Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Return To Work Experiences Of Patients Treated With Stem Cell Transplantation For A Hematologic Malignancy, S. Persoon, Laurien M. Buffart, M. J. M. Chinapaw, F. Nollet, M. H. Frings-Dresen, S. Koning, M. J. Kersten, S. J. Tamminga

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose

This qualitative study aimed to identify hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors’ (1) work perceptions; (2) barriers to and facilitators of return to work (RTW); and (3) possible solutions to improve RTW.

Method

Fifteen patients treated with HSCT 1–5 years ago participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed following the steps of thematic content analyses.

Results

RTW was often characterized as a complex and prolonged trajectory, and it was frequently incomplete in working hours, tasks, and/or responsibilities. Work perceptions varied between patients; most valued work as positive, but some also reported a decline in work capacity and/or in …

Comparison Of Liberica And Arabica Coffee: Chlorogenic Acid, Caffeine, Total Phenolic And Dpph Radical Scavenging Activity, Aidilla Mubarak, Kevin D. Croft, Catherine P. Bondonno, Nurul Sakinah Din

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Information on the composition of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and antioxidant activity of Coffea liberica is scarce, albeit the importance of this species in some parts of the world. This study assessed the composition of chlorogenic acid, total phenolic, caffeine and free radical scavenging activity in green and roasted C. liberica in comparison to C. arabica. The compositions of these compounds were also investigated in C. liberica at different roasting degree. We found a comparable amount of chlorogenic acid in green C. liberica and C. arabica. However, roasted C. arabica had a significantly higher chlorogenic acid content than roasted C. liberica …

Exploring How Nurse Practitioners Implement Leadership And Research, Mary Ryder, Elisabeth Jacob, Joyce Hendricks

ECU Posters

The original concept of the Nurse practitioner role was to expand nursing practice in order to provide high quality, accessible healthcare to patients. This placed NPs at the crux of changes to healthcare delivery. Implementing these changes requires leadership. Research demonstrates the effects of these changes to healthcare delivery and contributes healthcare knowledge from the nursing profession.

A Survey Of Leadership And Research Activities Of Nurse Practitioners, Mary Ryder, Elisabeth Jacob, Joyce Hendricks

ECU Posters

Nurse practitioners (NP) provide improved access to quality healthcare for identified patient populations. NPs are identified as the ideal conduit to transform healthcare delivery internationally. Trandforming healthcare requires the application of leadership and research skills. The literature to date has limited information on NPs as leaders or researchers in the nursing profession.

Leadership And Research Activities Of Nurse Practitioners: Ireland And Australia, Mary Ryder, Elisabeth Jacob, Joyce Hendricks

ECU Posters

Nurse practitioners (NP) are identified as the ideal conduit to transform healthcare delivery internationally. Healthcare transformation requires the application of leadership and research skills. The literature to date has limited information on NPs as leaders or researchers in the nursing profession.

Nurse Practitioners Views On Leadership And Research, Mary Ryder, Elisabeth Jacob, Joyce Hendricks

ECU Posters

Nurse practitioners are clinical leaders focused on improving healthcare delivery for patient populations. The NP role is misunderstood. NPs lack confidence to be independently research ctive. Research by NPs requires support from nurses in academia. The NP role is similar in Ireland and Australia

Validation Of A Priori Candidate Alzheimer’S Disease Snps With Brain Amyloid-Beta Deposition, Michael Vacher, Tenielle Porter, Victor L. Villemagne, Lidija Milicic, Madeline Peretti, Christopher C. Fowler, Ralph Martins, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Christopher C. Rowe, James D. Doecke, Simon M. Laws

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The accumulation of brain amyloid β (Aβ) is one of the main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the role of brain amyloid deposition in the development of AD and the genetic variants associated with this process remain unclear. In this study, we sought to identify associations between Aβ deposition and an a priori evidence based set of 1610 genetic markers, genotyped from 505 unrelated individuals (258 Aβ+ and 247 Aβ−) enrolled in the Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle (AIBL) study. We found statistically significant associations for 6 markers located within intronic regions of 6 genes, including AC103796.1-BDNF, PPP3R1, …

