Proteomics science and society :the role of knowledge translation in moving towards clinical applications

Gaining support for proteomics science requires effective knowledge translation. Knowledge translation (KT) processes turn the evidence generated by scientific discovery into recommendations for clinical applications, funding priorities, and policy/regulatory reforms. Clinicians, regulators, and funders need to understand why emerging proteomics knowledge is relevant, and what are the potential applications of that knowledge. A lack of clarity remains about what KT means.

Formation of polypyrrole and polythiophene within Cu2+- and H+-mordenite hosts studied by EPR and UV-VIS spectroscopy

The reactions of pyrrole and thiophene monomers in copper-exchanged mordenite have been investigated using EPR and UV–VIS absorption spectroscopy. The EPR spectra show a decrease in the intensity of the Cu2+ signal and the appearance of a radical signal due to the formation of oxidatively coupled oligomeric and/or polymeric species in the zeolite host. The reaction ceases when ca. 50% of the copper has reacted and differences in the form of the residual Cu2+ signal between the thiophene and pyrrole reactions suggest a greater degree of penetration of the reaction into the zeolite host for pyrrole, in agreement with previous XPS measurements. The EPR signal intensities show that the average length of the polymer chain that is associated with each radical centre is 15–20 and 5–7 monomer units for polypyrrole and polythiophene, respectively. The widths of the EPR signals suggest that these are at least partly due to small oligomers. The UV–VIS absorption spectra of the thiophene system show bands in three main regions: 2.8–3.0 eV (A), 2.3 eV (B) and 1.6–1.9 eV (D, E, F). Bands A and D–F occur in regions which have previously been observed for small oligomers, 4–6 monomer units in length. Band B is assigned to longer chain polythiophene molecules. We therefore conclude that the reaction between thiophene and copper-loaded mordenite produces a mixture of short oligomers together with some long chain polythiophene. The UV–VIS spectra of the pyrrole system show bands in the regions 3.6 eV (A), 2.7–3.0 eV (B, C) and 1.5–1.9 eV (D, F). Assignments of these bands are less certain than for the thiophene case because of the lack of literature data on the spectra of pyrrole oligomers.

Phenomenography in the Centre for Information Technology Innovation (CITI)

Phenomenography has its roots in educational research (Marton and Booth, 1997), but has since been adopted in other domains including business (Sandberg, 1994), health (Barnard, McCosker and Gerber, 1999), information science (Bruce, 1999a,b) and information technology (Bruce and Pham, 2001) as well as information systems. Emerging phenomenographic research in areas other than education, has been interdisciplinary, often bringing together technology, education and a host discipline such as health or business. In Australia, phenomenography has been used in information technology (IT) related research primarily in Victoria and Queensland. These studies have pursued the latter two of three established lines of phenomenographic research: 1) the study of conceptions of learning; 2) the study of conceptions in specific disciplines of study and 3) the study of how people conceive of various aspects of their everyday world that have not, for them, been the object of formal studies (Marton 1988, p.189). Information Technology researchers have predominantly pursued the latter two lines of research.

Experiences of regional and rural people with cancer being treated with radiotherapy in a metropolitan centre

This paper explores the issues related to rural people with cancer whose choice of radiotherapy treatment necessitated travel and accommodation in a metropolitan centre. Semi-structured interviews with 46 participants, from the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, were conducted and the data thematically analysed. The specific themes identified were: being away from loved ones, maintaining responsibilities whilst undergoing treatment, emotional stress, burden on significant others, choice about radiotherapy as a treatment, travel and accommodation, and financial burden. This study supports the need for a radiotherapy centre in the location of Toowoomba as a way of providing some equity and access to such treatment for the rural people of Queensland.

Surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer : clinical features and outcomes for a consecutive series at an Irish tertiary referral centre

Background: Few patients diagnosed with lung cancer are still alive 5 years after diagnosis. The aim of the current study was to conduct a 10-year review of a consecutive series of patients undergoing curative-intent surgical resection at the largest tertiary referral centre to identify prognostic factors. Methods: Case records of all patients operated on for lung cancer between 1998 and 2008 were reviewed. The clinical features and outcomes of all patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage I-IV were recorded. Results: A total of 654 patients underwent surgical resection with curative intent during the study period. Median overall survival for the entire cohort was 37 months. The median age at operation was 66 years, with males accounting for 62.7 %. Squamous cell type was the most common histological subtype, and lobectomies were performed in 76.5 % of surgical resections. Pneumonectomy rates decreased significantly in the latter half of the study (25 vs. 16.3 %), while sub-anatomical resection more than doubled (2 vs. 5 %) (p < 0.005). Clinico-pathological characteristics associated with improved survival by univariate analysis include younger age, female sex, smaller tumour size, smoking status, lobectomy, lower T and N status and less advanced pathological stage. Age, gender, smoking status and tumour size, as well as T and N descriptors have emerged as independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. Conclusion: We identified several factors that predicted outcome for NSCLC patients undergoing curative-intent surgical resection. Survival rates in our series are comparable to those reported from other thoracic surgery centres. © 2012 Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.

EUELC project : a multi-centre, multipurpose study to investigate early stage NSCLC, and to establish a biobank for ongoing collaboration

The European Early Lung Cancer (EUELC) project aims to determine if specific genetic alterations occurring in lung carcinogenesis are detectable in the respiratory epithelium. In order to pursue this objective, nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with a very high risk of developing progressive lung cancer were recruited from 12 centres in eight European countries: France, Germany, southern Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK. In addition, NSCLC patients were followed up every 6 months for 36 months. A European Bronchial Tissue Bank was set up at the University of Liverpool (Liverpool, UK) to optimise the use of biological specimens. The molecular - pathological investigations were subdivided into specific work packages that were delivered by EUELC Partners. The work packages encompassed mutational analysis, genetic instability, methylation profiling, expression profiling utilising immunohistochemistry and chip-based technologies, as well as in-depth analysis of FHIT and RARβ genes, the telomerase catalytic subunit hTERT and genotyping of susceptibility genes in specific pathways. The EUELC project engendered a tremendous collaborative effort, and it enabled the EUELC Partners to establish protocols for assessing molecular biomarkers in early lung cancer with the view to using such biomarkers for early diagnosis and as intermediate end-points in future chemopreventive programmes. Copyright©ERS Journals Ltd 2009.

Queer, student, activism

Queer student activists are a visible aspect of Australian tertiary communities. This chapter explores the findings of interviews with eight queer student in which they discuss their understandings of queer student activism and the way they see the university setting shaping the production queer student media. The findings draw out two themes: visibility and access and participation. These discussions illustrate how the intersections of queer, student, activism, and their associated contexts, create a particular type of activism. This chapter thus contributes to queer history by demonstrating how one specific cultural subset does queer activism.

Perioperative medication management: expanding the role of the preadmission clinic pharmacist in a single centre, randomised controlled trial of collaborative prescribing

Objectives Current evidence to support non-medical prescribing is predominantly qualitative, with little evaluation of accuracy, safety and appropriateness. Our aim was to evaluate a new model of service for the Australia healthcare system, of inpatient medication prescribing by a pharmacist in an elective surgery preadmission clinic (PAC) against usual care, using an endorsed performance framework. Design Single centre, randomised controlled, two-arm trial. Setting Elective surgery PAC in a Brisbane-based tertiary hospital. Participants 400 adults scheduled for elective surgery were randomised to intervention or control. Intervention A pharmacist generated the inpatient medication chart to reflect the patient's regular medication, made a plan for medication perioperatively and prescribed venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. In the control arm, the medication chart was generated by the Resident Medical Officers. Outcome measures Primary outcome was frequency of omissions and prescribing errors when compared against the medication history. The clinical significance of omissions was also analysed. Secondary outcome was appropriateness of VTE prophylaxis prescribing. Results There were significantly less unintended omissions of medications: 11 of 887 (1.2%) intervention orders compared with 383 of 1217 (31.5%) control (p<0.001). There were significantly less prescribing errors involving selection of drug, dose or frequency: 2 in 857 (0.2%) intervention orders compared with 51 in 807 (6.3%) control (p<0.001). Orders with at least one component of the prescription missing, incorrect or unclear occurred in 208 of 904 (23%) intervention orders and 445 of 1034 (43%) controls (p<0.001). VTE prophylaxis on admission to the ward was appropriate in 93% of intervention patients and 90% controls (p=0.29). Conclusions Medication charts in the intervention arm contained fewer clinically significant omissions, and prescribing errors, when compared with controls. There was no difference in appropriateness of VTE prophylaxis on admission between the two groups.

