ORCID Profile
0000-0002-1291-9095
Current Organisations
University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
,
Flinders University
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X11002135
Abstract: This paper considers the impact that a number of Australian emergency management policy and operational decisions are having on residential aged care facilities located in the community. For ex le, all residential aged care facilities applying for new federal government funded aged care places are required to demonstrate a plan for environmental disaster threats such as bushfires and floods. Another ex le is the adoption of new fire danger rating scale, with the inclusion of an extreme level called “catastrophic”-code red. This inclusion requires all services and community members, living in bushfire-prone areas to decide whether or not to evacuate the day before or morning of a Bureau of Meteorology fire danger index indicating a code red. There is evidence that these policy and operational decisions have been made without fully examining the practical implications, particularly for aged care facilities. While many of the facilities on which these decisions impact see the rational for such decisions, they argue that these decisions have serious implications for their services and patients. Many residential aged care facilities, which are privately operated, historically have not been involved in any state or local government emergency management planning. Therefore, the whole concept of risk assessment, preparation, and planning to increase the absorbing, buffering, and response capacity of their facilities against extreme weather events has become quite overwhelming for some. This paper presents a case study that demonstrates the tension between emergency management policy decisions on an aged care facility, and outlines their issues and response.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 02-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X11006765
Abstract: Introduction: Celebrating the end of secondary schooling (“Schoolies Festival”) is an established part of the school culture in Australia, with thousands of young students converging at beachside locations to celebrate this rite of passage. The aim of this study was to identify what young people believe is important to remain safe and healthy at this mass-gathering event. Methods: This study was conducted using postcard surveys requesting demographic data and responses to the questions: (1) What do you think is important to stay safe and healthy at this event? (2) What do you think is risky attending this event? (3) Which of these is most likely to affect you at this event? and (4) Where would you seek medical support? The surveys were distributed to attendees of a “Schoolies Festival” in Adelaide, Australia in 2008. Results: One hundred sixty-five of the 300 postcards were returned completed. The average age of the respondents was 17.7 years. “Not using drugs” was considered important to staying safe and healthy by 120 (73%) of respondents “drinking alcohol responsibly” was considered important by 89 (54%) and “violent behavior” and “exposure to illicit drugs” were identified as important risks by 135 (82%) and 98 (59%) of participants, respectively. Only 35 (21%) of respondents indicated that they would seek on-site health care if needed. Conclusion: Young people attending mass-gathering celebrations have valid concerns about drinking responsibly, exposure to illicit drugs, and sexual harassment. Health messages or health promotion strategies aimed at their specific concerns would be helpful in the mitigation of illness or injury at such events.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-03-2014
DOI: 10.1111/NHS.12141
Abstract: The correlation between patients' severity and nursing workload for multiple trauma patients within the first 24 h of admission was explored in this study. Multiple trauma adult patients (n = 229) admitted in the emergency rescue room of a public hospital in China over a 1 year period were enrolled in this study. The worst values of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II scores and the Nursing Activity Score were collected during the first 24 h after admission. The predicted number of registered nurses was calculated for the corresponding severity groups. In the results, one-way ANOVA revealed that the Nursing Activity Score in the seven severity groups differed significantly. The total Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II score had a positive correlation with the Nursing Activity Score. The predicted number of registered nurses required was 0.6 for the low group, 0.7 for the moderate group, 1.0 for the severe group, and 1.1 for the extremely severe group. Patients' illness severity is an important indicator of nursing workload, especially in nurse staff allocation within the emergency department.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 31-07-2021
Abstract: Keratins are the main identification markers of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) however, whether their deregulation is associated with the metastatic process is largely unknown. Previously we have shown by in silico analysis that keratin 16 (KRT16) mRNA upregulation might be associated with more aggressive cancer. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the biological role and the clinical relevance of K16 in metastatic breast cancer. By performing RT-qPCR, western blot, and immunocytochemistry, we investigated the expression patterns of K16 in metastatic breast cancer cell lines and evaluated the clinical relevance of K16 expression in CTCs of 20 metastatic breast cancer patients. High K16 protein expression was associated with an intermediate mesenchymal phenotype. Functional studies showed that K16 has a regulatory effect on EMT and overexpression of K16 significantly enhanced cell motility (p 0.001). In metastatic breast cancer patients, 64.7% of the detected CTCs expressed K16, which was associated with shorter relapse-free survival (p = 0.0042). Our findings imply that K16 is a metastasis-associated protein that promotes EMT and acts as a positive regulator of cellular motility. Furthermore, determining K16 status in CTCs provides prognostic information that helps to identify patients whose tumors are more prone to metastasize.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X11001117
Abstract: Following the devastating March 2009 Victorian bushfire disaster in rural areas of Australia, authorities reviewed strategies designed to protect communities during periods of extreme fire risk. New policy and regulation were introduced and designed to ensure that small rural communities were protected and prepared to confront a wildfire emergency during days of extreme heat or bushfire risk weather. As a result on days of declared ‘catastrophic’ bushfire weather conditions government agencies in South Australia have implemented a policy for schools (including pre-schools) to be temporarily closed. On these days community members are advised to evacuate early to safe regional centres, and to limit travel on country roads. The WADEM Guidelines for Disaster Evaluation and Research demonstrate that Basic Societal Functions (BSFs), such as education, health, transport and others, are interconnected and interdependent. For ex le in small rural communities in South Australia people may have a number of important roles including being parents, volunteers of emergency services while also being employed as staff of local hospitals. This project reviewed the impact of school closures and other protective measures on the availability of the rural nursing workforce and on rural hospitals. Rural hospitals in Australia are staffed, on average, by 2–8 nurses, service very small communities and are separated by great distances. As a result, small changes in the absentee rate for nurses can have a significant impact on the operation of these hospitals. This paper will argue that policy changes in other sectors, such as education, can impact on societal activities such as childcare, volunteer emergency service work, and hospital staffing, in ways that may not be anticipated unless the impact on all Basic Societal Functions are considered by policymakers.