Circulating Tumour Dna (Ctdna) As A Biomarker In Metachronous Melanoma And Colorectal Cancer- A Case Report, Leslie Calapre, Lydia Warburton, Michael Millward, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a promising blood-based biomarker for monitoring disease status of patients with advanced cancers. The presence of ctDNA in the blood is a result of biological processes, namely tumour cell apoptosis and/or necrosis, and can be used to monitor different cancers by targeting cancer-specific mutation. Case presentation: We present the case of a 67 year old Caucasian male that was initially treated with BRAF inhibitors followed by anti-CTLA4 and then anti-PD1 immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma but later developed colorectal cancer. The kinetics of ctDNA derived from each cancer type were monitored targeting BRAF …

Evaluation Of Serum Iron Overload, Ast:Alt Ratio And Log10ferritin:Ast Ratio Among Schizophrenia Patients In The Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana: A Case-Control Study, W. K. B. A. Owiredu, Peter Kojo Brenya, Yaw Osei, Edwin Ferguson Laing, Clement Opoku Okrah, Christian Obirikorang, Enoch Odame Anto, Emmanuel Acheampong, Sampson Donkor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: The association between unbalanced iron indices and the conditions of schizophrenia are not well understood. Liver dysfunction which has been linked to iron metabolism might be a contributing factor. This case–control study evaluated serum iron indices and liver function in treatment-naïve schizophrenia patients and those already on treatment at the Psychiatric Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi-Ghana.

Results: The mean age of the respondents was 39.6 ± 0.8 years. Increased levels of serum iron, TS, AST, ALT and AST:ALT ratio and lower levels of UIBC, TIBC, Transferrin, and log Ferritin:AST ratio levels were observed among the …

End-User Experiences With Two Incident And Injury Reporting Systems Designed For Led Outdoor Activities - Challenges For Implementation Of Future Data Systems, Caroline F. Finch, Natassia Goode, Louise Shaw, Paul M. Salmon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Injury and incident (near miss) prevention is heavily dependent upon robust and high-quality data systems. Evaluations of surveillance systems designed to report factors associated with incidents and injuries are essential to understand their value, as well as to improve their performance and efficiency. Despite, this there have been few such evaluations published in the peer-review literature.

Methods: The attitudes and experiences of industry representatives who used one of two variants of an incident and injury surveillance system to collect injury and incident data for the led outdoor activity setting were obtained through an online self-report survey following a 12-month …

Anatomical And Neuromuscular Determinants Of Strength Change In Previously Untrained Men Following Heavy Strength Training, Joanne Trezise, Anthony J. Blazevich

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study examined whether changes in strength following a moderate-duration strength training program were associated with changes in specific combinations of anatomical and neuromuscular variables. 36 men (18–40 y) completed 10 weeks of lower-limb heavy resistance (6-RM) strength training. Measurements included cross-sectional area (CSA), fascicle length (l_f) and fascicle angle (θ_f) from proximal, middle and distal regions of the four quadriceps components; agonist (EMG:M), antagonist (EMG) muscle activities and percent voluntary quadriceps activation (%VA; interpolated twitch technique); patellar tendon moment arm distance; and maximal isometric, concentric and eccentric (60° s^–1) torque. Multiple regression models …

Wellness In Allied Health Students: The Case For Change, Abigail Lewis, Alison Kirkman, Lisa Holmes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: The case for change. There are increasing mental health issues among young people, including higher education students. millennial students face unique challenges relating to attention, critical thinking and managing stress. Specifically, allied health students engage in multiple placements in which they need to interact with real people in real time while being evaluated in assessment and treatment strategies. Some universities have been using wellness programs and mindfulness strategies to support student mental health across campuses for some time. However, as allied health students face unique challenges, there is a need for a particular focus on wellness at an individual …

Altering Brain Dynamics With Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation, Onno Van Der Groen, Jason B. Mattingley, Nicole Wenderoth

