Injecting Drug Users: Social Networks And Molecular Epidemiology Of The Hepatitis C Virus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$543,868.00
Summary
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to spread among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Australia at a very high rate, despite success in preventing the spread of HIV in the same groups; the complete reasons for this remain unclear. There is an urgent need for the HCV epidemic among IDUs to be contained. To do so, we must better understand the ways in which it is spreading among IDUs. Much is known about risk behaviours of individual IDUs and how they contribute to HCV transmission; much less is kn ....The hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to spread among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Australia at a very high rate, despite success in preventing the spread of HIV in the same groups; the complete reasons for this remain unclear. There is an urgent need for the HCV epidemic among IDUs to be contained. To do so, we must better understand the ways in which it is spreading among IDUs. Much is known about risk behaviours of individual IDUs and how they contribute to HCV transmission; much less is known about how these behaviours are modified by the influence of the IDUs peer group, especially their immediate and intimate social networks. Despite its importance in influencing attitudes and behaviours, and therefore HCV transmission, this has never been studied in Australia, nor, in relation to HCV, in the world. We hope that by studying social and risk networks of IDUs we shall discover new ways in which control of the HCV epidemic can be achieved in Australia. We intend to do this among two groups of young IDUs, one of Vietnamese ethnicity, located in the one suburb of Melbourne. By using field techniques for gathering information (ethnography), and sophisticated analytic techniques to understand how these networks are formed and influence behaviours, we hope to be able to identify interventions which work at the level of the social group rather than the individual in bringing about the behaviour change necessary to prevent HCV transmission. To ensure that the risk networks we describe are as influential as they appear, and to discover more about the variability of HCV, we will also be investigating the relationship between the various strains of HCV in members of the IDU networks, particularly as another measure of the connectedness of networks and network members. This will be done using sophisticated genetic analysis of the HCV obtained from network members by blood test.Read moreRead less
Modelling, Measurement and Control of the Internet. The demands made of modern high-speed data networks, such as those that make up the Internet, are increasing rapidly in terms of both the quantity and quality of service required.
So that these demands can be satisfied, it is necessary that network operators, or even the network itself, take measurements and make control decisions. Depending on the service, there is a need to do this over very short timescales (fractions of a second), or lon ....Modelling, Measurement and Control of the Internet. The demands made of modern high-speed data networks, such as those that make up the Internet, are increasing rapidly in terms of both the quantity and quality of service required.
So that these demands can be satisfied, it is necessary that network operators, or even the network itself, take measurements and make control decisions. Depending on the service, there is a need to do this over very short timescales (fractions of a second), or longer
timescales (minutes or even weeks).
By developing innovative mathematical models of network behaviour,
this project will deliver improved methods for measurement and
control of the Internet.Read moreRead less
Optical Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Communication Systems. Optical multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems exploit a simple yet powerful principle of diversity to improve the capacity and robustness of optical networks. This proposal focuses on making the most use of two polarisation modes intrinsic to the fiber by applying MIMO techniques to the optical communication systems. This project can potentially create many commercial opportunities in Australia in the area of integrated photon ....Optical Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Communication Systems. Optical multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems exploit a simple yet powerful principle of diversity to improve the capacity and robustness of optical networks. This proposal focuses on making the most use of two polarisation modes intrinsic to the fiber by applying MIMO techniques to the optical communication systems. This project can potentially create many commercial opportunities in Australia in the area of integrated photonic circuits and high-speed digital signal processing. The funding support of these research activities will further enhance Australia's international ICT reputation in this emerging field.Read moreRead less
Delivering guaranteed quality of service over IP networks. The next revolution in the Internet will be to offer end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, in the form of maximum delay, delay variation and probability of packet loss, or minimum throughput. There are no existing techniques capable of delivering end-to-end QoS guarantees. This project will develop credit-based controls, instead of the usual rate-based controls, that can deliver these required QoS guarantees. These QoS guarante ....Delivering guaranteed quality of service over IP networks. The next revolution in the Internet will be to offer end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, in the form of maximum delay, delay variation and probability of packet loss, or minimum throughput. There are no existing techniques capable of delivering end-to-end QoS guarantees. This project will develop credit-based controls, instead of the usual rate-based controls, that can deliver these required QoS guarantees. These QoS guarantees will enable the development and deployment of entirely new services on the Internet. This project will give Australian industry the opportunity to create the next generation Internet. Therefore this project represents a Frontier Technology.Read moreRead less
