Mobility of people with retinitis pigmentosa as a function of vision and psychological variables

We investigated the mobility performance of subjects with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) as a function of clinical measures of residual vision and psychological variables. We found a highly significant correlation between clinical measures of residual vision and mobility. Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity and residual visual field together explained 64% of the variance in mobility performance in an indoor shopping mall. We suggest a simple new clinical method of scoring the visual field for predicting mobility performance, the RP Concentric Field Rating. The RP Concentric Field Rating alone explained 60% of the variance in mobility performance. In spite of expectations derived from reading the recent literature, we did not find a significant correlation between psychological variables and mobility performance in a group of subjects with RP.

Comparison of functional mobility performance with clinical vision measures in simulated Retinitis Pigmentosa

Simulations of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) under various conditions of retinal illuminance were designed and investigated in order that they might be used in the mobility training of clients with early RP. Goggles incorporating a 2.5 neutral density (ND) filter with a 0.5-mm diameter pinhole were found to be a potentially useful simulation device for this purpose. This investigation also compared mobility performance with clinical vision measures under photopic, mesopic, and scotopic conditions of retinal illuminance. Although none of the clinical vision measures we used was entirely predictive of mobility performance, some measures were better predictors than others. For a severe constriction of the visual field and decreasing retinal illuminance, both edge contrast sensitivity and visual acuity, measured outdoors, accounted for a greater proportion of the variance in mobility performance than did low contrast visual acuity measured under the same circumstances. The same clinical vision measures, taken in-doors, were of no value in predicting outdoor mobility performance.

Developing an instrumental activities of daily living tool as part of the low vision assessment of daily activities protocol

To determine the validity, reliability, and measurement characteristics using factor and Rasch analysis of the Very Low Vision Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL-VLV) in persons with severe vision loss.

More dominant in their inactivity: consumer response and the adoption of digital TV in Australia

After much hesitation, discussion, and power brokering, Australia adopted digital TV for its Free-to air broadcasting on January 1, 2001. However, by December 2002, only a few thousand homes had adopted the technology. This paper examines the implementation and regulation of digital TV in Australia from the point of view of the ‘established base’ the new technology will replace, theories on diffusion and innovation of new technologies, and the Justification Model, which sees technology choice as social gambling. It then evaluates the various protectionist regulations and limitations imposed on the technology to safeguard the various stakeholders, the implementation strategies used, lack of digital content, marketing efforts, negative media coverage, and the economic realities of the technology, and argues that if consumers reject the technology altogether, it would lead to Australia missing the future applications of digital technology and the opportunity to address the issue of the ‘digital divide’ in the 21st century.

Seasonal and diet comparisons of the diets of four dominant fish species within the main channel and flood-zone of a small intermittently open estuary in south-eastern Australia

The diets of four highly-abundant, dominant fish species within the Surrey River, a small intermittently open estuary in south-east Australia, were examined from specimens collected between July 2004 and June 2005. These four, similar-sized species (Atherinosoma microstoma, Galaxias maculatus, Philypnodon grandiceps and Pseudogobius olorum) have limited ability to spatially segregate along the length of the estuary owing to its small size relative to other estuarine habitats. All four species fed on a variety of prey items including crustaceans, insects and detritus. Despite this parity, the four species were demonstrated to occupy differing dietary niches that were concluded to be responsible for reducing interspecific feeding competition. Seasonal variations in the diets were observed for A. microstoma and Philypnodon grandiceps, with these species also exhibiting contrasting diel feeding behaviours. The closure of the estuary mouth led to the flooding of its margins, resulting in an increase in the size of the estuary and providing alternative food resources for the fish to exploit. It appears the inundation of the flood-zone facilitated further significant divergence in the diets of the fish and is likely to be of high ecological value to the estuary.

Environmental attitudes and their relation to the dominant social paradigm among university students in New Zealand and Australia

This paper develops a causal model of environmental attitudes using measures of the dominant social paradigm of Western industrial societies. Four components of the DSP framework are examined with regard to environmental attitudes and perception of change using a sample of university students from Australia and New Zealand. The results indicate that one’s belief in the DSP has a negative effect on both environmental attitudes and perception of change necessary to ameliorate degradation of the environment. Thus, while public policy favors increasing awareness of and interest in the environment, policy instruments may remain ineffective in producing lasting change if the components of the DSP remain unchanged. It is argued that public policy ought to be directed at changing the DSP so that its negative effects will be minimized.

