What fooled us in the knee may trip us up in the hip: Lessons from arthroscopy
- Kemp, Joanne, Crossley, Kay, Roos, Ewa, Ratzlaff, Charles
- Authors: Kemp, Joanne , Crossley, Kay , Roos, Ewa , Ratzlaff, Charles
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 48, no. 16 (2014), p. 1200-1201
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Editorial
- Description: C1
- Authors: Kemp, Joanne , Crossley, Kay , Roos, Ewa , Ratzlaff, Charles
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 48, no. 16 (2014), p. 1200-1201
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Editorial
- Description: C1
Women's access needs in maternity care in rural Tasmania, Australia : a mixed methods study
- Hoang, Ha, Le, Quynh, Terry, Daniel
- Authors: Hoang, Ha , Le, Quynh , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Women and Birth Vol. 27, no. 1 (2014), p. 9-14
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: This study investigates (i) maternity care access issues in rural Tasmania, (ii) rural women's challenges in accessing maternity services and (iii) rural women's access needs in maternity services. Methods: A mixed-method approach using a survey and semi-structured interviews was conducted. The survey explored women's views of rural maternity services from antenatal to postnatal care, while interviews reinforced the survey results and provided insights into the access issues and needs of women in maternity care. Findings: The survey was completed by n=210 women, with a response rate of 35%, with n=22 follow-up interviews being conducted. The survey indicated the majority of rural women believed antenatal education and check-ups and postnatal check-ups should be provided locally. The majority of women surveyed also believed in the importance of having a maternity unit in the local hospital, which was further iterated and clarified within the interviews. Three main themes emerged from the interview data, namely (i) lack of access to maternity services, (ii) difficulties in accessing maternity services, and (iii) rural women's access needs. Conclusion: The study suggested that women's access needs are not fully met in some rural areas of Tasmania. Rural women face many challenges when accessing maternity services, including financial burden and risk of labouring en route. The study supports the claim that the closure of rural maternity units shifts cost and risk from the health care system to rural women and their families. © 2013 Australian College of Midwives.
- Authors: Hoang, Ha , Le, Quynh , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Women and Birth Vol. 27, no. 1 (2014), p. 9-14
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: This study investigates (i) maternity care access issues in rural Tasmania, (ii) rural women's challenges in accessing maternity services and (iii) rural women's access needs in maternity services. Methods: A mixed-method approach using a survey and semi-structured interviews was conducted. The survey explored women's views of rural maternity services from antenatal to postnatal care, while interviews reinforced the survey results and provided insights into the access issues and needs of women in maternity care. Findings: The survey was completed by n=210 women, with a response rate of 35%, with n=22 follow-up interviews being conducted. The survey indicated the majority of rural women believed antenatal education and check-ups and postnatal check-ups should be provided locally. The majority of women surveyed also believed in the importance of having a maternity unit in the local hospital, which was further iterated and clarified within the interviews. Three main themes emerged from the interview data, namely (i) lack of access to maternity services, (ii) difficulties in accessing maternity services, and (iii) rural women's access needs. Conclusion: The study suggested that women's access needs are not fully met in some rural areas of Tasmania. Rural women face many challenges when accessing maternity services, including financial burden and risk of labouring en route. The study supports the claim that the closure of rural maternity units shifts cost and risk from the health care system to rural women and their families. © 2013 Australian College of Midwives.
Acute whole body UVA irradiation combined with nitrate ingestion enhances time trial performance in trained cyclists
- Muggeridge, David, Sculthorpe, Nicholas, Grace, Fergal, Willis, Gareth, Thornhill, Laurence, Weller, Richard, James, Philip, Easton, Chris
- Authors: Muggeridge, David , Sculthorpe, Nicholas , Grace, Fergal , Willis, Gareth , Thornhill, Laurence , Weller, Richard , James, Philip , Easton, Chris
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nitric Oxide : Biology and Chemistry Vol. 48, no. (2015), p. 3-9
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Dietary nitrate supplementation has been shown to increase nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, reduce blood pressure (BP) and enhance exercise performance. Acute exposure to ultraviolet (UV)-A light also increases NO bioavailability and reduces BP. We conducted a randomized, counterbalanced placebo-controlled trial to determine the effects of UV-A light alone and in combination with nitrate on the responses to sub-maximal steady-state exercise and time trial (TT) performance. Nine cyclists (VO2max 53.1 +/- 4.4 ml/kg/min) completed five performance trials comprising 10 min submaximal steady-state cycling followed by a 16.1 km TT. Following a familiarization the final four trials were preceded, in random order, by either (1) Nitrate gels (NIT) + UV-A, (2) Placebo (PLA) + UV-A, (3) NIT + Sham light (SHAM) and (4) PLA + SHAM (control). The NIT gels (2 x 60 ml gels, ~8.1 mmol nitrate) or a low-nitrate PLA were ingested 2.5 h prior to the trial. The light exposure consisted of 20 J/cm(2) whole body irradiation with either UV-A or SHAM light. Plasma nitrite was measured pre- and post-irradiation and VO2 was measured continuously during steady-state exercise. Plasma nitrite was higher for NIT + SHAM (geometric mean (95% CI), 332 (292-377) nM; P = 0.029) and NIT + UV-A (456 (312-666) nM; P = 0.014) compared to PLA + SHAM (215 (167-277) nM). Differences between PLA + SHAM and PLA + UV-A (282 (248-356) nM) were small and non-significant. During steady-state exercise VO2 was reduced following NIT + UVA (P = 0.034) and tended to be lower in NIT + SHAM (P = 0.086) but not PLA + UV-A (P = 0.381) compared to PLA + SHAM. Performance in the TT was significantly faster following NIT + UV-A (mean +/- SD 1447 +/- 41 s P = 0.005; d = 0.47), but not PLA + UV-A (1450 +/- 40 s; d = 0.41) or NIT + SHAM (1455 +/- 47 s; d = 0.28) compared to PLA + SHAM (1469 +/- 52 s). These findings demonstrate that exposure to UV-A light alone does not alter the physiological responses to exercise or improve performance in a laboratory setting. A combination of UV-A and NIT, however, does improve cycling TT performance in this environment, which may be due to a larger increase in NO availability.
- Authors: Muggeridge, David , Sculthorpe, Nicholas , Grace, Fergal , Willis, Gareth , Thornhill, Laurence , Weller, Richard , James, Philip , Easton, Chris
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nitric Oxide : Biology and Chemistry Vol. 48, no. (2015), p. 3-9
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Dietary nitrate supplementation has been shown to increase nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, reduce blood pressure (BP) and enhance exercise performance. Acute exposure to ultraviolet (UV)-A light also increases NO bioavailability and reduces BP. We conducted a randomized, counterbalanced placebo-controlled trial to determine the effects of UV-A light alone and in combination with nitrate on the responses to sub-maximal steady-state exercise and time trial (TT) performance. Nine cyclists (VO2max 53.1 +/- 4.4 ml/kg/min) completed five performance trials comprising 10 min submaximal steady-state cycling followed by a 16.1 km TT. Following a familiarization the final four trials were preceded, in random order, by either (1) Nitrate gels (NIT) + UV-A, (2) Placebo (PLA) + UV-A, (3) NIT + Sham light (SHAM) and (4) PLA + SHAM (control). The NIT gels (2 x 60 ml gels, ~8.1 mmol nitrate) or a low-nitrate PLA were ingested 2.5 h prior to the trial. The light exposure consisted of 20 J/cm(2) whole body irradiation with either UV-A or SHAM light. Plasma nitrite was measured pre- and post-irradiation and VO2 was measured continuously during steady-state exercise. Plasma nitrite was higher for NIT + SHAM (geometric mean (95% CI), 332 (292-377) nM; P = 0.029) and NIT + UV-A (456 (312-666) nM; P = 0.014) compared to PLA + SHAM (215 (167-277) nM). Differences between PLA + SHAM and PLA + UV-A (282 (248-356) nM) were small and non-significant. During steady-state exercise VO2 was reduced following NIT + UVA (P = 0.034) and tended to be lower in NIT + SHAM (P = 0.086) but not PLA + UV-A (P = 0.381) compared to PLA + SHAM. Performance in the TT was significantly faster following NIT + UV-A (mean +/- SD 1447 +/- 41 s P = 0.005; d = 0.47), but not PLA + UV-A (1450 +/- 40 s; d = 0.41) or NIT + SHAM (1455 +/- 47 s; d = 0.28) compared to PLA + SHAM (1469 +/- 52 s). These findings demonstrate that exposure to UV-A light alone does not alter the physiological responses to exercise or improve performance in a laboratory setting. A combination of UV-A and NIT, however, does improve cycling TT performance in this environment, which may be due to a larger increase in NO availability.
