Publications by authors named "Heide B"

Two studies were conducted to test the convergence of mass and interpersonal media processes and their effects on YouTube. The first study examined the influence of interpersonal interactions on video enjoyment. The results indicated that positive comment valence affected participants' identification with the content creator, which then affected enjoyment of the video.

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Youngsters with intellectual disabilities are overinvolved within the youth justice system. The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of a small-scale community-integrated approach for justice involved youngsters with intellectual disabilities. This study compared the numbers of transfers, the number, type, and rate of change in incidents, and the possible mediating effect of resilience thereon, between 40 youngsters with and 19 youngsters without intellectual disabilities, placed in a small-scale facility.

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Organized by the European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS), a Monte Carlo code intercomparison exercise was conducted where participants simulated the emitted electron spectra and energy deposition around a single gold nanoparticle (GNP) irradiated by X-rays. In the exercise, the participants scored energy imparted in concentric spherical shells around a spherical volume filled with gold or water as well as the spectral distribution of electrons leaving the GNP. Initially, only the ratio of energy deposition with and without GNP was to be reported.

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We identified and isolated a novel Hendra virus (HeV) variant not detected by routine testing from a horse in Queensland, Australia, that died from acute illness with signs consistent with HeV infection. Using whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, we determined the variant had ≈83% nt identity with prototypic HeV. In silico and in vitro comparisons of the receptor-binding protein with prototypic HeV support that the human monoclonal antibody m102.

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Background: Hendra virus (HeV) has caused lethal disease outbreaks in humans and horses in Australia. Flying foxes are the wildlife reservoir from which the virus was first isolated in 1996. Following a heat stress mortality event in Australian flying foxes in 2013, a novel HeV variant was discovered.

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Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes Rift Valley fever (RVF), resulting in morbidity and mortality in humans and ruminants. Evidence of transboundary outbreaks means that RVFV remains a threat to human health and livestock industries in countries that are free from the disease. To enhance surveillance capability, methods for detection of RVFV are required.

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Purpose: Targeted radiation therapy has seen an increased interest in the past decade. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed enhanced radiation doses due to gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to tumors in mice and demonstrated a high potential for clinical application. However, finding a functionalized molecular formulation for actively targeting GNPs in tumor cells is challenging.

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Within EURADOS Working Group 6 'Computational Dosimetry', the micro and nanodosimetry task group 6.2 has recently conducted a Monte Carlo (MC) exercise open to participants around the world. The aim of this exercise is to quantify the contribution to the uncertainty of micro and nanodosimetric simulation results arising from the use of different electron-impact cross-sections, and hence physical models, employed by different MC codes (GEANT4-DNA, PENELOPE, MCNP6, FLUKA, NASIC and PHITS).

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Objective: To measure the diagnostic performance of an Australian-developed ELISA for the detection of antibodies against the non-structural proteins (NSP) 3ABC of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus.

Design: Test development and validation study.

Methods: The diagnostic specificity was determined using 2535 sera from naïve animals and 1112 sera from vaccinated animals.

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Absorbed doses caused by electron irradiation were calculated with Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code (MCNP) for thin layers of tissue-equivalent materials. The layers were so thin that the calculation of energy deposition was on the border of the scope of MCNP. Therefore, in this article application of three different methods of calculation of energy deposition is discussed.

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The usage of beta-radiation sources in various nuclear medicine therapies is increasing. Consequently, enhanced radiation protection measures are required, as medical staff more frequently handle high-activity sources required for therapy. Inhomogeneous radiation fields make it difficult to determine absorbed dose reliably.

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Seventeen grey-headed fruit bats (Pteropus poliocephalus) were inoculated subcutaneously with an isolate of Nipah virus derived from a fatally infected human. A control group of eight guinea-pigs was inoculated intraperitoneally with the same isolate in order to confirm virulence. Three of eight infected guinea-pigs developed clinical signs 7-9 days post-inoculation.

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The Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe operates a partial body counter, which is designed for the in vivo measurement of low-energy photon emitters in the human body. Recently, a numerical procedure has been developed which allows for the calculation of individual calibration factors for this partial body counter. The procedure is based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the radiation transport from the contaminated organ or tissue within the body to the detectors using the MCNP5 code.

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A human isolate of Nipah virus from an outbreak of febrile encephalitis in Malaysia that coincided with a field outbreak of disease in pigs was used to infect eight 6-week-old pigs orally or subcutaneously and two cats oronasally. In pigs, the virus induced a respiratory and neurological syndrome consistent with that observed in the Malaysian pigs. Not all the pigs showed clinical signs, but Nipah virus was recovered from the nose and oropharynx of both clinically and sub-clinically infected animals.

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Objective: To detect evidence of Ehrlichia canis infection of dogs from the major population centres of northern Australia, if present.

Design: Serological investigation for E. canis.

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Pain and muscular responses to a Neural Tissue Provocation Test with bias to median nerve were examined in 20 asymptomatic subjects. The test was performed on both arms with the cervical spine in a neutral position and in contralateral sideflexion as a sensitizing manoeuvre. The angle of elbow extension at the time of onset of pain and muscle activity in trapezius, biceps and triceps muscles was measured using an electrogoniometer.

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Five week old, commercially available large white pigs were vaccinated with either a single dose or two doses of a recombinant porcine adenovirus expressing the glycoprotein D gene from pseudorabies virus (PRV). Pigs were monitored for the development of serum neutralizing antibodies to PRV and challenged 3 weeks after final vaccination. Prior to challenge, pigs given 2 doses of the vaccine demonstrated boosted levels of antibody compared with those given a single dose, and all surviving pigs had increased neutralization titres over pre-challenge levels.

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Nipah virus, family Paramyxoviridae, caused disease in pigs and humans in peninsular Malaysia in 1998-99. Because Nipah virus appears closely related to Hendra virus, wildlife surveillance focused primarily on pteropid bats (suborder Megachiroptera), a natural host of Hendra virus in Australia. We collected 324 bats from 14 species on peninsular Malaysia.

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The quality of medicinal products marketed in developing countries has recently become the focus of lively debate and new interest. This report describes a survey conducted among officials from exporting and importing countries designed to evaluate the content and enforcement of current regulations. Resulting data indicated that, despite the high volume of trading in medicinal products between European and developing countries, regulations are poorly applied and many infractions occur.

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