Motivations, expectations and experiences of Australian rural and regional planners

Despite playing an extremely important role in shaping communities, the role and contribution of planners is not widely understood or acknowledged. At the same time, there is a shortage of planners in Australia, especially in non-urban areas. Thus, though an online survey of 185 rural and regional planners, this research explores their motivations, expectations and experiences. Most enjoyed and felt confident in their role, explaining that they valued the relaxed family orientated rural lifestyle and the varied nature of the planning work. Although they sometimes felt isolated, the non-urban location provided quicker progression to senior roles, the ability to engage directly with the community and to see the consequences of their decisions. Only half felt their education had prepared them well for their role, citing gaps in terms of computerised modelling, team leadership and conflict resolution skills. Their feedback centred on providing a more practical course, focussing more on regional planning, and encouraging urban and rural experience placements. As the first study to quantifiably explore rural and regional Australian planners perceptions of their role and challenges, the findings illustrate current experiences, key planning challenges, perceived educational gaps and future priorities.Rural and regional planners; expectations; experiences; Australia

Patient-Empowered Electronic Health Records

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) constitute evidence of onlinehealth information management. Critical healthcare information technology (HIT) infrastructure facilitates health information exchange of ‘modern’ health systems. The growth andimplementation of EHRs are progressing in many countrieswhile the adoption rate is lagging and lacking momentumamidst privacy and security concerns.This paper uses an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis of OECDdata related to EHRs from many countries to make predictionsabout EHR adoption. The ITS model can be used to explore theimpact of various HIT on adoption. Assumptions about the impact of Information Accountability are entered into the model togenerate projections if information accountability technologiesare developed. In this way, the OECD data and ITS analysiscan be used to perform simulations for improving EHR adoption

Medical System Choice: Information That Affects the Selection of Healthcare Provider in Australia?

Many complementary and alternative medical practices (CAM) are readily assessable in Australia alongside Allopathic practitioners. Although CAM practices are prevalent, little is known about how patients seek and use information when deciding which system to consult. We report some preliminary findings of a longitudinal study, designed to solicit factors that influence the Australian public when selecting from diverse medical systems. Fifty-four general public participants, willing to provide their confidential and anonymous opinion were included. The magnitudes of importance, critical in influencing factors, were screened. Results indicated a medical system was selected for its effectiveness, safety, credentials and care (p<0.001). Consultation time, convenience, cost, empowerment and rapport were less important factors (p<0.001) influencing selection of a medical system. The level of choices by participants [χ2 (1, N=54) = 53.445, p<0.001] follow similar trends found for those in conventional medical systems. This contrasts with findings in other locations, where cost and time were major contributing factors when selecting medical systems

Antimalarial activity of the anticancer histone deacetylase inhibitor SB939

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes posttranslationally modify lysines on histone and nonhistone proteins and play crucial roles in epigenetic regulation and other important cellular processes. HDAC inhibitors (e.g., suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid [SAHA; also known as vorinostat]) are used clinically to treat some cancers and are under investigation for use against many other diseases. Development of new HDAC inhibitors for noncancer indications has the potential to be accelerated by piggy-backing onto cancer studies, as several HDAC inhibitors have undergone or are undergoing clinical trials. One such compound, SB939, is a new orally active hydroxamate-based HDAC inhibitor with an improved pharmacokinetic profile compared to that of SAHA. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo antiplasmodial activities of SB939 were investigated. SB939 was found to be a potent inhibitor of the growth of Plasmodium falciparum asexual-stage parasites in vitro (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 100 to 200 nM), causing hyperacetylation of parasite histone and nonhistone proteins. In combination with the aspartic protease inhibitor lopinavir, SB939 displayed additive activity. SB939 also potently inhibited the in vitro growth of exoerythrocytic-stage Plasmodium parasites in liver cells (IC50, similar to 150 nM), suggesting that inhibitor targeting to multiple malaria parasite life cycle stages may be possible. In an experimental in vivo murine model of cerebral malaria, orally administered SB939 significantly inhibited P. berghei ANKA parasite growth, preventing development of cerebral malaria-like symptoms. These results identify SB939 as a potent new antimalarial HDAC inhibitor and underscore the potential of investigating next-generation anticancer HDAC inhibitors as prospective new drug leads for treatment of malaria

Employee readiness for information sharing in computer-based occupational health and wellbeing management

Employee readiness to share personal information is crucial for the uptake of e-Health systems in occupational health and well-being. We investigated employee health data sharing preferences using a mixed methods sequential research approach. Through a review of the literature and thematic analysis of data from focus group discussions with 26 employees, we identified six information categories for overall health and well-being of employees and five different parties who may share employee healthrelated information. We then identified relationships between those parties and health and well-being information categories, using a correspondence and cluster analysis of data from a single-stage questionnaire survey with 360 respondents. We showed that employees are ready to share information on work-related emotional health and their work environment with employers, physical health with doctorsand insurers, healthy behaviours with close friends, and basic access and overall satisfaction with family members.Keywords: Health and well-being, Personal Health Records (PHR), employer-sponsored personal, health records (ESPHR), occupational healt

Sample size considerations and augmentation of computer experiments

Computer Experiments, consisting of a number of runs of a computer model with different inputs, are now common-place in scientific research. Using a simple fire model for illustration some guidelines are given for the size of a computer experiment. A graph is provided relating the error of prediction to the sample size which should be of use when designing computer experiments. Methods for augmenting computer experiments with extra runs are also described and illustrated. The simplest method involves adding one point at a time choosing that point with the maximum prediction variance. Another method that appears to work well is to choose points from a candidate set with maximum determinant of the variance covariance matrix of predictions

Computer experiment – a case study for modelling and simulation of manufacturing systems

Deterministic computer simulation of physical experiments is now a common technique in science and engineering. Often, physical experiments are too time consuming, expensive or impossible to conduct. Complex computer models or codes, rather than physical experiments lead to the study of computer experiments, which are used to investigate many scientific phenomena. A computer experiment consists of a number of runs of the computer code with different input choices. The Design and Analysis of Computer Experiments is a rapidly growing technique in statistical experimental design.\ud This paper aims to discuss some practical issues when designing a computer simulation and/or experiments for manufacturing systems. A case study approach is reviewed and presented.\ud \u

Forecasting patient empowered health information technologies

The growth and implementation of electronic health records (EHR) are progressing in many countries.Though adoption within Healthcare often lacks momentum amidst privacy and security concerns. Thispaper uses an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis of OECD data related to EHRs from many countriesto make predictions about EHR adoption. The ITS model can be used to explore the impact of varioushealth information technologies on adoption. Assumptions about the impact of Information Accountabilityare entered into the model to generate projections if information accountability technologies are developed. In this way, the OECD data and ITS analysis can be used to perform simulations for improving EHRadoption to ultimately reduce healthcare costs, while improving healthcare services and the managementof healthcare records