The Policy Response To Indigenous Petrol Sniffing - And How To Improve It
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$105,770.00
Summary
Petrol sniffing is a form of volatile substance misuse that occurs in some Aboriginal communities in Australia, as well as some Indigenous communities in the US, Canada and NZ. Although the practice is restricted to small numbers of young people, chronic sniffing leads to serious (and sometimes irreversible) harm to the health of sniffers. It also exacerbates inter-generational problems in families and, through its association with unsafe sex and property offences, creates problems for communiti ....Petrol sniffing is a form of volatile substance misuse that occurs in some Aboriginal communities in Australia, as well as some Indigenous communities in the US, Canada and NZ. Although the practice is restricted to small numbers of young people, chronic sniffing leads to serious (and sometimes irreversible) harm to the health of sniffers. It also exacerbates inter-generational problems in families and, through its association with unsafe sex and property offences, creates problems for communities disproportionate to its prevalence. Throughout 1980s and 1990s, commonwealth and state-territory governments made a number of attempts to formulate and implement a coordinated policy response to the prevention and treatment of petrol sniffing. Although some of these initiatives generated short term funding for innovative programs, they have not given rise to sustained evidence-based policies, or even to an accumulation of knowledge upon which funding decisions might be based. Programs continue to be funded on an ad hoc basis; few are evaluated, and there is little evidence that findings from evaluations inform ongoing policy decision-making. The primary purpose of this project is to determine why this should be so, and to identify practicable changes that could reasonably be expected to lead both to the accumulation of knowledge about effective interventions, and to the formulation of sustainable, evidence-based policies and programs. The project utilises a policy analysis methodology to examine a number of case studies of attempts by various governments to respond to Indigenous petrol sniffing. Data will be collected from examination of documentary sources and interviews with key informants. The focus of the project is on the policy-making process, rather than on petrol sniffing itself. The findings will be used to make recommendations designed to improve the capacity of governments to respond more effectively, and thereby to reduce the harm caused by petrol sniffing.Read moreRead less
Muscle Thermogenesis In Models Of Predisposition To Obesity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,289.00
Summary
Obesity is a major health crisis, but effective treatments remain elusive. Body weight is determined by a balance of food intake and energy expenditure. Understanding both sides of this equation is essential to combating obesity. This project will show that the rate at which muscle uses energy is an important determinant of energy balance and contributes to the propensity to become obese. The work will define muscle as a target for developing anti-obesity therapies.
Use Of Expression Profiling To Identify Genes Influencing Cardiovascular Risk In The Norfolk Island Population Isolate
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$697,409.00
Summary
This study will use a unique population isolate from Norfolk Island. We aim to identify genes that play a role in cardiovascular disease risk. Norfolk has a population of ~1200 permanent residents, most of whom are direct descendents of 18th century English Bounty mutineers and Polynesian women. We will undertake gene expression mapping to identify genomic loci that influence cardiovascular disease using samples from this population isolate.
Fine Scale Mapping And Identification Of The IBD1 Gene On Chromsosome 16
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$483,849.00
Summary
One of the greatest challenges facing contemporary gastroenterology is to understand the causes of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Studies on the prevalence, incidence and cost of IBD indicate that these diseases have considerable impact in Australia. On average, patients lose more than 13 days from work each year, and in hospital, IBD in-patients accounted for 7% of total admissions and 10% of total bed days at an average cost of $2600 per admission. We estimate that there may be more th ....One of the greatest challenges facing contemporary gastroenterology is to understand the causes of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Studies on the prevalence, incidence and cost of IBD indicate that these diseases have considerable impact in Australia. On average, patients lose more than 13 days from work each year, and in hospital, IBD in-patients accounted for 7% of total admissions and 10% of total bed days at an average cost of $2600 per admission. We estimate that there may be more than 10,000 Australians who suffer from IBD. The existence of a genetic predisposition to IBD is now well established, and there is strong evidence that the disease is complex, resulting from the interaction of a number of different genes. To date, one genetic localisation on chromosome 16 has been established in several different populations, and we have confirmed the importance of this localisation in the Australian population. We will further refine the localisation by fine scale mapping in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 16 by identifying and studying the inheritance of novel markers in the region. We will then identify and characterise the gene itself using several complementary appoaches that rely on differences at the molecular level between disease and normal tissue. This work is part of the international effort to identify all IBD susceptibility genes. Once that is achieved, approaches to explaining the interactions between the genes, their protein products and environmental triggers can be determined. Only when the mechanisms of these interactions are understood will the expectation of rational therapies based on an understanding of disease aetiology be possible.Read moreRead less
Validating And Optimising The Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Physiology Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$91,725.00
Summary
Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles ar ....Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles are applicable and optimal for fMRI-EEG data. The proposed project aims at validating and optimising the analysis strategies for fMRI-EEG data.Read moreRead less