Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

穴位按壓對護理之家住民便秘成效之研究, Hui Chen Chang, Su-Ching Kuo, Pei Ying Chen, Hui-Wen Chien

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

The purpose of this study is to compare the acupressure program with abdominal massage and laxatives for constipation in elderly nursing home residents. An experimental research design was conducted in two nursing homes in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, with ninety elderly (aged over sixty-five years) nursing home residents who experienced bowel openings less than twice a week.

Subjects were assigned to three groups randomly, one is control group (with laxatives only), and the other two are experimental groups (one with laxatives and abdominal massage and the other with laxatives, acupressure and abdominal massage). The research was performed over 10 days. A …

Analysis Of Kinetic Intermediates In Single-Particle Dwell-Time Distributions, Daniel L. Floyd, Stephen C. Harrison, Antoine M. Van Oijen

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

Many biological and chemical processes proceed through one or more intermediate steps. Statistical analysis of dwell-time distributions from single molecule trajectories enables the study of intermediate steps that are not directly observable. Here, we discuss the application of the randomness parameter and model fitting in determining the number of steps in a stochastic process. Through simulated examples, we show some of the limitations of these techniques. We discuss how shot noise and heterogeneity among the transition rates of individual steps affect how accurately the number of steps can be determined. Finally, we explore dynamic disorder in multistep reactions and show …

Dumping, Sweeping And Trampling: Experimental Micromorphological Analysis Of Anthropogenically Modified Combustion Features, Christopher E. Miller, Nicholas J. Conard, Paul Goldberg, Francesco Berna

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

Six experimental fireplaces were constructed to investigate the ability of micromorphology to identify anthropogenic reworking of combustion features and to build a reference base of experimentally-derived conditions to calibrate micromorphological conditions. After burning, the fireplaces were either swept out, swept out and the material dumped, trampled, or a combination of these three. Micromorphological examination showed that these processes produce distinct characteristics readily identifiable at the microscopic scale. The application of this experiment to combustion-related features at the Paleolithic site of Hohle Fels in Germany showed that micromorphological examination of anthropogenic deposits-supported by experimental observations -provides an important context in which …

Using Generalised Dissimilarity Models And Many Small Samples To Improve The Efficiency Of Regional And Landscape Scale Invertebrate Sampling, Michael B. Ashcroft, John R. Gollan, Daniel P. Faith, Gareth A. Carter, Scott A. Lassau, Scott G. Ginn, Matthew W. Bulbert, Gerasimos Cassis

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

It is rarely cost-effective to survey invertebrates for use in systematic conservation planning activities. The efficiency of sampling methods needs to be improved, and this is especially important at landscape and regional scales. We investigated two methods that could be used to improve regional scale sampling efficiency using a case study of ants, beetles, flies, bugs, spiders and wasps from the semi-arid Pilbara region of Western Australia. First, Generalised Dissimilarity Models (GDMs) were used to divide the region into landscapes with relatively homogeneous communities and environmental conditions. We found that some of these landscapes were large, and a low sampling …

Implementing Evidence-Based Practice In Taiwanese Nursing Homes Attitudes And Perceived Barriers And Facilitators, Hui Chen Chang, Cherry Russell, Mairwen Jones

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

To date, there is a paucity of research investigating nurses' perceptions of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing homes, especially in non-Western countries. This descriptive, quantitative study investigated attitudes toward and perceived barriers and facilitators to research utilization among 89 Taiwanese RNs. The majority of nurses expressed positive attitudes toward research and EBP. The most frequently cited barriers were related to insufficient authority to change practice, difficulty understanding statistical analyses, and a perceived isolation from knowledgeable colleagues with whom to discuss the research. EBP facilitators included improved access to computers and Internet facilities in the workplace, more effective research training, and …

Development And Early Experience From An Intervention To Facilitate Teamwork Between General Practices And Allied Health Providers: The Team-Link Study, Mark Fort Harris, Bibiana Chan, Christopher Daniel, Qing Wan, Nicholas Zwar, Gawaine Powell Davies

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

Abstract. Background. This paper describes the development and implementation of an intervention to facilitate teamwork between general practice and outside allied and community health services and providers. Methods. A review of organizational theory and a qualitative study of 9 practices was used to design an intervention which was applied in four Divisions of General Practice and 26 urban practices. Clinical record review and qualitative interviews with participants were used to determine the key lessons from its implementation. Results. Facilitating teamwork across organizational boundaries was very challenging. The quality of the relationship between professionals was of key importance. This was enabled …

