Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pivot-12: A Phase Iii Study Of Adjuvant Bempegaldesleukin Plus Nivolumab In Resected Stage Iii/Iv Melanoma At High Risk For Recurrence, Alexander Mm Eggermont, Paolo A. Ascierto, Nikhil I. Khushalani, Dirk Schadendorf, Genevieve Boland, Jeffrey Weber, Karl D. Lewis, Daniel Johnson, Gareth Rivalland, Adnan Khattak, Margarita Majem, Helen Gogas, Georgina V. Long, Sue L. Currie, David Chien, Mary A. Tagliaferri, Matteo S. Carlino, Adi Diab

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG: NKTR-214) is an immunostimulatory IL-2 cytokine prodrug engineered to deliver a controlled, sustained and preferential IL-2 pathway signal. Nivolumab (NIVO), a PD-1 inhibitor, has been shown to prolong survival in patients with advanced melanoma and recurrence-free survival in the adjuvant setting. PIVOT-02 showed that BEMPEG plus NIVO was well-tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity as first-line therapy in metastatic melanoma. PIVOT-12 is a randomized, phase III, global, multicenter, open-label study comparing adjuvant therapy with BEMPEG plus NIVO versus NIVO alone in adult and adolescent patients with completely resected cutaneous stage III/IV melanoma at high risk of recurrence. The primary …

Travel Ban Effects On Sars-Cov-2 Transmission Lineages In The Uae As Inferred By Genomic Epidemiology, Andreas Henschel, Samuel F. Feng, Rifat A. Hamoudi, Gihan Daw Elbait, Ernesto Damiani, Fathimathuz Waasia, Guan K. Tay, Bassam H. Mahboub, Maimunah Hemayet Uddin, Juan Acuna, Eman Alefishat, Rabih Halwani, Herbert F. Jelinek, Farah Mustafa, Nawal Alkaabi, Habiba S. Alsafar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Global and local whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 enables the tracing of domestic and international transmissions. We sequenced Viral RNA from 37 sampled Covid-19 patients with RT-PCR-confirmed infections across the UAE and developed time-resolved phylogenies with 69 local and 3,894 global genome sequences. Furthermore, we investigated specific clades associated with the UAE cohort and, their global diversity, introduction events and inferred domestic and international virus transmissions between January and June 2020. The study comprehensively characterized the genomic aspects of the virus and its spread within the UAE and identified that the prevalence shift of the D614G mutation was due to …

Clostridioides Difficile Infection And One Health: An Equine Perspective, Natasza M. R. Hain-Saunders, Daniel R. Knight, Mieghan Bruce, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile presents a significant health risk to humans and animals. The complexity of the bacterial–host interaction affecting pathogenesis and disease development creates an ongoing challenge for epidemiological studies, control strategies and prevention planning. The recent emergence of human disease caused by strains of C. difficile found in animals adds to mounting evidence that C. difficile infection (CDI) may be a zoonosis. In equine populations, C. difficile is a known cause of diarrhoea and gastrointestinal inflammation, with considerable mortality and morbidity. This has a significant impact on both the well-being of the animal and, in the case of performance …

Evaluation Of Pd-L1 Expression On Circulating Tumour Cells In Small-Cell Lung Cancer, Emmanuel Acheampong, Afaf Abed, Michael Morici, Isaacs Spencer, Aaron B. Beasley, Samantha Bowyer, Du Bois Asante, Chris Lomma, Weitao Lin, Michael Millward, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Antibodies against the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligand (PD-L1) have been recently approved for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) treatment. Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) have emerged as an appealing liquid biopsy candidate that could enhance treatment decision-making in systemic therapy for SCLC patients. Several current technologies enrich CTCs using specific surface epitopes, size, rigidity, or dielectric properties. However, they are hampered by the heterogeneity of the enriched cells from blood samples. Methods: We evaluated two CTC enrichment systems: EpCAM conjugated to magnetic beads and a microfluidic device (Parsortix, Angle plc). PD-L1 expression was evaluated on the isolated CTCs. …

