Diversity, disruption, continuity: Parenting and social and emotional wellbeing amongst Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders

This paper reviews the diversity in parenting values and practices amongst Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. Firstly, issues arising from the historical traumatic disruption of families’ attachments are discussed, Then the contribution Indigenous parenting makes to the development of healthy and vulnerable individuals becomes the central focus. Family therapists can draw from a broad understanding of the diversity of parenting values and practices in the context of a strength-based approach.

Evidence of unique genotypes of Beak and feather disease virus in Southern Africa

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is the most significant infectious disease in psittacines. PBFD is thought to have originated in Australia but is now found worldwide; in Africa, it threatens the survival of the indigenous endangered Cape parrot and the vulnerable black-cheeked lovebird. We investigated the genetic diversity of putative BFDVs from southern Africa. Feathers and heparinized blood samples were collected from 27 birds representing 9 psittacine species, all showing clinical signs of PBFD. DNA extracted from these samples was used for PCR amplification of the putative BFDV coat protein (CP) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the CP genes of 19 unique BFDV isolates were determined and compared with the 24 previously described sequences of BFDV isolates from Australasia and America. Phylogenetic analysis revealed eight BFDV lineages, with the southern African isolates representing at least three distinctly unique genotypes; 10 complete genome sequences were determined, representing at least one of every distinct lineage. The nucleotide diversity of the southern African isolates was calculated to be 6.4% and is comparable to that found in Australia and New Zealand. BFDVs in southern Africa have, however, diverged substantially from viruses found in other parts of the world, as the average distance between the southern African isolates and BFDV isolates from Australia ranged from 8.3 to 10.8%. In addition to point mutations, recombination was found to contribute substantially to the level of genetic variation among BFDVs, with evidence of recombination in all but one of the genomes analyzed.

Evidence of ancient papillomavirus recombination

An open question amongst papillomavirus taxonomists is whether recombination has featured in the evolutionary history of these viruses. Since the onset of the global AIDS epidemic, the question is somewhat less academic, because immune-compromised human immunodeficiency virus patients are often co-infected with extraordinarily diverse mixtures of human papillomavirus (HPV) types. It is expected that these conditions may facilitate the emergence of HPV recombinants, some of which might have novel pathogenic properties. Here, a range of rigorous analyses is applied to full-genome sequences of papillomaviruses to provide convincing statistical and phylogenetic evidence that evolutionarily relevant papillomavirus recombination can occur. © 2006 SGM.

The capsid protein of beak and feather disease virus binds to the viral DNA and is responsible for transporting the replication-associated protein into the nucleus

Circoviruses lack an autonomous DNA polymerase and are dependent on the replication machinery of the host cell for de novo DNA synthesis. Accordingly, the viral DNA needs to cross both the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope before replication can occur. Here we report on the subcellular distribution of the beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) capsid protein (CP) and replication-associated protein (Rep) expressed via recombinant baculoviruses in an insect cell system and test the hypothesis that the CP is responsible for transporting the viral genome, as well as Rep, across the nuclear envelope. The intracellular localization of the BFDV CP was found to be directed by three partially overlapping bipartite nuclear localization signals (NLSs) situated between residues 16 and 56 at the N terminus of the protein. Moreover, a DNA binding region was also mapped to the N terminus of the protein and falls within the region containing the three putative NLSs. The ability of CP to bind DNA, coupled with the karyophilic nature of this protein, strongly suggests that it may be responsible for nuclear targeting of the viral genome. Interestingly, whereas Rep expressed on its own in insect cells is restricted to the cytoplasm, coexpression with CP alters the subcellular localization of Rep to the nucleus, strongly suggesting that an interaction with CP facilitates movement of Rep into the nucleus. Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

OpenRatSLAM : an open source brain-based SLAM system

RatSLAM is a navigation system based on the neural processes underlying navigation in the rodent brain, capable of operating with low resolution monocular image data. Seminal experiments using RatSLAM include mapping an entire suburb with a web camera and a long term robot delivery trial. This paper describes OpenRatSLAM, an open-source version of RatSLAM with bindings to the Robot Operating System framework to leverage advantages such as robot and sensor abstraction, networking, data playback, and visualization. OpenRatSLAM comprises connected ROS nodes to represent RatSLAM’s pose cells, experience map, and local view cells, as well as a fourth node that provides visual odometry estimates. The nodes are described with reference to the RatSLAM model and salient details of the ROS implementation such as topics, messages, parameters, class diagrams, sequence diagrams, and parameter tuning strategies. The performance of the system is demonstrated on three publicly available open-source datasets.

Rat meets iRat

Biorobotics has the potential to provide an integrated understanding from neural systems to behavior that is neither ethical nor technically feasible with living systems. Robots that can interact with animals in their natural environment open new possibilities for empirical studies in neuroscience. However, designing a robot that can interact with a rodent requires considerations that span a range of disciplines. For the rat's safety, the body form and movements of the robot need to take into consideration the safety of the animal, an appropriate size for the rodent arenas, and behaviors for interaction. For the robot's safety, its form must be robust in the face of typically inquisitive and potentially aggressive behaviors by the rodent, which can include chewing on exposed parts, including electronics, and deliberate or accidental fouling. We designed a rat-sized robot, the iRat (intelligent rat animat technology) for studies in neuroscience. The iRat is about the same size as a rat and has the ability to navigate autonomously around small environments. In this study we report the first interactions between the iRat and real rodents in a free exploration task. Studies with five rats show that the rats and iRat interact safely for both parties.