Influenza Outbreaks During World Youth Day 2008 Mass Gathering, Christopher C. Blyth, Hong Foo, Sebastiaan J. Van Hal, Aeron C. Hurt, Ian G. Barr, Ken Mcphie, Paul K. Armstrong, William D. Rawlinson, Vicky Sheppeard, Stephen Conaty, Michael Staff, Dominic E. Dwyer, V Sintchenko, G L. Gilbert, N Komadina, R Shaw, S Adamson, J Fizzell, P M. Fennell, F Ba Alawi, S Corbett, K Weston, G Truman, O Nguyen, J Paterson, S Gabriele, C Moreira, B Forssman, M Cretikos, P Maywood, V Bowden, C Lowbridge, S Williams, M Torres, L Heron

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

Influenza outbreaks during mass gatherings have been rarely described, and detailed virologic assessment is lacking. An influenza outbreak occurred during World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, July 2008 (WYD2008). We assessed epidemiologic data and respiratory samples collected from attendees who sought treatment for influenza-like illness at emergency clinics in Sydney during this outbreak. Isolated influenza viruses were compared with seasonal influenza viruses from the 2008 influenza season. From 100 infected attendees, numerous strains were identified: oseltamivir-resistant influenza A (H1N1) viruses, oseltamivir-sensitive influenza A (H1N1) viruses, influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and strains from both influenza B lineages (B/Florida/4/2006-like and B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like). Novel …

Sensitivity Of The Female Rat To Olanzapine-Induced Weight Gain - Far From The Clinic?, Katrina Weston-Green, Xu-Feng Huang, Chao Deng

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

Dear Editor, The recent paper by Chintoh and colleagues (2008) reporting olanzapine-induced dysfunction in glucose metabolism, enhanced visceral fat and reduced locomotor activity in female rats was highly interesting as it illustrated olanzapine’s ability to replicate aspects of metabolic dysfunction in the rodent model in a similar manner to the human scenario. However, contrary to previous reports in the rat and the clinic, the authors reported no change in body weight or food intake following olanzapine treatment, questioning the validity of the rat model.................

What Is The Mechanism For Aripiprazole's Effect On Reducing Olanzapine-Associated Obesity?, Chao Deng, J-Z Chen, Changhua Hu, Xu-Feng Huang

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

We read with great interest Henderson and colleagues’ paper in your journal (2009; 29:165–169), which reported that aripiprazole reduced olanzapine-induced overweight/obesity and hyperlipidemia in a 10-week placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study. This and their previous studies, provide a new way for controlling olanzapine- and clozapine-induced weight gain/obesity using another atypical antipsychotic, even without reducing the original olanzapine and clozapine doses, which is important particularly for treatment of refractory schizophrenia patients. ....

Building Capacity In Medical Education Research In Australia, Ian G. Wilson

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

ANZAME (the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medical Education) shares two significant concerns about medical education in Australia that were raised in articles published recently in the Journal.

Lipids And Alzheimer's Disease, Brett Garner

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

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) worldwide is around 18 million. The prevalence of AD doubles every five years between 65 and 85 years of age and it is estimated that due to the ageing population, 34 million people will suffer from AD by 2025. The WHO has also stated that if AD onset were delayed by 5 years, the number of cases worldwide could be halved. Currently there are no curative or disease-stalling treatments for AD and a major research effort is underway in order to better understand the …

Variation In Seagrass Biomass Estimates In Low And High Density Settings: Implications For The Selection Of Sample Size, Mustafa K. Hossain, Kerrylee Rogers, Neil Saintilan

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

Few seagrass biomass monitoring studies have considered the adequacy of monitoring intensity in their design. Power analysis is now widely used in ecological monitoring to determine sample size (replication) and the power (probability of not making a Type II error) of the monitoring design to detect change (effect size). We investigated seasonal variation of above-ground biomass of Zostera species at Woolooware Bay, Botany Bay, NSW and Ukerebagh Channel, Tweed River, NSW to show that seagrass biomass varies significantly between sites and seasonally. By conducting preliminary power analysis at each study site we found that our sampling design would only detect …

Sessional Teachers In A Bn Program: Bridging The Divide Or Widening The Gap?, Sharon Andrew, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Debra Jackson, Kath Peters, Yenna Salamonson

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

Casualisation of the academic workforce has resulted in an increase in the employment of sessional teachers in Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programs. Many of these teachers are drawn from specialty clinical areas and continue to work clinically while teaching part-time. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of sessional teachers about their perceived contribution to an undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing program in a single Australian university. Twelve sessional teachers participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a larger mixed method study exploring the issues related to sessional teaching in the Bachelor of Nursing program. Three themes emerged …

Development Of A Clinician-Led Research Agenda For General Practice Nurses, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Louise Hickman

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

Objective: This study sought to identify and prioritise research issues as perceived by Australian general practice nurses. In this context, a research priority refers to the most pressing research problems that necessitate exploration to improve clinical practice. Design: This paper reports the findings of a two-round Delphi study. Initially, focus groups identified research issues. Subsequently, an online survey facilitated ranking of these issues on a 5-point Likert scale. Setting: Australian general practices. Subjects: Twenty-five practice nurses participated in the focus groups and 145 practice nurses responded to an online survey. Main outcome measure(s): The main outcome measure was the prioritisation …