Investigation of air quality at Lithgow Correctional Centre

This project was conducted at Lithgow Correctional Centre (LCC), NSW, Australia. Air quality field measurements were conducted on two occasions (23-27 May 2012, and 3-8 December 2012), just before and six months after the introduction of smoke free buildings policies (28 May 2012) at the LCC, respectively. The main aims of this project were to: (1) investigate the indoor air quality; (2) quantify the level of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS); (3) identify the main indoor particle sources; (4) distinguish between PM2.5 / particle number from ETS, as opposed to other sources; and (5) provide recommendations for improving indoor air quality and/or minimising exposure at the LCC. The measurements were conducted in Unit 5.2A, Unit 5.2B, Unit 1.1 and Unit 3.1, together with personal exposure measurements, based on the following parameters: -Indoor and outdoor particle number (PN) concentration in the size range 0.005-3 µm -Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 particle mass concentration -Indoor and outdoor VOC concentrations -Personal particle number exposure levels (in the size range 0.01-0.3 µm) -Indoor and outdoor CO and CO2 concentrations, temperature and relative humidity In order to enhance the outcomes of this project, the indoor and outdoor particle number (PN) concentrations were measured by two additional instruments (CPC 3787) which were not listed in the original proposal.

Management based on exhaled nitric oxidelevels adjusted for atopy reduces asthma exacerbations in children : A dual centre randomised controlled trial

While several randomised control trials (RCTs) have evaluated the use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) to improve asthma outcomes, none used FeNO cut-offs adjusted for atopy, a determinant of FeNO levels. In a dual centre RCT, we assessed whether a treatment strategy based on FeNO levels, adjusted for atopy, reduces asthma exacerbations compared with the symptoms-based management (controls). Children with asthma from hospital clinics of two hospitals were randomly allocated to receive an a-priori determined treatment hierarchy based on symptoms or FeNO levels. There was a 2-week run-in period and they were then reviewed ten times over 12-months. The primary outcome was the number of children with exacerbations over 12-months. Sixty-three children were randomised (FeNO=31, controls=32); 55 (86%) completed the study. Although we did achieve our planned sample size, significantly fewer children in the FeNO group (6 of 27) had an asthma exacerbation compared to controls (15 of 28), p=0.021; number to treat for benefit=4 (95%CI 3-24). There was no difference between groups for any secondary outcomes (quality of life, symptoms, FEV1). The final daily inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) dose was significantly (p=0.037) higher in the FeNO group (median 400µg, IQR 250-600) compared to the controls (200, IQR100-400). Taking atopy into account when using FeNO to tailor asthma medications is likely beneficial in reducing the number of children with severe exacerbations at the expense of increased ICS use. However, the strategy is unlikely beneficial for improving asthma control. A larger study is required to confirm or refute our findings.

Three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded structures in the hydrated proton-transfer salts of isonipecotamide with the dicarboxylic oxalic and adipic acid analogues

The structures of the 1:1 hydrated proton-transfer compounds of isonipecotamide (piperidine-4-carboxamide) with oxalic acid, 4-carbamoylpiperidinium hydrogen oxalate dihydrate, C6H13N2O+·C2HO4-·2H2O, (I), and with adipic acid, bis­(4-car­bam­oylpiperidinium) adipate dihydrate, 2C6H13N2O+·C6H8O42-·2H2O, (II), are three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded constructs involving several different types of enlarged water-bridged cyclic associations. In the structure of (I), the oxalate monoanions give head-to-tail carb­oxy­lic acid O-HOcarboxyl hydrogen-bonding inter­actions, forming C(5) chain substructures which extend along a. The isonipecotamide cations also give parallel chain substructures through amide N-HO hydrogen bonds, the chains being linked across b and down c by alternating water bridges involving both carboxyl and amide O-atom acceptors and amide and piperidinium N-HOcarboxyl hydrogen bonds, generating cyclic R43(10) and R32(11) motifs. In the structure of (II), the asymmetric unit comprises a piperidinium cation, half an adipate dianion, which lies across a crystallographic inversion centre, and a solvent water mol­ecule. In the crystal structure, the two inversion-related cations are inter­linked through the two water mol­ecules, which act as acceptors in dual amide N-HOwater hydrogen bonds, to give a cyclic R42(8) association which is conjoined with an R44(12) motif. Further N-HOwater, water O-HOamide and piperidinium N-HOcarbox­yl hydrogen bonds give the overall three-dimensional structure. The structures reported here further demonstrate the utility of the isonipecotamide cation as a synthon for the generation of stable hydrogen-bonded structures. The presence of solvent water mol­ecules in these structures is largely responsible for the non-occurrence of the common hydrogen-bonded amide-amide dimer, promoting instead various expanded cyclic hydrogen-bonding motifs.