Lingodroids : learning terms for time

For humans and robots to communicate using natural language it is necessary for the robots to develop concepts and associated terms that correspond to the human use of words. Time and space are foundational concepts in human language, and to develop a set of words that correspond to human notions of time and space, it is necessary to take into account the way that they are used in natural human conversations, where terms and phrases such as `soon', `in a while', or `near' are often used. We present language learning robots called Lingodroids that can learn and use simple terms for time and space. In previous work, the Lingodroids were able to learn terms for space. In this work we extend their abilities by adding temporal variables which allow them to learn terms for time. The robots build their own maps of the world and interact socially to form a shared lexicon for location and duration terms. The robots successfully use the shared lexicons to communicate places and times to meet again.

Long summer days : grounded learning of words for the uneven cycles of real world events

Time and space are fundamental to human language and embodied cognition. In our early work we investigated how Lingodroids, robots with the ability to build their own maps, could evolve their own geopersonal spatial language. In subsequent studies we extended the framework developed for learning spatial concepts and words to learning temporal intervals. This paper considers a new aspect of time, the naming of concepts like morning, afternoon, dawn, and dusk, which are events that are part of day-night cycles, but are not defined by specific time points on a clock. Grounding of such terms refers to events and features of the diurnal cycle, such as light levels. We studied event-based time in which robots experienced day-night cycles that varied with the seasons throughout a year. Then we used meet-at tasks to demonstrate that the words learned were grounded, where the times to meet were morning and afternoon, rather than specific clock times. The studies show how words and concepts for a novel aspect of cyclic time can be grounded through experience with events rather than by times as measured by clocks or calendars

Linkage disequilibrium analysis in the genetically isolated Norfolk Island population

Norfolk Island is a human genetic isolate, possessing unique population characteristics that could be utilized for complex disease gene localization. Our intention was to evaluate the extent and strength of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the Norfolk isolate by investigating markers within Xq13.3 and the NOS2A gene encoding the inducible nitric oxide synthase. A total of six microsatellite markers spanning approximately 11 Mb were assessed on chromosome Xq13.3 in a group of 56 men from Norfolk Island. Additionally, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) localizing to the NOS2A gene were analyzed in a subset of the complex Norfolk pedigree. With the exception of two of the marker pairs, one of which is the most distantly spaced marker, all the Xq13.3 marker pairs were found to be in significant LD indicating that LD extends up to 9.5-11.5 Mb in the Norfolk Island population. Also, all SNPs studied showed significant LD in both Norfolk Islanders and Australian Caucasians, with two of the marker pairs in complete LD in the Norfolk population only. The Norfolk Island study population possesses a unique set of characteristics including founder effect, geographical isolation, exhaustive genealogical information and phenotypic data of use to cardiovascular disease risk traits. With LD extending up to 9.5-11 Mb, the Norfolk isolate should be a powerful resource for the localization of complex disease genes.

Linkage mapping of CVD risk traits in the isolated Norfolk Island population

To understand the underlying genetic architecture of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk traits, we undertook a genome-wide linkage scan to identify CVD quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in 377 individuals from the Norfolk Island population. The central aim of this research focused on the utilization of a genetically and geographically isolated population of individuals from Norfolk Island for the purposes of variance component linkage analysis to identify QTLs involved in CVD risk traits. Substantial evidence supports the involvement of traits such as systolic and diastolic blood pressures, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, body mass index and triglycerides as important risk factors for CVD pathogenesis. In addition to the environmental inXuences of poor diet, reduced physical activity, increasing age, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, many studies have illustrated a strong involvement of genetic components in the CVD phenotype through family and twin studies. We undertook a genome scan using 400 markers spaced approximately 10 cM in 600 individuals from Norfolk Island. Genotype data was analyzed using the variance components methods of SOLAR. Our results gave a peak LOD score of 2.01 localizing to chromosome 1p36 for systolic blood pressure and replicated previously implicated loci for other CVD relevant QTLs.

Phenotypical characterisation of the isolated Norfolk Island population focusing on epidemiological indicators of cardiovascular disease

Objectives Only 193 people from Pitcairn Island, all descended from 9 ‘Bounty’ mutineers and 12 Tahitian women, moved to the uninhabited Norfolk Island in 1856. Our objective was to assess the population of Norfolk Island, several thousand km off the eastern coast of Australia, as a genetic isolate of potential use for cardiovascular disease (CVD) gene mapping. Methods A total of 602 participants, approximately two thirds of the island’s present adult population, were characterized for a panel of CVD risk factors. Statistical power and heritability were calculated. Results Norfolk Islander’s possess an increased prevalence of hypertension, obesity and multiple CVD risk factors when compared to outbred Caucasian populations. 64% of the study participants were descendents of the island’s original founder population. Triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressures all had heritabilities above 0.2. Conclusions The Norfolk land population is a potentially useful genetic isolate for gene mapping studies aimed at identifying CVD risk factor quantitative trait loci (QTL).