Effects of long-term tennis playing on the muscle-bone relationship in the dominant and non-dominant forearms

The relationship between muscle strength and bone mineral density illustrates the positive effect of mechanical loading on bone. But local and systemic factors may affect both muscle and bone tissues. This study investigated the effects of long-term tennis playing on the relationship between lean tissue mass and bone mineral content in the forearms, taking the body dimensions into account. Fifty-two tennis players (age 24.2 +/- 5.8 yrs, 16.2 +/- 6.1 yrs of practice) were recruited. Lean tissue mass (LTM), bone area, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density were measured at the forearms from a DXA whole-body scan. Grip strength was assessed with a dynamometer. A marked side-to-side difference (p < 0.0001) was found in favor of the dominant forearm in all parameters. Bone area and BMC correlated with grip strength on both sides (r = 0.81 - 0.84, p < 0.0001). The correlations were still significant after adjusting for whole-body BMC body height, or forearm length. This result reinforced the putative role of the muscles in the mechanical loading on bones. In addition, forearm BMC adjusted to LTM or grip strength was higher on the dominant side, suggesting that tennis playing exerts a direct effect on bone.

Asymmetry in volume between dominant and nondominant upper limbs in young tennis players

This study aimed at demonstrating the asymmetry in volume between the dominant and nondominant upper limbs in tennis players, controlled for maturity status. Upper limb volumes on both sides were calculated in 72 tennis players and 84 control subjects, using the truncated cone method. The participants’ maturity status was determined using the predicted age at peak height velocity (PHV). The results showed significant larger side-to-side asymmetry in volume in tennis groups than
in control groups. These findings suggested that, even before PHV, specific-sport adaptations occurred in the dominant upper limb in tennis players.

Lessons from arts experiences for service-dominant logic

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider whether art experiences can inform service-dominant logic (SDL) discourse through an exploration of the co-production and co-creation processes of art experiences.

Design/methodology/approach – Empirical knowledge gained about art experiences is analysed to identify emergent themes about co-production and co-creation. Four modes of qualitative data collection are employed: research participant diaries, photo elicitation, in depth interviews and focus groups.

Findings – Key findings are there are three stakeholders involved in the co-creation of art experiences, which all have critical and different roles; co-creation and co-production are both temporally based and evolving and there are points where they interact and intersect; and high levels of engagement in co-production enhance individuals' contribution to the co-creation of positive value and make their participation in future co-production opportunities more likely.

Research limitations/implications – The paper is exploratory and not a general population study. The methodology and sample of participants employed do not allow for the generalisation of the findings to the broader population.

Practical implications – Organisations may benefit from devising strategies to encourage greater dialogue and connection between all stakeholders involved in co-production and co-creation. The higher the level of individuals' co-production of art experiences the greater likelihood of positive value being co-created. Furthermore, the greater the possibility of individuals engaging in other co-production experiences in the future. While individuals are attracted to co-production possibilities, there are factors that are external to an experience that can act as either barriers to or facilitators of co-production, and that consequently impact on co-creation.

Originality/value – There is little extant research that explores the applicability of art experiences to SDL. This paper is significant in that it employs empirical research methods to develop knowledge on the topic. Furthermore, this paper is innovative in that it seeks to see whether the art experiences can inform generic marketing models, rather than whether generic marketing models can inform arts marketing.

Challenging the dominant discourses of the state aid debate

The state aid debate is one of the longest running and most intractable issues in the public policy sphere in Australia. Recent decisions by the Commonwealth government to increase funding to private schools has reignited the debate. But the traditional defences of public education have proved inadequate to the task of hanging the course of current neo-liberal education policy trajectories. As the percentage of students attending private schools continues to grow, and as the spectre of a residualised public education system looms larger, so the need to rethink Australian public education becomes a more urgent project. In this paper we analyse what is happening and why; identify a range of concerns from the standpoint of a social democratic educational agenda; and theorise some possible strategies which might be pursued by those committed to a vibrant public schooling
system in Australia.

A cell-permeable dominant-negative survivin protein induces apoptosis and sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TNF-α therapy

BACKGROUND: Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) family which is widely expressed by many different cancers. Overexpression of survivin is associated with drug resistance in cancer cells, and reduced patient survival after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Agents that antagonize the function of survivin hold promise for treating many forms of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a cell-permeable dominant-negative survivin protein would demonstrate bioactivity against prostate and cervical cancer cells grown in three dimensional culture.

RESULTS: A dominant-negative survivin (C84A) protein fused to the cell penetrating peptide poly-arginine (R9) was expressed in E. coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Western blot analysis revealed that dNSurR9-C84A penetrated into 3D-cultured HeLa and DU145 cancer cells, and a cell viability assay revealed it induced cancer cell death. It increased the activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and rendered DU145 cells sensitive to TNF-α via by a mechanism involving activation of caspase-8.

CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that antagonism of survivin function triggers the apoptosis of prostate and cervical cancer cells grown in 3D culture. It renders cancer cells sensitive to the proapoptotic affects of TNF-α, suggesting that survivin blocks the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Combination of the biologically active dNSurR9-C84A protein or other survivin antagonists with TNF-α therapy warrants consideration as an approach to cancer therapy.