The biology, structure and function of bacterial virulence effectors. This project is closely aligned with the National Research Priority of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and will establish a research framework to investigate novel virulence processes that allow bacterial pathogens to infect humans and cause disease. This fresh approach to the study of bacterial pathogenesis will sit outside classic genetic methods to investigate infection and immunity which rely heavily on genetic manip ....The biology, structure and function of bacterial virulence effectors. This project is closely aligned with the National Research Priority of Promoting and Maintaining Good Health and will establish a research framework to investigate novel virulence processes that allow bacterial pathogens to infect humans and cause disease. This fresh approach to the study of bacterial pathogenesis will sit outside classic genetic methods to investigate infection and immunity which rely heavily on genetic manipulation of the pathogen. Other than providing fundamental information on host-pathogen interactions, this work may lead to novel disease interventions by inhibition of bacterial virulence factor activity and/or enhancement of host inflammatory and immune responses.Read moreRead less
Novel kinases: How do they regulate epithelial ion transport, and what is their role in epithelial function? The project will produce the knowledge of fundamental physiology that will lead to novel approaches for treating respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and cystic fibrosis, as well as for the accumulation of fluid in the lungs and abdomen that accompany many advanced malignancies. It thus has the potential to have a significant economic and social impact in Australia and internation ....Novel kinases: How do they regulate epithelial ion transport, and what is their role in epithelial function? The project will produce the knowledge of fundamental physiology that will lead to novel approaches for treating respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and cystic fibrosis, as well as for the accumulation of fluid in the lungs and abdomen that accompany many advanced malignancies. It thus has the potential to have a significant economic and social impact in Australia and internationally. Furthermore, it will provide advanced training in research methods to Australian scientists, equipping them to undertake challenging and interesting positions in the medical and life sciences and beyond.Read moreRead less
Investigations into and development of an intelligent decision support system for general practitioners in home-based sleep disorder diagnosis. Sleep disorders cost the Australian health system an estimated $40 million per year. General practitioner's surgeries are not well equipped to deal with diagnosis and the majority of the referrals to specialists are unnecessary. This research will investigate and develop an intelligent decision support system to provide a cost effective solution to thi ....Investigations into and development of an intelligent decision support system for general practitioners in home-based sleep disorder diagnosis. Sleep disorders cost the Australian health system an estimated $40 million per year. General practitioner's surgeries are not well equipped to deal with diagnosis and the majority of the referrals to specialists are unnecessary. This research will investigate and develop an intelligent decision support system to provide a cost effective solution to this problem. The developed software application will enable sleep study to be carried out at home, enabling general practitioners to conduct a preliminary diagnosis. Benefits include a reduction in the costs incurred in travel, time off work and at hospital sleep care centres for people in remote areas.Read moreRead less
Age and Gender Related Changes in Motor Control of the Upper Airway Muscle Genioglossus During Sleep. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the repetitive obstruction of the airway during sleep. Obstructions occur because muscles of the upper airway fail to keep the airway open during inspiration. The disorder is associated with cardiovascular disease and cognitive and behavioural impairment. The prevalence of the disorder increases in older adults, contributing to age-related health and behavioural ....Age and Gender Related Changes in Motor Control of the Upper Airway Muscle Genioglossus During Sleep. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the repetitive obstruction of the airway during sleep. Obstructions occur because muscles of the upper airway fail to keep the airway open during inspiration. The disorder is associated with cardiovascular disease and cognitive and behavioural impairment. The prevalence of the disorder increases in older adults, contributing to age-related health and behavioural problems. However, age-related changes differ in men and women. We believe the high prevalence of OSA in older adults is due to age and gender related changes in the activity of muscles in the upper airway. We will study the behaviour of the upper airway muscle genioglossus during sleep in young, middle-aged and older men and women.Read moreRead less
Matched experimental observation and finite-element simulation of flow-induced oscillations in uniform and tapered-stiffness collapsible tubes. Flexible tubes that can be flattened are widespread in the body and can act to limit flow-rate. Limitation is usually associated with spontaneous oscillation (repetitive opening and closing). There are many candidate explanations, but none has been shown to correspond with a given experiment. Through computer models and matched experiments on this couple ....Matched experimental observation and finite-element simulation of flow-induced oscillations in uniform and tapered-stiffness collapsible tubes. Flexible tubes that can be flattened are widespread in the body and can act to limit flow-rate. Limitation is usually associated with spontaneous oscillation (repetitive opening and closing). There are many candidate explanations, but none has been shown to correspond with a given experiment. Through computer models and matched experiments on this coupled system (the fluid flow interacts with the tube shape), we seek to demonstrate for the first time that a given theory/computer model encompasses the physics controlling a given observed oscillation. The solution will find application in other flexible-structure design problems in engineering, and also potentially in medicine.Read moreRead less
