Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Bone Fracture Incidence, Measurement And Adaptation: An Exploration Through The Continuum From Incidence To Measurement And Adaptation, Mark Jenkins

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research encompasses four studies exploring bone adaptation, fracture incidence, and preventative measures to decrease fracture risk and increase bone health. Study one was a clinical audit exploring incidence rates for appendicular fractures in children in Western Australia over ten years. Diagnostic and remedial approaches were explored in studies two, three and four by examining the between-day reliability of upper limb scans; reliability of the osteogenic index (OI) for upper-body strength and power exercises; and the diagnostic value or utility of using pQCT in disease profiling, respectively. Fracture rates in the limbs of children were found to be increasing each …

The Cryopreservation Of Human Semen, And Subsequent Evaluation Of A Commercially-Available Device To Isolate Motile Sperm, Callum Andrew Robinson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The cryopreservation of human semen is a vital asset in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Although advances have been in the freezing of sperm, further refinement is both necessary and ongoing. Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) has been increasingly utilised in both research and diagnostic however there are a range of variables that must first be controlled in order to produce reliable measurements. Following thawing, sperm must be isolated from both the original seminal plasma and the cryoprotectants; the two most used isolation methods include density gradient centrifugation (DGC) and the swim-up method.

The present thesis sought to investigate the following areas …

Experiences Of Australian Men Diagnosed With Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Qualitative Study, Suzanne K. Chambers, Melissa K. Hyde, Kirstyn Laurie, Melissa Legg, Mark Frydenberg, Ian D. Davis, Anthony P. Lowe, Jeff Dunn

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective To explore men's lived experience of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) and preferences for support. Design Cross-sectional qualitative study applying open-ended surveys and interviews conducted between June and November 2016. Interviews audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed from an interpretive phenomenological perspective. Setting Australia, nation-wide. Participants 39 men diagnosed with advanced PCa (metastatic or castration-resistant biochemical progression) were surveyed with 28 men subsequently completing a semistructured in depth telephone interview. Results Thematic analysis of interviews identified two organising themes: lived experience and supportive care. Lived experience included six superordinate themes: regret about late diagnosis and treatment decisions, being discounted in …

Reversing The Spiral Of Fear, Sara Morris

ECU Posters

Introduction: The proposed poster aims to bring about discourse regarding current breech birth practices. Outlined within are factors which have contributed to the current state of breech birth, not only in Australia but on a global scale and highlights steps which have been taken by others and may be used in Western Australia (WA) to reverse the spiral of fear currently surrounding breech birth. There is currently no literature pertaining to the state of breech birth in WA.

The publication of the Term Breech Trial (TBT) in 2000, the lack of trust and the need to control the birthing environment, …

Snac_Oshc: Exploring A Multifaceted Approach To Develop Outside Of School Hours Care As A Health Promoting Setting, Karen Forde

Theses : Honours

Background: Outside of school hours care (OSHC) services are underutilised as health promoting settings, yet are well positioned to influence health behaviours. OSHC Professionals are ideally placed to become positive influencers in this setting, although may require training to confidently perform this role.

Aim: This research trialed a multifaceted intervention strategy to increase OSHC Professional’s confidence and competencies, to support a health promoting OSHC environment with a nutrition and PA activity focus.

Design and Methods: This exploratory study adopted a mixed methods approach. The three-pronged, multifaceted intervention included: a workshop, a closed Facebook group, and a website. 19 OSHC Professionals, …

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 …

Resting Hormone Alterations And Injuries: Block Vs. Dup Weight-Training Among D-1 Track And Field Athletes, Keith B. Painter, Guy Gregory Haff, N. Travis Triplett, Charles Stuart, Guy Hornsby, Mike W. Ramsey, Caleb D. Bazyler, Michael H. Stone

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Daily undulating periodization (DUP), using daily alterations in repetitions, has been advocated as a superior method of resistance training, while traditional forms of programming for periodization (Block) have been questioned. Nineteen Division I track and field athletes were assigned to either a 10-week Block or DUP training group. Year and event were controlled. Over the course of the study, there were four testing sessions, which were used to evaluate a variety of strength characteristics, including maximum isometric strength, rate of force development, and one repetition maximum (1RM). Although, performance trends favored the Block group for strength and rate of force …

