Showing papers by "RMIT University published in 2010"

Frequency of malnutrition in older adults:a multinational perspective using the Mini Nutritional Assessment

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To provide pooled data on the prevalence of malnutrition in elderly people as evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). DESIGN: Retrospective pooled analysis of previously published datasets. SETTING: Hospital, rehabilitation, nursing home, community. PARTICIPANTS: Four thousand five hundred seven people (75.2% female) with a mean age of 82.3. MEASUREMENTS: The prevalence of malnutrition in the combined database and in the four settings was examined. RESULTS: Twenty-four data sets with information on full MNA classification from researchers from 12 countries were submitted. In the combined database, the prevalence of malnutrition was 22.8%, with considerable differences between the settings (rehabilitation, 50.5%; hospital, 38.7%; nursing home, 13.8%; community, 5.8%). In the combined database, the "at risk" group had a prevalence of 46.2%. Consequently, approximately two-thirds of study participants were at nutritional risk or malnourished. CONCLUSION: The MNA has gained worldwide acceptance and shows a high prevalence of malnutrition in different settings, except for the community. Because of its specific geriatric focus, the MNA should be recommended as the basis for nutritional evaluation in older people.

The Quest for Authenticity in Consumption: Consumers’ Purposive Choice of Authentic Cues to Shape Experienced Outcomes

Abstract: Drawing from image-elicited depth interviews, we investigate whether consumers pursue the consumption of authentic objects with specific personal goals in mind. We find that consumers are motivated to focus on those particular cues in objects that for them convey authenticity (what is genuine, real, and/or true) and that this decision-making process is driven by a desire to draw different identity benefits (control, connection, virtue) from authentic objects. Our interpretive analysis elaborates contributions to theorizing related to consumer agency in seeking authentic consumption experience. We provide cultural explanations for the desire to assert the authentic self in these particular ways.

A Systematic Review of the Validity of Dietary Assessment Methods in Children when Compared with the Method of Doubly Labeled Water

Abstract: Measuring dietary intake in children enables the assessment of nutritional adequacy of individuals and groups and can provide information about nutrients, including energy, food, and eating habits. The aim of this review was to determine which dietary assessment method(s) provide a valid and accurate estimate of energy intake by comparison with the gold standard measure, doubly labeled water (DLW). English-language articles published between 1973 and 2009 and available from common nutrition databases were retrieved. Studies were included if the subjects were children birth to age 18 years and used the DLW technique to validate reported energy intake by any other dietary assessment method. The review identified 15 cross-sectional studies, with a variety of comparative dietary assessment methods. These included a total of 664 children, with the majority having P

Adipose Tissue Derived Stem Cells Secretome: Soluble Factors and Their Roles in Regenerative Medicine

Abstract: Stem cells have been long looked at as possible therapeutic vehicles for different health related problems. Among the different existing stem cell populations, Adipose derived Stem Cells (ASCs) have been gathering attention in the last 10 years. When compared to other stem cells populations and sources, ASCs can be easily isolated while providing higher yields upon the processing of adipose tissue. Similar to other stem cell populations, it was initially thought that the main potential of ASCs for regenerative medicine approaches was intimately related to their differentiation capability. Although this is true, there has been an increasing body of literature describing the trophic effects of ASCs on the protection, survival and differentiation of a variety of endogenous cells/tissues. Moreover, they have also shown to possess an immunomodulatory character. This effect is closely related to the ASCs secretome and the soluble factors found within it. Molecules such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factors, interleukins (ILs) 6, 7, 8 and 11, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), adipokines and others have been identified within the ASCs secretome. Due to its importance regarding future applications for the field of regenerative medicine, we aim, in the present review, to make a comprehensive analysis of the literature relating to the ASCs secretome and its relevance to the immune and central nervous system, vascularization and cardiac regeneration. The concluding section will highlight some of the major challenges that remain before ASCs can be used for future clinical applications.

