Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Not-So-Sterile Womb: Evidence That The Human Fetus Is Exposed To Bacteria Prior To Birth, Lisa F. Stinson, Mary C. Boyce, Matthew S. Payne, Jeffrey A. Keelan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The human microbiome includes trillions of bacteria, many of which play a vital role in host physiology. Numerous studies have now detected bacterial DNA in first-pass meconium and amniotic fluid samples, suggesting that the human microbiome may commence in utero. However, these data have remained contentious due to underlying contamination issues. Here, we have used a previously described method for reducing contamination in microbiome workflows to determine if there is a fetal bacterial microbiome beyond the level of background contamination. We recruited 50 women undergoing non-emergency cesarean section deliveries with no evidence of intra-uterine infection and collected first-pass meconium …

Is The Blood An Alternative For Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Assessment In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?, Emmanuel Acheampong, Isaac Spencer, Weitao Lin, Melanie Ziman, Michael Millward, Elin Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Anti-programmed cell death (PD)-1/PD-ligand 1 (L1) therapies have significantly improved the outcomes for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in recent years. These therapies work by reactivating the immune system and enabling it to target cancer cells once more. There is a general agreement that expression of PD-L1 on tumour cells predicts the therapeutic response to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in NSCLC. Hence, immunohistochemical staining of tumour tissue biopsies from NSCLC patients with PD-L1 antibodies is the current standard used to aid selection of patients for treatment with anti-PD-1 as first line therapy. However, issues of small tissue samples, tissue heterogeneity, the …

Implementing Eccentric Resistance Training—Part 1: A Brief Review Of Existing Methods, Timothy J. Suchomel, John P. Wagle, Jamie Douglas, Christopher B. Taber, Mellissa Harden, Greg Haff, Michael H. Stone

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this review was to provide a physiological rationale for the use of eccentric resistance training and to provide an overview of the most commonly prescribed eccentric training methods. Based on the existing literature, there is a strong physiological rationale for the incorporation of eccentric training into a training program for an individual seeking to maximize muscle size, strength, and power. Specific adaptations may include an increase in muscle cross-sectional area, force output, and fiber shortening velocities, all of which have the potential to benefit power production characteristics. Tempo eccentric training, flywheel inertial training, accentuated eccentric loading, and …

Acute Effects Of Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) On Hospital Admissions For Cardiovascular Disease In Beijing, China: A Time-Series Study, Endawoke Amsalu, Tianqi Wang, Haibin Li, Yue Liu, Anxin Wang, Xiangtong Liu, Lixin Tao, Yanxia Luo, Feng Zhang, Xinghua Yang, Xia Li, Wei Wang, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Air pollution and cardiovascular disease are increasing problems in China. However, the short-term association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not well documented. The purpose of this study is to estimate the short-term effects of PM2.5 on CVD admissions in Beijing, China.

Methods

In total, 460,938 electronic hospitalization summary reports for CVD between 2013 and 2017 were obtained. A generalized additive model using a quasi-Poisson distribution was used to investigate the association between exposure to PM2.5 and hospitalizations for total and cause-specific CVD, including coronary heart disease (CHD), atrial fibrillation (AF), and heart failure (HF) …

Paired Associative Stimulation As A Tool To Assess Plasticity Enhancers In Chronic Stroke, Joshua Silverstein, Mar Cortes, Katherine Z. Tsagaris, Alejandra Climent, Linda M. Gerber, Clara Oromendia, Pasquale Fonzetti, Rajiv R. Ratan, Tomoko Kitago, Marco Iacoboni, Allan Wu, Bruce Dobkin, Dylan J. Edwards

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background and Purpose: The potential for adaptive plasticity in the post-stroke brain is difficult to estimate, as is the demonstration of central nervous system (CNS) target engagement of drugs that show promise in facilitating stroke recovery. We set out to determine if paired associative stimulation (PAS) can be used (a) as an assay of CNS plasticity in patients with chronic stroke, and (b) to demonstrate CNS engagement by memantine, a drug which has potential plasticity-modulating effects for use in motor recovery following stroke.

Methods: We examined the effect of PAS in fourteen participants with chronic hemiparetic stroke at five time-points …

Anxious Or Empowered? A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring How Wearable Activity Trackers Make Their Owners Feel, Jillian Ryan, Sarah Edney, Carol Maher

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background The market for wearable activity trackers has grown prolifically in recent years, with increasing numbers of consumers using them to track, measure, and ideally improve their health and wellbeing. Empirical evidence tends to support wearables as valid, reliable, and effective health behaviour change tools, however little research has been conducted to understand experiential aspects of the devices, particularly thier effects on users’ psychological wellbeing and affect. This study addresses this literature gap by exploring wearable users’ affective responses to their devices and how these relate to personality traits and individual differences. Methods Data were collected from adult wearable users …

Feasibility Of 12 Weeks Of Combined Aerobic And Resistance Training In Indigenous Australian Adults: A Phase I, Single Group, Pre-Post Intervention Study, Tuguy Esgin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility and potential of an exercise program based on current recommendations for health to decrease cardiometabolic risk factors in Indigenous Australian adults in a metropolitan setting. Design: Phase I, single-group, pre-post intervention study. Methods: Sixteen previously inactive adults (55% female, mean age 32 y) undertook supervised exercise involving aerobic and progressive resistance training for 3 days per week for 12 weeks. Results: Eleven participants (69%) completed the exercise intervention with high exercise adherence rates (92% of sessions completed). Compared with baseline, there was a significant improvement with training in sub-maximal aerobic capacity (MD 5 ml/kg/min, 95% …

