Another inconsistency in the pedigree of the Oak Ridge wild types of Neurospora crassa

A multiple-site molecular dimorphism for the gene for phospholipase C has no known evolutionary basis, yet reveals that Oak Ridge wild types cannot have originated as described in the current best pedigree

Age differences in mental health literacy

BACKGROUND: The community's knowledge and beliefs about mental health problems, their risk factors, treatments and sources of help may vary as a function of age. METHODS: Data were taken from an epidemiological survey conducted during 2003–2004 with a national clustered sample of Australian adults aged 18 years and over. Following the presentation of a vignette describing depression (n = 1001) or schizophrenia (n = 997), respondents were asked a series of questions relating to their knowledge and recognition of the disorder, beliefs about the helpfulness of treating professionals and medical, psychological and lifestyle treatments, and likely causes. RESULTS: Participant age was coded into five categories and cross-tabulated with mental health literacy variables. Comparisons between age groups revealed that although older adults (70+ years) were poorer than younger age groups at correctly recognising depression and schizophrenia, young adults (18–24 years) were more likely to misidentify schizophrenia as depression. Differences were also observed between younger and older age groups in terms of beliefs about the helpfulness of certain treating professionals and medical and lifestyle treatments for depression and schizophrenia, and older respondents were more likely to believe that schizophrenia could be caused by character weakness. CONCLUSION: Differences in mental health literacy across the adult lifespan suggest that more specific, age appropriate messages about mental health are required for younger and older age groups. The tendency for young adults to 'over-identify' depression signals the need for awareness campaigns to focus on differentiation between mental disorders

Fire impacts recruitment more than survival of small-mammals in a tropical savanna

The frequency and spatial patterning of fire for optimal biodiversity conservation is often poorly understood by managers, in part due to a lack of understanding of the mechanisms responsible for altering population dynamics of individual species. We investigated changes in the vital rates (survival and recruitment) of four small mammal species (three marsupials and one rodent) in a tropical savanna under four different experimental fire treatments applied at a landscape scale. Apparent survival declined in all fire treatments for only one of four small mammal species (northern brown bandicoot Isoodon macrourus). Recruitment was reduced in three of four species in multiple fire treatments. The suppression of recruitment in the northern brown bandicoot and the brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula populations was greatest immediately after the initial fire treatment was applied, compared to remaining treatment applications in successive years, possibly due to an elevated fire intensity as a result of higher initial fuel loads. The results suggest that higher intensity fire impacted recruitment more than survival for small mammals at this site. To assist fire managers to conserve small mammal populations in tropical savannas, we recommend fire regimes that optimise habitat resources for recruitment. This may be achieved by a reduction in fire frequency and managing fuel loads to prevent an increase in fire intensity

Readability, presentation and quality of allergy-related patient information leaflets: a cross sectional and longitudinal study

Objective: Patient information leaflets (PILs) are widely used to reinforce or illustrate health information and to complement verbal consultation. The objectives of the study were to assess the readability and presentation of PILs published by Allergy UK, and to conduct a longitudinal assessment to evaluate the impact of leaflet amendment and revision on readability. Methods: Readability of Allergy UK leaflets available in 2013 was assessed using Simple Measure of Gobbledegook (SMOG) and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Formula. Leaflet presentation was evaluated using the Clear Print Guidelines of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the Patient Information Appraisal System developed by the British Medical Association (BMA). Changes in the leaflets’ readability scores over five years were investigated. Results: 108 leaflets, covering a wide range of allergic conditions and treatment options, were assessed. The leaflets had average SMOG and Flesch-Kincaid scores of 13.9 (range 11-18, SD 1.2) and 10.9 (range 5-17, SD 2.1) respectively. All leaflets met the RNIB Clear Print guidelines, with the exception of font size which was universally inadequate. The leaflets scored on average 10 (median 10, range 7-15) out of a maximum of 27 on the BMA checklist. The overall average SMOG score of 31 leaflets available in both 2008 and 2013 had not changed significantly. The process of leaflet revision resulted in 1% change in readability scores overall, with a predominantly upward trend with six leaflets increasing their readability score by >10% and only three decreasing by >10%. Conclusion: Allergy-related patient information leaflets are well presented but have readability levels that are higher than those recommended for health information. Involving service users in the process of leaflet design, together with systematic pre-publication screening of readability would enhance the accessibility and comprehensibility of written information for people with allergy and their careers

