93 research outputs found
The study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a family-centred tobacco control program about environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) to reduce respiratory illness in Indigenous infants
Background: Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is the most common cause of acute presentations and hospitalisations of young Indigenous children in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) from household smoking is a significant and preventable contributor to childhood ARI. This paper describes the protocol for a study which aims to test the efficacy of a family-centred tobacco control program about ETS to improve the respiratory health of Indigenous infants in Australia and New Zealand. For the purpose of this paper 'Indigenous' refers to Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples when referring to Australian Indigenous populations. In New Zealand, the term 'Indigenous' refers to Maori
Otitis media in young Aboriginal children from remote communities in Northern and Central Australia: a cross-sectional survey
BACKGROUND: Middle ear disease (otitis media) is common and frequently severe in Australian Aboriginal children. There have not been any recent large-scale surveys using clear definitions and a standardised middle ear assessment. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of middle ear disease (otitis media) in a high-risk population of young Aboriginal children from remote communities in Northern and Central Australia. METHODS: 709 Aboriginal children aged 6–30 months living in 29 communities from 4 health regions participated in the study between May and November 2001. Otitis media (OM) and perforation of the tympanic membrane (TM) were diagnosed by tympanometry, pneumatic otoscopy, and video-otoscopy. We used otoscopic criteria (bulging TM or recent perforation) to diagnose acute otitis media. RESULTS: 914 children were eligible to participate in the study and 709 were assessed (78%). Otitis media affected nearly all children (91%, 95%CI 88, 94). Overall prevalence estimates adjusted for clustering by community were: 10% (95%CI 8, 12) for unilateral otitis media with effusion (OME); 31% (95%CI 27, 34) for bilateral OME; 26% (95%CI 23, 30) for acute otitis media without perforation (AOM/woP); 7% (95%CI 4, 9) for AOM with perforation (AOM/wiP); 2% (95%CI 1, 3) for dry perforation; and 15% (95%CI 11, 19) for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The perforation prevalence ranged from 0–60% between communities and from 19–33% between regions. Perforations of the tympanic membrane affected 40% of children in their first 18 months of life. These were not always persistent. CONCLUSION: Overall, 1 in every 2 children examined had otoscopic signs consistent with suppurative ear disease and 1 in 4 children had a perforated tympanic membrane. Some of the children with intact tympanic membranes had experienced a perforation that healed before the survey. In this high-risk population, high rates of tympanic perforation were associated with high rates of bulging of the tympanic membrane
Plasma carotenoids are associated with socioeconomic status in an urban Indigenous population: an observational study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Indigenous Australians experience poorer health than other Australians. Poor diet may contribute to this, and be related to their generally lower socioeconomic status (SES). Even within Indigenous populations, SES may be important. Our aim was to identify factors associated with plasma carotenoids as a marker of fruit and vegetable intake among urban dwelling Indigenous Australians, with a particular focus on SES.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross sectional study in urban dwelling Indigenous Australians participating in the DRUID (Darwin Region Urban Indigenous Diabetes) Study. An SES score, based on education, employment, household size, home ownership and income was computed and plasma carotenoids measured by high performance liquid chromatography in 897 men and women aged 15 - 81 years (mean 36, standard deviation 15). Linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between SES and plasma carotenoids, adjusting for demographic, health and lifestyle variables, including frequency of intakes of food groups (fruit, vegetables, takeaway foods, snacks and fruit/vegetable juice).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SES was positively associated with plasma concentrations of lutein/zeaxanthin (p trend <0.001), lycopene (p trend = 0.001), α- and ß-carotene (p trend = 0.019 and 0.026 respectively), after adjusting for age, sex, glucose tolerance status, smoking, alcohol use, hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia, self-reported health, waist to hip ratio and body mass index. These associations remained after adjustment for self-reported frequency of intake of fruit, vegetables, takeaway foods and fruit juice, which all showed some association with plasma carotenoids. Even in the highest SES quintile, concentrations of all carotenoids (except lycopene) were lower than the mean concentrations in a non-Indigenous population.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Even within urban Indigenous Australians, higher SES was associated with higher concentrations of plasma carotenoids. Low plasma carotenoids have been linked with poor health outcomes; increasing accessibility of fruit and vegetables, as well as reducing smoking rates could increase concentrations and otherwise improve health, but our results suggest there may be additional factors contributing to lower carotenoid concentrations in Indigenous Australians.</p
CyanoFactory, a European consortium to develop technologies needed to advance cyanobacteria as chassis for production of chemicals and fuels
CyanoFactory, Design, construction and demonstration of solar biofuel production using novel (photo)synthetic cell factories, was an R&D project developed in response to the European Commission FP7-ENERGY-2012-1 call “Future Emerging Technologies” and the need for significant advances in both new science and technologies to convert solar energy into a fuel. CyanoFactory was an example of “purpose driven” research and development with identified scientific goals and creation of new technologies. The present overview highlights significant outcomes of the project, three years after its successful completion.
