D. Hughes, Hong Wang, Harshad Ghodke, Michelle Simons, Atif Towheed, Ye Peng, Bennett Van Houten, Neil M. Kad

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

Nucleotide excision DNA repair is mechanistically conserved across all kingdoms of life. In prokaryotes, this multi-enzyme process requires six proteins: UvrA-D, DNA polymerase I and DNA ligase. To examine how UvrC locates the UvrB-DNA pre-incision complex at a site of damage, we have labeled UvrB and UvrC with different colored quantum dots and quantitatively observed their interactions with DNA tightropes under a variety of solution conditions using oblique angle fluorescence imaging. Alone, UvrC predominantly interacts statically with DNA at low salt. Surprisingly, however, UvrC and UvrB together in solution bind to form the previously unseen UvrBC complex on duplex DNA. …

High Muscle Mitochondrial Volume And Aerobic Capacity In A Small Marsupial (Sminthopsis Crassicaudata) Reveals Flexible Links Between Energy-Use Levels In Mammals, Terence Dawson, Koa Webster, Enhua Lee, William A. Buttemer

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

We investigated the muscle structure–function relationships that underlie the aerobic capacity of an insectivorous, small (~15 g) marsupial, Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Family: Dasyuridae), to obtain further insight into energy use patterns in marsupials relative to those in placentals, their sister clade within the Theria (advanced mammals). Disparate hopping marsupials (Suborder Macropodiformes), a kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and a rat-kangaroo (Bettongia penicillata), show aerobic capabilities as high as those of ‘athletic’ placentals. Equivalent muscle mitochondrial volumes and cardiovascular features support these capabilities. We examined S. crassicaudata to determine whether highly developed aerobic capabilities occur elsewhere in marsupials, rather than being restricted to the …

Baseline Characteristics Of Volunteers In The Smart Clinical Trial: Associations Between Habitual Physical Activity And Lifestyle Disease Risk Factors, Qingsheng Zhang, Jane E. O'Shea, Rebecca L. Thorne, Linda C. Tapsell, Marijka Batterham, Karen E. Charlton

Dr Marijka Batterham

Physical Activity has been suggested to have favorable effects on various cardiovascular risk factors, and may serve as an intervening variable in life-style intervention studies. We aimed to examine the relationship between habitual physical activity and selected cardiovascular markers at baseline in a sample of overweight women who participated in the SMART clinical trial [ACTRN12608000425392]. A sub-sample of eighty-six overweight/obese women (mean age ± S.D.: 45 ± 7.9 years) were included in this analysis. Anthropometric and fasting blood data was collected at baseline (t = 0). Habitual physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire (Baecke questionnaire). Associations were examined …

The Link Between Dietary Glycemic Index And Nutrient Adequacy, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie, Annette E. Buyken, Jennie C. Brand-Miller, Victoria M. Flood

Jimmy Chun Yu Louie

BACKGROUND: Low-glycemic index (low-GI) diets may be less nutritious because of limited food choices. Alternately, high-GI diets could be less healthful because of a higher intake of refined carbohydrate. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the association between dietary GI, intakes of carbohydrates from high-GI (CHO(high GI)) and low-GI (CHO(low GI)) sources, and the risk of nutrient inadequacy in children and adolescents. DESIGN: Children, aged 2-16 y, who provided 2 plausible 24-h recalls in a national survey were included (n = 4140). The ORs of not meeting the Australian Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) were calculated by logistic regression. RESULTS: Subjects …

Differences In Membrane Acyl Phospholipid Composition Between An Endothermic Mammal And An Ectothermic Reptile Are Not Limited To Any Phospholipid Class, Stephen J. Blanksby, Todd W. Mitchell, Anthony J. Hulbert, Paul Else, K Ekroos

Stephen Blanksby

This study examined questions concerning differences in the acyl composition of membrane phospholipids that have been linked to the faster rates of metabolic processes in endotherms versus ectotherms. In liver, kidney, heart and brain of the ectothermic reptile, Trachydosaurus rugosus, and the endothermic mammal, Rattus norvegicus, previous findings of fewer unsaturates but a greater unsaturation index (UI) in membranes of the mammal versus those of the reptile were confirmed. Moreover, the study showed that the distribution of phospholipid head-group classes was similar in the same tissues of the reptile and mammal and that the differences in acyl composition were present …

Dissociation Mediates The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma And Hallucination-Proneness., F Varese, E Barkus, R P. Bentall

