Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Food Fears: A National Survey On The Attitudes Of Australian Adults About The Safety And Quality Of Food, P. G. Williams, E. Stirling, N. Keynes

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A national telephone survey of a representative sample of 1200 Australian adults was conducted in March 2002 in order to identify the factors of greatest concern to consumers in relation to the safety and quality of food, to measure recent trends in views about hazards in the food supply, to explore beliefs about the safety of additives and to discover whether consumers use food labels to check for ingredients of concern. Forty five percent of Australians responded that they were more concerned about the safety and quality of food than they were five years previously, while only 5% were less …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 1. Development Of The Food Basket, P. G. Williams, M. Reid, K. Shaw

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To define a basket of foods that could be used to monitor trends in the affordability of healthy food in the Illawarra region. Design A reference family of five was defined reflecting the population of the Illawarra region. A draft basket of foods was selected based on recommendations of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE), and using information on typical eating patterns from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey and data from local supermarket sales. Products were chosen to conform where possible to the National Heart Foundation guidelines for acceptability in the Pick the Tick food approval program. Seven …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 2. Pricing Methods And Index Trends From 2000-2003, P. G. Williams, Y. James, J. Kwan

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective To develop a method to monitor trends in the cost of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket (IHFB) and report trends from 2000 to 2003.

Design Detailed instructions for the method of pricing the IHFB were developed and tested. The price of the IHFB was collected each year in September at a major supermarket, green grocer and butcher in five Illawarra suburbs, representing a range of socio-economic locations. Data on welfare payments available to the reference family, assuming all members were unemployed, were collected from staff of Centrelink.

Main outcome measures The average weekly cost of the IHFB, the Illawarra …

The Impact Of Different Types Of Incentives On Re-Enrolment Into Health Management Programs, Sandra C. Jones, Christina Hoang

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The Australian Health Management Group (AHMG) offers disease- and risk-management programs for members, aimed at improving health status and reducing health care costs. As an incentive to re-enrol, members are posted a small gift upon receipt of their completed enrolment form. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the provision of an incentive has a measurable effect on re-enrolment rates. Members were allocated to one of three conditions: “gift”; “competition”; or “no incentive”. We found that the provision of an incentive resulted in an increase in re-enrolment rates, with little difference between the “competition” and “gift” conditions. …

What Can Change Blindness Tell Us About The Visual Processing Of Complex Objects?, Simone Keane, Stephen A. Palmisano

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Processing visual information about objects in our environment is an essential and widely used skill. However, recent research in change blindness suggests that humans are remarkably poor at detecting certain types of changes to objects. In particular, changes to the configuration of an object's parts are detected quicker and more accurately than changes to the shape of the parts or a switching of parts. The implication of this finding is that information regarding the layout or configuration of an object is better encoded than finer details, like part shape. The aim of the current study was to determine whether this …

Erythrocyte Biomarker-Based Validation Of A Diet History Method Used In A Dietary Intervention Trial, Craig S. Patch, Karen J Murphy, Jackie Mansour, Linda C. Tapsell, Barbara J. Meyer, Trevor A Mori, Manny Noakes, P Clifton, I Puddey, P Howe

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Functional Foods And Ingredients: Opportunities For Health And Profit, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods (NCEFF) is developing well with strategic research projects underway. This report outlines progress to date.

Serial Serum Procalcitonin Changes In The Prognosis Of Acute Stroke, Spyridon Miyakis, Petros Georgakopoulos, Maria Kiagia, Angelos Pefanis, Theodoros D. Mountokalakis, Olga Papadopoulou, Aristomenis Gonis

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

Inflammatory response is a principal early component in the pathophysiology of stroke [1]. Serum procalcitonin (PCT)-a marker of septicemia and infection severity [2]-has also been proposed as an indicator of systemic inflammatory response in noninfectious situations [3,4]. As no data exist thus far on PCT in stroke, this study aimed to evaluate serum PCT changes in the acute stroke setting, and to correlate them with clinical and laboratory parameters and patient's outcome.