Agility and change-of-direction speed are independent skills: Implications for training for agility in invasion sports
- Young, Warren, Dawson, Brian, Henry, Greg
- Authors: Young, Warren , Dawson, Brian , Henry, Greg
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Vol. 10, no. 1 (2015), p. 159-169
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This review explores the differences between agility in invasion sports (defined as including reactive decision-making) and change-of-direction speed (CODS), and highlights the implications for training. Correlations between agility tests and CODS tests indicate that they represent independent skills. Agility tests discriminate higher-from lower-standard athletes better than CODS tests, indicating that the cognitive element of agility is important to performance. Training studies have shown that the development of strength qualities can transfer to gains in CODS, but this has never been shown for agility. There is some evidence that the importance of physical qualities is greater for CODS than for agility. It was concluded that the reactive element should be included in agility training, testing and research. While there appears to be no research evidence for the benefits of strength and power training, there is some support for the use of small-sided games for improving agility.
- Authors: Young, Warren , Dawson, Brian , Henry, Greg
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching Vol. 10, no. 1 (2015), p. 159-169
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This review explores the differences between agility in invasion sports (defined as including reactive decision-making) and change-of-direction speed (CODS), and highlights the implications for training. Correlations between agility tests and CODS tests indicate that they represent independent skills. Agility tests discriminate higher-from lower-standard athletes better than CODS tests, indicating that the cognitive element of agility is important to performance. Training studies have shown that the development of strength qualities can transfer to gains in CODS, but this has never been shown for agility. There is some evidence that the importance of physical qualities is greater for CODS than for agility. It was concluded that the reactive element should be included in agility training, testing and research. While there appears to be no research evidence for the benefits of strength and power training, there is some support for the use of small-sided games for improving agility.
Examining the accuracy and in-game performance effects between pre- and post-performance routines : A mixed methods study
- Mesagno, Christopher, Hill, Denise, Larkin, Paul
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Hill, Denise , Larkin, Paul
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology of Sport and Exercise Vol. 19, no. (2015), p. 85-94
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: Researchers have identified that pre-performance routines improve performance under pressure, yet have not investigated the effects of post-performance routines. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether the type of performance routine training could improve tenpin bowling accuracy and in-game performance. Design: A mixed-method design was adopted, whereby the impact of a performance routine intervention on performance accuracy and in-game performance was examined. This was followed by participants completing semi-structured interviews which explored the perceived effect of those routines. Method: Thirty-six experienced tenpin bowlers completed 30 accuracy shots pre- and post-intervention training, with league scores obtained for in-game performance comparison. Four groups (i.e., pre-performance routine [PPR], post-performance routine [POST], combined pre-post routine, and a control group) practiced 12 games across four weeks while listening to the group specific routine instruction on an IPod. Results: It was noted that accuracy improved (albeit non-significantly) for the PPR and combined pre-post routine group, but not the other groups. Critically, all intervention groups (PPR, POST & COMBO) improved in-game performance. The qualitative data indicated that both the PPR and POST was perceived to influence positively performance, attentional and emotional control, self-awareness, self-confidence, motivation. The PPR was also considered to enhance a state of readiness, and perceived control. Conclusions: Results indicate that the PPR training enhanced accuracy and in-game performance, with the POST training acting as a supportive role for in-game performance as evidenced by the qualitative and quantitative data. Future research should continue to investigate the effects of POSTs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Authors: Mesagno, Christopher , Hill, Denise , Larkin, Paul
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology of Sport and Exercise Vol. 19, no. (2015), p. 85-94
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: Researchers have identified that pre-performance routines improve performance under pressure, yet have not investigated the effects of post-performance routines. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to examine whether the type of performance routine training could improve tenpin bowling accuracy and in-game performance. Design: A mixed-method design was adopted, whereby the impact of a performance routine intervention on performance accuracy and in-game performance was examined. This was followed by participants completing semi-structured interviews which explored the perceived effect of those routines. Method: Thirty-six experienced tenpin bowlers completed 30 accuracy shots pre- and post-intervention training, with league scores obtained for in-game performance comparison. Four groups (i.e., pre-performance routine [PPR], post-performance routine [POST], combined pre-post routine, and a control group) practiced 12 games across four weeks while listening to the group specific routine instruction on an IPod. Results: It was noted that accuracy improved (albeit non-significantly) for the PPR and combined pre-post routine group, but not the other groups. Critically, all intervention groups (PPR, POST & COMBO) improved in-game performance. The qualitative data indicated that both the PPR and POST was perceived to influence positively performance, attentional and emotional control, self-awareness, self-confidence, motivation. The PPR was also considered to enhance a state of readiness, and perceived control. Conclusions: Results indicate that the PPR training enhanced accuracy and in-game performance, with the POST training acting as a supportive role for in-game performance as evidenced by the qualitative and quantitative data. Future research should continue to investigate the effects of POSTs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Generation of a Novel Bacteriophage Library displaying scFv antibody fragments from the natural Buffalo host to identify antigens from adult Schistosoma japonicum for diagnostic development
- Hosking, Christopher, McWilliam, Hamish, Driguez, Patrick, Piedrafita, David, Li, Yuesheng, McManus, Donald, Ilag, Leodevico, Meeusen, Els, De Veer, Michael
- Authors: Hosking, Christopher , McWilliam, Hamish , Driguez, Patrick , Piedrafita, David , Li, Yuesheng , McManus, Donald , Ilag, Leodevico , Meeusen, Els , De Veer, Michael
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Vol. 9, no. 12 (2015), p. 1-20
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The development of effective diagnostic tools will be essential in the continuing fight to reduce schistosome infection; however, the diagnostic tests available to date are generally laborious and difficult to implement in current parasite control strategies. We generated a series of single-chain antibody Fv domain (scFv) phage display libraries from the portal lymph node of field exposed water buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis, 11–12 days post challenge with Schistosoma japonicum cercariae. The selected scFv-phages showed clear enrichment towards adult schistosomes and excretory-secretory (ES) proteins by immunofluorescence, ELISA and western blot analysis. The enriched libraries were used to probe a schistosome specific protein microarray resulting in the recognition of a number of proteins, five of which were specific to schistosomes, with RNA expression predominantly in the adult life-stage based on interrogation of schistosome expressed sequence tags (EST). As the libraries were enriched by panning against ES products, these antigens may be excreted or secreted into the host vasculature and hence may make good targets for a diagnostic assay. Further selection of the scFv library against infected mouse sera identified five soluble scFv clones that could selectively recognise soluble whole adult preparations (SWAP) relative to an irrelevant protein control (ovalbumin). Furthermore, two of the identified scFv clones also selectively recognised SWAP proteins when spiked into naïve mouse sera. These host B-cell derived scFvs that specifically bind to schistosome protein preparations will be valuable reagents for further development of a cost effective point-of-care diagnostic test. © 2015 Hosking et al.