A European Evidence-Based Guideline for the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prevalence and socioeconomic burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and associated co-morbidities are rising worldwide. AIMS: This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for preventing T2DM. METHODS: A European multidisciplinary consortium systematically reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness of screening and interventions for T2DM prevention using SIGN criteria. RESULTS: Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are the main modifiable risk factors. Age and ethnicity are non-modifiable risk factors. Case-finding should follow a step-wise procedure using risk questionnaires and oral glucose tolerance testing. Persons with impaired glucose tolerance and/or fasting glucose are at high-risk and should be prioritized for intensive intervention. Interventions supporting lifestyle changes delay the onset of T2DM in high-risk adults (number-needed-to-treat: 6.4 over 1.8-4.6 years). These should be supported by inter-sectoral strategies that create health promoting environments. Sustained body weight reduction by >or= 5 % lowers risk. Currently metformin, acarbose and orlistat can be considered as second-line prevention options. The population approach should use organized measures to raise awareness and change lifestyle with specific approaches for adolescents, minorities and disadvantaged people. Interventions promoting lifestyle changes are more effective if they target both diet and physical activity, mobilize social support, involve the planned use of established behaviour change techniques, and provide frequent contacts. Cost-effectiveness analysis should take a societal perspective. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention using lifestyle modifications in high-risk individuals is cost-effective and should be embedded in evaluated models of care. Effective prevention plans are predicated upon sustained government initiatives comprising advocacy, community support, fiscal and legislative changes, private sector engagement and continuous media communication.

Effectiveness of web-based interventions in achieving weight loss and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Abstract: The objectives of this systematic review are to evaluate the effectiveness of web-based interventions on weight loss and maintenance and identify which components of web-based interventions are associated with greater weight change and low attrition rates. A literature search from 1995 to April 2008 was conducted. Studies were eligible for inclusion if: participants were aged >or=18 years with a body mass index >or=25, at least one study arm involved a web-based intervention with the primary aim of weight loss or maintenance, and reported weight-related outcomes. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies aimed to achieve weight loss, and five focused on weight maintenance. Heterogeneity was evident among the studies with seven research questions examined across interventions of varying intensity. Seven studies were assessed for effectiveness based on percentage weight change, with four studies deemed effective. Although the four meta-analyses suggest meaningful weight change, it is not possible to determine the effectiveness of web-based interventions in achieving weight loss or maintenance due to heterogeneity of designs and thus the small number of comparable studies. Higher usage of website features may be associated with positive weight change, but we do not know what features improve this effect or reduce attrition.

Guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan: 2009 revised edition.

Abstract: Background: Over the past few years, the profile of Helicobacter pylori infection has changed in Japan. In particular, the relationship between H. pylori and gastric cancer has been demonstrated more clearly. Accordingly, the committee of the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research has revised the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection in Japan. Materials and Methods: Four meetings of guidelines preparation committee were held from July 2007 to December 2008. In the new guidelines, recommendations for treatment have been classified into five grades according to the Minds Recommendation Grades, while the level of evidence has been classified into six grades. The Japanese national health insurance system was not taken into consideration when preparing these guidelines. Results: Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy achieved a Grade A recommendation, being useful for the treatment of gastric or duodenal ulcer, for the treatment and prevention of H. pylori-associated diseases such as gastric cancer, and for inhibiting the spread of H. pylori infection. Levels of evidence were determined for each disease associated with H. pylori infection. For the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, measurement of H. pylori antigen in the feces was added to the tests not requiring biopsy. One week of proton-pump inhibitor-based triple therapy (including amoxicillin and metronidazole) was recommended as second-line therapy after failure of first-line eradication therapy. Conclusion: The revised Japanese guidelines for H. pylori are based on scientific evidence and avoid the administrative restraints that applied to earlier versions.

Incidence of seclusion and restraint in psychiatric hospitals: a literature review and survey of international trends

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to identify quantitative data on the use of seclusion and restraint in different countries and on initiatives to reduce these interventions. Methods Combined literature review on initiatives to reduce seclusion and restraint, and epidemiological data on the frequency and means of use in the 21st century in different countries. Unpublished study was detected by contacting authors of conference presentations. Minimum requirements for the inclusion of data were reporting the incidence of coercive measures in complete hospital populations for defined periods and related to defined catchment areas. Results There are initiatives to gather data and to develop new clinical practice in several countries. However, data on the use of seclusion and restraint are scarcely available so far. Data fulfilling the inclusion criteria could be detected from 12 different countries, covering single or multiple hospitals in most counties and complete national figures for two countries (Norway, Finland). Both mechanical restraint and seclusion are forbidden in some countries for ethical reasons. Available data suggest that there are huge differences in the percentage of patients subject to and the duration of coercive interventions between countries. Conclusions Databases on the use of seclusion and restraint should be established using comparable key indicators. Comparisons between countries and different practices can help to overcome prejudice and improve clinical practice.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on WO3

Abstract: In research on alternative photoanode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), there is rarely any report on WO3, probably due to its acidic surface and more positive (vs NHE) conduction band edge position compared to TiO2 and ZnO. For the first time, dye-sensitized solar cells based on porous WO3 nanoparticle films were successfully fabricated with efficiency of up to 0.75%. The multicrystalline structure of WO3 was examined by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that significant performance enhancement can be obtained from treating the WO3 nanoparticle film with TiCl4; the TiCl4-treated WO3 DSCs were recorded with efficiency reaching 1.46%.