European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021: Highlights From Best-Abstract Awardees, Sanjay Ramakrishnan, Fabien Beaufils, Jana De Brandt, Kerri Viney, Claire Bradley, Vincent Cottin, G. Maged Hassan, Joana Cruz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article provides an overview of some of the highlights of the @EuroRespSoc Congress 2021 from the perspective of the best-abstract awardees of the ERS Assemblies @EarlyCareerERS @OrphaLung https://bit.ly/3JCjHYS Every year, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) offers grants to recognise the best overall abstracts of the 14 ERS Assemblies submitted for the ERS International Congress, covering all respiratory areas. The authors of the best abstract (i.e. the highest average score of abstract reviewers and only those who have not applied or were not eligible for a sponsored award) were invited to write a short summary about their virtual Congress experience …

The Role Of Igg N-Galactosylation In Spondyloarthritis, Xiaojia Xu, Lois A. Balmer, Zhixian Chen, Gehendra Mahara, Ling Lin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic inflammatory arthritic diseases causing inflammatory back pain and stiffness, leading to irreversible damage of joint and spine, seriously affecting the quality of life. However, the exact pathogenesis of SpA is still unknown, although the blockers of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are a major therapeutic advance. Of interest is the association between SpA and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycosylation. IgG N-glycosylation is a process of post-translational modification (PTM) that takes part in regulating anti- and pro-inflammatory effects. A relationship between IgG N-glycosylation and the development of inflammatory arthritic diseases exists, in addition …

An Intergenerational Playgroup In An Australian Residential Aged-Care Setting: A Qualitative Case Study, Gabrielle B. Rosa Hernandez, Carolyn M. Murray, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Intergenerational programs are emerging within the aged-care context as they provide a unique opportunity for older adults living with or without cognitive impairments to connect with children. One type of intergenerational program is an ‘intergenerational playgroup’ which creates opportunities for children to develop their skills, parents to create a local peer support network and provides older adults at risk of isolation with vital community interaction. The objective of this research was to evaluate an intergenerational playgroup taking place weekly within a residential aged-care setting. A qualitative case study research design was used to perform five observation sessions and semi-structured in-depth …

Genetic Overlap Analysis Of Endometriosis And Asthma Identifies Shared Loci Implicating Sex Hormones And Thyroid Signalling Pathways, Emmanuel O. Adewuyi, D. Mehta, D. R. Nyholt, International Endogene Consortium (Iec), 23andme Research Team

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Study question: Is there a shared genetic or causal association of endometriosis with asthma or what biological mechanisms may underlie their potential relationships?

Summary answer: Our results confirm a significant but non-causal association of endometriosis with asthma implicating shared genetic susceptibility and biological pathways in the mechanisms of the disorders, and potentially, their co-occurrence.

What is known already: Some observational studies have reported a pattern of co-occurring relationship between endometriosis and asthma; however, there is conflicting evidence and the aetiology, as well as the underlying mechanisms of the relationship, remain unclear.

Study design, size, duration: We applied multiple statistical genetic …

A Mild Causal Relationship Between Tea Consumption And Obesity In General Population: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study, Cancan Li, Mingyun Niu, Zheng Guo, Pengcheng Liu, Yulu Zheng, Di Liu, Song Yang, Wei Wang, Yuanmin Li, Haifeng Hou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Evidence from observational studies for the effect of tea consumption on obesity is inconclusive. This study aimed to verify the causal association between tea consumption and obesity through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis in general population-based datasets. The genetic instruments, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with tea consumption habits, were obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWAS): UK Biobank, Nurses’ Health Study, Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and Women’s Genome Health Study. The effect of the genetic instruments on obesity was analyzed using the UK Biobank dataset (among ∼500,000 participants). The causal relationship between tea consumption and obesity was analyzed by …

Editorial: The Use Of Post-Exercise Cooling As A Recovery Strategy: Unraveling The Controversies, Mohammed Ihsan, Chris R. Abbiss, Robert Allan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Post-exercise cooling is a popular recovery strategy utilized by athletes, and of interest to many research groups. Significant body of research have examined the effects of post-exercise cooling on outcomes such as physical performance, regulation of inflammatory biomarkers, and psychophysical indices related to perceived fatigue, recovery and wellbeing. ...

