Diamond-Like Carbon: A Surface for Extreme, High-Wear Environments.

In this study, we present an in-depth characterization of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film, using a range of techniques to understand the structure and chemistry of the film both in the interior and particularly at the DLC/air surface and DLC/liquid interface. The DLC film is found to be a combination of sp2 and sp3 carbon, with significant oxygen present at the surface. The oxygen seems to be present as OH groups, making the DLC somewhat hydrophilic. Quartz-Crystal Microbalance (QCM) isotherms and complementary neutron reflectivity data indicate significant adsorption of a model additive, bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium salt (AOT) surfactant, onto the DLC from water solutions and indicate the adsorbed film is a bilayer. This initial study of the structure and composition of a model surfactant is intended to give a clearer insight into how DLC and additives function as antiwear systems.

Comparison of public health specialty training in Australia and England.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to explore common challenges and distinct features of specialty public health training in Australia and England, given similarities in public health issues faced, shared histories and common political structures. STUDY DESIGN: The study design used in the study is a document review. METHODS: Using current curricula, along with other publicly available documents, we reviewed organisational, selection and content elements of public health specialty training in these two countries. RESULTS: In both countries, specialist public health training is coordinated and accredited through Faculties of Public Health housed within Royal Colleges of Physicians. However, eligibility, recruitment to training and funding routes differ. In England, entrants are accepted from a range of backgrounds including medicine, whereas only medical doctors are eligible in Australia. England has a national, annual recruitment process; Australia does not and has a less structured training path. In Australia, specialty advanced training is three years (excluding a Master's in Public Health [MPH]), whereas in England, training is generally five years (including an MPH). Curricula cover broadly common domains of public health practice although there are differences. Methods to assess readiness for consultant practice differ. CONCLUSIONS: Fostering an understanding of the specialist role of public health professionals in different countries establishes routes to share learning, encourage greater collaboration and creates opportunities for benchmarking.

Elevations in Intra-cranial blood flow velocities following a SCUBA Dive and the Influence of Post-dive Exercise.

The effect that a SCUBA dive has on cerebral blood flow (CBF) at rest and during exercise is poorly understood. We examined the hypothesis that the altered hemodynamic parameters following a SCUBA dive will lead to differential changes in CBF at rest and during exercise. 16 divers completed a field-based study with a single dive at a depth of 18 m sea water with a 47-min bottom time. A follow-up laboratory based study was conducted - 1 week later. Intra-cranial velocities were measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) pre-dive, post-dive at rest and throughout incremental exercise until exhaustion. Following the dive at rest, middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) was elevated 15 and 30 min after surfacing (by 3.3±5.8 and 4.0±6.9 cm/s, respectively; p<0.05); posterior cerebral artery velocity (PCAv) was increased at 30 min after surfacing (by 3.0±4.5 cm/s; p<0.05). During exercise following the dive, both MCAv and PCAv increased up to 150W followed by a decrease towards baseline at 180W (p<0.05). We found no difference in CBV during exercise between field and laboratory studies (p<0.05). The novel finding of this study is the transient elevation in resting intra-cranial velocities within 30 min following a SCUBA dive.

Corrosion inhibitor distribution on abrasive-blasted steels.

HYPOTHESIS: Abrasive-blasted steel surfaces exhibit a complex, multi-substrate environment. Adsorption to contaminant substrates can reduce the amount of available corrosion inhibitor and decrease its efficiency. Knowledge of where inhibitors preferentially adsorb is required. EXPERIMENTS: The quantitative extent and strength of adsorption of the representative corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole (BTAH) from toluene to particular substrates is given, including corrections for solution self-association, and complemented by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), sum-frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG), and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. FINDINGS: All substrates show adsorbed BTAH layers. Based on the adsorption strength, preferential adsorption is found to be in the order steel > iron oxide > calcium carbonate and garnet > silica - this is relevant when there is limited BTAH. However, with ample BTAH, the amounts adsorbed in the plateau regions of the isotherm are more relevant and the order is calcium carbonate and silica > iron oxide > garnet > steel. Although the contaminant substrates deplete the BTAH concentration, the steel should still have a complete monolayer of BTAH inhibitor. This work is part of a larger initiative developing novel methods of corrosion inhibitor delivery via the blasting process, to prevent corrosion between blasting and repainting.

Dynamics of the COPII coat with GTP and stable analogues.

