Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies And Challenges Associated With Recruiting Retirement Village Communities And Residents Into A Group Exercise Intervention, Rachel L. Duckham, Jamie L. Tait, Caryl A. Nowson, Kerrie M. Sanders, Dennis R. Taaffe, Keith D. Hill, Robin M. Daly

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the highest level of scientific evidence, but successful participant recruitment is critical to ensure the external and internal validity of results. This study describes the strategies associated with recruiting older adults at increased falls risk residing in retirement villages into an 18-month cluster RCT designed to evaluate the effects of a dual-task exercise program on falls and physical and cognitive function.

METHODS: Recruitment of adults aged ≥65 at increased falls risk residing within retirement villages (size 60-350 residents) was initially designed to occur over 12 months using two distinct cohorts (C). Recruitment occurred via …

Clinical And Genetic Associations Of Renal Function And Diabetic Kidney Disease In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Wael M. Osman, Herbert F. Jelinek, Guan K. Tay, Ahsan H. Khandoker, Kinda Khalaf, Wael Almahmeed, Mohamed H. Hassan, Habiba S. Alsafar

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

OBJECTIVES: Within the Emirati population, risk factors and genetic predisposition to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) have not yet been investigated. The aim of this research was to determine potential clinical, laboratory and reported genetic loci as risk factors for DKD.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Four hundred and ninety unrelated Emirati nationals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were recruited with and without DKD, and clinical and laboratory data were obtained. Following adjustments for possible confounders, a logistic regression model was developed to test the associations of 63 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 43 genetic loci with DKD (145 patients with …

Impact Of Biobanks On Research Outcomes In Rare Diseases: A Systematic Review, Monique Garcia, Jenny Downs, Alyce Russell, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Alleviating the burden of rare diseases requires research into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. We undertook a systematic review to identify and compare the impact of stand-alone registries, registries with biobanks, and rare disease biobanks on research outcomes in rare diseases.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-aggregation was conducted using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (the PRISMA statement). English language publications were sourced from PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. Original research papers that reported clinical, epidemiological, basic or translational research findings derived from data contained in stand-alone registries, registries with biobanks, …

Depression And Prostate Cancer: Examining Comorbidity And Male-Specific Symptoms, Simon M Rice, John L Oliffe, Mary T Kelly, Prue Cormie, Suzanne K. Chambers, John S Ogrodniczuk, David Kealy

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Depression in men with prostate cancer is a significant and complex issue that can challenge clinicians' diagnostic efforts. The objective of the current study was to evaluate prototypic and male-specific depression symptoms and suicidal ideation in men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer relative to those with and without comorbidity. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Male Depression Risk Scale-22 (MDRS-22) were completed online along with demographic and background variables by 100 men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer ( n = 54 prostatectomy, n = 33 receiving active treatment). Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine recent (past 2 …

Mediterranean Diet Adherence And Rate Of Cerebral Aβ-Amyloid Accumulation: Data From The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers And Lifestyle Study Of Ageing, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Yian Gu, Samantha Gardener, James D Doecke, Victor L Villemagne, Belinda M Brown, Kevin Taddei, Simon M Laws, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Michael Weinborn, David Ames, Christopher Fowler, S Lance Macaulay, Paul Maruff, Colin L Masters, Olivier Salvado, Christopher C Rowe, Nikolaos Scarmeas, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Accumulating research has linked Mediterranean diet (MeDi) adherence with slower cognitive decline and reduced Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. However, no study to-date has examined the relationship between MeDi adherence and accumulation of cerebral Aβ-amyloid (Aβ; a pathological hallmark of AD) in older adults. Cognitively normal healthy control participants of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study of Ageing completed the Cancer Council of Victoria Food Frequency Questionnaire at baseline, which was used to construct a MeDi score for each participant (score range 0-9; higher score indicating higher adherence). Cerebral Aβ load was quantified by Pittsburgh Compound B positron emission …

The Impact Of Stuttering On Development Of Self-Identity, Relationships, And Quality Of Life In Women Who Stutter, Charn Nang, Deborah J. Hersh, Katie Milton, Su Re Lau

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: The experiences of women who stutter have been underresearched. Clinicians have little guidance from the research literature on issues specific to women who stutter and are likely to have less clinical contact with this group than with men who stutter because of the higher prevalence of stuttering in men. This study explored the experiences of a small group of women who stutter with a particular focus on what the main current issues are and how gender may have influenced experiences with stuttering.