Matched experiments and numerical simulations of flow-induced oscillations in uniform and tapered-stiffness collapsible tubes. Flexible tubes that can be flattened are widespread in the body and can act to limit flow-rate. Limitation is usually associated with spontaneous oscillation (repetitive opening and closing). There are many candidate explanations, but none has been shown to correspond with a given experiment. Through computer models and matched experiments on this coupled system (the ....Matched experiments and numerical simulations of flow-induced oscillations in uniform and tapered-stiffness collapsible tubes. Flexible tubes that can be flattened are widespread in the body and can act to limit flow-rate. Limitation is usually associated with spontaneous oscillation (repetitive opening and closing). There are many candidate explanations, but none has been shown to correspond with a given experiment. Through computer models and matched experiments on this coupled system (the fluid flow interacts with the tube shape), we seek to demonstrate for the first time that a given theory/computer model encompasses the physics controlling a given observed oscillation. The solution will find application in other flexible-structure design problems in engineering, and also potentially in medicine.Read moreRead less
Reduction of Legionnaires' Disease from Cooling Towers. Inhaled water droplets containing Legionella bacteria can cause potentially fatal Legionnaires? disease. Algae are the main source of organic matter in cooling towers on which Legionella feed. If droplets are prevented from leaving the tower they cannot cause disease. If no light enters a cooling tower no algae grow. This project aims to identify and develop designs and measurement methods for cooling towers which give low levels of drople ....Reduction of Legionnaires' Disease from Cooling Towers. Inhaled water droplets containing Legionella bacteria can cause potentially fatal Legionnaires? disease. Algae are the main source of organic matter in cooling towers on which Legionella feed. If droplets are prevented from leaving the tower they cannot cause disease. If no light enters a cooling tower no algae grow. This project aims to identify and develop designs and measurement methods for cooling towers which give low levels of droplets leaving and light entering. The new designs will reduce Legionnaires? disease infections by hundreds of times which eliminates a major urban hazard in Australia.Read moreRead less
Central command neurons integrating cardiorespiratory drive in exercise. The ability to perform exercise is fundamental to human health and welfare. This ability depends upon the co-ordination by the brain of respiratory and cardiovascular function, such that the delivery of oxygen to exercising muscles is maximised. This project will test the idea that there is a specific group of neurons in the brain that drive both the respiratory and cardiovascular changes that occur during exercise, and w ....Central command neurons integrating cardiorespiratory drive in exercise. The ability to perform exercise is fundamental to human health and welfare. This ability depends upon the co-ordination by the brain of respiratory and cardiovascular function, such that the delivery of oxygen to exercising muscles is maximised. This project will test the idea that there is a specific group of neurons in the brain that drive both the respiratory and cardiovascular changes that occur during exercise, and will determine the location and functions of such neurons. Such new knowledge will help us understand how the brain optimises the ability of the body to perform exercise. This is of fundamental importance in sports science, a field in which Australia excels.Read moreRead less
Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity ....Domestic air quality: towards the setting of guidelines. Air quality standards have been developed to protect human health. Although people spend most of their time indoors there are no standards and only a few guidelines for indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of IAP that may worsen asthma in children. Childhood asthma will be used as a health indicator due to its high prevalence, cost to the healthcare system and implications for respiratory morbidity in adult life. We expect to identify levels of IAP that will represent a health risk as well as the factors that may contribute to increased IAP in homes.Read moreRead less
Phase Contrast X-ray Imaging of the Lung. Lung diseases are a major cause of death in adults, children and newborn infants. Currently, the diagnosis of lung disease is based on clinical symptoms, which usually do not manifest until the disease is well advanced. This project will develop a novel X-ray imaging technique, known as phase contrast imaging, to study the lung, and to potentially detect changes in lung tissue before symptoms arise. This may lead to improved strategies for managing newbo ....Phase Contrast X-ray Imaging of the Lung. Lung diseases are a major cause of death in adults, children and newborn infants. Currently, the diagnosis of lung disease is based on clinical symptoms, which usually do not manifest until the disease is well advanced. This project will develop a novel X-ray imaging technique, known as phase contrast imaging, to study the lung, and to potentially detect changes in lung tissue before symptoms arise. This may lead to improved strategies for managing newborn infants, as well as improving the management of lung diseases in adults.Read moreRead less