Publisher: Lifescience Global
Date: 02-05-2016
DOI: 10.6000/1929-6029.2016.05.02.2
Abstract: Objective: To compare a heatwave based exposure classification with a maximum daily temperature based exposure classification in assessing the associations between increased heat and emergency department (ED) admissions for chronic conditions. Methods: ED admission data was collected from 4 public hospitals in South Australia from 2007 to 2009. Effects of 5 heatwave periods were examined using conditional logistic regression (heatwave versus non-heatwave) whilst effects of maximum daily temperature were explored using negative binomial regression with temperature classified using °C (reference category) and additional 5 °C increments. Non-linear regression (ED admissions per unit °C) was used to examine possible temperature thresholds for increased ED admissions. Results: In heatwave/non-heatwave analysis, an increased odds of admission during heatwaves was observed for heat-related complaints [OR=3.2 95%CI=2.5, 4.11] and renal conditions [OR=1.13 95%CI=1.05, 1.21] only. In temperature based analysis, mental health related conditions began increasing at 30-34 °C compared to °C [IRR=1.11 95%CI=1.02, 1.20], heat related conditions were increased at 35-39 °C [IRR=3.4 95%CI=2.48, 4.64] while CVD admissions were lower above 40 °C [IRR=0.89 95%CI=0.80-0.99]. Significant threshold temperatures were identified for heat-related conditions at 37.6 °C [p .001] and for renal admissions at 39.2 °C [p .001]. Conclusions: Using maximum daily temperature was a more sensitive approach to detecting effects of heat on ED admissions for chronic disease and also allowed the detection of temperature threshold effects. Assessing the impact of temperature rather than heatwaves should better identify the weather conditions that increase the risk of events amongst in iduals with specific chronic conditions.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-12-2014
DOI: 10.1111/NHS.12112
Abstract: In 2011 the east coast of Japan experienced a massive earthquake which triggered a devastating tsunami destroying many towns and killing over 15 000 people. The work presented in this paper is a personal account that outlines the relief efforts of the Humanitarian Medical Assistance team and describes the efforts to provide medical assistance to evacuees. The towns most affected had a large proportion of older people who were more likely to have chronic conditions and required medication to sustain their health. Since personal property was destroyed in the tsunami many older people were left without medication and also did not remember which type of medication they were taking. Some evacuees had brought a list of their medication with them, this assisted relief teams in obtaining the required medication for these people. The more successful evacuation centers had small numbers of evacuees who were given tasks to administer the center that kept them occupied and active.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JEBM.12138
Abstract: Medication loss is a major problem in disaster settings, and it is crucial for patients to bring their medication and healthcare items with them when they leave their homes during an evacuation. This article is based on a systematic literature review on medication loss, the objectives of which were to identify the extent and implications of medication loss, to identify the burden of prescription refill, and to make recommendations on effective preparedness. The review revealed that medication loss, prescription loss and refills, and the loss of medical aids are a significant burden on the medical relief teams. The medical aids are not limited to drugs, but include routine medications, medical/allergy records, devices for specific care and daily life, and emergency medications. One possible solution is to make a personal emergency pack and for people to carry this with them at all times. To ensure that patients are adequately prepared, stakeholders, especially health professionals, need to be actively involved in the preparation plans. Since our findings have little impact on disaster risk reduction unless shared broadly, we are now taking actions to spread our findings, such as presenting in conferences and via posters, in order to raise awareness among patients and healthcare professionals. As part of these activities, our findings were presented at the Evidence Aid Symposium on 20 September 2014, at Hyderabad, India.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/NHS.12225
Abstract: Pictures speak a thousand words. The traditional romantic image of an Australian aeromedical service is a male doctor and male pilot, out to rescue the male stockman from the red dust of the Australian outback. However, the reality is considerably different, particularly in the current context of the Australian healthcare system. This paper examines the images of flight nursing using a critical lens. The images are derived from popular literature sources from the early 1940s through to the present. A textual analysis of the images of flight nursing using the methodology of institutional ethnography reveals a number of themes including the glamorous, the romantic, and the heroic nurse. This study illustrates that the way these nurses are portrayed within popular literature mirrors the Australian cultural ethic of heroic bush pioneer, yet at the same time the work these nurses do is undervalued by various omissions and misrepresentations. The results from this study have the potential to significantly improve recognition of the work performed by flight nurses and to challenge incorrect cultural myths.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.COLEGN.2014.02.004