We have developed an assay to monitor the assembly of the COPII coat onto liposomes in real time. We show that with Sar1pGTP bound to liposomes, a single round of assembly and disassembly of the COPII coat lasts a few seconds. The two large COPII complexes Sec23/24p and Sec13/31p bind almost instantaneously (in less than 1 s) to Sar1pGTP-doped liposomes. This binding is followed by a fast (less than 10 s) disassembly due to a 10-fold acceleration of the GTPase-activating protein activity of Sec23/24p by the Sec13/31p complex. Experiments with the phosphate analogue BeFx suggest that Sec23/24p provides residues directly involved in GTP hydrolysis on Sar1p.

Transmission of simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS) with blood or filtered plasma.

Simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS), a disease clinically and pathologically similar to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in humans, was transmitted from diseased rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) to normal monkeys by inoculation with heparinized whole blood or plasma that had been passed through filters of 0.45 micrometer pore size. This suggests that the causative agent is small and most probably a virus. No viruses, however, were isolated by standard cell culture techniques from the blood or filtered plasma which caused SAIDS. Both cellular and humoral immunity were markedly depressed in animals with advanced SAIDS.

Brain tumors in owl monkeys inoculated with a human polyomavirus (JC virus).

Owl monkeys were inoculated intracerebrally, subcutaneously, and intravenously with JC, BK, or SV40 virus. Two of four adult owl monkeys inoculated with JC virus, a human polyomavirus, developed brain tumors at 16 and 25 months after inoculation, respectively. A grade 3 to grade 4 astrocytoma (resembling a human glioblastoma multiforme) was found in the left cerebral hemisphere and brainstem of one monkey. The second monkey developed a malignant tumor in the left cerebral hemisphere containing both glial and neuronal cell types. Impression smears prepared from unfixed tissue of this tumor showed cells that contained polyomavirus T antigen. Virion antigens were not detected. Tumor cells cultured in vitro also contained T antigen but were negative for virion antigen. Infectious virus was not isolated from extracts of this tumor.

Health sector leadership in mitigating climate change: experience from the UK and NSW.

The threat to human health from climate change means that all levels of government and private and public agencies will need to change their current practices to reduce carbon emissions. The health sector will also need to respond and change practice. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom is developing a systematic and strategic approach to reduce its carbon footprint, as described in the recently released NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy for England. The work is being led by the Service's new Sustainable Development Unit. While the Australian health care system has not yet embraced a shared vision for carbon reduction, there are examples emerging of how the sector is contributing to reduce greenhouse gas production. Examples from two NSW area health services to reduce energy use and promote active transport are presented. In both countries, these changes are supported by new legislation and policy.

Evaluation of three population health capacity building projects delivered by videoconferencing in NSW.

UNLABELLED: Three population health projects in falls prevention, smoking cessation and refugee health secured funding through the NSW Telehealth Initiative. All were capacity building projects delivered through live videoconferencing sessions between April and August 2007. Videoconferencing as a mode of delivery was evaluated from the perspective of those who delivered the projects. METHOD: Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants explored for each project: the organisation and delivery of the education sessions; the utility of videoconferencing for delivering training programs; and the perceived potential to apply videoconferencing to other functions. RESULTS: The projects were all delivered successfully through live videoconferencing. The main benefits observed were: the ability to deliver training to large numbers of people across multiple locations within a relatively short time and for reasonable costs; and the ability to improve access to high quality professional development for rural and remote workers. Technical difficulties were minor. The support required for these kinds of e-learning projects to succeed were identified. CONCLUSION: The evaluation confirmed the value of videoconferencing as a vehicle through which equity of access to learning opportunities for population health workers across NSW can be achieved.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death mediated by the proteasome.

Cells exposed to sustained endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress undergo programmed cell death and display features typical of apoptosis, such as cysteine aspartyl protease (caspase) activation, cytochrome c release, and DNA fragmentation. Here, we show that the execution of cell death induced by ER stress is mediated via the proteasome. Inhibition of the proteasome by lactacystin prevented ER stress-induced degradation of Bcl-2, release of cytochrome c, processing of effector caspase-3, and exposure of phosphatidylserine. Owing to the ability of lactacystin to inhibit cytochrome c release, we propose that the pro-apoptotic activity of the proteasome lies upstream of mitochondrial activation. Thus, the proteasome serves as a principal mediator of ER stress-induced cell death in this system.

Use of communication technology among public health professionals in New South Wales, Australia.