Predictors of depression stigma

BACKGROUND: To investigate and compare the predictors of personal and perceived stigma associated with depression. METHOD: Three samples were surveyed to investigate the predictors: a national sample of 1,001 Australian adults; a local community sample of 5,572 residents of the Australian Capital Territory and Queanbeyan aged 18 to 50 years; and a psychologically distressed subset (n = 487) of the latter sample. Personal and Perceived Stigma were measured using the two subscales of the Depression Stigma Scale. Potential predictors included demographic variables (age, gender, education, country of birth, remoteness of residence), psychological distress, awareness of Australia's national depression initiative beyondblue, depression literacy and level of exposure to depression. Not all predictors were used for all samples. RESULTS: Personal stigma was consistently higher among men, those with less education and those born overseas. It was also associated with greater current psychological distress, lower prior contact with depression, not having heard of a national awareness raising initiative, and lower depression literacy. These findings differed from those for perceived stigma except for psychological distress which was associated with both higher personal and higher perceived stigma. Remoteness of residence was not associated with either type of stigma. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the importance of treating the concepts of personal and perceived stigma separately in designing measures of stigma, in interpreting the pattern of findings in studies of the predictors of stigma, and in designing, interpreting the impact of and disseminating interventions for stigma

Computational identification of significant actors in paintings through symbols and attributes

The automatic analysis of fine art paintings presents a number of novel technical challenges to artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, and knowledge representation quite distinct from those arising in the analysis of traditional photographs. The most important difference is that many realist paintings depict stories or episodes in order to convey a lesson, moral, or meaning. One early step in automatic interpretation and extraction of meaning in artworks is the identifications of figures (actors). In Christian art, specifically, one must identify the actors in order to identify the Biblical episode or story depicted, an important step in understanding the artwork. We designed an automatic system based on deep convolutional neural networks and simple knowledge database to identify saints throughout six centuries of Christian art based in large part upon saints symbols or attributes. Our work represents initial steps in the broad task of automatic semantic interpretation of messages and meaning in fine art

Methodology and diagnostic management tool for the coordination of Organisational Knowledge Management

Since the late 1980s there has been a greater awareness of the need to manage organisational knowledge resources, which are seen as vital to the value proposition of any organisation. This has resulted in the development of a multiplicity of Organisational Knowledge Management (OKM) approaches, systems and processes. OKM as a concept is however experiencing a prolonged period of practitioner and academic dissatisfaction, which is impacting its credibility. Commentators claim that this emanates from the fact that a general model, as a diagnostic mechanism for the field, has not yet emerged, an indicator of immaturity in the field and a destabilising influence on practitioner confidence. This research sets out to explore OKM, with the aim of understanding and attempting to help address this dissatisfaction. The literature review focuses on environmental drivers of OKM as a concept from both practitioner and academic perspectives. This highlights a need for (1) an agreed definition of purpose for OKM systems and (2) a general diagnostic model or framework for those systems that identifies common constructs across sectors or geographic locations. In turn, these require appropriate research evidence. The research reported on in this thesis utilises Soft Systems Methodology as a framework for enquiry. By means of a meta-analysis of literature, the enquiry progresses to a descriptive survey, with findings being illustrated and analysed through fractal analysis. The data is then compared against a sample of models from the field before being translated into a new OKM diagnostic model and supporting toolkit, using logic modelling and a Participatory Integrated Assessment Tool. The application of these to a case study, carried out within in a large multinational organisation, is reported on and evaluated. Findings are that 'self-similarity' exists across existing views of OKM; that the need for knowledge to be used as an organisational resource is a persistent one; that a methodology can be developed that reacts to the needs of academics and practitioners in responding to the challenges from the field; that a proposition for a general organisation diagnostic model is possible; that a robust evidence-based definition for the concept, as well as a general diagnostic model for the coordination of organisational knowledge resources is needed and are provided; and that such a general diagnostic tool, such as has been developed in the research on which this thesis is based, can be applied within an organisation to identify gaps in systems designed to coordinate organisational knowledge resources

The GoodNight study—online CBT for insomnia for the indicated prevention of depression: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) delivered through the Internet is effective as a treatment in reducing insomnia in individuals seeking help for insomnia. CBT-I also lowers levels of depression in this group. However, it is not known if targeting insomnia using CBT-I will lower depressive symptoms, and thus reduce the risk of major depressive episode onset, in those specifically at risk for depression. Therefore, this study aims to examine whether Internet delivery of fully automated self-help CBT-I designed to reduce insomnia will prevent depression. METHOD/DESIGN A sample of 1,600 community-dwelling adults (aged 18-64), who screen positive for both subclinical levels of depressive symptoms and insomnia, will be recruited via various media and randomised to either a 9-week online insomnia treatment programme, Sleep Healthy Using The internet (SHUTi), or an online attention-matched control group (HealthWatch). The primary outcome variable will be depression symptom levels at the 6-month post-intervention on the Patient Heath Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). A secondary outcome will be onset of major depressive episodes assessed at the 6-month post-intervention using 'current' and 'time from intervention' criteria from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. DISCUSSION This trial is the first randomised controlled trial of an Internet-based insomnia intervention as an indicated preventative programme for depression. If effective, online provision of a depression prevention programme will facilitate dissemination. TRIAL REGISTRATION Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Registration number: ACTRN12611000121965.This study is supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (GNT1005867)