Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Semifinite Spectral Triples Associated With Graph C*-Algebras, Alan L. Carey, John Phillips, Adam Rennie

Associate Professor Adam Rennie

We review the recent construction of semifinite spectral triples for graph C^*-algebras. These examples have inspired many other developments and we review some of these such as the relation between the semifinite index and the Kasparov product, examples of noncommutative manifolds, and an index theorem in twisted cyclic theory using a KMS state.

Blood Pressure Is Associated With Markers Of Endogenous Fat Metabolism, K Charlton, E Warensjo, Linda Tapsell, M Batterham, J O'Shea

Karen E. Charlton

No abstract provided.

The Dopamine B-Hydroxylase 19 Bp Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism Was Associated With First-Episode But Not Medicated Chronic Schizophrenia, Li Hui, Xuan Zhang, Xu-Feng Huang, Mei Han, Francesca Fernandez, Yaqin Yu, Shilong Sun, Wenjun Li, Da Chen, Mei Xiu, Thomas Kosten, Xiang Zhang

Xu-Feng Huang

Background: Numerous studies report dysfunctional dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) is an intracellular enzyme catalyzing the conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline. Functional polymorphisms have been reported in the promoter region of DBH gene, including a 19 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was an association between the functional polymorphism (DBH50-Ins/Del) and schizophrenia in a Han Chinese population. Methods: This polymorphism was genotyped in 221 first-episode schizophrenics, 360 chronic schizophrenics and 318 healthy controls using a case-control design. We assessed their psychopathology using the Positive and Negative …

Progress In Optical Dating Of Guano-Rich Sediments Associated With The Deep Skull, West Mouth Of The Great Cave Of Niah, Sarawak, Borneo, Mark Stephens, Richard Roberts, O Lian, Hiroyuki Yoshida

Richard G Roberts

The West Mouth of the Great Cave of Niah is one of the major archaeological sites in Southeast Asia; the radiocarbon chronology of this site currently places the earliest presence of Homo sapiens (a Deep Skull find) in Southeast Asia at about 45 ka BP. An optical dating programme using sand-sized quartz was initiated in the West Mouth to complement the radiocarbon chronology. This paper reports on the progress in dating a key sample (sample 376r) that was taken from deposits containing the Deep Skull. A somewhat novel procedure was developed to separate and clean quartz grains from the unusual …

Optical Dating Of Perennially Frozen Deposits Associated With Preserved Ancient Plant And Animal Dna In North-Central Siberia, Richard Roberts, Lee Arnold, F Brock, E Willerslev, A Tikhonov, R Macphee

Richard G Roberts

No abstract provided.

Single-Grain Optical Dating Of Grave-Infill Associated With Human Burials At Lake Mungo Australia, Jonathon Olley, Richard Roberts, Hiroyuki Yoshida, James M Bowler

Richard G Roberts

Recent age constraints on Australia's oldest human remains (Mungo I and III), found at Lake Mungo in western New South Wales, relied on optical dating of sands from the same stratigraphic units as those into which the remains had been inserted (42±3 ka) and those that overlay the graves (38±2 ka), giving a burial age of 40±2 ka. This indirect means of dating the burials was necessary because the original site from which the remains had been excavated had been completely eroded away. At the time of the original excavation of the Mungo III grave, blocks of sediment from the …

Progress Towards Single-Grain Optical Dating Of Fossil Mud-Wasp Nests And Associated Rock Art In Northern Australia, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Richard Roberts, Jon M Olley

Richard G Roberts

No abstract provided.

Reflex Changes Associated With Anticipatory Postural Adjustments Preceding Voluntary Arm Movements In Standing Humans, Siddharth Vedula, Paul J. Stapley, Robert E. Kearney

Dr Paul J Stapley

Dynamic changes in human stability, such as those induced by upper body movements, are preceded by anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in the rest of the body. We measured the excitability of the stretch reflex of the triceps-surae muscle group during APAs associated with unilateral right arm raises in standing humans. Our results demonstrate that reflex excitability and underlying muscle activity are linked during the APA period, but that they differ in their relative timing. This supports the idea that reflexes are controlled independently of muscle activation.