Comparative Records Of Occupation In The Keep River Region Of The Eastern Kimberley, Northwestern Australia, Ingrid Ward

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

This paper considers the record of occupation in the Keep River region of the eastern Kimberley, and whether archaeological records are equally preserved within as well as between regions. Luminescence dating, radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence from eight rock shelter sequences provide only late Holocene (5 - 0 ky BP) occupation sequences, whereas luminescence dating and archaeological evidence for three sand-sheet sequences indicate occupation dating to 18 ky BP. Given that rock shelters and sand sheet excavations can produce such different chronologies, it is questioned to what extent the representative records for the eastern Kimberley, and the adjacent western Kimberley, …

Recent Sedimentation And Geomorphological Changes, Lake Illawarra, Nsw, Australia, Craig R. Sloss, Brian G. Jones, Colin V. Murray-Wallace, Bryan E. Chenhall

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

Assessing recent changes in landforms associated with Lake Illawarra was achieved by identifying changes in geomorphological features observed in early mapping of the region, aerial photographs and satellite imagery. Quantifying rates of sedimentation associated with prograding fluvial bay-head deltas and within the central basin of Lake Illawarra was established within the framework of amino acid racemisation, radiocarbon, and cesium 137 dating. Results indicate that sedimentation rates associated with fluvial bay-head deltas range from 31 mm/yr proximal to the delta front and fall to between 3 and 7 mm/yr in the pro-delta region. This is a significant increase in sedimentation rate …

Ascorbic Acid Losses In Vegetables Associated With Cook-Chill Food Preparation, Karen E. Charlton, Paula Patrick, L Dowling, E Jensen

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

Objective. To assess ascorbic acid (AA) losses in four vegetables (broccoli, peas, cauliflower and cabbage) at each production stage in a cook-chill food service system. Setting. A long-stay psychiatric hospital in Cape Town. Design. Cross-sectional analytical study. On two repeat occasions, three samples of each vegetable were taken at the following stages: (i) delivery (day 1); (ii) after preparation (day 2); (iii) after cooking (day 5); (iv) after blastchilling (day 5); and (v) in the holdroom and after regeneration over a 4-day period (days 6 - 9). AA content of each sample was assessed in duplicate using the 2,6 dichloroindophenol …

Using A Taxonomy Of Errors As A Conceptual Framework For Differences In Patterns Of Use For Casual And Novice Users, Jocelyn R. Harper, Peter Caputi, Rohan Jayasuriya, Shae-Leigh C. Vella, P. Hyland

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A taxonomy of errors was applied in a recent study of casual and novice users of a statistical analysis software. The taxonomy was found to be useful and several extensions to the taxonomy were proposed. The aim of this study is to confirm the theoretical validity of the proposed extensions and the usefulness of the taxonomy in describing the patterns of human-computer interaction and predicting changes in use patterns with learning.

Individual Differences In Anticipated Emotions, Desires And Intentions In Approaching A Computer Task, Jocelyn R. Harper, Peter Caputi, Rohan Jayasuriya

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research on user training has drawn on psychological theory to understand individual differences effects. An extension of the Model of Goal-directed Behaviour (MGB) was used to test the role of Personality variables, Computer self-efficacy and Computer anxiety as antecedents of anticipated emotions, goal desires and intentions. Positive anticipated emotions were demonstrated to intervene in the relation between Computer self efficacy and goal desires.

