Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Therapy For Word Production Impairments In Aphasia.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$231,500.00
Summary
This project addresses the remediation of language disorders following brain damage (aphasia). It targets the difficulties people with aphasia have in retrieving and accurately producing the words they need to communicate. These word production impairments are an extremely common symptom of aphasia and may be of different types. They are often severe but can be improved with treatment. However, there is no one task that is effective for every person with word production impairments in aphasia. U ....This project addresses the remediation of language disorders following brain damage (aphasia). It targets the difficulties people with aphasia have in retrieving and accurately producing the words they need to communicate. These word production impairments are an extremely common symptom of aphasia and may be of different types. They are often severe but can be improved with treatment. However, there is no one task that is effective for every person with word production impairments in aphasia. Unfortunately, to date research has failed to investigate adequately the relationship between the type of word production disorder and the appropriate treatment task to successfully remediate it - matching treatment to impairment remains a process of 'trial and error'. As therapy is a time consuming (and hence costly) process, it is clearly desirable to be able to select the best treatment as quickly as possible. This project aims to address this issue. We will investigate the effectiveness of two tasks which are commonly used by speech pathologists in their treatment of people with word retrieval impairments: answering a question regarding the meaning of a word (e.g. Does a cat purr?), and naming a picture with the help of the first sound of the word (e.g. the sound kuh' to help name a picture of a cat). We will determine if after treatment with these tasks, word retrieval and conversation skills improve; and in particular if one task is more effective for one type of word retrieval problem (e.g. retrieving the sounds of the word) than for another (e.g. impaired word meanings). The results of this study will enable Speech Pathologists to select the correct treatment with more accuracy than is currently possible, providing benefits in terms of increased communication ability for aphasic individuals (and hence greater social participation, quality of life, and reduced depression) and benefiting the Health Service Providers through more cost effective service delivery.Read moreRead less
Organization And Function Of Primate Auditory Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$271,671.00
Summary
The conscious perception of speech and other sounds depends on processing within a brain region known as the auditory cortex. Compared to other brain areas, relatively little is known about the organization and function of this structure. Recent studies have proposed that the auditory cortex may be anatomically subdivided into functional modules, each of which is specialized for processing different types of information. However, the evidence for multiple processing streams is fragmentary, and n ....The conscious perception of speech and other sounds depends on processing within a brain region known as the auditory cortex. Compared to other brain areas, relatively little is known about the organization and function of this structure. Recent studies have proposed that the auditory cortex may be anatomically subdivided into functional modules, each of which is specialized for processing different types of information. However, the evidence for multiple processing streams is fragmentary, and not entirely consistent. The proposed experiments will combine anatomical and physiological approaches to evaluate the functional organization of auditory cortex in the primate brain. We will map the electrical responses of single brain cells to various complex sounds across the brain surface, and inject dyes to label pathways linking brain areas to one another. The data will allow us to determine whether specific subdivisions of the auditory cortex are specialized for processing different types of infomation, and whether specific subdivisions are linked together to form processing streams specialized for sound recognition and space perception. The results will advance our understanding of the neuronal processing involved in the perception of sound, with possible implications for speech perception. This will help to understand the consequences of brain damage, and may inform the development of hearing aids and artificial voice recognition systems. In addition, this study will help to develop a primate model for studying brain mechanisms of sound recognition that should be useful in research on cochlear implants.Read moreRead less
Australian Fisheries And Aquaculture Statistics 2021
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$60,000.00
Summary
Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore im ....Statistics on Australian fisheries production and trade seeks to meet the needs of the fishing and aquaculture industry, fisheries managers, policymakers and researchers. It can assist in policy decisions, industry marketing strategies and the allocation of research funding or priorities. The gross value of production for specific fisheries are used for determining the research and development levies collected by government.