Maternal Obesity Is Associated With The Formation Of Small Dense Ldl And Hypoadiponectinemia In The Third Trimester, Barbara J. Meyer, Frances M. Stewart, Elizabeth A. Brown, Josephine Cooney, Solveig Nilsson, Gunilla Olivecrona, Jane E. Ramsay, Bruce A. Griffin, Muriel J. Caslake, Dilys J. Freeman

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

CONTEXT: Maternal obesity is associated with high plasma triglyceride, poor vascular function, and an increased risk for pregnancy complications. In normal-weight pregnant women, higher triglyceride is associated with increased small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HYPOTHESIS: In obese pregnancy, increased plasma triglyceride concentrations result in triglyceride enrichment of very low-density lipoprotein-1 particles and formation of small dense LDL via lipoprotein lipase. DESIGN: Women (n = 55) of body mass index of 18-46 kg/m(2) were sampled longitudinally at 12, 26, and 35 weeks' gestation and 4 months postnatally. SETTING: Women were recruited at hospital antenatal appointments, and study visits were in a …

Sediment Disturbance Associated With Trampling By Humans Alters Species Assemblages On A Rocky Intertidal Seashore, Todd E. Minchinton, Katie J. Fels

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

Our observations reveal that species living on rocky intertidal reefs can be positively and negatively associated with increasing sediment load. We therefore tested the hypothesis that sediment disturbance, including increased sediment loads associated with trampling by humans, alters the abundance of macroinvertebrates on a sheltered rocky intertidal platform in southern Australia. First we trampled the reef in shallow water at several disturbance intensities, simulating different numbers of people walking on the platform on a rising tide, and determined that sediment load was directly related to trampling intensity. Trampling displaced sediment, and up to an order of magnitude more sediment accumulated …

Food Groups And Fatty Acids Associated With Self-Reported Depression: An Analysis From The Australian National Nutrition And Health Surveys, Barbara J. Meyer, Nithin Kolanu, David A. Griffiths, Ben Grounds, Peter R. C Howe, Irene A. Kreis

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

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the associations between incidence of depression and dietary intakes of foods and fatty acids in adult Australians. Methods Data from the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS), the 1995 Australian National Health Survey (NHS) and an updated fatty acid database were merged and the 24-h fatty acid intakes were calculated for the 10 986 adult participants ages 18 to 79 y in the 1995 NNS. The merged data set was used to run a logistic regression with depression as the response variable and the food groups and calculated fatty acid values, …

Demographic Patterns Of A Widespread Long-Lived Tree Are Associated With Rainfall And Disturbances Along Rainfall Gradients In Se Australia, Janet S. Cohn, Ian D. Lunt, Ross A. Bradstock, Quan Hua, Simon Mcdonald

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

Predicting species distributions with changing climate has often relied on climatic variables, but increasingly there is recognition that disturbance regimes should also be included in distribution models. We examined how changes in rainfall and disturbances along climatic gradients determined demographic patterns in a widespread and long-lived tree species, Callitris glaucophylla in SE Australia. We examined recruitment since 1950 in relation to annual (200-600 mm) and seasonal (summer, uniform, winter) rainfall gradients, edaphic factors (topography), and disturbance regimes (vertebrate grazing [tenure and species], fire). A switch from recruitment success to failure occurred at 405 mm mean annual rainfall, coincident with a …

Higher Regular Fat Dairy Consumption Is Associated With Lower Incidence Of Metabolic Syndrome But Not Type 2 Diabetes, J C. Y Louie, V M. Flood, A M. Rangan, G Burlutsky, T P. Gill, B Gopinath, P Mitchell

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

Background and aims Limited evidence suggests habitual dairy consumption to be protective against metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) and type 2 diabetes among older adults. We assessed the association of baseline consumption of dairy products with the incidence of MetSyn and type 2 diabetes among a cohort of Australian adults aged 49 years and over. Methods and results A validated 145-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess food and nutrient intake at baseline. Ten-year incidence of MetSyn and type 2 diabetes were obtained from 1807 and 1824 subjects respectively. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by discrete time logistic regression modelling. …

Can Poor Health Literacy Contribute To Potential Side Effects Associated With Buying Over-The-Counter Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs?, J R. Mullan, Judy Mullan, K M. Weston, A Bonney, C Magee

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

No abstract provided.