- Authors: Hosking, Christopher , McWilliam, Hamish , Driguez, Patrick , Piedrafita, David , Li, Yuesheng , McManus, Donald , Ilag, Leodevico , Meeusen, Els , De Veer, Michael
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Vol. 9, no. 12 (2015), p. 1-20
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The development of effective diagnostic tools will be essential in the continuing fight to reduce schistosome infection; however, the diagnostic tests available to date are generally laborious and difficult to implement in current parasite control strategies. We generated a series of single-chain antibody Fv domain (scFv) phage display libraries from the portal lymph node of field exposed water buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis, 11–12 days post challenge with Schistosoma japonicum cercariae. The selected scFv-phages showed clear enrichment towards adult schistosomes and excretory-secretory (ES) proteins by immunofluorescence, ELISA and western blot analysis. The enriched libraries were used to probe a schistosome specific protein microarray resulting in the recognition of a number of proteins, five of which were specific to schistosomes, with RNA expression predominantly in the adult life-stage based on interrogation of schistosome expressed sequence tags (EST). As the libraries were enriched by panning against ES products, these antigens may be excreted or secreted into the host vasculature and hence may make good targets for a diagnostic assay. Further selection of the scFv library against infected mouse sera identified five soluble scFv clones that could selectively recognise soluble whole adult preparations (SWAP) relative to an irrelevant protein control (ovalbumin). Furthermore, two of the identified scFv clones also selectively recognised SWAP proteins when spiked into naïve mouse sera. These host B-cell derived scFvs that specifically bind to schistosome protein preparations will be valuable reagents for further development of a cost effective point-of-care diagnostic test. © 2015 Hosking et al.
Increased expression of telomere-regulating genes in endurance athletes with long leukocyte telomeres
- Denham, Joshua, O'Brien, Brendan, Prestes, Priscilla, Brown, Nicholas, Charchar, Fadi
- Authors: Denham, Joshua , O'Brien, Brendan , Prestes, Priscilla , Brown, Nicholas , Charchar, Fadi
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Physiology Vol. 120, no. 2 (2015), p. 148-158
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1009490
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Leukocyte telomeres shorten with age, and excessive shortening is associated with age-related cardiometabolic diseases. Exercise training may prevent disease through telomere length maintenance although the optimal amount of exercise that attenuates telomere attrition is unknown. Furthermore, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the enhanced telomere maintenance observed in endurance athletes is poorly understood. We quantified the leukocyte telomere length and analyzed the expression of telomere-regulating genes in endurance athletes and healthy controls (both n = 61), using quantitative PCR. We found endurance athletes have significantly longer (7.1%, 208-416 nt) leukocyte telomeres and upregulated TERT (2.0-fold) and TPP1 (1.3-fold) mRNA expression compared with controls in age-adjusted analysis. The telomere length and telomere-regulating gene expression differences were no longer statistically significant after adjustment for resting heart rate and relative (V) over dotO(2 max) (all P > 0.05). Resting heart rate emerged as an independent predictor of leukocyte telomere length and TERT and TPP1 mRNA expression in stepwise regression models. To gauge whether volume of exercise was associated with leukocyte telomere length, we divided subjects into running and cycling tertiles (distance covered per week) and found individuals in the middle and highest tertiles had longer telomeres than individuals in the lowest tertile. These data emphasize the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise training in the prevention of biological aging. They also support the concept that moderate amounts of exercise training protects against biological aging, while higher amounts may not elicit additional benefits.
- Authors: Denham, Joshua , O'Brien, Brendan , Prestes, Priscilla , Brown, Nicholas , Charchar, Fadi
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Physiology Vol. 120, no. 2 (2015), p. 148-158
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1009490
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Leukocyte telomeres shorten with age, and excessive shortening is associated with age-related cardiometabolic diseases. Exercise training may prevent disease through telomere length maintenance although the optimal amount of exercise that attenuates telomere attrition is unknown. Furthermore, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the enhanced telomere maintenance observed in endurance athletes is poorly understood. We quantified the leukocyte telomere length and analyzed the expression of telomere-regulating genes in endurance athletes and healthy controls (both n = 61), using quantitative PCR. We found endurance athletes have significantly longer (7.1%, 208-416 nt) leukocyte telomeres and upregulated TERT (2.0-fold) and TPP1 (1.3-fold) mRNA expression compared with controls in age-adjusted analysis. The telomere length and telomere-regulating gene expression differences were no longer statistically significant after adjustment for resting heart rate and relative (V) over dotO(2 max) (all P > 0.05). Resting heart rate emerged as an independent predictor of leukocyte telomere length and TERT and TPP1 mRNA expression in stepwise regression models. To gauge whether volume of exercise was associated with leukocyte telomere length, we divided subjects into running and cycling tertiles (distance covered per week) and found individuals in the middle and highest tertiles had longer telomeres than individuals in the lowest tertile. These data emphasize the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise training in the prevention of biological aging. They also support the concept that moderate amounts of exercise training protects against biological aging, while higher amounts may not elicit additional benefits.
Interval between infections and viral hierarchy are determinants of viral interference following influenza virus infection in a ferret model
- Laurie, Karen, Guarnaccia, Teagan, Carolan, Louise, Yan, Aada, Aban, Malet, Petrie, Stephen, Cao, Pengxing, Heffernan, Jane, McVernon, Jodie, Mosse, Jennifer, Kelso, Anne, McCaw, James, Barr, Ian
- Authors: Laurie, Karen , Guarnaccia, Teagan , Carolan, Louise , Yan, Aada , Aban, Malet , Petrie, Stephen , Cao, Pengxing , Heffernan, Jane , McVernon, Jodie , Mosse, Jennifer , Kelso, Anne , McCaw, James , Barr, Ian
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol. 212, no. 10 (2015), p. 1701-1710
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background. Epidemiological studies suggest that, following infection with influenza virus, there is a short period during which a host experiences a lower susceptibility to infection with other influenza viruses. This viral interference appears to be independent of any antigenic similarities between the viruses. We used the ferret model of human influenza to systematically investigate viral interference. Methods. Ferrets were first infected then challenged 1-14 days later with pairs of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B viruses circulating in 2009 and 2010. Results. Viral interference was observed when the interval between initiation of primary infection and subsequent challenge was <1 week. This effect was virus specific and occurred between antigenically related and unrelated viruses. Coinfections occurred when 1 or 3 days separated infections. Ongoing shedding from the primary virus infection was associated with viral interference after the secondary challenge. Conclusions. The interval between infections and the sequential combination of viruses were important determinants of viral interference. The influenza viruses in this study appear to have an ordered hierarchy according to their ability to block or delay infection, which may contribute to the dominance of different viruses often seen in an influenza season.
- Authors: Laurie, Karen , Guarnaccia, Teagan , Carolan, Louise , Yan, Aada , Aban, Malet , Petrie, Stephen , Cao, Pengxing , Heffernan, Jane , McVernon, Jodie , Mosse, Jennifer , Kelso, Anne , McCaw, James , Barr, Ian
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol. 212, no. 10 (2015), p. 1701-1710
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background. Epidemiological studies suggest that, following infection with influenza virus, there is a short period during which a host experiences a lower susceptibility to infection with other influenza viruses. This viral interference appears to be independent of any antigenic similarities between the viruses. We used the ferret model of human influenza to systematically investigate viral interference. Methods. Ferrets were first infected then challenged 1-14 days later with pairs of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B viruses circulating in 2009 and 2010. Results. Viral interference was observed when the interval between initiation of primary infection and subsequent challenge was <1 week. This effect was virus specific and occurred between antigenically related and unrelated viruses. Coinfections occurred when 1 or 3 days separated infections. Ongoing shedding from the primary virus infection was associated with viral interference after the secondary challenge. Conclusions. The interval between infections and the sequential combination of viruses were important determinants of viral interference. The influenza viruses in this study appear to have an ordered hierarchy according to their ability to block or delay infection, which may contribute to the dominance of different viruses often seen in an influenza season.
