Investigating Linguistic Factors Associated with Stuttering in Cantonese. The aim of this research is to gain new knowledge about the cause of stuttering. The project is a collaboration between experts in stuttering in Australia and Hong Kong. Despite decades of study, the cause of stuttering is still not well understood. Research in English has suggested that changes in emphasis from syllable to syllable can trigger individual moments of stuttering. However, Cantonese is very different from Eng ....Investigating Linguistic Factors Associated with Stuttering in Cantonese. The aim of this research is to gain new knowledge about the cause of stuttering. The project is a collaboration between experts in stuttering in Australia and Hong Kong. Despite decades of study, the cause of stuttering is still not well understood. Research in English has suggested that changes in emphasis from syllable to syllable can trigger individual moments of stuttering. However, Cantonese is very different from English, being a tonal and syllabic language, and uncovering the linguistic triggers of stuttering in Cantonese will yield new insight into the complex causality of this disabling condition.Read moreRead less
Physiological, bahavioural and functional motor abilities in children with undifferentiated tongue movements during speech. A subgroup of children with speech disorders who have difficulty moving parts of their tongue independently during speech has been identified. This study aims to investigate if this is a unique phenomenon of the tongue during speech, or indicative of more generalized patterns of motor movement. This will enable us to explore the similarities between patterns of movement in ....Physiological, bahavioural and functional motor abilities in children with undifferentiated tongue movements during speech. A subgroup of children with speech disorders who have difficulty moving parts of their tongue independently during speech has been identified. This study aims to investigate if this is a unique phenomenon of the tongue during speech, or indicative of more generalized patterns of motor movement. This will enable us to explore the similarities between patterns of movement in the articulators during speech and non-speech tasks and the upper limb. In turn, this will inform the debate about motor control mechanisms for speech and other body movements, which would lead to more effective treatment regimes.Read moreRead less
An investigation of respiration in stuttering. Australia leads the world in stuttering research, and this project will maintain that profile. The research aims to establish if breathing has a causal role in stuttering. The new knowledge produced will support or weaken current theories of the cause of stuttering and will contribute to understanding the nature of the disorder. In particular, it will be applied to develop more effective and efficient treatments for chronic stuttering.
Establishing the relationship between anxiety and stuttering. The present project will establish basic knowledge about the disorder of stuttering, which will contribute to offsetting the personal and community costs of the disorder by guiding empirical investigations into its nature and the development of future treatments. Further benefits at the population level will occur by provision to the public of basic information about the disorder assembled from this project. By conveying information f ....Establishing the relationship between anxiety and stuttering. The present project will establish basic knowledge about the disorder of stuttering, which will contribute to offsetting the personal and community costs of the disorder by guiding empirical investigations into its nature and the development of future treatments. Further benefits at the population level will occur by provision to the public of basic information about the disorder assembled from this project. By conveying information from the present project to clinicians who treat stuttering patients, the project will benefit Australians who stutter.Read moreRead less
The critical role of kisspeptin/neurokinin/dynorphin (KNDy) neurons in gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) release. The brain controls fertility through the secretion of its primary stimulatory factor, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Brain cells producing three key peptide hormones, kisspeptin, neurokin B and dynorphin (termed KNDy cells) are vital for the control of GnRH. This project will detail the role of KNDy cells in puberty and reproduction.
Reg growth factors in gastric regeneration and disease. This project will obtain a more detailed knowledge of the role that growth factors play in helping the lining of the stomach repair itself after damage caused by disease. Growth factors may also play a role in causing stomach cancer. To do this we will examine the expression of growth factors in number of stomach diseases and cancer and assay the ability of growth factors to promote the growth of stomach cells.
This work is that it will co ....Reg growth factors in gastric regeneration and disease. This project will obtain a more detailed knowledge of the role that growth factors play in helping the lining of the stomach repair itself after damage caused by disease. Growth factors may also play a role in causing stomach cancer. To do this we will examine the expression of growth factors in number of stomach diseases and cancer and assay the ability of growth factors to promote the growth of stomach cells.
This work is that it will contribute to our knowledge of how cell growth in the stomach is controlled under normal circumstances and in the very common pathological conditions of tissue damage, inflammation and cancer. It may also help us understand how inflammation can in some circumstances lead to cancer.Read moreRead less
The dynamics of viral latency in chronic infection. Although many acute infections can now be controlled, we still suffer from a large number of chronic infections such as HIV or herpes that cannot be eradicated. Many of these infections persist because they can lie dormant in a 'latent' state. How this latent state is established, and how long it lasts are important to understand if we want to control these infections. We have assembled a team of mathematicians, immunologists and virologists in ....The dynamics of viral latency in chronic infection. Although many acute infections can now be controlled, we still suffer from a large number of chronic infections such as HIV or herpes that cannot be eradicated. Many of these infections persist because they can lie dormant in a 'latent' state. How this latent state is established, and how long it lasts are important to understand if we want to control these infections. We have assembled a team of mathematicians, immunologists and virologists in order to study latent infection at the cellular level, and within infected monkeys. This will provide the first insights into the dynamics of latency - how these cells are produced and die - and should lead to novel approaches to controlling chronic infection.Read moreRead less
Children with speech impairment: A population study of prevalence, severity, impact and service provision. Compared to the general community, adults who had a speech impairment as a child typically achieve lower levels of education, have greater literacy problems, experience significant social problems and discrimination, and have decreased occupational opportunities. The social and economic cost of untreated speech impairment for individuals, schools and society is large. This landmark study wi ....Children with speech impairment: A population study of prevalence, severity, impact and service provision. Compared to the general community, adults who had a speech impairment as a child typically achieve lower levels of education, have greater literacy problems, experience significant social problems and discrimination, and have decreased occupational opportunities. The social and economic cost of untreated speech impairment for individuals, schools and society is large. This landmark study will identify strengths and limitations in the health and education sectors regarding appropriate and holistic services for children with speech impairment combining identified prevalence, severity and impact data.Read moreRead less
Plasma protein profiles in normal brain ageing and early stages of dementia. Brain changes related to ageing and dementia are associated with altered proteins that can be detected in the blood. This project will examine blood samples from a number of well-characterised ageing cohorts to discover proteins that may serve as potential markers of brain ageing and the early stages of dementia.
Three-dimensional Simulation of Trabecular Bone Remodelling. Nearly 2 million Australians currently suffer from osteoporosis. Statistics indicate that 25% of Australian women and 17% of men will develop an osteoporotic fracture. The cost of osteoporosis is $7.4 billion per annum; the numbers of affected individuals and costs are expected to continue increasing. Clearly, improvements to osteoporosis diagnosis, fracture risk assessment, and effective treatments are still urgently needed. The p ....Three-dimensional Simulation of Trabecular Bone Remodelling. Nearly 2 million Australians currently suffer from osteoporosis. Statistics indicate that 25% of Australian women and 17% of men will develop an osteoporotic fracture. The cost of osteoporosis is $7.4 billion per annum; the numbers of affected individuals and costs are expected to continue increasing. Clearly, improvements to osteoporosis diagnosis, fracture risk assessment, and effective treatments are still urgently needed. The proposed project aims to create a tool for understanding the mechanisms of bone loss and predicting the effects of osteoporosis therapies. It represents a solid contribution to the knowledge base necessary for advancing osteoporosis research and ultimately reducing the incidence of osteoporotic fracture.Read moreRead less