Modelling Human-Body Effects on Indoor Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Channels for Broadband Wireless Systems. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technologies use a number of antennas to send multiple signals as a way to significantly increase the speed, range and reliability of a wireless network. The upcoming IEEE 802.11n standard, which includes MIMO in its specifications, will offer up to eight times the coverage and up to six times the speed of currently available IEEE 802.11 products. T ....Modelling Human-Body Effects on Indoor Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Channels for Broadband Wireless Systems. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technologies use a number of antennas to send multiple signals as a way to significantly increase the speed, range and reliability of a wireless network. The upcoming IEEE 802.11n standard, which includes MIMO in its specifications, will offer up to eight times the coverage and up to six times the speed of currently available IEEE 802.11 products. Through comprehensive measurement campaigns, this project will characterise the time-varying human body effect on indoor MIMO systems in populated environments, such as busy industrial and commercial buildings. Results will have a direct impact on future wireless applications, and are valuable from both scientific and economy-enhancement viewpoints.Read moreRead less
Androgen receptor: A master regulator of lipid metabolism. This project aims to understand how male sex hormones, or androgens, affect the amount and metabolism of fats in normal body tissues. By integrating our multi-disciplinary expertise in androgen action, molecular biology, metabolism and bioinformatics with novel techniques and instrumentation, this collaboration expects to generate the first detailed picture of how fat metabolism is controlled by androgens in humans, and how closely this ....Androgen receptor: A master regulator of lipid metabolism. This project aims to understand how male sex hormones, or androgens, affect the amount and metabolism of fats in normal body tissues. By integrating our multi-disciplinary expertise in androgen action, molecular biology, metabolism and bioinformatics with novel techniques and instrumentation, this collaboration expects to generate the first detailed picture of how fat metabolism is controlled by androgens in humans, and how closely this relates to mice. Expected outcomes and benefits will be a new understanding of which aspects of fat metabolism are most influenced by androgens, and an ability to anticipate potential metabolic impacts of natural or pharmacological fluctuations in androgen levels in humans, laboratory animals and livestock.Read moreRead less
Novel Architecture for Next Generation Wireless Relay Networks. The proposed project will provide a diverse range of benefits for the nation, by providing future solutions to address a number of key telecommunication networking requirements in Australia. One such area is the provision of broadband connectivity to rural and remote regions of Australia. It is well known, that wireless relay networks could potentially provide low-cost networking infrastructure for rural and remote communities. The ....Novel Architecture for Next Generation Wireless Relay Networks. The proposed project will provide a diverse range of benefits for the nation, by providing future solutions to address a number of key telecommunication networking requirements in Australia. One such area is the provision of broadband connectivity to rural and remote regions of Australia. It is well known, that wireless relay networks could potentially provide low-cost networking infrastructure for rural and remote communities. The solutions developed in this project will enable a wider deployment of such networks, as they would increase the capacity of these networks both in terms of bandwidth and their coverage. This is of major benefit to Australia, due to our large desert land-mass and sparsely populated remote and rural communities.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354675
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
Australian Communications Research Network (ACoRN). Information and Communication Technology is a key contributor to national productivity and growth. ACoRN aims to stimulate creativity, innovation and breakthrough science, leading to technological advancement in telecommunications. The focus is on development of fundamental theories for application to emerging wired and wireless communications technologies. Specific objectives include consolidation of existing linkages; facilitation of multidis ....Australian Communications Research Network (ACoRN). Information and Communication Technology is a key contributor to national productivity and growth. ACoRN aims to stimulate creativity, innovation and breakthrough science, leading to technological advancement in telecommunications. The focus is on development of fundamental theories for application to emerging wired and wireless communications technologies. Specific objectives include consolidation of existing linkages; facilitation of multidisciplinary research; formation of new links; stimulation of commercial activity; improved post-graduate education; and increased International prominence. Our current vision involves a range of programs including: undergraduate occupational training, postgraduate internships, national and international visiting programs, and seed funding for collaborative proposals.Read moreRead less
Numerically Robust Extruder Die Design for Fabricating High-Quality Preforms for Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres. Microstructural polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) were pioneered in Australia, are now comparable in performance (but much more versatile) than conventional polymer fibre, and are a highly attractive commercial option. Potential industrial applications envisage cost-effective preform fabrication as a key issue, with extrusion as the favoured route. This interdisciplinary project ....Numerically Robust Extruder Die Design for Fabricating High-Quality Preforms for Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres. Microstructural polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) were pioneered in Australia, are now comparable in performance (but much more versatile) than conventional polymer fibre, and are a highly attractive commercial option. Potential industrial applications envisage cost-effective preform fabrication as a key issue, with extrusion as the favoured route. This interdisciplinary project benefits Australia by (i) extending and exploiting our research advantages in advanced photonics and computational rheology, (ii) providing the 'missing link' for large-scale mPOF production and positioning us to reap the economic benefits of this innovative technology, and (iii) providing computational techniques for rheological modelling that are applicable in diverse Australian industry sectors.Read moreRead less