Mtor Inhibitors Induce Erythropoietin Resistance In Renal Transplant Recipients, Reece Jefferies, Harish Puttagunta, Anoushka Krishnan, Ashley Irish, Ramyasuda Swaminathan, John K. Olynyk

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To elucidate the role of mTOR inhibitors on iron, hepcidin and erythropoietin-mediated regulation of hemopoiesis in stable renal transplant recipients (RTR). Background: Impaired hemopoiesis is common following renal transplantation managed using mTOR inhibitors. The mechanisms responsible are uncertain but include direct effects on iron, hepcidin or erythropoietin-mediated hemopoiesis. Methods: We conducted a single center prospective case-control study of 26 adult RTR with stable allograft function. RTR received stable mTOR dosing (cases, 11/26 [42%]) or stable tacrolimus dosing (controls, 15/26 [58%]). Baseline demographics, full blood count, renal function, iron studies, hepcidin-25, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and erythropoietin (EPO) levels were determined. Results: …

Forecasting Neuromuscular Recovery After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Athlete Recovery Profiles With Generalized Additive Modeling, Matthew J. Jordan, Nathaniel Morris, Jeremiah Barnert, Drew Lawson, Isabel Aldrich Witt, Walter H Herzog

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A retrospective analysis of longitudinally collected athlete monitoring data wasconducted to generate a model of neuromuscular recovery after anterior cruciateligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction (ACLR). Neuromuscular testing data in-cluding countermovement jump (CMJ) force‐time asymmetries and knee extensorstrength (maximum voluntary contractionext) asymmetries (between‐limb asymmetryindex—AI) were obtained from athletes with ACLR using semitendinosus (ST) au-tograft (n= 29; AI measurements: n= 494), bone patellar tendon bone autograft(n= 5; AI measurements:n= 88) and noninjured controls (n= 178; AI measurements:n= 3188). Explosive strength measured as the rate of torque development was alsocalculated. CMJ force‐time asymmetries were measured over discrete movementphases (eccentric deceleration phase, concentric phase). …

Mitoprotective Effects Of A Synergistic Nutraceutical Combination: Basis For A Prevention Strategy Against Alzheimer’S Disease, Dona P.W. Jayatunga, Eugene Hone, Binosha W.M.A. Fernando, Manohar L. Garg, Giuseppe Verdile, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Evidence to date suggests the consumption of food rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids may potentially minimize age-related cognitive decline. For neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which do not yet have definitive treatments, the focus has shifted toward using alternative approaches, including prevention strategies rather than disease reversal. In this aspect, certain nutraceuticals have become promising compounds due to their neuroprotective properties. Moreover, the multifaceted AD pathophysiology encourages the use of multiple bioactive components that may be synergistic in their protective roles when combined. The objective of the present study was to determine …

A Synergistic Combination Of Dha, Luteolin, And Urolithin A Against Alzheimer’S Disease, Dona P.W. Jayatunga, Eugene Hone, Binosha W.M.A. Fernando, Manohar L. Garg, Giuseppe Verdile, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia worldwide. The classical AD brain is characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein aggregates as senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), composed of hyper-phosphorylated forms of the microtubule-associated protein Tau. There has been limited success in clinical trials for some proposed therapies for AD, so attention has been drawn toward using alternative approaches, including prevention strategies. As a result, nutraceuticals have become attractive compounds for their potential neuroprotective capabilities. The objective of the present study was to derive a synergistic nutraceutical combination in …

Adverse Events Reporting Of Clinical Trials In Exercise Oncology Research (Advance): Protocol For A Scoping Review, Hao Luo, Oliver Schumacher, Daniel A. Galvão, Robert U. Newton, Dennis R. Taaffe

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Adequate, transparent, and consistent reporting of adverse events (AEs) in exercise oncology trials is critical to assess the safety of exercise interventions for people following a cancer diagnosis. However, there is little understanding of how AEs are reported in exercise oncology trials. Thus, we propose to conduct a scoping review to summarise and evaluate current practice of reporting of AEs in published exercise oncology trials with further exploration of factors associated with inadequate reporting of AEs. The study findings will serve to inform the need for future research on standardisation of the definition, collection, and reporting of AEs for …