Media pressures and corporate disclosure of social responsibility performance information: A study of two global clothing and sports retail companies

Abstract: This paper investigates the social and environmental disclosure practices of two large multinational companies, specifically Nike and Hennes&Mauritz. Utilising a joint consideration of legitimacy theory and media agenda setting theory, we investigate the linkage between negative media attention, and positive corporate social and environmental disclosures. Our results generally support a view that for those industry‐related social and environmental issues attracting the greatest amount of negative media attention, these corporations react by providing positive social and environmental disclosures. The results were particularly significant in relation to labour practices in developing countries – the issue attracting the greatest amount of negative media attention for the companies in question.

A further review of ESO type methods for topology optimization

Abstract: Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO) and its later version bi-directional ESO (BESO) have gained widespread popularity among researchers in structural optimization and practitioners in engineering and architecture. However, there have also been many critical comments on various aspects of ESO/BESO. To address those criticisms, we have carried out extensive work to improve the original ESO/BESO algorithms in recent years. This paper summarizes latest developments in BESO for stiffness optimization problems and compares BESO with other well-established optimization methods. Through a series of numerical examples, this paper provides answers to those critical comments and shows the validity and effectiveness of the evolutionary structural optimization method.

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome: role of different dietary macronutrient distribution patterns and specific nutritional components on weight loss and maintenance

Abstract: Weight loss and subsequent body weight maintenance are difficult for obese individuals despite the wide variety of dietary regimens and approaches. A substantial body of scientific evidence has shown that by simply varying the macronutrient distribution and composition of dietary factors, weight losses of varying amounts, longer-term body weight maintenance periods, better appetite regulation, and changes in features of the metabolic syndrome can be achieved. At present, renewed efforts are underway to increase the protein content of weight-loss diets, simultaneously restrict fat consumption to no more than 30%, favor polyunsaturated fat, have carbohydrates account for between 40 and 50% of total energy intake, and promote the consumption of low-glycemic foods. The present article reviews the scientific evidence for the effects of several dietary manipulations and sustainable strategies for weight loss and body weight stability as well as for treating specific features of the metabolic syndrome.

The engineering of an orally active conotoxin for the treatment of neuropathic pain

Abstract: From killers to curers: Peptides from cone snail venoms are potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Unfortunately, these peptides suffer from the disadvantage of short biological half-lives and poor activity when taken orally. A new orally active conotoxin was developed to solve these problems.

Nonlinear free vibration of single-walled carbon nanotubes using nonlocal Timoshenko beam theory

Abstract: Nonlinear free vibration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is studied in this paper based on von Karman geometric nonlinearity and Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory. The SWCNTs are modeled as nanobeams where the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are considered within the framework of Timoshenko beam theory. The governing equations and boundary conditions are derived by using the Hamilton's principle. The differential quadrature (DQ) method is employed to discretize the nonlinear governing equations which are then solved by a direct iterative method to obtain the nonlinear vibration frequencies of SWCNTs with different boundary conditions. Zigzag (5, 0), (8, 0), (9, 0) and (11, 0) SWCNTs are considered in numerical calculations and the elastic modulus is obtained through molecular mechanics (MM) simulation. A detailed parametric study is conducted to study the influences of nonlocal parameter, length and radius of the SWCNTs and end supports on the nonlinear free vibration characteristics of SWCNTs.

Thermally enhanced machining of hard-to-machine materials: a review

Abstract: Thermally enhanced machining uses external heat sources to heat and soften the workpiece locally in front of the cutting tool. The temperature rise at the shear zone reduces the yield strength and work hardening of the workpiece, which make the plastic deformation of hard-to-machine materials easier during machining. This review summarizes the up-to-date progress and benefits of thermally enhanced machining (with a focus on laser and plasma assistance) of ceramics, metals and metal matrix composites. It covers the integration of the external heat source with cutting tools, analysis of temperature distribution around the cutting region, material removal mechanisms, tool wear mechanisms and the improvement in machinability of various engineering materials by the assistance of external heat source.

