Baby boomer retirement and the future of dentistry.

Background: The dental workforce, like the Australian population, is ageing. As the large baby boomer cohort retires dental shortages will likely increase.

Methods: Australian Bureau of Statistics census data from 1986 to 2001 were used to examine ageing of the dental workforce and attrition of dentists aged 50 years and over.

Bilateral thyroarytenoid cartilage lateralization and vocal fold excision with mucosoplasty for treatment of idiopathic laryngeal paralysis: 67 dogs (1998-2005).

Objective: To evaluate combined bilateral thyroarytenoid cartilage lateralization, vocal fold excision, and mucosoplasty technique (BTAL) through ventral median laryngotomy for treatment of laryngeal paralysis in dogs. Design- Retrospective study. Animals- Dogs (n=67) with laryngeal paralysis.

Development of a yeast biosensor-biocatalyst for the detection and biodegradation of the organophosphate paraoxon.

Organophosphate (OP) poisoning can occur through unintentional exposure to OP pesticides, or by the deliberate release of OP nerve agents. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the development of systems that can detect and/or biodegrade these agents. The aim of this study was to generate a prototype fluorescent reporter yeast biosensor that could detect and biodegrade the model OP pesticide, paraoxon, and subsequently detect paraoxon hydrolysis.

Theoretical investigation of the electronically excited states of chlorine hydrate.

As a step toward a first principles characterization of the optical properties of chlorine hydrate, we have calculated the electronic absorption spectrum of a chlorine molecule trapped in dodecahedral (H2O)20 and hexakaidodecahedral (H2O)24 cages. For comparison, spectra were also calculated for an isolated Cl2 molecule as well as for selected Cl2(H2O)n, n < or =8, clusters cut out of the Cl2(H2O)20 cluster, allowing us to follow the evolution of the low-lying excited states with increasing number of surrounding water molecules. Although encapsulation of a chlorine molecule within the water cages has relatively little effect on its low-lying valence transitions, it does result in a large number of solvent-to-solute charge-transfer transitions at energies starting near 48,000 cm(-1).

Decision criteria in health professionals choosing a rural practice setting: development of the Careers in Rural Health Tracking Survey (CIRHTS).

Introduction: Rural background and training have previously been found to increase the likelihood of rural practice. However, practitioners of many health professions remain in shortage in rural and remote Australia. This study builds on previous work in that it includes medical, nursing and allied health professions, considers the role of the health professional's family in employment decisions, and includes a broader array of factors influencing employment preference and the preferred location of practice.

Replacing the projected retiring baby boomer nursing cohort 2001-2026.

Background: The nursing population in Australia is ageing. However, there is little information on the rate and timing of nursing retirement.

Methods: Specifically designed health workforce extracts from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) censuses from 1986 to 2001 are used to estimate the rate of nursing retirement.

The physiotherapy workforce is ageing, becoming more masculinised, and is working longer hours: a demographic study.

Question: Is the physiotherapy workforce significantly older in 2001 than 1986? What is the cumulative attrition of the workforce to 2001 and what is the predicted attrition by 2026? Is the workforce becoming masculinised? Is the workforce working longer hours?

Design: Observational study using Australian Bureau of Statistics census data from 1986 to 2001 to predict workforce characteristics in 2026.

Participants: All physiotherapists who responded to the 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 censuses: 5928, 7106, 8788 and 10039 respondents in each year respectively.

Results: The physiotherapy workforce has aged significantly since 1986 (p < 0.

The temporal dynamics of relationships between cannabis, psychosis and depression among young adults with psychotic disorders: findings from a 10-month prospective study.

Background: The aim was to examine the temporal relationships over 10 months between cannabis use and symptoms of psychosis and depression in people with schizophrenia and related disorders. The design was a prospective study of 101 patients with schizophrenia and related disorders who were assessed monthly over 10 months on medication compliance, cannabis and other drug use, symptoms of depression and symptoms of psychosis.

Method: Linear regression methods to assess relationships between cannabis use and symptoms of psychosis and depression while adjusting for serial dependence, medication compliance and other demographic and clinical variables.

Hydrogen bonded OH-stretching vibration in the water dimer.

We have calculated the frequencies and intensities of the hydrogen-bonded OH-stretching transitions in the water dimer complex. The potential-energy curve and dipole-moment function are calculated ab initio at the coupled cluster with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples level of theory with correlation-consistent Dunning basis sets. The vibrational frequencies and wavefunctions are found from a numerical solution to a one-dimensional Schrödinger equation.

A simple vector system to improve performance and utilisation of recombinant antibodies.

Background: Isolation of recombinant antibody fragments from antibody libraries is well established using technologies such as phage display. Phage display vectors are ideal for efficient display of antibody fragments on the surface of bacteriophage particles. However, they are often inefficient for expression of soluble antibody fragments, and sub-cloning of selected antibody populations into dedicated soluble antibody fragment expression vectors can enhance expression.

The lowest 2A' excited state of the water-hydroxyl complex.

Vertical and adiabatic excitation energies of the lowest (2)A(') excited state in the water-hydroxyl complex have been determined using coupled cluster, multireference configuration interaction, multireference perturbation theory, and density-functional methods. A significant redshift of about 0.4 eV in the vertical excitation energy of the complex compared to that of the hydroxyl radical monomer is found with the coupled cluster calculations validating previous results.