The neutrality and integrity of GVP estimates is therefore important due to their forming the basis for research levies for each fishery. At the international level, the Department of Agriculture through the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) contributes to a number of international databases. These include databases managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Information at the international level can assist in international negotiations on issues such as trans-boundary fisheries and analysis of trade opportunities. Objectives: 1. To maintain and improve the data base of production, gross value of production and trade statistics for the Australian fishing industry, including aquaculture. 2. To provide these data in an accessible form. Read moreRead less
Development of a new diet to improve insulin sensitivity and manage weight in healthy cats. This project will determine if a low carbohydrate, moderate fat, high protein diet improves insulin sensitivity and reduces weight gain in cats compared to a typical high-carbohydrate grocery line diet. It will identify risk factors for weight gain such as increased fasting insulin concentration and will also determine which simple assessment of insulin sensitivity best correlates with insulin sensitivity ....Development of a new diet to improve insulin sensitivity and manage weight in healthy cats. This project will determine if a low carbohydrate, moderate fat, high protein diet improves insulin sensitivity and reduces weight gain in cats compared to a typical high-carbohydrate grocery line diet. It will identify risk factors for weight gain such as increased fasting insulin concentration and will also determine which simple assessment of insulin sensitivity best correlates with insulin sensitivity measured by a gold standard. This project should lead to the formulation of a diet designed to improve insulin sensitivity and minimize weight gain in cats, and allow for earlier identification of cats at risk of obesity.Read moreRead less
Reciprocal Working Group Visit To France For Oyster Farming And Hatchery Technology Transfer
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$37,000.00
Summary
The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and ....The key activities include attending the premier two day Exhibition and trade show event in Vannes on arrival in France which highlights the latest European oyster farming technologies and equipment. There are multiple oyster farm visits planned to view existing, new and emerging farming technologies in several key growing regions as well as a tour of a major European hatchery visit and equipment manufacturing factories. The benefit to industry is for the working group to gain knowledge and share experiences of new and emerging farming technologies between the French and Australian industries to improve and enhance the growing and production of oysters in our respective countries. An additional benefit of the visit is to examine the potential for new oyster farming system designs and manufacturing opportunities for Australian manufacturers of oyster growing infrastructure. Read moreRead less
Reduction Of Oyster Waste: Establishing Best Practices For Controlling Wild Spat Under Commercial Production
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being ....‘Overcatch’ or ‘fouling’, whereby juvenile oysters (wild spat) or other aquatic organisms attach themselves to semi-mature oysters, is the largest farming challenge for Sydney rock oyster (SRO; Saccostrea glomerata) growers in Australia and represents a major barrier to efficient and sustainable production (Wayne Hutchinson, FRDC, personal comm.; Durr & Watson, 2010). Without timely intervention, fouling often renders the oysters unmarketable, leading to substantial proportions of product being discarded or having growth rates considerably slowed (Watson et al. 2009; Adams et al. 2011). It is estimated that 30–50% of SRO grown in Qld and northern NSW are wasted as a result of fouling with a potential value of $13–30 million/annum (Tim Prowse, QOGA, personal comm.; FRDC, 2022); this is either because the products become unsellable or due to losses associated with current overcatch control treatments. The inability to effectively manage overcatch has contributed considerably to the decline of Qld’s oyster industry over the last century, and similarly remains a significant financial impost to NSW oyster growing operations (de Nys et al. 2002; Cox et al. 2012).
At present, oyster growers typically attempt to mitigate the impacts of overcatch using methods like air drying and heat immersion; but both are labour intensive, have no clear guidelines or benchmarked specifications to support new growers in their implementation, and can result in significant mortalities or even total crop losses if undertaken incorrectly (Fitridge et al. 2012; 2014; Mayrand et al. 2015). While two relatively new technologies exist that hold promise for successfully managing overcatch, namely the ‘cold shock’ hypersaline system and FlipFarm system (Cox et al. 2012; Jackson, 2021), these have not yet been widely trialled or adopted in Australian oyster growing regions. There is thus a pressing need to better understand the optimal parameters for effectively eliminating overcatch while retaining host oyster health in commercial production settings.
The proposed project will respond to this longstanding need by evaluating and comparing the efficacy, practicality and cost-effectiveness of these various existing and emerging overcatch control methodologies under the same commercial environment, location and stock. Trials of these four treatments (air drying, heat immersion, cold shock system, FlipFarm system) will be carried out at established oyster leases in Qld’s Moreton Bay region, which is particularly prone to the impacts of fouling and therefore offers the ideal location to determine the efficacies of different methods in controlling overcatch in on-farm settings. The location also has no pre-existing incidences of QX disease that is currently decimating many other SRO growing regions in NSW and Southern QLD. The findings from this work will provide essential outputs, including validated methods and Best Management Practices (BMPs), which will be widely disseminated to the national oyster industry through various relevant forums.
With the Qld government in particular seeking to rejuvenate its oyster industry (McDougall, 2020), and the entire Australian oyster industry looking to expand and boost production (Oysters Australia, 2020), the timing of this project is optimal. The results will not only assist new growers entering the industry, but they will also provide essential learning to established growers throughout Australia who experience significant oyster losses and labour costs associated with overcatch management. The project also aligns with the Oysters Australia Strategic Plan 2020–2025 to (i) increase the sustainable, efficient production of oysters and their management on farm; (ii) manage industry risks; and (iii) increase industry knowledge, skills and networks. It will further help to meet the objectives of the FRDC’s R&D Plan 2020–2025, particularly Outcome 1 (i.e., ‘growth for enduring prosperity’), by providing the oyster industry with genuine opportunities to reduce crop losses, increase profitability, expand production and enhance their reputation in a stewardship context. From a broader societal perspective, the project outcomes will be crucial in building a properly functioning circular economy in the oyster industry, by preventing the creation of waste in the first place. Objectives: 1. To improve knowledge and establish critical information for controlling overcatch on SRO using existing air drying and heat immersion methods in commercial production settings. 2. To provide oysters growers with validated new technologies (cold shock system, FlipFarm system, temperature / RH sensors) that offer more effective and efficient control of overcatch on SRO in commercial production settings. 3. To reduce oyster losses/deaths, as well as labour requirements, associated with controlling overcatch on SRO, when compared to current practices. 4. To develop Best Management Practices for overcatch control that can be used for demonstration and training to the wider oyster-growing community and public. Read moreRead less
Establishment of a viable sheep dairy industry in Australia. Australia imports some $10 million/year of sheep dairy products, and has a fledgling sheep milking industry. The industry needs practical management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs under Australian conditions. We also need to develop typical Australian sheep dairy products. This project will:
o investigate techniques to select dairy sheep from large unselected flocks
o examine management strategies to maximise ret ....Establishment of a viable sheep dairy industry in Australia. Australia imports some $10 million/year of sheep dairy products, and has a fledgling sheep milking industry. The industry needs practical management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs under Australian conditions. We also need to develop typical Australian sheep dairy products. This project will:
o investigate techniques to select dairy sheep from large unselected flocks
o examine management strategies to maximise returns from milk and lambs
o study udder morphology and milk ejection patterns in dairy sheep
o develop specialty sheep milk dairy products and
o determine their acceptance by consumers by conducting market surveys.