Method: This qualitative study involved recruitment of 9 women who stutter (aged 35-80 years) through a support …

Protocol For A Gender-Sensitised Weight Loss And Healthy Living Programme For Overweight And Obese Men Delivered In Australian Football League Settings (Aussie-Fit): A Feasibility And Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial, Eleanor Quested, Dominika Kwasnicka, Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Daniel F. Gucciardi, Deborah A. Kerr, Kate Hunt, Suzanne Robinson, Philip J. Morgan, Robert U. Newton, Cindy Gray, Sally Wyke, Joanne Mcveigh, Eva Malacova, Nikos Ntoumanis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

INTRODUCTION: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among Australian men. Professional sports settings can act as a powerful 'hook' to engage men in weight loss programmes; the Football Fans in Training programme delivered in professional UK soccer clubs was successful and cost-effective in helping men lose weight. The Australian Football League (AFL) is a potentially attractive setting to engage men in a weight loss programme. We aim to develop, pilot and evaluate the feasibility of a weight loss intervention for overweight/obese middle-aged men, delivered in AFL settings, to promote weight loss and healthier lifestyles and determine its suitability for a …

Statistical Analysis Plan (Sap) For The Very Early Rehabilitation In Speech (Verse) After Stroke Trial: An International 3-Arm Clinical Trial To Determine The Effectiveness Of Early, Intensive, Prescribed, Direct Aphasia Therapy, Erin Godecke, Tapan Rai, Dominique A Cadilhac, Elizabeth Armstrong, Sandy Middleton, Natalie Ciccone, Anne Whitworth, Miranda L Rose, Audrey Holland, Fiona Ellery, Graeme J Hankey, Julie Bernhardt

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Limited evidence exists to support very early intensive aphasia rehabilitation after stroke. VERSE is a PROBE trial designed to determine whether two types of intensive aphasia therapy, beginning within 14 days of acute stroke, provide greater therapeutic and cost-effectiveness than usual care. Objective To publish the detailed statistical analysis plan for the VERSE trial prior to unblinding. This statistical analysis plan was based on the published and registered VERSE trial protocol and was developed by the blinded steering committee and management team, led by the trial statistician. This plan was developed using outcome measures and trial data collection forms. …

A Prospective Cohort Examination Of Haematological Parameters In Relation To Cancer Death And Incidence: The Busselton Health Study, Niwansa Adris, Anita Chai Geik Chua, Matthew William Knuiman, Mark Laurence Divitini, Debbie Trinder, John K. Olynyk

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Cancer risk is associated with serum iron levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether haematological parameters reflect serum iron levels and may also be associated with cancer risk.

METHODS: We studied 1564 men and 1769 women who were enrolled in the Busselton Health Study, Western Australia. Haematological parameters evaluated included haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RCDW). Statistical analyses included t-tests for quantitative variables, chi-square tests for categorical variables and Cox proportional hazards regression modelling for cancer incidence and death.

RESULTS: …

The Association Between Subclass-Specific Igg Fc N-Glycosylation Profiles And Hypertension In The Uygur, Kazak, Kirgiz, And Tajik Populations, J. N. Liu, Mamatyusupu Dolikun, Jerko Štambuk, Irena Trbojević-Akmačić, J. Zhang, Hao Wang, D. Q. Zheng, X. Y. Zhang, H. L. Peng, Z. Y. Zhao, D. Liu, Yang Sun, Q. Sun, Q. H. Li, J. X. Zhang, Ming Sun, W. J. Cao, Ana Momčilović, Genadij Razdorov, L. J. Wu, Alyce Russell, Y. X. Wang, Song Manshu, Gordan Lauc, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Hypertension results from the interaction of genetic and acquired factors. IgG occurs in the form of different subclasses, of which the effector functions show significant variation. The detailed differences between the glycosylation profiles of the individual IgG subclasses may be lost in a profiling method for total IgG N-glycosylation. In this study, subclass-specific IgG Fc glycosylation profile was investigated in the four northwestern Chinese minority populations, namely, Uygur (UIG), Kazak (KZK), Kirgiz (KGZ), and Tajik (TJK), composed of 274 hypertensive patients and 356 healthy controls. The results showed that ten directly measured IgG N-glycan traits (i.e., IgG1G0F, IgG2G0F, IgG2G1FN, IgG2G1FS, …