Glutathionylation Potentiates Benign Superoxide Dismutase 1 Variants To The Toxic Forms Associated With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Luke Mcalary, Justin J. Yerbury, J. Andrew Aquilina

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

Dissociation of superoxide dismutase 1 dimers is enhanced by glutathionylation, although the dissociation constants reported to date are imprecise. We have quantified the discreet dissociation constants for wild-type superoxide dismutase 1 and six naturally occurring sequence variants, in their unmodified and glutathionylated forms, at the ratios expressed. Unmodified superoxide dismutase 1 variants that shared similar dissociation constants with SOD1WT had disproportionately increased dissociation constants when glutathionylated. This defines a key role for glutathionylation in superoxide dismutase 1 associated familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating The Neurocognitive Effects Of Lacprodan® Pl-20, A Phospholipid-Rich Milk Protein Concentrate, In Elderly Participants With Age-Associated Memory Impairment: The Phospholipid Intervention For Cognitive Ageing Reversal (Plicar): Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Andrew B. Scholey, David A. Camfield, Matthew E. Hughes, Will Woods, Con K. Stough, David J. White, Shakuntla V. Gondalia, Pernille D. Frederiksen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Age-related cognitive decline (ARCD) is of major societal concern in an ageing population, with the development of dietary supplements providing a promising avenue for amelioration of associated deficits. Despite initial interest in the use of phospholipids (PLs) for ARCD, in recent years there has been a hiatus in such research. Because of safety concerns regarding PLs derived from bovine cortex, and the equivocal efficacy of soybean-derived PLs, there is an important need for the development of new PL alternatives. Phospholipids derived from milk proteins represent one potential candidate treatment.

Methods: In order to reduce the effects of age-associated memory …

Is Quality Of Diet Associated With The Microvasculature? An Analysis Of Diet Quality And Retinal Vascular Calibre In Older Adults, Bamini Gopinath, Victoria M. Flood, Jie Jin Wang, Elena Rochtchina, Tien Y. Wong, Paul Mitchell

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It is unknown whether diet quality is associated with microvascular structure. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between diet quality, reflecting adherence to dietary guidelines, with retinal microvascular calibre in older adults. The dietary data of 2720 Blue Mountains Eye Study participants, aged 50þ years, were collected using a semi-quantitative FFQ. A modified version of the Healthy Eating Index for Australians was developed to determine total diet scores (TDS). Fundus photographs were taken and retinal vascular calibre measured using computer-assisted techniques and summarised. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, mean arterial blood pressure, smoking, serum glucose, leucocyte count …

Improvement Of Major Depression Is Associated With Increased Erythrocyte Dha, Barbara J. Meyer, Brin F. S Grenyer, Trevor Crowe, Alice J. Owen, Elizabeth M. Grigonis-Deane, Peter R.C Howe

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

The aim of this study was to determine if changes in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status following tuna oil supplementation correlated with changes in scores of depression. A total of 95 volunteers receiving treatment for major depression were randomised to consume 8 × 1 g capsules per day of HiDHA (2 g DHA, 0.6 g EPA and 10 mg Vitamin E) or olive oil (placebo) for 16 weeks, whilst undergoing weekly counseling sessions by trained clinical psychologists using a standard empirically validated psychotherapy. Depression status was assessed using the 17 item Hamilton rating scale for depression and the Beck Depression …

Project Good News - Engaging Priority Cald Communities To Reduce The Stigma Associated With Cancer, Lyn Phillipson, Julie Hall, Leissa Pitts, Tara Hunt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the Innovations in Cancer Services and Care NSW Conference 2013

Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Risk Of Future Diabetes But Not Cardiovascular Disease: A Prospective Study And Meta-Analysis, E G. Holliday, Christopher A. Magee, Leonard Kritharides, Emily Banks, John Attia

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Epidemiologic studies have observed association between short sleep duration and both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes, although these results may reflect confounding by pre-existing illness. This study aimed to determine whether short sleep duration predicts future CVD or type 2 diabetes after accounting for baseline health. Baseline data for 241,949 adults were collected through the 45 and Up Study, an Australian prospective cohort study, with health outcomes identified via electronic database linkage. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals. Compared to 7h sleep, <6h sleep was associated with incident CVD in participants reporting ill-health at baseline (HR=1·38 [95% CI: 1·12-1·70]), but not after excluding those with baseline illness and adjusting for baseline health status (1·03 [0·88-1·21]). In contrast, the risk of incident type 2 diabetes was significantly increased in those with <6h versus 7h sleep, even after excluding those with baseline illness and adjusting for baseline health (HR=1·29 [1·08-1·53], P=0.004). This suggests the association is valid and does not simply reflect confounding or reverse causation. Meta-analysis of ten prospective studies including 447,124 participants also confirmed an association between short sleep and incident diabetes (1·33 [1·20-1·48]). Obtaining less than 6 hours of sleep each night (compared to 7 hours) may increase type 2 diabetes risk by approximately 30%.