Multiple comorbidities of 21 psychological disorders and relationships with psychosocial variables: A study of the online assessment and diagnostic system within a web-based population
- Al-Asadi, Ali, Klein, Britt, Meyer, Denny
- Authors: Al-Asadi, Ali , Klein, Britt , Meyer, Denny
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 17, no. 2 (2015), p. 355
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: While research in the area of e-mental health has received considerable attention over the last decade, there are still many areas that have not been addressed. One such area is the comorbidity of psychological disorders in a Web-based sample using online assessment and diagnostic tools, and the relationships between comorbidities and psychosocial variables. Objective: We aimed to identify comorbidities of psychological disorders of an online sample using an online diagnostic tool. Based on diagnoses made by an automated online assessment and diagnostic system administered to a large group of online participants, multiple comorbidities (co-occurrences) of 21 psychological disorders for males and females were identified. We examined the relationships between dyadic comorbidities of anxiety and depressive disorders and the psychosocial variables sex, age, suicidal ideation, social support, and quality of life. Methods: An online complex algorithm based on the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision, was used to assign primary and secondary diagnoses of 21 psychological disorders to 12,665 online participants. The frequency of co-occurrences of psychological disorders for males and females were calculated for all disorders. A series of hierarchical loglinear analyses were performed to examine the relationships between the dyadic comorbidities of depression and various anxiety disorders and the variables suicidal ideation, social support, quality of life, sex, and age. Results: A 21-by-21 frequency of co-occurrences of psychological disorders matrix revealed the presence of multiple significant dyadic comorbidities for males and females. Also, for those with some of the dyadic depression and the anxiety disorders, the odds for having suicidal ideation, reporting inadequate social support, and poorer quality of life increased for those with two-disorder comorbidity than for those with only one of the same two disorders. Conclusions: Comorbidities of several psychological disorders using an online assessment tool within a Web-based population were similar to those found in face-to-face clinics using traditional assessment tools. Results provided support for the transdiagnostic approaches and confirmed the positive relationship between comorbidity and suicidal ideation, the negative relationship between comorbidity and social support, and the negative relationship comorbidity and quality of life. © 2015, Journal of Medical Internet Research. All rights reserved.
- Authors: Al-Asadi, Ali , Klein, Britt , Meyer, Denny
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 17, no. 2 (2015), p. 355
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: While research in the area of e-mental health has received considerable attention over the last decade, there are still many areas that have not been addressed. One such area is the comorbidity of psychological disorders in a Web-based sample using online assessment and diagnostic tools, and the relationships between comorbidities and psychosocial variables. Objective: We aimed to identify comorbidities of psychological disorders of an online sample using an online diagnostic tool. Based on diagnoses made by an automated online assessment and diagnostic system administered to a large group of online participants, multiple comorbidities (co-occurrences) of 21 psychological disorders for males and females were identified. We examined the relationships between dyadic comorbidities of anxiety and depressive disorders and the psychosocial variables sex, age, suicidal ideation, social support, and quality of life. Methods: An online complex algorithm based on the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision, was used to assign primary and secondary diagnoses of 21 psychological disorders to 12,665 online participants. The frequency of co-occurrences of psychological disorders for males and females were calculated for all disorders. A series of hierarchical loglinear analyses were performed to examine the relationships between the dyadic comorbidities of depression and various anxiety disorders and the variables suicidal ideation, social support, quality of life, sex, and age. Results: A 21-by-21 frequency of co-occurrences of psychological disorders matrix revealed the presence of multiple significant dyadic comorbidities for males and females. Also, for those with some of the dyadic depression and the anxiety disorders, the odds for having suicidal ideation, reporting inadequate social support, and poorer quality of life increased for those with two-disorder comorbidity than for those with only one of the same two disorders. Conclusions: Comorbidities of several psychological disorders using an online assessment tool within a Web-based population were similar to those found in face-to-face clinics using traditional assessment tools. Results provided support for the transdiagnostic approaches and confirmed the positive relationship between comorbidity and suicidal ideation, the negative relationship between comorbidity and social support, and the negative relationship comorbidity and quality of life. © 2015, Journal of Medical Internet Research. All rights reserved.
The diagnostic validity and reliability of an internet-based clinical assessment program for mental disorders
- Nguyen, David, Klein, Britt, Meyer, Denny, Austin, David, Abbott, Jo-Anne
- Authors: Nguyen, David , Klein, Britt , Meyer, Denny , Austin, David , Abbott, Jo-Anne
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 17, no. 9 (2015), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Internet-based assessment has the potential to assist with the diagnosis of mental health disorders and overcome the barriers associated with traditional services (eg, cost, stigma, distance). Further to existing online screening programs available, there is an opportunity to deliver more comprehensive and accurate diagnostic tools to supplement the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic criterion validity and test-retest reliability of the electronic Psychological Assessment System (e-PASS), an online, self-report, multidisorder, clinical assessment and referral system. Methods: Participants were 616 adults residing in Australia, recruited online, and representing prospective e-PASS users. Following e-PASS completion, 158 participants underwent a telephone-administered structured clinical interview and 39 participants repeated the e-PASS within 25 days of initial completion. Results: With structured clinical interview results serving as the gold standard, diagnostic agreement with the e-PASS varied considerably from fair (eg, generalized anxiety disorder:kappa=.37) to strong (eg, panic disorder:kappa=.62). Although the e-PASS' sensitivity also varied (0.43-0.86) the specificity was generally high (0.68-1.00). The e-PASS sensitivity generally improved when reducing the e-PASS threshold to a subclinical result. Test-retest reliability ranged from moderate (eg, specific phobia:kappa=.54) to substantial (eg, bulimia nervosa:kappa=.87). Conclusions: The e-PASS produces reliable diagnostic results and performs generally well in excluding mental disorders, although at the expense of sensitivity. For screening purposes, the e-PASS subclinical result generally appears better than a clinical result as a diagnostic indicator. Further development and evaluation is needed to support the use of online diagnostic assessment programs for mental disorders.
- Authors: Nguyen, David , Klein, Britt , Meyer, Denny , Austin, David , Abbott, Jo-Anne
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 17, no. 9 (2015), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Internet-based assessment has the potential to assist with the diagnosis of mental health disorders and overcome the barriers associated with traditional services (eg, cost, stigma, distance). Further to existing online screening programs available, there is an opportunity to deliver more comprehensive and accurate diagnostic tools to supplement the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic criterion validity and test-retest reliability of the electronic Psychological Assessment System (e-PASS), an online, self-report, multidisorder, clinical assessment and referral system. Methods: Participants were 616 adults residing in Australia, recruited online, and representing prospective e-PASS users. Following e-PASS completion, 158 participants underwent a telephone-administered structured clinical interview and 39 participants repeated the e-PASS within 25 days of initial completion. Results: With structured clinical interview results serving as the gold standard, diagnostic agreement with the e-PASS varied considerably from fair (eg, generalized anxiety disorder:kappa=.37) to strong (eg, panic disorder:kappa=.62). Although the e-PASS' sensitivity also varied (0.43-0.86) the specificity was generally high (0.68-1.00). The e-PASS sensitivity generally improved when reducing the e-PASS threshold to a subclinical result. Test-retest reliability ranged from moderate (eg, specific phobia:kappa=.54) to substantial (eg, bulimia nervosa:kappa=.87). Conclusions: The e-PASS produces reliable diagnostic results and performs generally well in excluding mental disorders, although at the expense of sensitivity. For screening purposes, the e-PASS subclinical result generally appears better than a clinical result as a diagnostic indicator. Further development and evaluation is needed to support the use of online diagnostic assessment programs for mental disorders.
