Exploration Of Exposures Associated With Bedding That Are Risks For Childhood Allergy And Asthma Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$263,500.00
Summary
Asthma prevalence in Australia has doubled in the last 20 years, with 1 in 4 children now affected. House dust mites are probably the single most important allergen associated with asthma. The prevalence of mite allergy is linked to exposure, and such allergy when combined with high exposure, is a potent risk factor for asthma exacerbations. The current international advice for managing mite-allergic asthma, strongly advocates the use of bedding encasings as the best way to reduce exposure. Howe ....Asthma prevalence in Australia has doubled in the last 20 years, with 1 in 4 children now affected. House dust mites are probably the single most important allergen associated with asthma. The prevalence of mite allergy is linked to exposure, and such allergy when combined with high exposure, is a potent risk factor for asthma exacerbations. The current international advice for managing mite-allergic asthma, strongly advocates the use of bedding encasings as the best way to reduce exposure. However, three recent major trials using encasings and a meta-analysis of earlier trials all fail to show a clinical benefit. One of the applicants (ET) recently showed, using expertise in measuring personal exposure, that these encasings, as used, fail to significantly reduce aeroallergen exposure. By contrast, 3 recent Australian studies, involving the applicants, AK, ALP and NG showed that feather bedding compared to synthetic bedding, was strongly protective for asthma - the opposite of public advice. The suggested mechanisms involve reduced exposure to mite allergens, or altered exposure to bacterial endotoxin, but persuasive experimental support is lacking. We also propose a novel hypothesis that feather exposure may induce allergic 'tolerance'. Currently there is a lack of certainty about valid approaches to prevent asthma, and the Global Initiative for Asthma has described the need to understand mechanisms and improve interventions as urgent. This project is an ideal opportunity to combine the expertise of the CIA (ET) in measuring airborne exposures (mite, endotoxin, proteins) with that of the others who have expertise in children's asthma, and who are already involved in two large clinical trails involving different bedding and allergen avoidance. Our measurements of these bedding exposures and their clinical outcomes will provide, for the first time, a quantitative basis to refine public health allergen-based interventions to prevent and manage asthma.Read moreRead less
Plantwide Control of Modern Chemical Processes from a Network Perspective. Complex plants increasingly appear in modern Australian process industries, particularly in mineral processing, petrochemical and renewable energies sectors. These plants represent vast capital costs and manufacture products at a very large scale. Improvement in control and operation of these processes can potentially provide significant economic benefits. The expected outcome of this research is an effective approach to ....Plantwide Control of Modern Chemical Processes from a Network Perspective. Complex plants increasingly appear in modern Australian process industries, particularly in mineral processing, petrochemical and renewable energies sectors. These plants represent vast capital costs and manufacture products at a very large scale. Improvement in control and operation of these processes can potentially provide significant economic benefits. The expected outcome of this research is an effective approach to improve operational safety, efficiency, product quality and manufacturing flexibility, helping to build a more efficient and environmental conscious Australian chemical industry. This project will also enhance Australia's scientific reputation in the frontier research area of advanced process control and management.Read moreRead less
A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Effectiveness Of 4RIF And 9INH For Treatment Of Latent TB Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$496,875.00
Summary
Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is one intervention that is known to prevent the occurrence of active TB. Current treatment is based on a six to nine month course of isoniazid. The treatment has side effects in some people and many people do not complete the treatment. The present study is to test an alternative treatment regimen (4 months of rifampicin) which has fewer side-effects and is more likely to be completed.