Keep Calm And Carry On: Parental Opinions On Improving Clinical Dietary Trials For Young Children, Analise Nicholl, Therese O'Sullivan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recruitment can be an issue for paediatric research. We aimed to investigate parental opinions of paediatric clinical assessments, and to combine findings with recent literature to inform the design of a clinical dietary trial. We used convenience sampling to recruit 17 parents of children aged 2⁻6 years from two community playgroups in Perth, Western Australia. Three focus groups considered proposed child assessments, study design, and potential study enrolment. Qualitative thematic analysis of focus group transcripts used NVivo 11 (QSR, Melbourne, VIC, Australia). Four main parental concerns emerged, presented here with solutions combining parent responses and relevant literature. (1) Parent and …

Effect Of Skin-To-Skin Contact On Parents' Sleep Quality, Mood, Parent-Infant Interaction And Cortisol Concentrations In Neonatal Care Units: Study Protocol Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Charlotte Angelhoff, Ylva Thernström Blomqvist, Charlotte Sahlén Helmer, Emma Olsson, Shefaly Shorey, Anneli Frostell, Evalotte Mörelius

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

INTRODUCTION: Separation after preterm birth is a major stressor for infants and parents. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is a method of care suitable to use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to minimise separation between parents and infants. Less separation leads to increased possibilities for parent-infant interaction, provided that the parents' sleep quality is satisfactory. We aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous SSC on sleep quality and mood in parents of preterm infants borndischarge.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised intervention study with two arms-intervention versus standard care. Data will be collected from 50 families. Eligible families will be randomly …

Implementation Of Continuous Quality Improvement In Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care In Australia: A Scoping Systematic Review, Karen Gardner, Beverly Sibthorpe, Mier Chan, Ginny Sargent, Michelle Dowden, Daniel Mcaullay

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) programs have been taken up widely by Indigenous primary health care (PHC) services in Australia and there has been national policy commitment to support this. However, international evidence shows that implementing CQI is challenging, impacts are variable and little is known about the factors that impede or enhance effectiveness. A scoping review was undertaken to explore uptake and implementation in Indigenous PHC, including barriers and enablers to embedding CQI in routine practice. We provide guidance on how research and evaluation might be intensified to support implementation.

METHODS: Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL and the …

The Assessment Of Isometric, Dynamic, And Sports-Specific Upper-Body Strength In Male And Female Competitive Surfers, Joanna Parsonage, Josh Secomb, Rebecca Dowse, Brendon Ferrier, Jeremy Sheppard, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in the dynamic strength index (DSI): an assessment of upper-body dynamic strength relative to maximal isometric strength. The secondary purpose was to investigate gender differences in the dynamic skill deficit (DSD): an assessment of sports-specific dynamic strength relative to maximal isometric strength, and its association with a sports-specific performance measure in surfers. Nine male (age = 30.3 ± 7.3 yrs) and eight female (age = 25.5 ± 5.2 yrs) surfers undertook three upper-body assessments: isometric push-up, dynamic push-up, and a force plate pop-up to determine the DSI and DSD. …

The Effects Of Alcohol On Plasma Lipid Mediators Of Inflammation Resolution In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Anne Barden, Sujata Shinde, Michael Phillips, Lawrence Beilin, Emilie Mas, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Ian Puddey, Trevor A. Mori

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by peripheral insulin resistance and low-grade systemic inflammation. Inflammation resolution is recognised as an important process driven by specialised pro-resolving mediators of inflammation (SPMs) and has the potential to moderate chronic inflammation. Alcohol has the potential to affect synthesis of SPMs by altering key enzymes involved in SPM synthesis and may influence ongoing inflammation associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims

(i) To examine the effects of alcohol consumed as red wine on plasma SPM in men and women with Type 2 diabetes in a randomised controlled trial and (ii) compare baseline plasma …

Test-Retest Reliability Of The Short-Form Survivor Unmet Needs Survey, Karen Taylor, Max Bulsara, Leanne Monterosso

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: Reliable and valid needs assessment measures are important assessment tools in cancer survivorship care. A new 30-item short-form version of the Survivor Unmet Needs Survey (SF-SUNS) was developed and validated with cancer survivors, including hematology cancer survivors; however, test-retest reliability has not been established. The objective of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of the SF-SUNS with a cohort of lymphoma survivors (n = 40).