Of Forrests and acrosn : philanthropic gift may seed other university giving

A$65 million pledge by Nicola and Andrew Forrest to all five West Australian univerisities alters the philanthropy landscape in Australia. The Forrest' donation comes less than a year after Louise and Graham Tuckwell's A$50 million donation to Australian national University.

Designing schools as effective 21st C learning spaces : a review

The Queensland Centre for Social Science Innovation was formed in 2012 to develop collaborations among the Queensland Government and five Queensland universities—The University of Queensland, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, James Cook University and Central Queensland University. Three priorities for initial projects were established by the Queensland Government with response by the participating universities. This project addressed the identified priority area: factors affecting educational achievement and investigation of the link between school design, refurbishment and educational outcomes. The proposal for this project indicated that a Review of research literature would be undertaken that linked school and classroom design with educational outcomes for learners in the 21st century. Further, research would be examined for impact of technology on staff and students, as well as learning spaces that addressed the diversity of student learners. Specific investigation of research on effective design to enhance learning outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students was to be undertaken. The project therefore consists of a Review of research literature to provide an evidence base on the impact of school and classroom on educational outcomes. The original proposal indicated that indicators of successful school and classroom design would be student learning outcomes on a range of variables, with input, the specific architectural design elements. The review was undertaken during the period July 2012 to June 2013. A search was undertaken of journals, databases, and websources to identify relevant material. These were examined for evidence-based statements and design of learning spaces to enhance learning. The Review is comprehensive, and representative of issues raised in research, and conceptualisations and debates informing modern educational design. Initial findings indicated two key findings central to reading this Review. The first key finding is that the predominant focus of modern design of learning space is on process and the engagement of stakeholders. Schools are social institutions and development of a school as a learning space to suit 21st century learning needs necessarily involves the staff, students and other members of the community as key participants. The concept of social aspects of design is threaded throughout the Review. The second key finding is that little research explicitly examined the relationship between the design of learning spaces and educational outcomes. While some research does exist, the most explicitly-focused research uses narrow test-based achievement as the learning outcomes. These are not sympathetic to the overall framings of the research on 21st century learning, future schooling and the needs of the new generation of learners and society.

Collaboration to improve evacuation centre operations in disaster-affected communities

Emergency sheltering is a temporary source of safety and support for people affected by disasters. People access emergency sheltering just prior to or soon after a disaster; therefore they are often scared, stressed, and/or experiencing loss/grief. The gathering of people in shelters also increases several environmental health risks. Therefore ensuring emergency shelters contain adequate facilities (permanent or temporary) and are well managed is essential in providing immediate support to disaster-affected communities and providing a level of assurance that the agencies involved are capable of supporting them through the recovery process. This paper will be presented by representatives of Australian Red Cross and Environmental Health Australia (Queensland), which both have an interest in emergency sheltering in Queensland. The paper will cover the development, content and application of the ‘Preferred Sheltering Practices for Emergency Sheltering in Australia’ and the roles of various organisations in relation to emergency sheltering. The importance of or- ganisational collaboration will also be discussed, with a focus on the experience of the two organisations fol- lowing the 2011 floods in Queensland and how they are collaborating to improve future operations in evacu- ation centres, which are a common form of emergency sheltering in Queensland. The organisations are con- tinuing to work together with the ultimate goal of improving services to disaster-affected communities and supporting such communities to start the recovery process.