Selection Of Integration Time Intervals For Quartz Osl Decay Curves, Alastair C. Cunningham, Jakob Wallinga

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

In quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocols, an initial integral of the OSL decay curve is used in the calculation of equivalent dose, once a background integral has been subtracted. Because the OSL signal commonly contains a number of exponentially decaying components, the exact choice of time intervals used for the initial-signal and background integrals determines the composition of the net signal. Here we investigate which combination of time intervals will produce the net signal most dominated by the fast OSL component, while keeping an acceptable level of precision. Using a three-component model of OSL decay, we show that …

Membrane Fatty Acid Composition And Longevity Of Mammals And Birds, Anthony J. Hulbert, Magdalene Trzcionka, William A. Buttemer

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

The fatty acid composition of membrane lipids varies systematically among species in a manner that is consistent with their metabolic rate and longevity. Because the susceptibility of fatty acids to peroxidation relates directly to their extent of unsaturation, it is possible to calculate a peroxidation index (PI) for membranes through characterization of their specific fatty acid composition. Long-living mammals and birds have membrane lipids with a lower PI than shorter-living species. Bird and mammal species with the same maximum life span also have membrane lipids with essentially the same PI. Exceptionally long-living mammals and birds usually have membrane lipids high …

Hydroxyl Radicals In The Tropical Troposphere Over The Suriname Rainforest: Comparison Of Measurements With The Box Model Mecca, Dagmar Kubistin, H Harder, M Martinez, M Rudolf, R Sander, H Bozem, G Eerdekens, H Fischer, C Gurk, T Klupfel, R Konigstedt, U Parchatka, C L. Schiller, A Stickler, D Taraborrelli, J Williams, J Lelieveld

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

As a major source region of the hydroxyl radical OH, the Tropics largely control the oxidation capacity of the atmosphere on a global scale. However, emissions of hydrocarbons from the tropical rainforest that react rapidly with OH can potentially deplete the amount of OH and thereby reduce the oxidation capacity. The airborne GABRIEL field campaign in equatorial South America (Suriname) in October 2005 investigated the influence of the tropical rainforest on the HOx budget (HOx = OH + HO2). The first observations of OH and HO2 over a tropical rainforest are compared to steady state concentrations calculated with the atmospheric …

Morpho Tectonic Units Of The Zagros Orogenic Belt, Ne Iraq: A Modern Analogue For Subduction Accretion Processes, Sarmad A. Ali, Brian Jones, Solomon Buckman, Sabah Ismail, Khalid Aswad

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

The Zagros Mountain Belt extends over more than 1800 km through Iraq and southern Iran in front of the Zagros Mountain chain. It forms the boundary between the Iranian Plateau and the Mesopotamian and Gulf basins (Fig. 1). It can be subdivided geomorphologically into: the High Zagros Belt and the Zagros Simply Folded Belt separated by the High Zagros Fault (Berberian and King, 1981; Falcon, 1974; Stockline, 1968). From a tectonic point of view, however, five zones along the length of the Zagros Orogenic Belt can be distinguished (e.g. Stocklin, 1974, 1986; Falcon, 1974; Sten, 1985; Berberian, 1995): the Zagros …

Teaching In The Simulated Learning Environment, Leeanne Heaton

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

Abstract of a presentation that was presented at SimTecT Health 2010, 30 August - 2 September, Melbourne, Australia.

Student Nurses' Experience Of Simulation In Preparation For Practice, Angela Hope, Joanne Garside, Stephen Prescott

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

No abstract provided.

Simulation Assessment: How Successful Is It?, Joanne Garside, Angela Hope, Stephen Prescott

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

No abstract provided.

Student Nurses' Experience Of Simulation In Preparation For Practice, Stephen Prescott, Joanne Garside, Angela Hope

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

At the University of Huddersfield the acquisition of skills and underpinning knowledge through simulation has been firmly embedded into the pre-registration nursing curriculum. This workshop will provide a summary of a pilot project on student evaluation, and the outcomes from a phenomenological study involving final year nursing students' experiences of simulation throughout the curriculum. Simulation took several differing approaches in order to maximize learning opportunities and provide innovative assessment strategies.