Abstract: Increased bandwidth, broadband network availability and improved functionality have enhanced the accessibility and attractiveness of social media. The use of the Internet by higher education students has markedly increased. Social media are already used widely across the health sector but little is currently known of the use of social media by health profession students in Australia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to explore health profession students' use of social media and their media preferences for sourcing information. An electronic survey was made available to health profession students at ten participating universities across most Australian states and territories. Respondents were 637 first year students and 451 final year students. The results for first and final year health profession students indicate that online media is the preferred source of information with only 20% of students nominating traditional peer-reviewed journals as a preferred information source. In addition, the results indicate that Facebook usage was high among all students while use of other types of social media such as Twitter remains comparatively low. As health profession students engage regularly with social media, and this use is likely to grow rather than diminish, educational institutions are challenged to consider the use of social media as a validated platform for learning and teaching.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S12325-017-0629-1
Abstract: We investigated whether the concomitant use of diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (triple whammy, TW) predicts in-hospital acute kidney injury (AKI) and whether admission during recorded periods of extreme heat influences this association. We retrospectively collected data on patient characteristics and use of TW/non-TW drugs on admission, AKI (increase in serum creatinine ≥ 27 µmol/l either within the first 48 h of admission or throughout hospitalization, primary outcome), length of stay (LOS), and mortality (secondary outcomes) in medical patients ≥65 years admitted (1) during five consecutive heat waves (HWs) between 2007 and 2009 (n = 382) or (2) either before or after each HW, matched for HW period, age, and admission day of the week (non-HW, controls, n = 1339). Number of TW and non-TW drugs, co-morbidities, number of daily admissions, incidence of in-hospital AKI, LOS, and mortality were similar in the HW and non-HW groups. After adjusting for clinical and demographic confounders, logistic regression showed that TW use did not predict AKI within 48 h of admission either during non-HW periods (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.34-1.83, P = 0.58) or during HWs (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.21-2.97, P = 0.97). Similar results were observed when AKI was captured throughout hospitalization. TW use did not predict LOS or mortality irrespective of environmental temperature on admission. TW use on admission did not predict in-hospital AKI, LOS, or mortality in older medical patients admitted either during periods of normal environmental temperature or during HWs.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-02-2016
DOI: 10.1038/SREP20558
Abstract: Phosphorylation and proteolysis are among the most common post-translational modifications (PTMs), and play critical roles in various biological processes. More recent discoveries imply that the crosstalks between these two PTMs are involved in many diseases. In this work, we construct a post-translational regulatory network (PTRN) consists of phosphorylation and proteolysis processes, which enables us to investigate the regulatory interplays between these two PTMs. With the PTRN, we identify some functional network motifs that are significantly enriched with drug targets, some of which are further found to contain multiple proteins targeted by combinatorial drugs. These findings imply that the network motifs may be used to predict targets when designing new drugs. Inspired by this, we propose a novel computational approach called NetTar for predicting drug targets using the identified network motifs. Benchmarking results on real data indicate that our approach can be used for accurate prediction of novel proteins targeted by known drugs.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.COLEGN.2010.09.004
Abstract: While the full impact of climate change is uncertain, it has been widely documented to be responsible for the extreme weather conditions which are experienced in many places around the world. High temperatures during summer are the expected norm for the population living in Adelaide South Australia (SA) and if temperatures reach and remain in the upper thirties centigrade they can be expected to meet the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology definition of a "heatwave". A number of studies have shown that there is a direct link between the increase in mortality and morbidity among emergency department (ED) patient presentations and periods of extreme heat. Heatwave conditions affect in iduals with particular health problems such as cardiovascular, renal or mental health which results in an increase in the patient presentations to the emergency department (ED). This paper describes the findings from the initial phase of a long-term research project investigating the effects of heatwave exposure on particular health conditions with respect to patient presentations (ICD-10 categories) to ED's in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. The initial results from one public hospital during two heatwave periods experienced in 2009 are presented in this paper. The heat wave events were compared to non-heat wave periods before and after each heat wave. Demographic information as well as diagnostic descriptors are also presented.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2010
No related grants have been discovered for Lidia Mayner.