Anabranching And Maximum Flow Efficiency In Magela Creek, Northern Australia, John D. Jansen, Gerald C. Nanson

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

[1] Anabranching is the prevailing river pattern found along alluvial tracts of the world's largest rivers. Hydraulic geometry and bed material discharge are compared between single channel and anabranching reaches up to 4 times bank-full discharge in Magela Creek, northern Australia. The anabranching channels exhibit greater sediment transporting capacity per unit available stream power, i.e., maximum flow efficiency (MFE). Simple flume experiments corroborate our field results showing the flow efficiency gains associated with anabranching, and highlight the prospect of a dominant anabranch, which is found in many anabranching rivers. These results demonstrate that anabranching can constitute a stable river pattern …

An Exploratory Study Of Older Adults' Perceptions Of Dtca For Prescription Medications, Sandra C. Jones, Judy Mullan

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There are many arguments for and against Direct-To-Consumer-Advertising (DTCA) and their impact on the consumer. A study involving 97 older consumers was carried out to investigate their perceptions about long or short versions of written DTCA for arthritis or diabetes medication. The results indicate that even though the ads may improve doctor-patient discussion about medications, they would not necessarily empower them to make decisions. Some of the consumers also believed that DTCA might cause people to ask for inappropriate medicines, become confused and possibly stop seeking medical advice.

An Exploratory Study On The Effect Of Positive (Warmth Appeal) And Negative (Guilt Appeal) Print Imagery On Donation Behaviour In Animal Welfare, M. Haynes, Jennifer Thornton, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Very few studies in social marketing empirically compare the effectiveness of positive and negative appeals. This study examines the effect of positive (warmth appeal) and negative (guilt appeal) print imagery on donation behaviour to an animal welfare organisation. A quasiexperimental design was used to test the appeals, using a convenience sample of 282 university students, with each experimental group being exposed to only one type of appeal. The results indicated that negative imagery which evoked guilt was more effective than positive imagery which evoked warmth, on intention to donate money and time to the animal welfare organisation.

The Influence Of Magazine Advertising On Parents' Nutrition Ratings Of Food Products For Children, Christina Hoang, Sandra C. Jones, Jennifer Thornton

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Childhood obesity currently affects approximately 22 million children under the age of five worldwide (Rochinni, 2002) and its increasing prevalence in developed nations makes it one of the most common nutritional problems among children (Sorof and Stephen, 2002). A study was conducted to investigate parents’ health-related perceptions for a series of magazine advertisements for commonly advertised and popular children’s food products. The study revealed that confusion exists among parents and this was most evident in relation to the energy content of food products. Parents are important due to the instrumental role they play in their child’s nutrition - both as …

Litho- And Chronostratigraphy Of Holocene Sedimentary Successions Preserved In Lake Illawarra, Nsw, Australia, Craig R. Sloss, Brian G. Jones, Colin V. Murray-Wallace

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

Using a Holocene barrier estuary, Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia, as an example, a detailed litho- and chrono-stratigraphy of the Holocene estuarine deposits has been investigated. Forty kilometres of seismic surveys, 61 vibracores, supplemented by auger drill holes and trenches, and faunal analysis were used in this study. A detailed chronology of the infilling of the barrier estuary has been established using 121 aspartic acid derived ages and 14 radiocarbon ages. The results provide a detailed chronology for the deposition of marine transgressive deposits between ca. 8 and 5 ka years ago. Barrier growth, initiated with rising sea levels …

Trace Metals In Sediments From Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia, Bryan E. Chenhall, Brian G. Jones, Craig R. Sloss, Mark O'Donnell, Marrack Payne, Mark Murrie, David Garnett, Helen Waldron

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

Sediments in Lake Illawarra have been investigated by deep and shallow coring to provide a comprehensive appraisal of the sediment-bound natural (background) and more recent (i.e., industrial era) trace metal concentrations. The distribution of Cu, Pb and Zn in the upper 20 cm of sediment is directly related to the proportion of mud-dominated sediment forming the central floor of the lake. Trace metal enrichment factors for Cu, Pb and Zn were generally less than 2.5 with the exception of the southern portion of Griffins Bay where the factors were greater than 1.8, 3.5 and 5.8 for Cu, Pb and Zn …

Full Term, Peri-Urban South African Infants Under Six Months Of Age Are At Risk For Early-Onset Anemia., Lindi Sibeko, Ma Dhansay, Karen E. Charlton, Timothy Johns, M Van Stuijvenberg, Katherine Gray-Donald

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

Objective: There is a paucity of data on the micronutrient status of low-income, lactating South African women and their infants under 6 months of age. The aim of this study was to elucidate the level of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in peri-urban breast-feeding women and their young infants.