Methods: Test-retest reliability of the SF-SUNS was conducted at two time points: baseline (time 1) and 5 days later (time 2). Test-retest data were collected from lymphoma cancer survivors (n …

Factors Affecting Powerlifting Performance: An Analysis Of Age- And Weight-Based Determinants Of Relative Strength, Christopher Latella, Daniel Van Den Hoek, Wei-Peng Teo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Powerlifting (PL) is characterised by the ability to generate maximal force. However, an understanding of the factors affecting strength in PL athletes is poorly understood. Therefore, competition data were analysed from 1368 individuals during 2017. Relative strength was compared for the squat (SQ), bench press (BP) and deadlift (DL) between age groups (Sub-junior [SJ], Junior [JU], Open [OP], and Masters’ I-IV [M1-M4]), weight classes (females; 47 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 84 kg and + 84 kg and males; 59 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg, 83 kg, 93 kg, 105 kg, 120 kg, + 120 kg) …

Evaluation Of Individual And Combined Markers Of Urine Dipstick Parameters And Total Lymphocyte Count As A Substitute For Cd4 Count In Low-Resource Communities In Ghana, Enoch Odame Anto, Christian Obirikorang, Emmanuel Acheampong, Bright Amankwaa, Bright Oppong Afranie, Sampson Donkor, Isaac Hope, Juliana Jommo, Esther Osaah

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We evaluated the individual and combined levels of urine dipstick and total lymphocyte count (TLC) as surrogate markers for CD4 count in a low-resource community in Ghana. This cross-sectional study recruited 200 HIV-infected patients from the Saint Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Fosu, Ghana. Complete blood count, CD4 count, and urine dipstick analysis were measured for participants. The threshold values were determined as/

The Role Of Adult Day Services In Supporting The Occupational Participation Of People With Dementia And Their Carers: An Integrative Review, Janice Du Preez, J. L. Millsteed, Ruth Marquis, Janet Richmond

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The increasing numbers of people with dementia places considerable stress on health and aged care services and has resulted in the development of community adult day services. Aim: The aim of this integrative review is to determine the extent to which these services support the occupational participation of people with dementia, and how they impact their primary carers. Method: The mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to identify relevant studies in the period 2011–2016. Results: Nine databases were searched and yielded 16 articles with a variety of research designs for inclusion in the review. Conclusions: Findings …

Effects And Moderators Of Psychosocial Interventions On Quality Of Life, And Emotional And Social Function In Patients With Cancer: An Individual Patient Data Meta‐Analysis Of 22 Rcts, J. Kalter, I. M. Verdonck-De Leeuw, M. G. Sweegers, N. K. Aaronson, P. B. Jacobsen, Robert U. Newton, K. S. Courneya, J. F. Aitken, J. Armes, C. Arving, L. J. Boersma, A. M.J. Braamse, Y. Brandberg, S. K. Chambers, J. Dekker, K. Ell, R. J. Ferguson, M. F. M. Gielissen, B. Glimelius, M. M. Goedendorp, K. D. Graves, S. P. Heiney, R. Horne, M. S. Hunter, B. Johansson, M. L. Kimman, H. Knoop, K. Meneses, L. L. Northouse, H. S. Oldenburg, J. B. Prins, J. Savard, M. Van Beurden, S. W. Van Den Berg, J. Brug, Laurien M. Buffart

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective

This individual patient data (IPD) meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of psychosocial interventions (PSI) on quality of life (QoL), emotional function (EF), and social function (SF) in patients with cancer, and to study moderator effects of demographic, clinical, personal, and intervention‐related characteristics.