The Effect Of A Tiered Body Armour System On Soldier Physical Mobility, Gregory Peoples, Aaron Silk, Sean Notley, Laura Holland, Brooke Collier, Daniel Lee

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

Current military operations involve complex omnipresent threats, resulting in the need for all soldiers, regardless of occupational speciality, to wear body armour during operational deployment. Body armour is typically comprised of both hard and soft armour and is designed to provide ballistic, fragmentation and stab protection. The weight load and bulk of body armour, which is influenced by the materials used and extent of hard and soft armour coverage of the body, has the potential to affect a soldiers physical mobility on the battlefield. Intuitively it would appear logical that as the external load a soldier carries increases there is …

Examining The Knowledge Of And Attitudes To Pandemic Influenza Among General Practice Staff, Holly Seale, Kirsten Ward, Nicholas Zwar, Debbie Van, Julie Leask, C Raina Macintyre

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

Objective: To assess the views, needs and intended behaviour of general practitioners and practice nurses (PNs) regarding pandemic influenza. Design, setting and participants: A postal survey of GPs and PNs in four Divisions of General Practice in New South Wales, selected to represent a diverse sample of practices from inner-city, semi-urban and rural areas. The study was undertaken from 1 February to 1 April 2009. Main outcome measures: GPs' and PNs' responses to survey statements assessing their awareness and perceived personal risk, intended behaviour in the event of a pandemic, and expectations surrounding antivirals, vaccine and personal and family protection. …

Experience In Implementation Of Cardiovascular Absolute Risk Assessment And Management In Australian General Practice, Qing Wan, Mark Fort Harris, Nicholas Zwar, Sanjyot Vagholkar, Lynn Kemp, Terry Campbell

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

Cardiovascular absolute risk (CVAR) assessment (the probability of a cardiovascular event over 5 or 10 years calculated from multiple risk factors) has been recommended as a means of more accurately tailoring cardiovascular disease primary prevention strategies to the patient's risk level (1-4). Although the use of CVAR assessment has been advocated for some time, the lack of an implementation strategy has hindered its translation from guideline into practice both in Australia (5-8) and overseas (9-11). Our team has developed a theoretical implementation model of CVAR assessment and management using multiple strategies to encourage use (12,13).

B Cell-Intrinsic Signaling Through Il-21 Receptor And Stat3 Is Required For Establishing Long-Lived Antibody Responses In Humans, Danielle T. Avery, Elissa K. Deenick, Cindy S. Ma, Santi Suryani, Nicholas Simpson, Gary Y. J Chew, Tyani D. Chan, Umamainthan Palendira, Jacinta Bustamante, Stéphanie Boisson-Dupuis, Sharon Choo, Karl E. Bleasel, Jane Peake, Cecile King, Martyn French, Dan Engelhard, Sami Al-Hajjar, Saleh Al-Muhsen, Klaus Magdorf, Joachim Roesler, Peter D. Arkwright, Pravin Hissaria, D. Sean Riminton, Melanie Wong, Robert Brink, David A. Fulcher, Jean-Laurent Casanova, Matthew C. Cook, Stuart Tangye

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

Engagement of cytokine receptors by specific ligands activate Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways. The exact roles of STATs in human lymphocyte behavior remain incompletely defined. Interleukin (IL)-21 activates STAT1 and STAT3 and has emerged as a potent regulator of B cell differentiation. We have studied patients with inactivating mutations in STAT1 or STAT3 to dissect their contribution to B cell function in vivo and in response to IL-21 in vitro. STAT3 mutations dramatically reduced the number of functional, antigen (Ag)-specific memory B cells and abolished the ability of IL-21 to induce naive B cells to …

Developing Essential Nursing Dvds: A Collaborative Project, Stephen Prescott, Angela Hope, Michael Fisher

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

No abstract provided.

Simulation - The Next Generation, Barbara Wood, Angela Hope

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

No abstract provided.

Single-Molecule Binding Experiments On Long Time Scales, Mark P. Elenko, Jack W. Szostak, Antoine M. Van Oijen

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

We describe an approach for performing single-molecule binding experiments on time scales from hours to days, allowing for the observation of slower kinetics than have been previously investigated by single-molecule techniques. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy is used to image the binding of labeled ligand to molecules specifically coupled to the surface of an optically transparent flow cell. Long-duration experiments are enabled by ensuring sufficient positional, chemical, thermal, and imagestability. Principal components of this experimental stability include illumination timing, solution replacement, and chemical treatment of solution to reduce photodamage and photobleaching; and autofocusing to correct for spatial drift.

Quit In General Practice: A Cluster Randomised Trial Of Enhanced In-Practice Support For Smoking Cessation, Nicholas Arnold Zwar, Robyn Richmond, Elizabeth Halcomb, John Furler, Julie Smith, Oshana Hermiz, Irene Blackberry, Ron Borland

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

Background This study will test the uptake and effectiveness of a flexible package of smoking cessation support provided primarily by the practice nurse (PN) and tailored to meet the needs of a diversity of patients. Methods/Design This study is a cluster randomised trial, with practices allocated to one of three groups 1) Quit with Practice Nurse 2) Quitline referral 3) GP usual care. PNs from practices randomised to the intervention group will receive a training course in smoking cessation followed by access to mentoring. GPs from practices randomised to the Quitline referral group will receive information about the study and …