The PneuCarriage Project : A multi-centre comparative study to identify the best serotyping methods for examining pneumococcal carriage in vaccine evaluation studies
- Satzke, Catherine, Dunne, Eileen, Porter, Barbara, Klugman, Keith, Mulholland, Kim, PneuCarriage project group, Greenhill, Andrew
- Authors: Satzke, Catherine , Dunne, Eileen , Porter, Barbara , Klugman, Keith , Mulholland, Kim , PneuCarriage project group , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS Medicine Vol. 12, no. 11 (2015), p. 1-30
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The pneumococcus is a diverse pathogen whose primary niche is the nasopharynx. Over 90 different serotypes exist, and nasopharyngeal carriage of multiple serotypes is common. Understanding pneumococcal carriage is essential for evaluating the impact of pneumococcal vaccines. Traditional serotyping methods are cumbersome and insufficient for detecting multiple serotype carriage, and there are few data comparing the new methods that have been developed over the past decade. We established the PneuCarriage project, a large, international multi-centre study dedicated to the identification of the best pneumococcal serotyping methods for carriage studies. Methods and Findings: Reference sample sets were distributed to 15 research groups for blinded testing. Twenty pneumococcal serotyping methods were used to test 81 laboratory-prepared (spiked) samples. The five top-performing methods were used to test 260 nasopharyngeal (field) samples collected from children in six high-burden countries. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were determined for the test methods and the reference method (traditional serotyping of >100 colonies from each sample). For the alternate serotyping methods, the overall sensitivity ranged from 1% to 99% (reference method 98%), and PPV from 8% to 100% (reference method 100%), when testing the spiked samples. Fifteen methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect the dominant (major) serotype, whilst only eight methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect minor serotypes. For the field samples, the overall sensitivity ranged from 74.2% to 95.8% (reference method 93.8%), and PPV from 82.2% to 96.4% (reference method 99.6%). The microarray had the highest sensitivity (95.8%) and high PPV (93.7%). The major limitation of this study is that not all of the available alternative serotyping methods were included. Conclusions: Most methods were able to detect the dominant serotype in a sample, but many performed poorly in detecting the minor serotype populations. Microarray with a culture amplification step was the top-performing method. Results from this comprehensive evaluation will inform future vaccine evaluation and impact studies, particularly in low-income settings, where pneumococcal disease burden remains high. © 2015 Satzke et al. *For a complete list of authors, please see acknowledgments in the published article.
- Authors: Satzke, Catherine , Dunne, Eileen , Porter, Barbara , Klugman, Keith , Mulholland, Kim , PneuCarriage project group , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS Medicine Vol. 12, no. 11 (2015), p. 1-30
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The pneumococcus is a diverse pathogen whose primary niche is the nasopharynx. Over 90 different serotypes exist, and nasopharyngeal carriage of multiple serotypes is common. Understanding pneumococcal carriage is essential for evaluating the impact of pneumococcal vaccines. Traditional serotyping methods are cumbersome and insufficient for detecting multiple serotype carriage, and there are few data comparing the new methods that have been developed over the past decade. We established the PneuCarriage project, a large, international multi-centre study dedicated to the identification of the best pneumococcal serotyping methods for carriage studies. Methods and Findings: Reference sample sets were distributed to 15 research groups for blinded testing. Twenty pneumococcal serotyping methods were used to test 81 laboratory-prepared (spiked) samples. The five top-performing methods were used to test 260 nasopharyngeal (field) samples collected from children in six high-burden countries. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were determined for the test methods and the reference method (traditional serotyping of >100 colonies from each sample). For the alternate serotyping methods, the overall sensitivity ranged from 1% to 99% (reference method 98%), and PPV from 8% to 100% (reference method 100%), when testing the spiked samples. Fifteen methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect the dominant (major) serotype, whilst only eight methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect minor serotypes. For the field samples, the overall sensitivity ranged from 74.2% to 95.8% (reference method 93.8%), and PPV from 82.2% to 96.4% (reference method 99.6%). The microarray had the highest sensitivity (95.8%) and high PPV (93.7%). The major limitation of this study is that not all of the available alternative serotyping methods were included. Conclusions: Most methods were able to detect the dominant serotype in a sample, but many performed poorly in detecting the minor serotype populations. Microarray with a culture amplification step was the top-performing method. Results from this comprehensive evaluation will inform future vaccine evaluation and impact studies, particularly in low-income settings, where pneumococcal disease burden remains high. © 2015 Satzke et al. *For a complete list of authors, please see acknowledgments in the published article.
Blood-injection-injury phobia in older adults
- Miloyan, Beyon, Eaton, William
- Authors: Miloyan, Beyon , Eaton, William
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Psychogeriatrics Vol. 28, no. 6 (2016), p. 897-902
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: This study aims to (i) estimate the prevalence of blood-injection-injury phobia (BIIP) diagnosed as present at any time during the life prior to the interview, with or without another Specific Phobia diagnosed as present during the 12 months prior to the interview, (ii) characterize types and frequencies of co-occurring fears, (iii) evaluate the association with chronic medical conditions and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, and (iv) explore medical service use associations in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Methods: A sample of 8,205 older adults, aged 65 years or older, was derived from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Results: The weighted lifetime prevalence of BIIP with and without 12-month Specific Phobia was 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4-0.8) and 4.2% (95% CI: 3.7-4.8), respectively, and these two groups ranked similarly in terms of sociodemographic, health, and psychiatric characteristics. BIIP most frequently co-occurred with other lifetime fears, and was positively associated with hypertension and lifetime history of anxiety and personality disorders after controlling for sociodemographic and psychiatric confounders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that lifetime BIIP may bear mental and physical health significance in older adults. © 2016 International Psychogeriatric Association.
- Authors: Miloyan, Beyon , Eaton, William
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Psychogeriatrics Vol. 28, no. 6 (2016), p. 897-902
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: This study aims to (i) estimate the prevalence of blood-injection-injury phobia (BIIP) diagnosed as present at any time during the life prior to the interview, with or without another Specific Phobia diagnosed as present during the 12 months prior to the interview, (ii) characterize types and frequencies of co-occurring fears, (iii) evaluate the association with chronic medical conditions and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, and (iv) explore medical service use associations in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Methods: A sample of 8,205 older adults, aged 65 years or older, was derived from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Results: The weighted lifetime prevalence of BIIP with and without 12-month Specific Phobia was 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4-0.8) and 4.2% (95% CI: 3.7-4.8), respectively, and these two groups ranked similarly in terms of sociodemographic, health, and psychiatric characteristics. BIIP most frequently co-occurred with other lifetime fears, and was positively associated with hypertension and lifetime history of anxiety and personality disorders after controlling for sociodemographic and psychiatric confounders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that lifetime BIIP may bear mental and physical health significance in older adults. © 2016 International Psychogeriatric Association.