Does the ‘Otago exercise programme’ reduce mortality and falls in older adults?: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: BACKGROUND: the 'Otago exercise programme' (OEP) is a strength and balance retraining programme designed to prevent falls in older people living in the community. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of the OEP on the risk of death and fall rates and to explore levels of compliance with the OEP in older adults. METHODS: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Clinical trials where the OEP was the primary intervention and participants were community-dwelling older adults (65+) were included. Outcomes of interest included risk of death, number of falls, number of injurious falls and compliance to the exercise programme. RESULTS: seven trials, involving 1503 participants were included. The mean age of participants was 81.6 (+/-3.9) years. The OEP significantly reduced the risk of death over 12 months [risk ratio = 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25-0.80], and significantly reduced fall rates (incidence rate ratio = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.56-0.79). There was no significant difference in the risk of a serious or moderate injury occurring as the result of a fall (risk ratio = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.91-1.22). Of the 747 participants who remained in the studies at 12 months, 274 (36.7%) were still exercising three or more times per week. CONCLUSION: the OEP significantly reduces the risk of death and falling in older community-dwelling adults. Language: en

Gas sensing properties of thermally evaporated lamellar MoO3

Abstract: In this work, MoO 3 was thermally evaporated onto gold interdigital fingers on quartz substrates and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques The deposited MoO 3 consist of stratified long rectangles (average length of 50 μm width of 5 μm and thickness of 500 nm) which are predominantly orthorhombic (α-MoO 3 ) Each of these plates was composed of many nano-thick layers (average ∼30 nm) placed by Van der Waals forces on top of each other forming lamellar patterns The devices were used as sensors and exhibited considerable change in surface conductivity when exposed to NO 2 and H 2 gases at elevated temperature of 225 °C The structural and gas sensing properties of thermally evaporated MoO 3 thin films were investigated

High-molecular-weight β-amyloid oligomers are elevated in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer patients

Abstract: There is accumulating evidence that soluble amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers, rather than amyloid fibrils, are the principal pathogenic species in Alzheimer disease (AD). Here, we have developed a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for high-molecular-weight (HMW) Abeta oligomers. Analysis of Abeta oligomers derived from synthetic Abeta 1-42, by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), revealed that our ELISA specifically detected HMW Abeta oligomers of 40-200 kDa. Using this ELISA, we detected significantly higher (P<0.0001) signals in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 25 patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to 25 age-matched controls. As a test for discriminating between the AD/MCI and control groups, the area under the curve in receiver operating characteristic analysis for the CSF HMW Abeta oligomers was greater than that for CSF Abeta x-42. Furthermore, the CSF levels of HMW Abeta oligomers showed a negative correlation with Mini-Mental State Examination scores in the AD/MCI group. We conclude that the CSF HMW Abeta oligomers detected by our ELISA could be useful as a diagnostic marker for AD, and also as a potential surrogate marker for disease severity. Our results support the idea that soluble HMW Abeta oligomers play a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of AD.

A mechanistic interpretation of the comparative in-plane mechanical properties of 3D woven, stitched and pinned composites

Abstract: A comparison of substantial published data for 3D woven, stitched and pinned composites quantifies the advantages and disadvantages of these different types of through-thickness reinforcement for in-plane mechanical properties. Stitching or 3D weaving can either improve or degrade the tension, compression, flexure and interlaminar shear properties, usually by less than 20%. Furthermore, the property changes are not strongly influenced by the volume content or diameter of the through-thickness reinforcement for these two processes. One implication of this result is that high levels of through-thickness reinforcement can be incorporated where needed to achieve high impact damage resistance. In contrast, pinning always degrades in-plane properties and fatigue performance, to a degree that increases monotonically with the volume content and diameter of the pins. Property trends are interpreted where possible in terms of known failure mechanisms and expectations from modelling. Some major gaps in data and mechanistic understanding are identified, with specific suggestions for new standards for recording data and new types of experiments.

Cooperative Co-evolution with delta grouping for large scale non-separable function optimization

Abstract: Many evolutionary algorithms have been proposed for large scale optimization. Parameter interaction in non-separable problems is a major source of performance loss specially on large scale problems. Cooperative Co-evolution(CC) has been proposed as a natural solution for large scale optimization problems, but lack of a systematic way of decomposing large scale non-separable problems is a major obstacle for CC frameworks. The aim of this paper is to propose a systematic way of capturing interacting variables for a more effective problem decomposition suitable for cooperative co-evolutionary frameworks. Grouping interacting variables in different subcomponents in a CC framework imposes a limit to the extent interacting variables can be optimized to their optimum values, in other words it limits the improvement interval of interacting variables. This is the central idea of the newly proposed technique which is called delta method. Delta method measures the averaged difference in a certain variable across the entire population and uses it for identifying interacting variables. The experimental results show that this new technique is more effective than the existing random grouping method.