Design: Cross-sectional study including anthropometric, biochemical and infant feeding data.

Setting: Peri-urban settlement in Cape Town, South Africa.

Subjects: Breast-feeding women (n = 113) and their infants (aged 1–6 months) attending a peri-urban clinic.

Results: Mean (standard deviation (SD)) haemoglobin (Hb) of the lactating mothers was 12.4 (1.3) gdl …

Sources And Credibility Of Nutrition Information Among Black Urban South African Women, With A Focus On Messages Related To Obesity., Karen E. Charlton, Philippa Brewitt, Lesley T. Bourne

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

Objectives: (1) To identify the major sources of nutrition information, and the perceived credibility thereof, among urban black South African women; and (2) to determine the level of knowledge regarding nutrition, particularly regarding the topic of obesity. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study that was both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (individual questionnaires). Three hundred and ninety-four black women aged 17-49 years were conveniently sampled from the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces in South Africa. Methods: Four focus groups were held with 39 women to identify common themes relating to nutrition knowledge. Based on these data, a questionnaire instrument was developed …

Wenlock (Early Silurian) Brachiopods From The Orane District Of New South Wales, Anthony J. Wright, Des L. Strusz

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

Two late Wenlock (Early Silurian) brachiopod species from the Ulah Formation near Orange, New South Wales, are closely associated with graptolite faunas. Visbyella cumnockensis occurs in the testis Biozone on Wallace Creek in the Four Mile Creek area, and Strophochonetes melbournensis is recorded from the ludensis Biozone on Spring Creek. Poorly preserved but similar Visbyella? and Strophochonetes? From the Prídolí Wallace Shale at Cheesemans Creek are also illustrated. These occurrences provide significant new stratigraphic and distributional data for the species.

Early Silurian Graptolites From Cadia, New South Wales, R B. Rickards, Anthony J. Wright

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

A low-diversity graptolite fauna is reported from the Ulah Formation at Cadia, central western New South Wales. The assemblage includes Testograptus testis, Monoclimacis flumendosae, fragments of Monograptus flemingii, possible Cyrtograptus and unidentifiable retiolitid meshworks, and is correlated with the lungrenitestis Biozone, of late Wenlock (Early Silurian) age.

Silicified Early Devonian Trilobites From Brogans Creek, New South Wales, Gregory D. Edgecombe, Anthony J. Wright

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

Trilobites in an Emsian silicified fauna from the Carwell Creek Formation at Brogans Creek SE of Mudgee, NSW, include Acanthopyge (Jasperia) bifida, Dentaloscutellum hudsoni and Proetus nemus, all originally described from the Taemas area of NSW, together with Sthenarocalymene. Proetus nemus was known from limited material at Taemas, but is the most abundant species at Brogans Creek. Fuller description substantiates membership in Proetus (=Devonoproetus), rather than Ryckholtia, Longiproetus or Rhenocynproetus. Early ontogenetic stages of the trilobites are lacking at Brogans Creek, in contrast to Taemas. Conodonts co-occurring with the shelly fauna at Brogans Creek and at Taemas include Polygnathus nothoperbonus, …

Beta-2 Glycoprotein I And Its Role In Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Lessons From Knockout Mice, Spyridon Miyakis, Sarah A. Robertson, S A. Krilis