Children's route choice during active transportation to school : Difference between shortest and actual route
- Dessing, Dirk, de Vries, Sanne, Hegeman, Geerje, Verhagen, Evert, van Mechelen, Willem, Pierik, Frank
- Authors: Dessing, Dirk , de Vries, Sanne , Hegeman, Geerje , Verhagen, Evert , van Mechelen, Willem , Pierik, Frank
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol. 13, no. 1 (2016), p. 1-11
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of environmental correlates that are associated with route choice during active transportation to school (ATS) by comparing characteristics of actual walking and cycling routes between home and school with the shortest possible route to school. Methods: Children (n = 184; 86 boys, 98 girls; age range: 8-12 years) from seven schools in suburban municipalities in the Netherlands participated in the study. Actual walking and cycling routes to school were measured with a GPS-device that children wore during an entire school week. Measurements were conducted in the period April-June 2014. Route characteristics for both actual and shortest routes between home and school were determined for a buffer of 25 m from the routes and divided into four categories: Land use (residential, commercial, recreational, traffic areas), Aesthetics (presence of greenery/natural water ways along route), Traffic (safety measures such as traffic lights, zebra crossings, speed bumps) and Type of street (pedestrian, cycling, residential streets, arterial roads). Comparison of characteristics of shortest and actual routes was performed with conditional logistic regression models. Results: Median distance of the actual walking routes was 390.1 m, whereas median distance of actual cycling routes was 673.9 m. Actual walking and cycling routes were not significantly longer than the shortest possible routes. Children mainly traveled through residential areas on their way to school ( > 80 % of the route). Traffic lights were found to be positively associated with route choice during ATS. Zebra crossings were less often present along the actual routes (walking: OR = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.05-0.58; cycling: OR = 0.31, 95 % CI = 0.14-0.67), and streets with a high occurrence of accidents were less often used during cycling to school (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI = 0.43-0.76). Moreover, percentage of visible surface water along the actual route was higher compared to the shortest routes (walking: OR = 1.04, 95 % CI = 1.01-1.07; cycling: OR = 1.03, 95 % CI = 1.01-1.05). Discussion: This study showed a novel approach to examine built environmental exposure during active transport to school. Most of the results of the study suggest that children avoid to walk or cycle along busy roads on their way to school. © 2016 Dessing et al.
- Authors: Dessing, Dirk , de Vries, Sanne , Hegeman, Geerje , Verhagen, Evert , van Mechelen, Willem , Pierik, Frank
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol. 13, no. 1 (2016), p. 1-11
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of environmental correlates that are associated with route choice during active transportation to school (ATS) by comparing characteristics of actual walking and cycling routes between home and school with the shortest possible route to school. Methods: Children (n = 184; 86 boys, 98 girls; age range: 8-12 years) from seven schools in suburban municipalities in the Netherlands participated in the study. Actual walking and cycling routes to school were measured with a GPS-device that children wore during an entire school week. Measurements were conducted in the period April-June 2014. Route characteristics for both actual and shortest routes between home and school were determined for a buffer of 25 m from the routes and divided into four categories: Land use (residential, commercial, recreational, traffic areas), Aesthetics (presence of greenery/natural water ways along route), Traffic (safety measures such as traffic lights, zebra crossings, speed bumps) and Type of street (pedestrian, cycling, residential streets, arterial roads). Comparison of characteristics of shortest and actual routes was performed with conditional logistic regression models. Results: Median distance of the actual walking routes was 390.1 m, whereas median distance of actual cycling routes was 673.9 m. Actual walking and cycling routes were not significantly longer than the shortest possible routes. Children mainly traveled through residential areas on their way to school ( > 80 % of the route). Traffic lights were found to be positively associated with route choice during ATS. Zebra crossings were less often present along the actual routes (walking: OR = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.05-0.58; cycling: OR = 0.31, 95 % CI = 0.14-0.67), and streets with a high occurrence of accidents were less often used during cycling to school (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI = 0.43-0.76). Moreover, percentage of visible surface water along the actual route was higher compared to the shortest routes (walking: OR = 1.04, 95 % CI = 1.01-1.07; cycling: OR = 1.03, 95 % CI = 1.01-1.05). Discussion: This study showed a novel approach to examine built environmental exposure during active transport to school. Most of the results of the study suggest that children avoid to walk or cycle along busy roads on their way to school. © 2016 Dessing et al.
Integrated and consumer-directed care : a necessary paradigm shift for rural chronic ill health
- Ranson, Nicole, Terry, Daniel, Glenister, Kristen, Adam, Bill, Wright, Julian
- Authors: Ranson, Nicole , Terry, Daniel , Glenister, Kristen , Adam, Bill , Wright, Julian
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol. 22, no. 3 (2016), p. 176-180
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Chronic ill health has recently emerged as the most important health issue on a global scale. Rural communities are disproportionally affected by chronic ill health. Many health systems are centred on the management of acute conditions and are often poorly equipped to deal with chronic ill health. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most prominent chronic ill health conditions and the principal cause of mortality worldwide. In this paper, CVD is used as an example to demonstrate the disparity between rural and urban experience of chronic ill health, access to medical care and clinical outcomes. Advances have been made to address chronic ill health through improving self-management strategies, health literacy and access to medical services. However, given the higher incidence of chronic health conditions and poorer clinical outcomes in rural communities, it is imperative that integrated health care emphasises greater collaboration between services. It is also vital that rural GPs are better supported to work with their patients, and that they use consumer-directed approaches to empower patients to direct and coordinate their own care. © La Trobe University 2016.
- Authors: Ranson, Nicole , Terry, Daniel , Glenister, Kristen , Adam, Bill , Wright, Julian
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Australian Journal of Primary Health Vol. 22, no. 3 (2016), p. 176-180
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Chronic ill health has recently emerged as the most important health issue on a global scale. Rural communities are disproportionally affected by chronic ill health. Many health systems are centred on the management of acute conditions and are often poorly equipped to deal with chronic ill health. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most prominent chronic ill health conditions and the principal cause of mortality worldwide. In this paper, CVD is used as an example to demonstrate the disparity between rural and urban experience of chronic ill health, access to medical care and clinical outcomes. Advances have been made to address chronic ill health through improving self-management strategies, health literacy and access to medical services. However, given the higher incidence of chronic health conditions and poorer clinical outcomes in rural communities, it is imperative that integrated health care emphasises greater collaboration between services. It is also vital that rural GPs are better supported to work with their patients, and that they use consumer-directed approaches to empower patients to direct and coordinate their own care. © La Trobe University 2016.
