Isolated familial pheochromocytoma as a variant of von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Inherited pheochromocytomas are often part of familial syndromes, especially multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2), retinal cerebellar hemangioblastomatosis [von Hippel-Lindau (vHL) disease] or neurofibromatosis type 1. It is not clear whether isolated familial pheochromocytoma exists as a separate clinical entity. In a family with pheochromocytomas in three generations and with at least seven affected members, we investigated by clinical and genetic analyses the presence or absence of associated conditions. The clinical investigations included ophthalmological and radiological studies for von Hippel-Lindau disease (magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, computed tomography of the abdomen, and direct ophthalmoscopy after mydriasis) and annual calcitonin stimulation tests for C cell disease in five members who agreed to regular follow-up. Besides the pheochromocytomas (so far, these have been multiple in five of seven individuals) no definite second associated condition was found. Genetic analysis did not identify any MEN 2-specific RET protooncogene point mutations (which are present in 97% of MEN 2a families). However, despite the complete absence of other clinical manifestations of the vHL disease (besides pheochromocytomas), a previously undescribed germline missense mutation in the vHL tumor suppressor gene was found (C775G transversion with a predicted substitution of a leucine by a valine at codon 259 in the putative vHL protein). We conclude that in this family the sole occurrence of pheochromocytoma is a variant of vHL disease

Sexual health through the eyes of Indigenous youth: Community-based participatory research with young Indigenous people in Townsville

The project had the following aims: 1. Build the capacity of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in research practice; 2. Identify, assess and enhance the blood borne viral and sexually transmitted infection (BBV/STI) resilience capability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; 3. Inform on opportunities to decrease the risk of BBV /STI transmission in site communities; 4. Provide information for local and area health service planning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander BBV/STI. 1.2 Methods A Community-Based Participatory Research framework was used to develop a qualitative study of young people’s perspectives on blood borne and sexually transmitted infections...The Indigenous Resiliency Project is funded by the International Collaboration in Indigenous Health Research Program, a trilateral partnership between the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Health Research Council of New Zealand

Young Indigenous Australians’ sexually transmitted infection prevention practices: A Community-based Participatory Research project

Funded by the International Collaborative Indigenous Health Research Partnership (ID: 361621), a trilateral partnership between the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Health Research Council of New ZealandNational surveillance data indicate marked differences between Indigenous and other Australians in the prevalence of many sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young Indigenous people bear a particularly high burden of these infections. A collaboration of university researchers, Indigenous health workers and young Indigenous people conducted 45 field interviews to examine how young Indigenous Australians keep themselves healthy and protected against STIs. Our findings emphasise the complexity of health behaviours, where individuals are rarely always ‘risky’ or always ‘safe’, as well as subtle gender differences in health practices. Preventive strategies employed by the young people were contingent on beliefs and knowledge about sexual partners, the type of relationship, the context of the sexual encounter, and access to condoms. Tangible strengths identified by our study should be celebrated and bolstered to enhance young Indigenous people’s ability to protect themselves against adverse health outcomes and enhance their resilience against STIs. Focusing on strengths helps to counter the deficit model of health commonly deployed in Indigenous health research and draws attention to health issues facing young Indigenous people and their communities, without reinforcing negative stereotypes or focusing solely on individual risk behaviour. We provide concrete recommendations for health promotion and education. Keywords Sexual health; STI prevention; young people; Indigenous people; AustraliaInternational Collaborative Indigenous Health Research Partnership (ID: 361621

Young Indigenous Australians’ sexually transmitted infection prevention practices: A Community-based Participatory Research project

National surveillance data indicate marked differences between Indigenous and other Australians in the prevalence of many sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young Indigenous people bear a particularly high burden of these infections. A collaboration of university researchers, Indigenous health workers and young Indigenous people conducted 45 field interviews to examine how young Indigenous Australians keep themselves healthy and protected against STIs. Our findings emphasise the complexity of health behaviours, where individuals are rarely always ‘risky’ or always ‘safe’, as well as subtle gender differences in health practices. Preventive strategies employed by the young people were contingent on beliefs and knowledge about sexual partners, the type of relationship, the context of the sexual encounter, and access to condoms. Tangible strengths identified by our study should be celebrated and bolstered to enhance young Indigenous people’s ability to protect themselves against adverse health outcomes and enhance their resilience against STIs. Focusing on strengths helps to counter the deficit model of health commonly deployed in Indigenous health research and draws attention to health issues facing young Indigenous people and their communities, without reinforcing negative stereotypes or focusing solely on individual risk behaviour. We provide concrete recommendations for health promotion and education. Keywords Sexual health; STI prevention; young people; Indigenous people; AustraliaInternational Collaborative Indigenous Health Research Partnership (ID: 361621