Population-Based Incidence Of Guillain-Barré Syndrome During Mass Immunization With Viral Vaccines: A Pooled Analysis, Fengge Wang, Donglan Wang, Yingjie Wang, Cancan Li, Yulu Zheng, Zheng Guo, Pengcheng Liu, Yichun Zhang, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang, Haifeng Hou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Misunderstanding temporal coincidence of adverse events during mass vaccination and invalid assessment of possible safety concerns have negative effects on immunization programs, leading to low immunization coverage. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the incidence rates of GBS that are temporally associated with viral vaccine administration but might not be attributable to the vaccines. By literature search in Embase and PubMed, we included 48 publications and 2,110,441,600 participants. The pooled incidence rate of GBS was 3.09 per million persons (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.67 to 3.51) within six weeks of vaccination, equally 2.47 per 100,000 person-year (95%CI: …

Evaluating A Multicomponent Survivorship Programme For Men With Prostate Cancer In Australia: A Single Cohort Study, Patsy Yates, Rob Carter, Robyn Cockerell, Donna Cowan, Cyril Dixon, Anita Lal, Robert U. Newton, Nicolas Hart, Daniel A. Galvão, Brenton Baguley, Nicholas Denniston, Tina Skinner, Jeremy Couper, Jon Emery, Mark Frydenberg, Wei Hong Liu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To evaluate the implementation of a multicomponent survivorship programme for men with prostate cancer and their carers. Design: A single cohort study, guided by the RE-AIM framework. Setting: Multiple health services in Australia. Participants: Men with prostate cancer and their carers, and health professionals. Intervention: A 12-month telehealth programme that provided centralised and coordinated decision and information support, exercise and nutrition management, specialised clinical support and practical support to men and their carers. Data collection: Multiple sources of data including participant-reported health outcomes and experience of care, qualitative interviews, records of the programme were collected at different time points. …

Microc Alcification Segmentation Using Modified U-Net Segmentation Network From Mammogram Images, Md Shamim Hossain

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Breast cancer is the most common aggressive cancer in women while the early detection of this cancer can reduce the aggressiveness. But it is challenging to identify breast cancer features such as micro-calcification from mammogram images by the human eye because of its size and appearance. Therefore, the automatic detection of micro-calcification is essential for diagnosis and proper treatment. This work introduces an automated approach and segments any micro-calcification in the mammogram images. At first, the preprocessing applications of images are applied to enhance the image. After that, the breast region is segmented from the pectoral region. The suspicious regions …

Does Midwifery-Led Care Demonstrate Care Ethics: A Template Analysis, Kate Buchanan, Elizabeth Newnham, Deborah Ireson, Clare Davison, Sara Bayes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Ethical care in maternity is fundamental to providing care that both prevents harm and does good, and yet, there is growing acknowledgement that disrespect and abuse routinely occur in this context, which indicates that current ethical frameworks are not adequate. Care ethics offers an alternative to the traditional biomedical ethical principles.

Research aim: The aim of the study was to determine whether a correlation exists between midwifery-led care and care ethics as an important first step in an action research project.

Research design: Template analysis was chosen for this part of the action research. Template analysis is a design …

Temporal Trends In Renal Replacement Therapy In Community-Based People With Or Without Type 2 Diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study, Wendy A. Davis, Aron Chakera, Edward Gregg, Daniel Mcaullay, Timothy M.E. Davis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Although rates of cardiovascular disease complicating type 2 diabetes are declining, equivalent data for renal replacement therapy (RRT) are conflicting. The aim of this study was to characterize temporal changes in RRT incidence rates (IRs) in Australians with or without type 2 diabetes. Methods: Participants with type 2 diabetes from the Fremantle Diabetes Study Phases I (FDS1; n = 1291 recruited 1993–1996) and II (FDS2; n = 1509 recruited 2008–2011) were age-, sex-and postcode-matched 1:4 to people without diabetes and followed for first hospitalization for/with RRT. Five-year IRs, IR ratios (IRRs) for those with versus without diabetes in FDS1 …

Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2 Variants: A Focus On Severity, Susceptibility, And Preexisting Immunity, Eman Alefishat, Herbert F. Jelinek, Mira Mousa, Guan K. Tay, Habiba S. Alsafar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The heterogeneous phenotypes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has drawn worldwide attention, especially those with severe symptoms without comorbid conditions. Immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative virus of COVID-19, occur mainly by the innate immune response via the interferon (IFN)-mediated pathways, and the adaptive immunity via the T lymphocyte and the antibody mediated pathways. The ability of the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 strain, and possibly more so with new emerging variants, to antagonize IFN-mediated antiviral responses can be behind the higher early viral load, higher transmissibility, and milder symptoms compared to SARS-CoV and are …

Identifying Gene Network Patterns And Associated Cellular Immune Responses In Children With Or Without Nut Allergy, Khui Hung Lee, Anthony Bosco, Michael O'Sullivan, Yong Song, Jessica Metcalfe, Kan Yu, Benjamin J. Mullins, Richard Loh, Guicheng Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Although evidence suggests that the immune system plays a key role in the pathophysiology of nut allergy, the precise immunological mechanisms of nut allergy have not been systematically investigated. The aim of the present study was to identify gene network patterns and associated cellular immune responses in children with or without nut allergy. Methods: Transcriptome profiling of whole blood cells was compared between children with and without nut allergy. Three genes were selected to be validated on a larger cohort of samples (n = 86) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-qPCR). The composition of immune cells was inferred from …

Relationship Between Nordic Hamstring Strength And Maximal Voluntary Eccentric, Concentric And Isometric Knee Flexion Torque, Satoru Nishida, Masatoshi Nakamura, Ryosuke Kiyono, Shigeru Sato, Koki Yasaka, Riku Yoshida, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Nordic hamstring exercise is performed to prevent knee flexor muscle strain injuries and used to assess their injury risks. However, what exactly Nordic hamstring strength indicates is not clear. We investigated the relationship between Nordic hamstring strength and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of the knee flexors measured by an isokinetic dynamometer. Sixteen healthy young men who had not experienced hamstring strain injuries participated in the study. In Nordic hamstring, each participant was instructed to lean forward as far as possible in 3 s (approximately 30/s), and force at the ankle joint of the dominant leg was measured during the …

Is Tissue Still The Issue? The Promise Of Liquid Biopsy In Uveal Melanoma, Daniël P. De Bruyn, Aaron B. Beasley, Robert M. Verdijk, Natasha M. Van Poppelen, Dion Paridaens, Ronald O.B. De Keizer, Nicole C. Naus, Elin S. Gray, Annelies De Klein, Erwin Brosens, Emine Kiliç

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the second most frequent type of melanoma. Therapeutic options for UM favor minimally invasive techniques such as irradiation for vision preservation. As a consequence, no tumor material is obtained. Without available tissue, molecular analyses for gene expression, mutation or copy number analysis cannot be performed. Thus, proper patient stratification is impossible and patients' uncertainty about their prognosis rises. Minimally invasive techniques have been studied for prognostication in UM. Blood-based biomarker analysis has become more common in recent years; however, no clinically standardized protocol exists. This review summarizes insights in biomarker analysis, addressing new insights in circulating …

Culturally Safe And Integrated Primary Health Care: A Case Study Of Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services’ Holistic Model, Julieann Coombes, Patricia Cullen, Keziah Bennett-Brook, Marlene Longbottom, Tamara Mackean, Belinda Field, Vickie Parry

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Objective

To understand the importance of culturally safe integrated primary health care for Aboriginal families in the Central Coast of New South Wales, where their social and emotional wellbeing is impacted through a range of health issues related to domestic and family violence.