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Random noise can enhance the detectability of weak signals in nonlinear systems, a phenomenon known as stochastic resonance (SR). This concept is not only applicable to single threshold systems but can also be applied to dynamical systems with multiple attractor states, such as observed during the phenomenon of binocular rivalry. Binocular rivalry can be characterized by marginally stable attractor states between which the brain switches in a spontaneous, stochastic manner. Here we used a computational model to predict the effect of noise on perceptual dominance durations. Subsequently we compared the model prediction to a series of experiments where we measured …

Survival Of Esophageal Cancer In China: A Pooled Analysis On Hospital-Based Studies From 2000 To 2018, Haifeng Hou, Zixiu Meng, Xuan Zhao, Guoyong Ding, Ming Sun, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) causes more than 400 thousand deaths per year, and half of them occur in China. There are discrepancies regarding the survival of EC patients between population-based surveillance studies and hospital-based studies.

Objectives: We aimed to synthesize the survival data from hospital-based EC studies in the Chinese population from 2000 to 2018 and to compare the survival rates between EC patients with different clinical classifications.

Methods: The protocol of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD-42019121559). We searched Embase, PubMed, CNKI, and Wanfang databases for studies published between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2018. We …

Cannabis Consumption Patterns Explain The East-West Gradient In Canadian Neural Tube Defect Incidence: An Ecological Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research Datasets

While a known link between prenatal cannabis exposure and anencephaly exists, the relationship of prenatal cannabis exposure with neural tube defects (NTDs) generally has not been defined. Published data from Canada Health and Statistics Canada were used to assess this relationship. Both cannabis use and NTDs were shown to follow an east-west and north-south gradient. Last year cannabis consumption was significantly associated (P < .0001; cannabis use–time interaction P < .0001). These results were confirmed when estimates of termination for anomaly were used. Canada Health population data allowed the calculation of an NTD odds ratio) of 1.27 (95% confidence interval = 1.19-1.37; P < 10−11) for high-risk provinces versus the remainder with an attributable fraction in exposed populations of 16.52% (95% confidence interval = 12.22-20.62). Data show a robust positive statistical association between cannabis consumption as both a qualitative and quantitative variable and NTDs on a background of declining NTD incidence. In the context of multiple mechanistic pathways these strong statistical findings implicate causal mechanisms.

Treatment Fidelity In The Very Early Rehabilitation In Speech (Verse) Randomised Controlled Trial: An Exploration Of Treatment For Aphasia, Emily Louise Brogan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Aphasia is a neurological condition that affects the expression and/or comprehension of language and can have considerable impact on a person’s quality of life. Treatment for aphasia from speech language pathologists is effective. However, more information is needed on the nature of effective intervention including consideration for what therapy is provided, when it is commenced and how it is delivered. Treatment fidelity is concerned with ensuring research treatment protocols are implemented as they were intended, which assists in uncovering the specifics of how and why treatments work. When treatment fidelity is investigated thoroughly, researchers and research consumers can be …

The Application Of Maximal Mean And Critical Speed And Metabolic Powers For The Quantification Of External Load In Soccer, Cameron Nicholas Lord

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Association football, often referred to as “soccer”, competitive match play is typically known to represent the greatest physical demand that players experience. The demands associated with match running performance may impact training outcomes and injury risk. As a result, practitioners evaluate these demands to ensure that performance is optimised. To assist in this process, global positioning systems (GPS) are typically used to quantify displacement variables and, more recently, the interaction between running speed and acceleration. However, traditional player monitoring methods tend to apply identical and somewhat arbitrary displacement, velocity and acceleration bands to describe movement “intensity”, and thus to …

Social Impacts Of Climate Change And Occupational Heat Stress And Adaptation Strategies Of Mining Workers In Ghana, Victor Fannam Nunfam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Excessive heat exposure due to rising temperatures associated with climate change adversely affects workers’ health, safety, productivity, and psychosocial well-being in occupational settings. In the hot and tropical regions of developing countries, long hours of physically demanding work, coupled with inadequate adaptation policies to climate change, increases the occurrence of heat-related illnesses and injuries, and contributes to the loss of productive capacity, poor decision making, and other negative effects on the social well-being of workers.