Simulating thick atmospheric turbulence in the lab with application to orbital angular momentum communication

We describe a procedure by which a long ($\gtrsim 1\,\mathrm{km}$) optical path through atmospheric turbulence can be experimentally simulated in a controlled fashion and scaled down to distances easily accessible in a laboratory setting. This procedure is then used to simulate a 1-km-long free-space communication link in which information is encoded in orbital angular momentum (OAM) spatial modes. We also demonstrate that standard adaptive optics methods can be used to mitigate many of the effects of thick atmospheric turbulence.Comment: Rewritten abstract and introductory section to emphasize the importance of the work and to make it accessible to a more general audience. Section 2 was expanded to include some background on the physics of turbulence to allow the paper to be self-contained and understood by nonspecialist

Successful Demonstration of Relieving CO2-Solid-Forming Streams through a Pressure Relief System

PresentationThe demand for natural gas, considered the cleanest burning hydrocarbon fuel available, is expected to rise significantly over the foreseeable future. However, natural gas produced from many major reservoirs can contain significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and must be treated before it can be used as an environmentally acceptable fuel. These treatment processes often require high-pressure operations forming highly concentrated CO2-rich streams. Pressure protection for these systems has been challenging to date because of the potential for solids generation upon pressure let down and the consequent potential for plugging that the solids present. ExxonMobil has completed successful field demonstrations relieving dehydrated, CO2-rich liquid and vapor streams forming up to 40 wt% solids in relief lines. The results of these field demonstration tests as well as learnings from design of CO2-solid-forming relief systems are discussed in this paper

Effectiveness of Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people’s resilience to blood borne and sexually transmitted infections: Findings from a community-based participatory research project

Issue addressed: Health services are fundamental to reducing the burden of blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections (BBV/STI) in Indigenous communities. However, we know very little about young Indigenous people’s use of mainstream and community-controlled health services for the prevention and treatment of these infections, or how health services can best support young people’s efforts to prevent infection. Methods: University-researchers, a site coordinator and peer researchers developed a project and conducted interviews with 45 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 17 to 26 years. Thematic analysis of interviews notes identified key themes around health service use and experiences of Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services (ACCHS). Results: Most participants had accessed health services for the prevention or treatment of BBV/STI, with positive experiences characterised by the provision of information and feeling cared for. Participants described the comfort and understanding they experienced at ACCHS; personal relationships and having an Indigenous care provider present were important factors in the overwhelmingly positive accounts. Young people reported strategies for overcoming challenges to prevention and accessing treatment services, including being proactive by carrying condoms, persisting with behavioural intentions despite feeling shame. . Conclusion: Our findings reinforce the important role both mainstream and community-controlled health services have in the prevention and treatment of BBV/STI blood borne and sexually transmitted infections in young Indigenous people. We highlight opportunities to build on young people’s strengths, such as their valuing of their health, their persistence, and their offers to support peers, to better prevent transmission of infections and enhance access to treatment.the International Collaboration in Indigenous Health Research Program, a trilateral partnership between the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Health Research Council of New Zealan

Learning from the past: young Indigenous people’s accounts of blood-borne viral and sexually transmitted infections as resilience narratives

The Indigenous Resilience Project is an Australian community-based participatory research project using qualitative methods to explore young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's views of blood-borne viral and sexually transmitted infections (BBV/STI) affecting their communities. In this paper we present an analysis of narratives from young people who had a previous BBV/STI diagnosis to explore how they actively negotiate the experience of BBV/STI infection to construct a classic resilience narrative. We examine two overarching themes: first, the context of infection and diagnosis, including ignorance of STI/BBV prior to infection/diagnosis and, second, turning points and transformations in the form of insights, behaviours, roles and agency. Responding to critical writing on resilience theory, we argue that providing situated accounts of adversity from the perspectives of young Indigenous people prioritises their subjective understandings and challenges normative definitions of resilience.Keywords resilience, sexual health, young people, Indigenous people, Australiafunded by the International Collaborative Indigenous Health Research Partnership (ID: 361621), a trilateral partnership between the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Health Research Council of New Zealan