Emma Barkus

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that the relationship between childhood trauma and hallucinations can be explained by dissociative processes. The present study examined whether the effect of childhood trauma on hallucination-proneness is mediated by dissociative tendencies. In addition, the influence of dissociative symptoms on a cognitive process believed to underlie hallucinatory experiences (i.e. reality discrimination; the capacity to discriminate between internal and external cognitive events) was also investigated.MethodPatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n=45) and healthy controls (with no history of hallucinations; n=20) completed questionnaire measures of hallucination-proneness, dissociative tendencies and childhood trauma, as well as performing an auditory signal detection …

The Relationship Between Driving Anxiety And Driving Skill: A Review Of Human Factors And Anxiety-Performance Theories To Clarify Future Research Needs, Joanne Taylor, Frank P. Deane, John Podd

Frank Deane

This article examines theory and identifies gaps in research related to the role of driving skills in driving anxiety. Increasingly, investigators have examined the clinical features of driving anxiety and the more severe situation of driving fear and phobia, but the possible involvement of driving skills has been neglected. This is surprising given the potential implications for skills training and remediation in the assessment and treatment of some of those who experience driving anxiety, fear, and phobia. The largest body of relevant research comes from the driving and human factors literature on the relationship between anxiety and driving performance. The …

Relationship Between Therapeutic Homework And Clinical Outcomes For Individuals With Severe Mental Illness, Peter Kelly, Frank P. Deane

Frank Deane

Objective: Therapeutic homework has been recommended for use by mental health case managers to help patients with severe mental illness (SMI). The current research examined the actual use of homework by case managers working in clinical practice. Method: Case managers were trained in a systematic approach to homework administration and were provided with carbonized homework administration pads to assist with homework implementation. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine the relationship between homework and outcome for participants in the study (n_129). Results: The total number of homework assignments administered to each patient predicted improvement on the Health of the Nation …

Relationship Between Therapeutic Homework And Clinical Outcomes For Individuals With Severe Mental Illness, Peter Kelly, Frank P. Deane

Peter Kelly

Objective: Therapeutic homework has been recommended for use by mental health case managers to help patients with severe mental illness (SMI). The current research examined the actual use of homework by case managers working in clinical practice. Method: Case managers were trained in a systematic approach to homework administration and were provided with carbonized homework administration pads to assist with homework implementation. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine the relationship between homework and outcome for participants in the study (n_129). Results: The total number of homework assignments administered to each patient predicted improvement on the Health of the Nation …

Relationship Between Plantar Pressures, Physical Activity And Sedentariness Among Preschool Children, Karen J. Mickle, Dylan P. Cliff, Bridget J. Munro, Anthony D. Okely, Julie R. Steele

A. D. Okely

It has been speculated that high plantar pressures might cause foot pain and discomfort which, in turn, may discourage children from being physically active and result in them spending more time in sedentary activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plantar pressure distributions generated by preschool children were correlated with objectively measured time spent in physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Dynamic plantar pressures were measured for 33 preschool children (age = 4.3±0.6 years; height = 1.06±0.1 m; mass = 18.4±2.9 kg; 17 boys) as they walked across an emed AT-4 pressure platform. Physical activity was objectively assessed …

The Association Between Job Demands/Control And Health In Employed Parents: The Mediating Role Of Work-To-Family Interference And Enhancement, Christopher A. Magee, Natalie Stefanic, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

"This paper examined whether work-to-family interference (WFI) and work-to-family enhancement (WFE) mediated the association between job demands/control and self-reported mental and physical health. Data were from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia survey and included 1,404 Australian adults aged 18-64 years at baseline; 820 participants provided data at three time points (baseline, 12-month follow-up, and 24-month follow-up). Self-report questionnaires assessed mental and physical health, WFI and WFE, and job demands/control. Mediation analyzes performed on the longitudinal data indicated that WFI mediated the relationships between job demands/control and self-reported mental and physical health. The findings have implications for improving …

Study Of The Relationship Between Infrared Stimulated Luminescence And Blue Light Stimulated Luminescence For Potassium-Feldspar From Sediments, Zhijun Gong, Bo Li, Sheng-Hua Li

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

In luminescence measurements of potassium-feldspar (K-feldspar), both infrared (IR) and blue light (BL) can be used as stimulation sources. Component analysis suggests that the blue light stimulated luminescence (BLSL) measured at 60 °C from K-feldspar can be fitted using three components, namely fast, medium and slow. In order to explore the relationship between the origin of the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) signal and the different components of the BLSL, five sets of experiments were conducted, namely post-IR BLSL (pIR-BLSL), post-BL IRSL (pBL-IRSL), pulse annealing tests, dose response and laboratory fading rate tests. It is observed that most of the IRSL …