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

The antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by the presence in serum of autoantibodies against h2GPI. Although the role of h2GPI in the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is well recognized, its exact physiological functions still remain undisclosed. Several interactions of h2GPI with components of the coagulation cascade have been proposed, resulting in both procoagulant and anticoagulant effects. Additionally, h2GPI has been implicated in the mechanism of recurrent fetal loss entailed in APS. Recently, using a homologous recombination approach, reproduction of mice homozygous for deletion of the b2GPI gene has been feasible. h2GPI knockout mice offer a valuable tool for revealing …

Beta-2 Glycoprotein1: Function In Health And Disease, Spyridon Miyakis, Bill Giannakopoulos, S A. Krilis

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

Beta-2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is the principal target of autoantibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It is abundant in human plasma and shares high homology between different mammalian species. Although the exact physiological function of β2GPI has not been fully elucidated, several interactions have been described with other proteins and with negatively charged surfaces, such as anionic phospholipids, dextran and heparin. β2GPI is involved in the coagulation pathway, exerting both procoagulant and anticoagulant activities. Plasma from β2GPI-deficient mice exhibits impaired thrombin generation in vitro. Recently, it has been demonstrated that β2GPI binds factor (F) XI in vitro at concentrations lower …

Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, And Leucovorin As Adjuvant Treatment For Colon Cancer, Thierry Andre, Corrado Boni, Lamia Mounedji-Boudiaf, Matilde Navarro, Josep Tabernero, Tamas Hickish, Clare Topham, Marta Zaninelli, Phillip Clingan, John Bridgewater, Isabelle Tabah-Fisch, Aimery De Gramont

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

BACKGROUND: The standard adjuvant treatment of colon cancer is fluorouracil plus leucovorin (FL). Oxaliplatin improves the efficacy of this combination in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. We evaluated the efficacy of treatment with FL plus oxaliplatin in the postoperative adjuvant setting. METHODS: We randomly assigned 2246 patients who had undergone curative resection for stage II or III colon cancer to receive FL alone or with oxatiplatin for six months. The primary end point was disease-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 1123 patients were randomly assigned to each group. After a median follow-up of 37.9 months, 237 patients in the group …

Editorial Essay, Jennifer Cypher, Catherine Phillips

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

As we put this issue together the last days of 2003 swirled around us, with all the artifice and artifacts that this time of year seems to generate. The steamy-windowed café where we planned the final week of tasks was full of holiday greenery, all artificial. Part of our conversation revolved around the artifacts still to be purchased or made for friends and family. The reality of our intimate connections with artifacts and artifice seems heightened at this time of year. We buy and bake and celebrate, undeniably caught up in webs of things and crafts and greenery (artificial or …

Determining Rotational Temperatures From The Oh(8-3) Band, And A Comparison With (Oh96-2) Rotational Temperatures At Davis, Antarctica, Frances Phillips, G B. Burns, W J R French, P F B Williams, A R. Klekociuk, R P. Lowe

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

Rotational temperatures derived from the OH(8–3) band may vary by ~18K depending on the choice of transition probabilities. This is of concern when absolute temperatures or trends determined in combination with measurements of other hydroxyl bands are important. In this paper, measurements of the OH(8–3) temperature-insensitive Q/P and R/P line intensity ratios are used to select the most appropriate transition probabilities for use with this band. Aurora, airglow and solar and telluric absorption in the OH(8–3) band are also investigated. Water vapour absorption of P₁(4), airglow or auroral contamination of P₁(2) and solar absorption in the …

Geomagnetic Activity Forcing Of The Northern Annular Mode Via The Stratosphere, Daniel Palamara, Edward Bryant

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

We consider various aspects of the link between solar-modulated geomagnetic activity and the Northern Annular Mode (NAM). Our results indicate that the geomagnetic forcing of atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere is temporally and seasonally restricted, modulated by the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO), and reliant on stratosphere-troposphere coupling. When the data are restricted to January values after 1965, for years in which the January QBO is eastwards, the correlation coefficient between the geomagnetic AA index and the NAM is 0.85. These results can account for many of the enigmatic features of Northern Hemisphere circulation.