The scientific progress of CyanoFactory involved: (i) development of a ToolBox for cyanobacterial synthetic biology; (ii) construction of DataWarehouse/Bioinformatics web-based capacities and functions; (iii) improvement of chassis growth, functionality and robustness; (iv) introduction of custom designed genetic constructs into cyanobacteria, (v) improvement of photosynthetic efficiency towards hydrogen production; (vi) biosafety mechanisms; (vii) analyses of the designed cyanobacterial cells to identify bottlenecks with suggestions on further improvements; (viii) metabolic modelling of engineered cells; (ix) development of an efficient laboratory scale photobioreactor unit; and (x) the assembly and experimental performance assessment of a larger (1350 L) outdoor flat panel photobioreactor system during two seasons.
CyanoFactory - Custom design and purpose construction of microbial cells for the production of desired products using synthetic biology – aimed to go beyond conventional paths to pursue innovative and high impact goals. CyanoFactory brought together ten leading European partners (universities, research organizations and enterprises) with a common goal – to develop the future technologies in Synthetic biology and Advanced photobioreactors
Bioreactor for microalgal cultivation systems: strategy and development
Microalgae are important natural resources that can provide food, medicine, energy and various bioproducts for nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and aquaculture industries. Their production rates are superior compared to those of terrestrial crops. However, microalgae biomass production on a large scale is still a challenging problem in terms of economic and ecological viability. Microalgal cultivation system should be designed to maximize production with the least cost. Energy efficient approaches of using light, dynamic mixing to maximize use of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nutrients and selection of highly productive species are the main considerations in designing an efficient photobioreactor. In general, optimized culture conditions and biological responses are the two overarching attributes to be considered for photobioreactor design strategies. Thus, fundamental aspects of microalgae growth, such as availability of suitable light, CO2 and nutrients to each growing cell, suitable environmental parameters (including temperature and pH) and efficient removal of oxygen which otherwise would negatively impact the algal growth, should be integrated into the photobioreactor design and function. Innovations should be strategized to fully exploit the wastewaters, flue-gas, waves or solar energy to drive large outdoor microalgae cultivation systems. Cultured species should be carefully selected to match the most suitable growth parameters in different reactor systems. Factors that would decrease production such as photoinhibition, self-shading and phosphate flocculation should be nullified using appropriate technical approaches such as flashing light innovation, selective light spectrum, light-CO2 synergy and mixing dynamics. Use of predictive mathematical modelling and adoption of new technologies in novel photobioreactor design will not only increase the photosynthetic and growth rates but will also enhance the quality of microalgae composition. Optimizing the use of natural resources and industrial wastes that would otherwise harm the environment should be given emphasis in strategizing the photobioreactor mass production. To date, more research and innovation are needed since scalability and economics of microalgae cultivation using photobioreactors remain the challenges to be overcome for large-scale microalgae production
Respiratory infections (including Bronchiectasis)
Aboriginal Primary Health Care, 3rd edition is Australia's definitive guide to best-practice management of the major health problems facing Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. This authentic and authoritative text assists health practitioners, policy-makers and communities to influence health determinants, advocate for and overcome inertia to change, and strengthen health care provision within a human rights context. [from publisher's website
Bronchoscopic findings in children with non-cystic fibrosis chronic suppurative lung disease
Background: Published data on the frequency and types of flexible bronchoscopic airway appearances in children with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and chronic suppurative lung disease are unavailable. The aims of this study were to describe airway appearances and frequency of airway abnormalities and to relate these airway abnormalities to chest high resolution computed tomography (cHRCT) findings in a cohort of children with non-cystic fibrosis chronic suppurative lung disease (CSLD). Methods: Indigenous children with non-cystic fibrosis CSLD (>4 months moist and/or productive cough) were prospectively identified and collected over a 2.5 year period at two paediatric centres. Their medical charts and bronchoscopic notes were retrospectively reviewed. Results: In all but one child the aetiology of the bronchiectasis was presumed to be following a respiratory infection. Thirty three of the 65 children with CSLD underwent bronchoscopy and five major types of airway findings were identified (mucosal abnormality/inflammation only, bronchomalacia, obliterative-like lesion, malacia/obliterative-like combination, and no macroscopic abnormality). The obliterative-like lesion, previously undescribed, was present in 16.7% of bronchiectatic lobes. Structural airway lesions (bronchomalacia and/or obliterative-like lesion) were present in 39.7% of children. These lesions, when present, corresponded to the site of abnormality on the cHRCT scan. Conclusions: Structural airway abnormality is commonly found in children with post-infectious bronchiectasis and a new bronchoscopic finding has been described. Airway abnormalities, when present, related to the same lobe abnormality on the cHRCT scan. How these airway abnormalities relate to aetiology, management strategy, and prognosis is unknown
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