Demographic change and the future demand for public hospital care in Australia, 2005 to 2050.

Background: Over the next 45 years the Australian population will age rapidly as the baby boomer cohort moves into retirement and then old age. As the population ages there will be substantial growth in the demand for hospital bed-days, placing a corresponding demand on infrastructure and staffing.

Methods: Australian Bureau of Statistics population projections to 2050 and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare public hospital bed-day data from 1993-94 to 2003-04 were used to develop models of future demand and examine the sensitivity of the results to model assumptions.

Ageing of the baby boomer generation: how demographic change will impact on city and rural GP and nursing workforce.

Objective: To compare the impact of ageing on the GP and nursing rural and city workforce.

Method: Cohort analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics census data. The data was used to examine the age distribution of the city and rural GP and nursing workforce; patterns of attrition for those 50 years and over; and the impact of changes in working hours.

CH-stretching overtone spectroscopy of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.

We have recorded the vibrational absorption spectrum of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a) in the fundamental and first five CH-stretching overtone regions with the use of Fourier transform infrared, dispersive long-path, intracavity laser photoacoustic, and cavity ringdown spectroscopies. We compare our measured total oscillator strengths in each region with intensities calculated using an anharmonic oscillator local mode model. We calculate intensities with 1D, 2D, and 3D Hamiltonians, including one or two CH stretches and two CH stretches with the HCH bending mode, respectively.

Infrared identification of matrix isolated H2O.O2.

Theoretical studies of the H2O.O2 complex have been carried out over the past decade, but the complex has not previously been experimentally identified. We have assigned IR vibrations from an H2O.

Effect of OH internal torsion on the OH-stretching spectrum of cis,cis-HOONO.

We show that a simple two-dimensional vibrational model can explain most of the features observed in the first and second OH-stretching overtone region of the room temperature cis,cis-HOONO spectrum. The model uses ab initio calculated parameters and includes the OH-stretching mode coupled to the internal torsion of the OH group.

Reasons for cannabis use in psychosis.

Objective: To examine the reasons for cannabis use among individuals with psychotic disorders.

Method: Forty-nine people with psychotic disorders in treatment with community health centres in Northern Sydney were interviewed to collect information about their experience of antipsychotic side-effects and their influence on cannabis use. Other information collected on cannabis use included: amount and frequency, effects of use and other general reasons given for use.

Human monoclonal antibodies that react with the E2 glycoprotein of hepatitis C virus and possess neutralizing activity.

Active and/or passive immunoprophylaxis against hepatitis C virus (HCV) remain unachieved goals. Monoclonal antibodies might provide one approach to protection. We derived human monoclonal antibodies from the bone marrow of a patient with a well-controlled HCV infection of 22 years duration.

The OH-stretching and OOH-bending overtone spectrum of HOONO.

We have simulated the HOONO vibrational overtone spectrum with use of a local mode Hamiltonian that includes the OH-stretching, OOH-bending, and NOOH-torsional modes and coupling between all three modes. The local mode parameters and the dipole moment function are calculated with coupled-cluster ab initio theory and an augmented Dunning-type triple-zeta basis set. We investigate the accuracy of the local mode parameters obtained from two different potential-energy fitting routines, as well as the sensitivity of these parameters to the basis set employed.

Candida albicans-conditioned medium protects yeast cells from oxidative stress: a possible link between quorum sensing and oxidative stress resistance.

Candida albicans, the most frequent fungal pathogen of humans, encounters high levels of oxidants following ingestion by professional phagocytes and through contact with hydrogen peroxide-producing bacteria. In this study, we provide evidence that C. albicans is able to coordinately regulate the oxidative stress response at the global cell population level by releasing protective molecules into the surrounding medium.

Baby boomer doctors and nurses: demographic change and transitions to retirement.

Objectives: To examine the effect of demographic change on employment patterns for general practitioners, medical specialists and nurses since 1986, and to compare their patterns of retirement.

Design And Setting: Secondary analysis of previously unpublished Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data for the years 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001.

Main Outcome Measures: Age distribution of GPs, specialists and nursing workforce; attrition rates as GPs, specialists and nurses left the workforce; and hours worked according to age group.

Intravenous antioxidant modulation of end-organ damage in L-arginine-induced experimental acute pancreatitis.

Background: Oxidative stress mediates acinar injury in experimental acute pancreatitis (AP) and antioxidants are depleted in human AP. This study tests the hypothesis that exogenous antioxidant supplementation ameliorates experimental AP.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups (n = 5/group) and sacrificed at 72 h.

The use of virtual environments for percentage view analysis.

It is recognised that Visual Impact Assessment (VIA), unlike many other aspects of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), relies less upon measurement than upon experience and judgement. Hence, it is necessary for a more structured and consistent approach towards VIA, reducing the amount of bias and subjectivity. For proposed developments, there are very few quantitative techniques for the evaluation of visibility, and these existing methods can be highly inaccurate and time consuming.

EWS-FLI1 fusion protein up-regulates critical genes in neural crest development and is responsible for the observed phenotype of Ewing's family of tumors.

Tumor-specific translocations are common in tumors of mesenchymal origin. Whether the translocation determines the phenotype, or vice versa, is debatable. Ewing's family tumors (EFT) are consistently associated with an EWS-FLI1 translocation and a primitive neural phenotype.