Methods

Relevant studies were identified via literature searches in 4 databases. We pooled IPD from 22 (n = 4217) of 61 eligible randomized controlled trials. Linear mixed‐effect model analyses were used to study intervention effects on the post‐intervention values of QoL, EF, and SF (z‐scores), adjusting for baseline values, age, and cancer type. We studied …

Monitoring And Managing Fatigue In Basketball, Toby Edwards, Tania Spiteri, Benjamin Piggott, Joshua Bonhotal, G. Gregory Haff, Christopher Joyce

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The sport of basketball exposes athletes to frequent high intensity movements including sprinting, jumping, accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction during training and competition which can lead to acute and accumulated chronic fatigue. Fatigue may affect the ability of the athlete to perform over the course of a lengthy season. The ability of practitioners to quantify the workload and subsequent fatigue in basketball athletes in order to monitor and manage fatigue levels may be beneficial in maintaining high levels of performance and preventing unfavorable physical and physiological training adaptations. There is currently limited research quantifying training or competition workload outside …

Movement Economy In Soccer: Current Data And Limitations, Filippo Dolci, Nicolas H. Hart, Andrew Kilding, Paola Chivers, Ben Piggott, Tania Spiteri

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Soccer is an intermittent team-sport, where performance is determined by a myriad of psychological, technical, tactical, and physical factors. Among the physical factors, endurance appears to play a key role into counteracting the fatigue-related reduction in running performance observed during soccer matches. One physiological determinant of endurance is movement economy, which represents the aerobic energy cost to exercise at a given submaximal velocity. While the role of movement economy has been extensively examined in endurance athletes, it has received little attention in soccer players, but may be an important factor, given the prolonged demands of match play. For this reason, …

The Constituent Year Effect: Relative Age Disparities In Australian Masters Track And Field Athletic Participation, Nikola Medic, Jasmine Lares, Bradley W. Young

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The constituent year effect, a source of relative age disparities, in masters sport has been demonstrated mainly amongst North American samples. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine whether a participation-related constituent year effect exists among athletes (n = 6492) competing in Australian Masters Athletics competitions between 2000 and 2014. The results indicated that a participation-related constituent year effect was observed as the likelihood of participating was significantly higher for masters athletes in their first and second constituent year of any five-year age category (p < 0.0001) and was lower when they were in the fourth or fifth constituent year. The results also indicated this effect is influenced by gender and age. Specifically, the effect was significant for both male (p < 0.0001) and female (p < 0.001) masters athletes; as well during the third, sixth, seventh, and eighth + decades of life (all ps < 0.001). These data demonstrate that despite masters sport being an avenue for promotion of participation and overall health, there is potential for improving how competitive organizational strategies are implemented given the recurring intermittent patterns of participation associated with five-year age brackets which are likely to compromise benefits.

Nitrate-Rich Vegetables Do Not Lower Blood Pressure In Individuals With Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure: A 4-Wk Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Joshua R. Lewis, Richard L. Prince, Amanda Devine, Nicola P. Bondonno, Catherine P. Bondonno, Lisa G. Wood, Ian B. Puddey, Natalie C. Ward, Kevin D. Croft, Richard J. Woodman, Lawrence J. Beilin, Jonathan M. Hodgson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background - Emerging evidence suggests that increasing intakes of nitrate-rich vegetables may be an effective approach to reduce blood pressure.

Objective - Our primary aim was to determine whether daily consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables over 4 wk would result in lower blood pressure.

Design - Thirty participants with prehypertension or untreated grade 1 hypertension were recruited to a randomized controlled crossover trial with 4-wk treatment periods separated by 4-wk washout periods. Participants completed 3 treatments in random order: 1) increased intake (∼200 g/d) of nitrate-rich vegetables [high-nitrate (HN); ∼150 mg nitrate/d], 2) increased intake (∼200 g/d) of nitrate-poor …

Point Prevalence And Patterns Of Mental Health Comorbidity Among People Accessing Australia's First Older Adult–Specific Alcohol And Other Drug Treatment Service, Stephen Bright, Katherine Walsh, Cylie Williams

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

There are good data regarding the prevalence and patterns of dual diagnosis among the general population; however, data regarding the older adult cohort are limited. We aimed to extend the knowledge of the point prevalence and patterns of dual diagnosis among older adults and the impact of dual diagnosis on the utilization of alcohol and other drug treatment services.