Fault tolerant multisensor feedback control. This project will advance knowledge by deepening the theoretical understanding of the interplay between multisensory data and feedback control mechanisms. It will also expand the tool sets of control engineering with innovative multisensory control designs. We see major benefits for Australia arising from this project both by enhancing its scientific reputation and by promoting technological advances in its industries and services. The project has pot ....Fault tolerant multisensor feedback control. This project will advance knowledge by deepening the theoretical understanding of the interplay between multisensory data and feedback control mechanisms. It will also expand the tool sets of control engineering with innovative multisensory control designs. We see major benefits for Australia arising from this project both by enhancing its scientific reputation and by promoting technological advances in its industries and services. The project has potential to contribute to the National Research Priority area: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries, since it has direct impact on the relevant areas of biotechnology, information, communication technology, nanotechnology and sensor technology.Read moreRead less
Robust Data-Driven Control for Safety-Critical Systems. This project aims to develop new approaches to controlling robotic and cyber-physical systems in safety-critical applications. This project expects to generate new knowledge in how to harness the power of machine learning for robot control, while guaranteeing safety and stability at all times. The outcomes of this project will be new algorithms and a deeper understanding of the interplay of data, learning, and models, as well as experimenta ....Robust Data-Driven Control for Safety-Critical Systems. This project aims to develop new approaches to controlling robotic and cyber-physical systems in safety-critical applications. This project expects to generate new knowledge in how to harness the power of machine learning for robot control, while guaranteeing safety and stability at all times. The outcomes of this project will be new algorithms and a deeper understanding of the interplay of data, learning, and models, as well as experimental validation on a surgical robot and a bipedal walking robot. This project will provide significant benefits by dramatically increasing the range of applications in which the power of machine learning can be safely applied to advance the capabilities and uptake of robotics.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Performance in Controlling Finite Level Quantum Systems with Uncertainties. Australia is a recognized leader in the international race to develop quantum frontier technologies. Funding of this project will consolidate and strengthen Australia's leadership in quantum information technology by developing new theory and tractable control approaches to deal with typical uncertainties arising in practical applications and to enhance performance in controlling finite level quantum systems, a ....Enhancing Performance in Controlling Finite Level Quantum Systems with Uncertainties. Australia is a recognized leader in the international race to develop quantum frontier technologies. Funding of this project will consolidate and strengthen Australia's leadership in quantum information technology by developing new theory and tractable control approaches to deal with typical uncertainties arising in practical applications and to enhance performance in controlling finite level quantum systems, and will also enhance the capability of Australian researchers to participate in promising quantum technologies. The outcomes of this project will play an important role in establishing Australian quantum information industries, which can provide new commercial opportunities and benefit Australia's economy.Read moreRead less
Robust and Distributed Control of Quantum Systems. Australia has considerable strengths in quantum technology research. As these technologies advance, the issue of control and in particular feedback control becomes a critical one. This research project will strengthen Australia's position in quantum technology by developing new methodologies for designing high performance robust and distributed feedback controllers for quantum systems. The project will also add to Australia's strength in quantum ....Robust and Distributed Control of Quantum Systems. Australia has considerable strengths in quantum technology research. As these technologies advance, the issue of control and in particular feedback control becomes a critical one. This research project will strengthen Australia's position in quantum technology by developing new methodologies for designing high performance robust and distributed feedback controllers for quantum systems. The project will also add to Australia's strength in quantum technology by contributing to the research training of young researchers with expertise both in control systems engineering and quantum technology. This project will help Australia reap the maximum possible benefit from the new industries to emerge from the field of quantum technology.Read moreRead less
Robust Feedback Control in Quantum Technology. Australia has considerable strengths in quantum technology research. As these technologies advance, the issue of control and in particular feedback control becomes a critical one. This research project will strengthen Australia's position in quantum technology by developing new methodologies for designing high performance robust feedback controllers for quantum systems. The project will also add to Australia's strength in quantum technology by contr ....Robust Feedback Control in Quantum Technology. Australia has considerable strengths in quantum technology research. As these technologies advance, the issue of control and in particular feedback control becomes a critical one. This research project will strengthen Australia's position in quantum technology by developing new methodologies for designing high performance robust feedback controllers for quantum systems. The project will also add to Australia's strength in quantum technology by contributing to the research training of young researchers with expertise both in control systems engineering and quantum technology. This project will help Australia reap the maximum possible benefit from the new industries to emerge from the field of quantum technology.
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Control and learning for enhancing capabilities of quantum sensors. This project aims to develop new theories and algorithms to enhance capabilities in engineering quantum sensors from the perspective of systems and control. The project is significant because it is anticipated to advance key knowledge and provide systematic methods to enable achievement of high-precision sensing for wide applications, e.g., early disease detection, medical research, discovery of ore deposits and groundwater moni ....Control and learning for enhancing capabilities of quantum sensors. This project aims to develop new theories and algorithms to enhance capabilities in engineering quantum sensors from the perspective of systems and control. The project is significant because it is anticipated to advance key knowledge and provide systematic methods to enable achievement of high-precision sensing for wide applications, e.g., early disease detection, medical research, discovery of ore deposits and groundwater monitoring. The intended outcomes are fundamental theories, effective control and learning algorithms for achieving highly-sensitive sensors. These outcomes should make important contributions to and deliver new knowledge and skills for Australia's sensing industries, which could benefit Australia's economic growth.Read moreRead less