Lumbar epidural steroids are not cost effective in sciatica

Background Lumbar Epidural Steroids Injections (ESI’s) have previously been shown to provide some degree of pain relief in sciatica. Number Needed To Treat (NNT) to achieve 50% pain relief has been estimated at 7 from the results of randomised controlled trials. Pain relief is temporary. They remain one of the most commonly provided procedures in the UK. It is unknown whether this pain relief represents good value for money. Methods 228 patients were randomised into a multi-centre Double Blind Randomised Controlled Trial. Subjects received up to 3 ESI’s or intra-spinous saline depending on response and fall off with the first injection. All other treatments were permitted. All received a review of analgesia, education and physical therapy. Quality of life was assessed using the SF36 at 6 points and compared using independent sample t-tests. Follow up was up to 1 yr. Missing data was imputed using last observation carried forward (LOCF). QALY’s (Quality of Life Years) were derived from preference based heath values (summary health utility score). SF-6D health state classification was derived from SF-36 raw score data. Standard gambles (SG) were calculated using Model 10. SG scores were calculated on trial results. LOCF was not used for this. Instead average SG were derived for a subset of patients with observations for all visits up to week 12. Incremental QALY’s were derived as the difference in the area between the SG curve for the active group and placebo group. Results SF36 domains showed a significant improvement in pain at week 3 but this was not sustained (mean 54 Active vs 61 Placebo P<0.05). Other domains did not show any significant gains compared with placebo. For derivation of SG the number in the sample in each period differed. In week 12, average SG scores for active and placebo converged. In other words, the health gain for the active group as measured by SG was achieved by the placebo group by week 12. The incremental QALY gained for a patient under the trial protocol compared with the standard care package was 0.0059350. This is equivalent to an additional 2.2 days of full health. The cost per QALY gained to the provider from a patient management strategy administering one epidural as suggested by results was £25 745.68. This result was derived assuming that the gain in QALY data calculated for patients under the trial protocol would approximate that under a patient management strategy based on the trial results (one ESI). This is above the threshold suggested by some as a cost effective treatment. Conclusions The transient benefit in pain relief afforded by ESI’s does not appear to be cost-effective. Further work is needed to develop more cost-effective conservative treatments for sciatica.

Associations between physical activity and other health behaviors in a representative sample of US adolescents

OBJECTIVES This study examined the associations between physical activity and other health behaviors in a representative sample of US adolescents. METHODS In the 1990 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 11631 high school students provided information on physical activity; diet; substance use; and other negative health behaviors. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between physical activity and other health behaviors in a subset of 2652 high-active and 1641 low-active students. RESULTS Low activity was associated with cigarette smoking, marijuana use, lower fruit and vegetable consumption, greater television watching, failure to wear a seat belt, and low perception of academic performance. For consumption of fruit, television watching, and alcohol consumption, significant interactions were found with race/ethnicity or sex, suggesting that sociocultural factors may affect the relationships between physical activity and some health behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Low physical activity was associated with several other negative health behaviors in teenagers. Future studies should examine whether interventions for increasing physical activity in youth can be effective in reducing negative health behaviors.

Deadly Choices or deadly choices? An ethnography of health promotion practice with Indigenous Australians

This presentation provides an overview of my PhD research, which links with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and its Deadly Choices team. In the presentation, I introduce my critique of mainstream health promotion practice, highlighting the need for decolonisation of health promotion and the opportunity to learn from health promotion practice that acknowledges Indigenous knowledge, skills and perspectives. I also overview my ethnographic research methodology, which enabled me to be a participant observer with IUIH health promotion practitioners. I canvas some of my findings to date, according to two key areas: the unique way Deadly Choices applies leadership as its model of health promotion practice; and the range of innovative engagement strategies they employed, including the Deadly Choices brand and social media. I conclude by highlighting the counter-narrative and contrast that Deadly Choices provides compared to traditional health promotion approaches with Indigenous people, and identify lessons for decolonisation of heath promotion more broadly.

Save Your Life Tonight : Heads Up

Save Your Life Tonight is a factual entertainment series produced by WildBear Entertainment for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and was filmed in front of a live studio audience at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH). Save Your Life Tonight is a unique studio based medical series that explores Australia’s top 10 health issues in an exciting and entertaining way. Driven by charismatic host Andrew Daddo, along with resident GP Dr Liz Marles and a panel of leading experts, each episode is a fast-paced, dynamic exploration of the causes, symptoms, treatments and, most importantly, prevention of these leading health issues. But Save Your Life Tonight doesn't just talk about the issues, it shows the issues! Save Your Life Tonight features real patients, real doctors, real tests, real diagnoses, and real surgical procedures – live on stage! For the "Heads Up" episode, the program explores the issues of mental health. Only half of the Australians suffering from severe mental heath issues are receiving treatment. Featuring Ian Hickie on the panel, we also see a young mum face her crippling bird phobia with the help of a Wedge Tailed Eagle.