Method:

A 12-month medical chart audit of clients discharged from an Australian older adult–specific alcohol and other drug treatment service was performed. Measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Kessler …

Association Of Wrist Circumference And Waist-To-Height Ratio With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Type Ii Diabetics In A Ghanaian Population, Christian Obirikorang, Yaa Obirikorang, Emmanuel Acheampong, Enoch Odame Anto, Emmanuel Toboh, Evans Adu Asamoah, Bright Amakwaa, Emmanuella Nsenbah Batu, Peter Brenya

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The study determined the association of wrist circumference (WrC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with cardiometabolic risk factors among diabetics in a Ghanaian population. This cross-sectional study involved 384 diabetic patients at Begoro District Hospital, Ghana. Blood pressure, anthropometrics, and biochemical indices were measured. The overall prevalence of dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and hypertension was 42.4%, 76.3%, and 39.8%, respectively. The optimum cut-off range of WrC to identify individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk was 17.5 to –17.8 cm for men and 16.0 to 16.7 cm for women while that of WHtR was 0.52 to 0.61 for men and 0.53 to 0.59 …

A Diagnostic Autoantibody Signature For Primary Cutaneous Melanoma, Pauline Zaenker, Johnny Lo, Robert L. Pearce, Phillip Cantwell, Lester Cowell, Mark Lee, Christopher Quirk, Henry Law, Elin S. Gray, Mel R. Ziman Dr

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer that is curable by surgical excision in the majority of cases, if detected at an early stage. To improve early stage melanoma detection, the development of a highly sensitive diagnostic test is of utmost importance. Here we aimed to identify antibodies to a panel of tumour associated antigens that can differentiate primary melanoma patients and healthy individuals. A total of 245 sera from primary melanoma patients and healthy volunteers were screened against a high-throughput microarray platform containing 1627 functional proteins. Following rigorous statistical analysis, we identified a combination of 10 autoantibody biomarkers …

Correlation Between Circulating Tumour Dna And Metabolic Tumour Burden In Metastatic Melanoma Patients, Ashleigh Mcevoy, Lydia Warburton, Zeyad Al-Ogaili, Leisl Celliers, Lesley Calapre, Michelle R. Pereira, Muhammad A. Khattak, Tarek M. Meniawy, Michael Millward, Mel R. Ziman Dr, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) may serve as a measure of tumour burden and a useful tool for non-invasive monitoring of cancer. However, ctDNA is not always detectable in patients at time of diagnosis of metastatic disease. Therefore, there is a need to understand the correlation between ctDNA levels and the patients' overall metabolic tumour burden (MTB). Methods: Thirty-two treatment naïve metastatic melanoma patients were included in the study. MTB and metabolic tumour volume (MTV) was measured by 18F-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT). Plasma ctDNA was quantified using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Results: CtDNA was detected in 23 …

Characterizing The Metabolic Intensity And Cardiovascular Demands Of Walking Football In Southeast Asian Women, D. P. Heil, Robert U. Newton, Dee Dee Ayra Salle

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Given that the recent rise in obesity rates throughout Southeast Asia is disproportionately driven by women, part of the regional solution may be to encourage more habitual physical activity within this population. Taking advantage of the regional popularity of walking football, this study sought to characterize the cardiovascular demands and metabolic intensity of Southeast Asian women competing in walking football matches to determine the sports’ suitability for promoting physical health. It was hypothesized that both cardiovascular and metabolic intensity measures (≥65% HR% and ≥3.0 METs, respectively) would meet or exceed established thresholds for improving fitness and health. Methods: Women’s teams …

Vulnerable, Single And Living In Poverty: Women’S Challenges To Accessing Food In The Australian Capital Territory, Tanya Lawlis, Amanda Devine, Penney Upton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: To explore challenges to food access faced by vulnerable women living in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds.

Method: Qualitative study comprising semi‐structured interviews supplemented with quantitative demographic data.

Results:Forty‐one women, mean age of 43 years, living in government and community housing who had an income of

Conclusion: Access to safe, nutritious and healthy food is difficult for women living in poverty. Acknowledgement of challenges that contribute to women’s food insecurity by all stakeholders is essential to address the problem and build sustainable actions and solutions.

Implications for public health: Collaboration from all stakeholders within our food system …