Read moreRead less
Strength in uniformity - novel clonal technologies for a more productive avocado industry. Cost and time efficient clonal propagation protocols to multiply elite avocado rootstocks for increased productivity is a major industry gap. This project will develop novel approaches coupling tissue culture with recent advances in root induction, which will profitably deliver large numbers of uniform and high yielding avocado plants to national and international growers.
Harnessing The Aquaculture Potential Of Queensland’s Native Rock Oysters
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$628,669.00
Summary
QOGA has identified core research priorities that need to be addressed to improve productivity and reverse the steady decline in production.
This project will partner with QOGA and other stakeholders to address the identified need to establish new oyster farming options, technologies, and production systems. The RD&E requires a dual focus, to both improve viability of the current SRO sector, and initiate commercialisation of new TRO varieties for expansion beyond SEQ.
Recent flood events have ....QOGA has identified core research priorities that need to be addressed to improve productivity and reverse the steady decline in production.
This project will partner with QOGA and other stakeholders to address the identified need to establish new oyster farming options, technologies, and production systems. The RD&E requires a dual focus, to both improve viability of the current SRO sector, and initiate commercialisation of new TRO varieties for expansion beyond SEQ.
Recent flood events have emphasised the urgent requirement to further improve the quality and availability of QX resistant SRO stock. It is a QOGA priority to have QX resistance validation trials conducted in Qld to determine the most viable SRO options for SEQ. Validation will be undertaken in collaboration with NSW DPI (building on FRDC 2016/802) and will link with farm-based growout trials conducted at strategic sites, assessing performance relative to location and system. Outcomes will also form a benchmark for direct comparison with newly identified lineages.
With the identification of new TRO varieties (FRDC 2018-118), QOGA advocates that both BRO and LGRO require thorough investigation and the development of targeted hatchery and growout research including farm-based production trials. This aligns with QOGA’s need to access additional culture species options with increased temperature tolerance (essential for northern expansion and climate-change security) and potential QX resistance.
A research hatchery has recently been established to address QOGA’s request for a dedicated R&D hatchery. The hatchery is already producing priority oyster strains (SRO & BRO) and is capable of undertaking this required research and meeting the industry’s immediate requirement to access spat.
To efficiently address the Qld oyster industry’s stated priority needs, this project will undertake research that combines new genomic sequencing and hatchery technologies, best practice production processes and expert local oyster farmer knowledge.
Objectives: 1. Overall:Provide an assessment of the most regionally appropriate oyster species and associated production protocols capable of improving oyster farm productivity and achieving broad industry expansion within and beyond SEQ. 2. Hatchery and nursery:Improve hatchery and nursery production capacity to support R&D activities and provide Qld farmers with additional spat while developing more efficient hatchery/ nursery processes that include advanced molecular processes for improving reproductive capacity, gonad conditioning and reliability of spawning. 3. Blacklip Rock Oysters:Provide reliable BRO spat production capacity that meets the short-term stocking and start-up needs of Qld BRO farms. Develop locally relevant production protocols and determine BRO farming suitability at specific locations along the Qld coastline, while integrating with and contributing to broader CRCNA RD&E activities. 4. Lineage G Rock Oysters:Provide reliable LGRO spat production capacity that meets the short-term stocking and start-up needs of Qld LGRO farms. Develop novel hatchery, production, and post-harvest assessment protocols for LGRO. 5. Sydney Rock Oysters:Improve understanding of SRO QX resistance through validation trials assessing the benefits of QX resistant strains under SEQ conditions. Develop information on production parameters and systems for specific SEQ farming locations to assist with development of best practice production protocols. 6. Genetics and distribution:Develop conclusive, oyster industry focussed, genetic information detailing BRO and LGRO distribution and diversity along Queensland’s east coast. This information is essential for assessing geographic aquaculture potential at both a species and population level and developing appropriately informed management and stocking policies. 7. Non-destructive sampling:Develop refined sampling and genetic identification technologies to achieve accurate, rapid, and non-destructive broodstock identification procedures. This is necessary to ensure that hatchery activities can reliably identify and produce the required species or population. Read moreRead less