Moving forward with dignity : exploring health awareness in an isolated deaf community of Australia
- Terry, Daniel, Lê, Quynh, Nguyen, Hoang
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Lê, Quynh , Nguyen, Hoang
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Disability and Health Journal Vol. 9, no. 2 (2016), p. 281-288
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Those within the Deaf community are disadvantaged in a number of aspects of day-to-day life including their access to health care. At times, they may encounter barriers to health care even before they reach the consultation room. As a consequence, they may receive insufficient and inappropriate health care which may lead to poorer health outcomes. Objective A study was conducted to explore health awareness and access to health information and services of Deaf people living in Tasmania, Australia and identify ways of enhancing the interaction between the Deaf and the wider community. Methods A questionnaire was administered, including a number of demographic, health awareness and health service usage questions. In addition, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with service providers and the Deaf community between March and August 2014. An interpreter was present to translate the questions into Auslan and who then translated the Deaf participant's discussion into English for the researcher. Data were then analyzed using research software SPSS v20.0 and NVivo 10.0. Results Health as a concept was poorly understood, including mental health, sexual health and health concerning alcohol and drug abuse. Regarding health care resources, due to a sense of security, trust and confidence, the family physician or general practitioner was the single most important health care provider among the Deaf. Conclusions The Deaf remain underserved by the current health care system; however, through resourcefulness and life experiences, the Deaf have developed coping and management strategies to move forward with dignity in education, meaningful employment and health access. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Lê, Quynh , Nguyen, Hoang
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Disability and Health Journal Vol. 9, no. 2 (2016), p. 281-288
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Those within the Deaf community are disadvantaged in a number of aspects of day-to-day life including their access to health care. At times, they may encounter barriers to health care even before they reach the consultation room. As a consequence, they may receive insufficient and inappropriate health care which may lead to poorer health outcomes. Objective A study was conducted to explore health awareness and access to health information and services of Deaf people living in Tasmania, Australia and identify ways of enhancing the interaction between the Deaf and the wider community. Methods A questionnaire was administered, including a number of demographic, health awareness and health service usage questions. In addition, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with service providers and the Deaf community between March and August 2014. An interpreter was present to translate the questions into Auslan and who then translated the Deaf participant's discussion into English for the researcher. Data were then analyzed using research software SPSS v20.0 and NVivo 10.0. Results Health as a concept was poorly understood, including mental health, sexual health and health concerning alcohol and drug abuse. Regarding health care resources, due to a sense of security, trust and confidence, the family physician or general practitioner was the single most important health care provider among the Deaf. Conclusions The Deaf remain underserved by the current health care system; however, through resourcefulness and life experiences, the Deaf have developed coping and management strategies to move forward with dignity in education, meaningful employment and health access. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Scarcity of ecosystem services : an experimental manipulation of declining pollination rates and its economic consequences for agriculture
- Sandhu, Harpinder, Waterhouse, Benjamin, Boyer, Stéphane, Wratten, Steve
- Authors: Sandhu, Harpinder , Waterhouse, Benjamin , Boyer, Stéphane , Wratten, Steve
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PeerJ Vol. 2016, no. 7 (2016), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Ecosystem services (ES) such as pollination are vital for the continuous supply of food to a growing human population, but the decline in populations of insect pollinators worldwide poses a threat to food and nutritional security. Using a pollinator (honeybee) exclusion approach, we evaluated the impact of pollinator scarcity on production in four brassica fields, two producing hybrid seeds and two producing open-pollinated ones. There was a clear reduction in seed yield as pollination rates declined. Open-pollinated crops produced significantly higher yields than did the hybrid ones at all pollination rates. The hybrid crops required at least 0.50 of background pollination rates to achieve maximum yield, whereas in open-pollinated crops, 0.25 pollination rates were necessary for maximum yield. The total estimated economic value of pollination services provided by honeybees to the agricultural industry in New Zealand is NZD $1.96 billion annually. This study indicates that loss of pollination services can result in significant declines in production and have serious implications for the market economy in New Zealand. Depending on the extent of honeybee population decline, and assuming that results in declining pollination services, the estimated economic loss to New Zealand agriculture could be in the range of NZD $295-728 million annually. © 2016 Sandhu et al.
- Authors: Sandhu, Harpinder , Waterhouse, Benjamin , Boyer, Stéphane , Wratten, Steve
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PeerJ Vol. 2016, no. 7 (2016), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Ecosystem services (ES) such as pollination are vital for the continuous supply of food to a growing human population, but the decline in populations of insect pollinators worldwide poses a threat to food and nutritional security. Using a pollinator (honeybee) exclusion approach, we evaluated the impact of pollinator scarcity on production in four brassica fields, two producing hybrid seeds and two producing open-pollinated ones. There was a clear reduction in seed yield as pollination rates declined. Open-pollinated crops produced significantly higher yields than did the hybrid ones at all pollination rates. The hybrid crops required at least 0.50 of background pollination rates to achieve maximum yield, whereas in open-pollinated crops, 0.25 pollination rates were necessary for maximum yield. The total estimated economic value of pollination services provided by honeybees to the agricultural industry in New Zealand is NZD $1.96 billion annually. This study indicates that loss of pollination services can result in significant declines in production and have serious implications for the market economy in New Zealand. Depending on the extent of honeybee population decline, and assuming that results in declining pollination services, the estimated economic loss to New Zealand agriculture could be in the range of NZD $295-728 million annually. © 2016 Sandhu et al.
Tendon neuroplastic training : Changing the way we think about tendon rehabilitation : A narrative review
- Rio, Ebonie, Kidgell, Dawson, Lorimer Moseley, Graham, Gaida, Jamie, Docking, Sean, Purdam, Craig, Cook, Jill
- Authors: Rio, Ebonie , Kidgell, Dawson , Lorimer Moseley, Graham , Gaida, Jamie , Docking, Sean , Purdam, Craig , Cook, Jill
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 50, no. 4 (2016), p. 209-215
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Tendinopathy can be resistant to treatment and often recurs, implying that current treatment approaches are suboptimal. Rehabilitation programmes that have been successful in terms of pain reduction and return to sport outcomes usually include strength training. Muscle activation can induce analgesia, improving self-efficacy associated with reducing one's own pain. Furthermore, strength training is beneficial for tendon matrix structure, muscle properties and limb biomechanics. However, current tendon rehabilitation may not adequately address the corticospinal control of the muscle, which may result in altered control of muscle recruitment and the consequent tendon load, and this may contribute to recalcitrance or symptom recurrence. Outcomes of interest include the effect of strength training on tendon pain, corticospinal excitability and short interval cortical inhibition. The aims of this concept paper are to: (1) review what is known about changes to the primary motor cortex and motor control in tendinopathy, (2) identify the parameters shown to induce neuroplasticity in strength training and (3) align these principles with tendon rehabilitation loading protocols to introduce a combination approach termed as tendon neuroplastic training. Strength training is a powerful modulator of the central nervous system. In particular, corticospinal inputs are essential for motor unit recruitment and activation; however, specific strength training parameters are important for neuroplasticity. Strength training that is externally paced and akin to a skilled movement task has been shown to not only reduce tendon pain, but modulate excitatory and inhibitory control of the muscle and therefore, potentially tendon load. An improved understanding of the methods that maximise the opportunity for neuroplasticity may be an important progression in how we prescribe exercise-based rehabilitation in tendinopathy for pain modulation and potentially restoration of the corticospinal control of the muscle-tendon complex.
- Authors: Rio, Ebonie , Kidgell, Dawson , Lorimer Moseley, Graham , Gaida, Jamie , Docking, Sean , Purdam, Craig , Cook, Jill
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 50, no. 4 (2016), p. 209-215
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Tendinopathy can be resistant to treatment and often recurs, implying that current treatment approaches are suboptimal. Rehabilitation programmes that have been successful in terms of pain reduction and return to sport outcomes usually include strength training. Muscle activation can induce analgesia, improving self-efficacy associated with reducing one's own pain. Furthermore, strength training is beneficial for tendon matrix structure, muscle properties and limb biomechanics. However, current tendon rehabilitation may not adequately address the corticospinal control of the muscle, which may result in altered control of muscle recruitment and the consequent tendon load, and this may contribute to recalcitrance or symptom recurrence. Outcomes of interest include the effect of strength training on tendon pain, corticospinal excitability and short interval cortical inhibition. The aims of this concept paper are to: (1) review what is known about changes to the primary motor cortex and motor control in tendinopathy, (2) identify the parameters shown to induce neuroplasticity in strength training and (3) align these principles with tendon rehabilitation loading protocols to introduce a combination approach termed as tendon neuroplastic training. Strength training is a powerful modulator of the central nervous system. In particular, corticospinal inputs are essential for motor unit recruitment and activation; however, specific strength training parameters are important for neuroplasticity. Strength training that is externally paced and akin to a skilled movement task has been shown to not only reduce tendon pain, but modulate excitatory and inhibitory control of the muscle and therefore, potentially tendon load. An improved understanding of the methods that maximise the opportunity for neuroplasticity may be an important progression in how we prescribe exercise-based rehabilitation in tendinopathy for pain modulation and potentially restoration of the corticospinal control of the muscle-tendon complex.