Based on the theories of social impact assessment, risk assessment, adaptation and resilience planning, this study assesses the social impacts of climate change and occupational …

Velocity-Based Training: Monitoring, Implementation And Effects On Strength And Power, Henry G. Banyard

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Traditionally, resistance training has been prescribed using percent-based training (PBT) methods that use the loads relative to a maximal load lifted for one repetition (1RM). However, PBT does not take into account possible day-to-day fluctuations in performance that may occur from physical or psychological stressors. One approach to address this limitation is to monitor velocity changes during resistance training, based on research showing that declines in velocity are highly correlated with fatigue. Therefore, velocity-based training (VBT) methods are proposed to provide a more objective method to modify resistance training sessions based on individual differences in day-to-day performance and the rate …

Dna Methylation Of The Clusterin Promoter: Associations With Alzheimer’S Disease Risk And Related Phenotypes, Madeline Peretti

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

In 2017 approximately 50 million people worldwide were living with dementia. With Alzheimer’s disease (AD), accounting for 50-70% of dementia cases making this debilitating disease, with no current effective prevention, treatment or cure, a critical healthcare concern. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a number of risk genes for late onset AD (LOAD); Apolipoprotein E (APOE), a gene involved in the cholesterol/lipid pathway is considered the gene with the greatest risk. The third most associated AD risk gene is Clusterin (CLU), is also involved in the cholesterol/lipid pathway. CLU has been implicated in both …

Chemical Composition And Toxicity Of Emissions From Burning Five Vegetation Types Of Western Australia Under Experimental Combustion Conditions, T T Trang Dong

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated the emission factors (EFs) for inorganic gases (CO2, CO, SO2, NO and NO2), carbonyls (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde and benzaldehyde), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) from laboratory-based fires of vegetation from five typical vegetation types of Western Australia. Species burnt were three grasslands (Spinifex represented by Triodia basedowii, Kimberley grass represented by Sehima nervosum and Heteropogon contortus, and an invasive grass represented by Ehrharta calycina (Veldt grass)), Banksia woodland and Jarrah forest under different combustion conditions. Chemical composition (water-soluble metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – PAHs) and in vitro toxicity …

Analysis Of Perceptual-Motor Calibration Processes In Indoor Climbing, Andrew Stephen Walsh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research programme examines how people perceive maximal reach-and grasp-ness in climbing, and as such these questions will be limited to climbing.

Is experienced gained from performing daily submaximal reaching sufficient for the accurate perception of maximal horizontal reaching affordances in rock climbing?

How is perception of maximal horizontal boundary of reach-and grasp-ness affected by: hold size, body position, additional load, or fatigue.

How will inducing fatigue affect how a participant calibrates distance and their movement economy?

Heat Exposure And Adaptation Strategies Of Outdoor Informal Sector Workers In Urban Bulawayo - Zimbabwe, Bigboy Ngwenya

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Ambient temperatures have risen over the past few decades and are expected to increase even further due to climate change impacts. Extreme temperatures, accompanied by high humidity levels, will exacerbate occupational heat stress, heat related illnesses and mortality amongst vulnerable groups, particularly among outdoor workers in developing countries in the tropics. In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, a large portion of the population work outdoors in the informal sector as street vendors (hawkers) due to a lack of employment opportunities. These hawkers spend long hours in the sun or under makeshift sheds with poorly developed adaptation strategies, and no access to cooling systems …

The Influence Of Barbell And Body Position On Force-Time Characteristics In The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull, Stuart Nathan Guppy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Publication 1: The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull: A Review and Methodology – Part 1 Isometric tests are commonly used to monitor physical qualities that underpin athletic performance. As single-joint laboratory-based tests display poor relationships to the multi-joint movements found in sport, multi-joint isometric tests like the isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) are commonly used instead. Force-time characteristics in these multijoint tests typically display stronger relationships to dynamic performance, particularly in the case of the isometric mid-thigh pull. As such this review focuses on the relationships between force-time characteristics in the IMTP and dynamic athletic performance.