Methods
An Indigenous methodology of yarning through conversational semi-structured interviews with seven primary health care workers at Yerin, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) in New South Wales. Yarning sessions explored factors that enable and/or inhibit the provision of holistic and comprehensive trauma and culturally informed responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who experience …

Evaluating Patient Experience At A Novel Health Service For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Prisoners: A Pilot Study, Lachlan Arthur, Ana Herceg, Heidi Shukralla, Jason Payne, Julie Tongs Oam

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Background
The Winnunga Alexander Maconochie Centre Health and Wellbeing Service (AMCHWS) is the first prison health service operated by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation in Australia. This pilot study developed and implemented a patient experience survey to evaluate the novel model of healthcare delivered by the Winnunga AMCHWS to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners.

Methods
Patients accessing the Winnunga AMCHWS between February and May 2020 were invited to participate in the study. Descriptive data were analysed and compiled for demographics, patient satisfaction, patient perception of care quality, cultural safety, and patient thoughts on the Winnunga AMCHWS.

Findings
Sixteen …

Protocols For An Aboriginal-Led, Multi-Methods Study Of The Role Of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Health Workers, Practitioners And Liaison Officers In Quality Acute Health Care, Annabelle Wilson, Tamara Mackean, Liz Withall, Eileen M. Willis, Odette Pearson, Colleen Hayes, Kim O'Donnell, Janet Kelly, Kerry Taylor, Judith Dwyer, Elizabeth Bourke, Kate Hunter, Lorna Murakami-Gold, Rebecca Ivers, Fran Baum

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Objectives
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers/Practitioners and Liaison Officers play an important, often critical role providing advocacy and cultural and emotional support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. The main goals of this research are to explore i) how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers/Practitioners and Liaison Officers are integrated in the routine delivery of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in hospital, and ii) how the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers/Practitioners and Liaison Officers facilitates quality health outcomes.

Methods
This study is being conducted in three different hospitals using …

Increases In Integrin-Ilk-Rictor-Akt Proteins, Muscle Mass, And Strength After Eccentric Cycling Training, Georgios Mavropalias, Yu-Fu Wu, Marni D. Boppart, Anthony J. Blazevich, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Recently, it has been suggested that a cellular pathway composed of integrin, integrin-linked kinase (ILK), rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR (RICTOR), and Akt may facilitate long-term structural and functional adaptations associated with exercise, independent of the mTORC1 pathway. Therefore, we examined changes in integrin-ILK-RICTOR-Akt protein in vastus lateralis (VL) before and after 8 wk of eccentric cycling training (ECC), which was expected to increase muscle function and VL cross-sectional area (CSA).

Methods: Eleven men (23 ± 4 yr) completed 24 sessions of ECC with progressive increases in intensity and duration, resulting in a twofold increase in work from the first …

The Use Of Theory In Qualitative Research: Challenges, Development Of A Framework And Exemplar, Thi Ngoc Minh Nguyen, Lisa Whitehead, Gordana Dermody, Rosemary Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Whilst theoretical grounding is considered important for sound research methodology, consensus on the application of theory in qualitative research remains elusive. Novice researchers may experience challenges in applying theory in qualitative research and these may contribute to the under-use, over-reliance or inappropriate application of theory. Practical guidance on how theory can inform and guide the conduct of qualitative research is needed.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to propose a framework for the application of theory in qualitative research and provide an exemplar.

Methods: The Theoretical Application Framework for Qualitative Studies (TAF-QS) was developed from the synthesis of …

The Impact Of Three-Dimensional Visualisation On Midwifery Student Learning, Compared With Traditional Education For Teaching The Third Stage Of Labour: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial, Michelle Gray, Terri Downer, Donna Hartz, Patrea Andersen, Julie Hanson, Yu Gao

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Complex physiological processes are often difficult for midwifery students to comprehend when using traditional teaching and learning approaches. Face to face instructional workshops using simulation have had some impact on improving understanding. However, in the 21st century new technologies offer the opportunity to provide alternative learning approaches.

Aim: To investigate the impact of using three-dimensional (3D) visualisation in midwifery education on student's experience of learning, and retention of knowledge at three points in time.

Design: A pilot study involving a two-armed parallel Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) comparing the retention of knowledge scores between the control and intervention groups.

Setting: …