Perceptions Of Climate Change And Occupational Heat Stress Risks And Adaptation Strategies Of Mining Workers In Ghana, Victor Fannam Nunfam, Jacques Oosthuizen, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante, Eddie Van Etten, Kwasi Frimpong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Heavy physical workload for long hours coupled with increasing workplace heat exposure due to rising temperatures stemming from climate change, especially where there are inadequate prevention and control policies, adversely affect workers' health and safety, productive capacity and social well-being. However, variations in workers' concerns and awareness of occupational heat stress and climate change risks impede the effectiveness of heat stress management. A mixed method approach was used to assess climate change perceptions and occupational heat stress risks and adaptation strategies of Ghanaian mining workers. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to collect data from 320 respondents. Quantitative and …

Time-To-Event Analysis For Sports Injury Research Part 1: Time-Varying Exposures, Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen, Michael Lejbach Bertelsen, Daniel Ramskov, Merete Møller, Adam Hulme, Daniel Theisen, Caroline F. Finch, Lauren Victoria Fortington, Mohammad Ali Mansournia, Erik Thorlund Parner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: ‘How much change in training load is too much before injury is sustained, among different athletes?’ is a key question in sports medicine and sports science. To address this question the investigator/practitioner must analyse exposure variables that change over time, such as change in training load. Very few studies have included time-varying exposures (eg, training load) and time-varying effect-measure modifiers (eg, previous injury, biomechanics, sleep/stress) when studying sports injury aetiology.

AIM: To discuss advanced statistical methods suitable for the complex analysis of time-varying exposures such as changes in training load and injury-related outcomes.

CONTENT: Time-varying exposures and time-varying effect-measure …

Monitoring Melanoma Recurrence With Circulating Tumor Dna: A Proof Of Concept From Three Case Studies, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Michelle R. Pereira, Anna Reid, Robert Pearce, Lester Cowell, Zeyad Al-Ogaili, Muhammad A. Khattak, Michael Millward, Tarek M. Meniawy, Elin S. Gray, Melanie R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: A significant number of melanoma patients experience recurrence to distant sites, despite having had surgical treatment of the primary lesion, with curative intent. Monitoring of patients for early evidence of disease recurrence would significantly improve management of the disease, allowing timely therapeutic intervention. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is becoming a well-recognized biomarker for monitoring malignancies and has, in a few studies, been shown to signify disease recurrence earlier than conventional methods.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of plasma ctDNA using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in 30 primary melanoma patients with tumors harboring BRAF, NRAS or TERT promoter mutations. …

The Longitudinal Association Between Natural Outdoor Environments And Mortality In 9218 Older Men From Perth, Western Australia, Wilma L. Zijlema, Ania Stasinska, David Blake, Mila Dirgawati, Leon Flicker, Bu B. Yeap, Jonathan Golledge, Graeme J. Hankey, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Jane Heyworth

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background/Aim: Natural outdoor environments may mitigate harmful environmental factors associated with city living. We studied the longitudinal relationship between natural (‘green and blue’) outdoor environments and mortality in a cohort of older men residing in Perth, Western Australia. Methods: We studied a cohort of 9218 men aged 65 years and older from the Health In Men Study. Participants were recruited in 1996–99 and followed until 2014, during which 5889 deaths were observed. Time-varying residential surrounding greenness based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and the number and size of parks, natural space and waterbodies were defined to characterize the natural …

Effect Of Ice Slushy Ingestion And Cold Water Immersion On Thermoregulatory Behavior, Hui C. Choo, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, João P. Lopes-Silva, Ricardo N. O. Mesquita, Tatsuro Amano, Narihiko Kondo, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of ice slushy ingestion (ICE) and cold water immersion (CWI) on thermoregulatory and sweat responses during constant (study 1) and self-paced (study 2) exercise. In study 1, 11 men cycled at 40–50% of peak aerobic power for 60 min (33.2 ± 0.3C, 45.9 ± 0.5% relative humidity, RH). In study 2, 11 men cycled for 60 min at perceived exertion (RPE) equivalent to 15 (33.9 ± 0.2C and 42.5 ± 3.9%RH). In both studies, each trial was preceded by 30 min of CWI (~22C), ICE or no cooling (CON). Rectal temperature (T …

Specificity And Transfer Of Lower-Body Strength: Influence Of Bilateral Or Unilateral Lower-Body Resistance Training, Brendyn B. Appleby, Stuart J. Cormack, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Appleby, BB, Cormack, SJ, and Newton, RU. Specificity and transfer of lower-body strength: Influence of bilateral or unilateral lower-body resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 318-326, 2019-To examine the development of lower-body strength using either bilateral or unilateral resistance training. Developmental rugby players (n = 33; mean training age = 5.4 ± 2.9 years; 1 repetition maximum [1RM] 90° squat = 178 ± 27 kg) completed an 18-week randomized controlled training design (bilateral group [BIL], n = 13; unilateral group [UNI], n = 10; comparison, n = 10). The 8-week training phase involved 2 lower-body, volume-load matched resistance sessions …

Utilising A Multi‐Item Questionnaire To Assess Household Food Security In Australia, Lucy M. Butcher, Therese A. O'Sullivan, Maria M. Ryan, Johnny Lo, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Issue addressed: Currently, two food sufficiency questions are utilised as a proxy measure of national food security status in Australia. These questions do not capture all dimensions of food security and have been attributed to underreporting of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate food security using the short form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) within an Australian context; and explore the relationship between food security status and multiple socio-demographic variables.

Methods: Two online surveys were completed by 2334 Australian participants from November 2014 to February 2015. Surveys contained the short form of …