We explored how six forms of communication technology (teleconferencing, web bulletin boards, web conferencing, videoconferencing, media streaming and satellite television) are currently being used in public health work in NSW. Twelve public health professionals working in the NSW health service were interviewed. Teleconferencing and videoconferencing were the most commonly used forms of communication technology. Factors that facilitated use included ease of access to facilities and assistance in organising and setting up the technique. Barriers to use included cost and the perception that the equipment was hard to set up and operate. Participants identified factors that assisted them to engage with these techniques.

Using problem-based learning in public health service based training.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the suitability and benefits of problem-based learning (PBL) in competency-based postgraduate public health training. The PBL was delivered within a rural retreat and included site visits. METHODS: Qualitative semistructured interviews with trainee public health officers and key informants. RESULTS: The learning approach (retreat-PBL combination with site visits) was valuable and relevant. Trainees reported a high learning impact with increased knowledge about the problems examined and rural public health practice. They also expressed an openness to work rurally. CONCLUSION: Collaboratively developed and delivered, experiential rural public health PBL provides a positive learning experience for trainees undertaking competency-based training in public health and could play an important workforce role. PBL appears to be suitable in rural and non-rural public health training settings.

Review of the NSW Public Health Bulletin: a qualitative survey of stakeholders.

In 2005, the NSW Department of Health commissioned an external review of the NSW Public Health Bulletin. This article describes the methods and findings of the qualitative survey. Participants included people working in population health from within the Department of Health, area health services, the tertiary sector and non-government organisations. There were fifty interviews, two focus groups and eight written surveys. The review found substantial support and respect for the Bulletin. It described the features of the Bulletin that stakeholders valued and provided suggestions to strengthen the publication. These findings will guide developments in the Bulletin's purpose, presentation, content and distribution for its readership.

A web log analysis of the online NSW Public Health Bulletin for 2001-2003.

The web logs of the online version of the NSW Public Health Bulletin were analysed to understand the patterns of use. Twenty-nine months of data, for the period January 2001 to May 2003, were extracted from archived files stored by the NSW Department of Health. HTML and PDF hits were included; other types of hits, for example image hits, were not. Five potentially useful variables were identified: Internet protocol address; date of access; time of access; document accessed; and means of access. There were 384,887 hits during the period, approximately 442 per day. The rate of hits per month increased from 8288 in 2001 to 21,288 in 2003. The PDF version was used more than the HTML version. Examination of HTML hits revealed how different parts of the Bulletin were being used. This information provides evidence to inform planning.

Results from the 2000 fax-back survey to readers about the NSW Public Health Bulletin.

Publications must regularly reflect on their performance to ensure that they remain relevant to their readership and are fulfilling their objectives. In 2000 the 'NSW Public Health Bulletin Discussion Paper 2000'was released, with recommendations regarding all aspects of the Bulletin content, distribution and editorial management. A copy was sent to 1200 people with a fax-back survey seeking general feedback on the Bulletin and the recommendations. There was a response rate of 11 per cent. The survey identified broad support for the Bulletin and the recommendations. Findings included strong support for encouraging electronic access but maintaining the distribution of the printed copy. Subsequent changes to production of the Bulletin have included expanding the number of reviewers of articles and making improvements to the website.

Five viral peptide-HLA-A2 co-crystals. Simultaneous space group determination and X-ray data collection.

We prepared and crystallized five complexes of the human histocompatibility molecule HLA-A2 with peptides derived from human immunodeficiency virus type 1, human T lymphotropic virus type 1, influenza A virus and hepatitis B virus proteins. Each HLA-A2 complex was refolded in vitro from insoluble proteins produced in bacteria; to crystallize, two of the complexes required seeding with microcrystals of another complex. Maintained at -160 degrees C, single co-crystals of each of the five peptide-HLA-A2 complexes yielded complete X-ray diffraction data sets to a resolution of approximately 2.5 A. After a sufficient number of diffraction peaks were acquired during data collection, the direct analysis of integrated intensities established the point group of the co-crystal, thus allowing an efficient data collection strategy to be designed. The subsequent examination of systematic absences revealed that the five peptide-HLA-A2 co-crystals formed in space groups P1, P2(1), or P2(1)2(1)2(1). Molecular replacement structure solutions yielded unambiguous protein electron density maps, thus confirming the space group determinations. The system of obtaining HLA-A2 co-crystal structures described here is applicable to other crystallographic problems where structures of several related molecules from uncharacterized single crystals are required.