Venous access : The patient experience
- Robinson-Reilly, Melissa, Paliadelis, Penny, Cruickshank, Mary
- Authors: Robinson-Reilly, Melissa , Paliadelis, Penny , Cruickshank, Mary
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Supportive Care in Cancer Vol. 24, no. 3 (2016), p. 1181-1187
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The evolution of venous access via peripheral cannulation, particularly in relation to the risks and the benefits of this procedure, is reported widely in the literature. However, there is limited research specific to the patient experience of undergoing venous access. The intent of this qualitative study was to understand patients' experience of venous access, with the aim of bringing forth their voices about the experiences of repeated venous access/cannulation attempts. This qualitative study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of 15 participants in two rural oncology units in Australia. The participants had experienced repeated peripheral cannulation in order to receive chemotherapy. Study participants were asked to describe what it was like for them to be repeatedly cannulated. Data were collected via audiotaped individual interviews, the participants' stories were transcribed and analysed thematically. Themes emerged from the participants' stories that provided insights into their perceptions of the experience of being cannulated and the decision-making processes regarding how and where the procedure occurred. The findings suggest that a holistic approach to care was often missing causing the participants to feel vulnerable. Gaining insight into their experiences led to a greater understanding of the impact of this procedure on patients and the need to improve care through encouraging more collaborative decision-making processes between clinicians and patients. The implications for policy and practice focus on improving patient outcomes via procedural governance and education, with the intent of translating the findings from this research into evidence-based practice.
- Authors: Robinson-Reilly, Melissa , Paliadelis, Penny , Cruickshank, Mary
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Supportive Care in Cancer Vol. 24, no. 3 (2016), p. 1181-1187
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The evolution of venous access via peripheral cannulation, particularly in relation to the risks and the benefits of this procedure, is reported widely in the literature. However, there is limited research specific to the patient experience of undergoing venous access. The intent of this qualitative study was to understand patients' experience of venous access, with the aim of bringing forth their voices about the experiences of repeated venous access/cannulation attempts. This qualitative study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of 15 participants in two rural oncology units in Australia. The participants had experienced repeated peripheral cannulation in order to receive chemotherapy. Study participants were asked to describe what it was like for them to be repeatedly cannulated. Data were collected via audiotaped individual interviews, the participants' stories were transcribed and analysed thematically. Themes emerged from the participants' stories that provided insights into their perceptions of the experience of being cannulated and the decision-making processes regarding how and where the procedure occurred. The findings suggest that a holistic approach to care was often missing causing the participants to feel vulnerable. Gaining insight into their experiences led to a greater understanding of the impact of this procedure on patients and the need to improve care through encouraging more collaborative decision-making processes between clinicians and patients. The implications for policy and practice focus on improving patient outcomes via procedural governance and education, with the intent of translating the findings from this research into evidence-based practice.
Visual perceptual and handwriting skills in children with developmental coordination disorder
- Prunty, Mellissa, Barnett, Anna, Wilmut, Kate, Plumb, Mandy
- Authors: Prunty, Mellissa , Barnett, Anna , Wilmut, Kate , Plumb, Mandy
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Human Movement Science Vol. 49, no. (2016), p. 54-65
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder demonstrate a lack of automaticity in handwriting as measured by pauses during writing. Deficits in visual perception have been proposed in the literature as underlying mechanisms of handwriting difficulties in children with DCD. The aim of this study was to examine whether correlations exist between measures of visual perception and visual motor integration with measures of the handwriting product and process in children with DCD. Method: The performance of twenty-eight 8-14 year-old children who met the DSM-5 criteria for DCD was compared with 28 typically developing (TD) age and gender-matched controls. The children completed the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS). Group comparisons were made, correlations were conducted between the visual perceptual measures and handwriting measures and the sensitivity and specificity examined. Results: The DCD group performed below the TD group on the VMI and TVPS. There were no significant correlations between the VMI or TVPS and any of the handwriting measures in the DCD group. In addition, both tests demonstrated low sensitivity. Conclusion: Clinicians should execute caution in using visual perceptual measures to inform them about handwriting skill in children with DCD. © 2016 The Authors.
- Authors: Prunty, Mellissa , Barnett, Anna , Wilmut, Kate , Plumb, Mandy
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Human Movement Science Vol. 49, no. (2016), p. 54-65
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder demonstrate a lack of automaticity in handwriting as measured by pauses during writing. Deficits in visual perception have been proposed in the literature as underlying mechanisms of handwriting difficulties in children with DCD. The aim of this study was to examine whether correlations exist between measures of visual perception and visual motor integration with measures of the handwriting product and process in children with DCD. Method: The performance of twenty-eight 8-14 year-old children who met the DSM-5 criteria for DCD was compared with 28 typically developing (TD) age and gender-matched controls. The children completed the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS). Group comparisons were made, correlations were conducted between the visual perceptual measures and handwriting measures and the sensitivity and specificity examined. Results: The DCD group performed below the TD group on the VMI and TVPS. There were no significant correlations between the VMI or TVPS and any of the handwriting measures in the DCD group. In addition, both tests demonstrated low sensitivity. Conclusion: Clinicians should execute caution in using visual perceptual measures to inform them about handwriting skill in children with DCD. © 2016 The Authors.
A high burden of asymptomatic gastrointestinal infections in traditional communities in Papua New Guinea
- Horwood, Paul, Soli, Kevin, Maure, Tobias, Naito, Yuichi, Morita, Ayako, Natsuhara, Kazumi, Tadokoro, Kiyoshi, Baba, Jun, Odani, Shingo, Tomitsuka, Eriko, Igai, Katsura, Larkins, Jo-Ann, Siba, Peter, Pomat, William, McBryde, Emma, Umezaki, Masahiro, Greenhill, Andrew
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Soli, Kevin , Maure, Tobias , Naito, Yuichi , Morita, Ayako , Natsuhara, Kazumi , Tadokoro, Kiyoshi , Baba, Jun , Odani, Shingo , Tomitsuka, Eriko , Igai, Katsura , Larkins, Jo-Ann , Siba, Peter , Pomat, William , McBryde, Emma , Umezaki, Masahiro , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 97, no. 6 (2017), p. 1872-1875
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Stool samples were collected from 148 healthy adults living a traditional subsistence lifestyle in Papua New Guinea and screened for enteric pathogens using real-time RT-PCR/PCR assays. Enteric pathogens were detected in a high proportion (41%) of individuals. Clear differences were observed in the detection of pathogens between highland and lowland communities. In particular, there was a marked difference in detection rates of norovirus GII (20% and 0%, respectively) and Shigella sp. (15% and 0%, respectively). Analysis of the relationship between enteric pathogen carriage and microbial community composition of participants, using box plots to compare specific normal flora population numbers, did not suggest that gut microbial composition was directly associated with pathogen carriage. This study suggests that enteric pathogens are common in healthy individuals in Papua New Guinean highland communities, presumably acting as a reservoir of infection and thus contributing to a high burden of gastrointestinal illnesses.
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Soli, Kevin , Maure, Tobias , Naito, Yuichi , Morita, Ayako , Natsuhara, Kazumi , Tadokoro, Kiyoshi , Baba, Jun , Odani, Shingo , Tomitsuka, Eriko , Igai, Katsura , Larkins, Jo-Ann , Siba, Peter , Pomat, William , McBryde, Emma , Umezaki, Masahiro , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 97, no. 6 (2017), p. 1872-1875
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Stool samples were collected from 148 healthy adults living a traditional subsistence lifestyle in Papua New Guinea and screened for enteric pathogens using real-time RT-PCR/PCR assays. Enteric pathogens were detected in a high proportion (41%) of individuals. Clear differences were observed in the detection of pathogens between highland and lowland communities. In particular, there was a marked difference in detection rates of norovirus GII (20% and 0%, respectively) and Shigella sp. (15% and 0%, respectively). Analysis of the relationship between enteric pathogen carriage and microbial community composition of participants, using box plots to compare specific normal flora population numbers, did not suggest that gut microbial composition was directly associated with pathogen carriage. This study suggests that enteric pathogens are common in healthy individuals in Papua New Guinean highland communities, presumably acting as a reservoir of infection and thus contributing to a high burden of gastrointestinal illnesses.