Publication 2: The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull: A …

Moving On After Critical Incidents In Health Care. Second Victims: A Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of Nurses And Midwives, Melanie Buhlmann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aims: The aims of this study were to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of nurses and midwives who have been involved in a critical incident in a non-critical care area and to explore how they have ‘moved-on’ from the event.

Background: It is irrefutable that health care is intrinsically risk-laden and perceived to be personally and professionally demanding for those who are employed within it. The term ‘second victim’ has been assigned to health care professionals who experienced emotional distress as a result of their involvement in critical incidents. Despite the recognition that critical incidents contribute to workrelated …

An Exploration Of The Critical Success Factors Associated With Implementing A Public Health Plan In Local Governments Within Western Australia, Anne Polley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Public Health planning in local governments in Western Australia (WA) is a relatively new approach to addressing local health needs. The Western Australian Public Health Act came into effect in 2016. The Public Health Act 2016 encompasses a range of legislative requirements, some of which include the development of Local Public Health Plans. A range of roles within the local government workforce therefore are likely to require support to plan and implement Public Health Plans, which in the past have not directly been a component of their role. There is limited understanding and evidence of the barriers and enablers that …

Factors Affecting The Survival And Implantation Of Human Blastocysts Following Vitrification, Hamish Barblett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The increased cell numbers, presence of the blastocoel and rapid cell re-organisation have required the development of specific survival criteria post warm to effectively select the most viable blastocyst for transfer. Pre-freeze blastocyst expansion and post warm re-expansion have been shown to contribute significantly to the chances of an implantation and subsequent live birth. The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence the outcome of blastocyst transfers after vitrification and warming, and hopefully improve outcomes by further applying improvements in future cycles. Variables from 8 years of vitrified/warmed blastocysts were retrospectively compiled and analysed to determine the …

Linking Patient Safety To Clinical Practice: The Insight Of New Graduate Registered Nurses, Melanie Murray

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

New graduate registered nurses’ (NGRNs) transition to practice with limited clinical experiences and skills. The related anxiety and stress predispose new graduate nurses to increased risk of contributing to preventable errors or adverse events. This risk, together with the new graduate’s fledgling ability to manage clinical deterioration, potentially compromises quality and safety of patient outcomes.

A longitudinal mixed methods design was used to develop an understanding of new graduate registered nurses’ patient safety knowledge and actions within the first year of nursing registration and offer important insights into NGRNs’ transition with a patient safety focus. New graduate registered nurses employed …

Factors Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, And Ptsd In Australian Paramedics, Timothy Rankin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Paramedics are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD compared to the general population. Factors that have been associated with mental disorders include occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life. To date only a few of these factors have been investigated simultaneously in Australian paramedics.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate occupational stress, fatigue, sleep quality, chronic pain, physical activity, perceived social support, and overall quality of life, and their associations with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD in Australian paramedics.

Methods

Sixty-three paramedics, working for ambulance services …

Pathological Mechanisms And Therapeutic Outlooks For Arthrofibrosis, Kayley M. Usher, Sipin Zhu, Georgios Mavropalias, John A. Carrino, Jinmin Zhao, Jiake Xu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Arthrofibrosis is a fibrotic joint disorder that begins with an inflammatory reaction to insults such as injury, surgery and infection. Excessive extracellular matrix and adhesions contract pouches, bursae and tendons, cause pain and prevent a normal range of joint motion, with devastating consequences for patient quality of life. Arthrofibrosis affects people of all ages, with published rates varying. The risk factors and best management strategies are largely unknown due to a poor understanding of the pathology and lack of diagnostic biomarkers. However, current research into the pathogenesis of fibrosis in organs now informs the understanding of arthrofibrosis. The process begins …