The use of lamotrigine, vigabatrin and gabapentin as add-on therapy in intractable epilepsy of childhood.

PURPOSE: Lamotrigine (LTG), vigabatrin (VGB) and gabapentin (GBP) are three anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) used in the treatment of children with epilepsy for which long-term retention rates are not currently well known. This study examines the efficacy, long-term survival and adverse event profile of these three agents used as add-on therapy in children with refractory epilepsy over a 10-year period. METHODS: Three separate audits were conducted between February 1996 and September 2000. All children studied had epilepsy refractory to other AEDs. Efficacy was confirmed if a patient became seizure free or achieved >50% reduction in seizure frequency for 6 months or more after starting therapy. Adverse events and patient survival for each drug were recorded at the end of the study period. RESULTS: Between September 1990 and February 1996, 132 children received LTG, 80 VGB and 39 GBP. At the 10-year follow-up audit, 33% of the children on LTG had a sustained beneficial effect on their seizure frequency in contrast to 19% for VGB and 15% for GBP. No significant difference in efficacy was found in children with partial seizures. Children with epileptic encephalopathy (EE) including myoclonic-astatic epilepsy and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) achieved a more favorable response to LTG. The main reasons for drug withdrawal were lack of efficacy for VGB, apparent worsening of seizures for GBP and the development of a rash for LTG. CONCLUSIONS: Lamotrigine is a useful add-on therapy in treating children with epilepsy. It has a low adverse event profile and a sustained beneficial effect in children with intractable epilepsy.

Effects of beta-blockade and exercise on cardiovascular and cognitive functioning.

Twenty-four men with mild essential hypertension were assigned randomly to receive propranolol (n = 9), atenolol (n = 7), or a placebo (n = 8). All subjects participated in a 12-week study and provided physiological and behavioral data four times during the study: after a medication-free baseline period (Session 1); after 2 weeks of medication, without exercise (Session 2); after 8 weeks of continued medication while participating in a program of aerobic exercise (Session 3); and after 2 weeks of maintenance exercise without medication (Session 4). Subjects' maximal oxygen uptake increased significantly between Sessions 2 and 3, and the magnitude of this increase did not vary across the drug groups. Subjects' resting heart rates varied as a function of the presence of beta-blocking medication, but there was in addition a reduction attributable to exercise training that did not vary across the drug groups. The decrease in blood pressure associated with beta-blockade (Session 2) was not decreased any further by exercise training (Session 3). Despite an increase in blood pressure following the withdrawal of active medication (Session 4), blood pressure remained significantly lower compared with the Session 1 baseline level. Performance in a reaction-time test of short-term memory functioning improved slightly for all three groups between Sessions 1 and 2 and remained constant thereafter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Short-term behavioral effects of beta-adrenergic medications in men with mild hypertension.

beta-Adrenergic-inhibiting drugs are widely prescribed for the treatment of hypertension. These drugs have previously been found to influence a variety of psychologic and behavioral functions and have, in some cases, been associated with serious psychiatric side effects. The present study examined psychologic changes associated with beta-blockade therapy. Twenty-six men with mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90 to 110 mm Hg) were randomly assigned to receive either a selective beta 1-antagonist (atenolol), a nonselective beta 1- and beta 2-antagonist (propranolol), or a placebo. Both before and after a 2-week period of drug administration, subjects completed a comprehensive assessment of quality of life including measures of mood, memory performance, and side effects. In general, beta-blocker therapy was associated with relatively few adverse symptoms, particularly when compared with control subjects taking placebo. Reductions in negative emotional states (tension and anger) were observed for subjects receiving atenolol, and the largest improvements in memory performance were observed for subjects receiving propranolol. These results suggest that beta-blocker therapy is not invariably associated with negative side effects and that some behavioral functions may actually be improved.

Voluntary and involuntary treatment of aggressive patients.

The author describes his experiences in treating violent patients in group therapy. Problems include the divergent goals of therapist, patient, and society; the environmental limitations on incarcerated patients; countertransference issues; and magical expectations on the part of patients. Therapeutic goals must be somewhat limited with patients who are forced into therapy. It may be dangerous to "open up" such patients, especially when they face lengthy prison terms. The author suggests that distancing tactics be avoided with violent patients, who need to encounter another person who has dealt successfully with hatred, fear, and limitations.