Braking Ground Reaction Force During 90deg Sidestep Cut And Leg Muscle Strength., Walter Yu, Sophia Nimphius, Greg Haff, Kazunori Nosaka

ECU Posters

Change of direction (COD) total time is influenced by linear sprint ability and technique. Therefore, COD performance should be isolated from COD total time by measuring only the time taken to perform the COD and COD technique should be controlled. Current COD studies focus on the plant and penultimate (PEN) braking steps (Dos’ Santos et al, 2017, Jones et al, 2017), however, deceleration during a COD extends beyond these two steps (Nedergaard et al, 2014), thus, more braking steps ground reaction forces (GRF) needs to be examined. Cross sectional COD studies have shown that athletes with faster COD performance were …

Relationship Between Strength And Power Production Capacities In Trained Sprint Track Cyclists, James Vercoe, Mike R. Mcguigan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between strength and power capabilities in trained sprint track cyclists. Ten participants including six women and four men (age: 22.1±6.8 years, body height: 176.1±6.7 cm, body weight: 72.1±7.9 kg) performed isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) and isokinetic sprint tests. Variables measured included peak force (PF), peak rate of force development (PRFD) for the IMTP and maximal torque and maximal power (Pmax) for the isokinetic sprint test. There was a strong relationship between PF on the IMTP and maximal peak torque values across five isokinetic sprints (r=.890-.925). Strong relationships were also shown …

Vegetable Diversity, Injurious Falls, And Fracture Risk In Older Women: A Prospective Cohort Study, Marc Sim, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Joshua Lewis, Catherine P. Bondonno, Amanda Devine, Kun Zhu, Richard J. Woodman, Richard L. Price, Jonathan M. Hodgson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The importance of vegetable diversity for the risk of falling and fractures is unclear. Our objective was to examine the relationship between vegetable diversity with injurious falling and fractures leading to hospitalization in a prospective cohort of older Australian women (n = 1429, ≥70 years). Vegetable diversity was quantified by assessing the number of different vegetables consumed daily. Vegetable intake (75 g servings/day) was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline (1998). Over 14.5 years, injurious falls (events = 568, 39.7%), and fractures (events = 404, 28.3%) were captured using linked health records. In multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models, …

Clinical Application Of Circulating Tumor Cells And Circulating Tumor Dna In Uveal Melanoma, Aaron Beasley, Timothy Isaacs, Muhammad K. Khattak, James B. Freeman, Richard Allcock, Fred K. Chen, Michelle R. Pereira, Kyle Yau, Jaqueline Bentel, Tersia Vermeulen, Leslie Calapre, Michael Millward, Melanie R. Ziman, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for the management of uveal melanoma (UM).

Patients and Methods Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing was used to determine somatic chromosomal copy number alterations (SCNAs) in primary UM tumors, ctDNA, and whole-genome amplified CTCs. CTCs were immunocaptured using an antimelanoma-associated chondroitin sulfate antibody conjugated to magnetic beads and immunostained for melanoma antigen recognised by T cells 1 (MART1)/glycoprotein 100 (gp100)/S100 calcium-binding protein β (S100β). ctDNA was quantified using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay for mutations in the GNAQ, GNA11, PLCβ4, and CYSLTR2 …

White Matter Hyperintensities And The Mediating Role Of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy In Dominantly-Inherited Alzheimer’S Disease, Seonjoo Lee, Molly E. Zimmerman, Atul Narkhede, Sara E. Nasrabady, Giuseppe Tosto, Irene B. Meier, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Daniel S. Marcus, Anne M. Fagan, Nick C. Fox, Nigel J. Cairns, David M. Holtzman, Virginia Buckles, Bernardino Ghetti, Eric Mcdade, Ralph Martins, Andrew J. Saykin, Colin L. Masters, John M. Ringman, Stefan Fӧrster, Peter R. Schofield, Reisa A. Sperling, Keith A. Johnson, Jasmeer P. Chhatwal, Stephen Salloway, Stephen Correia, Clifford R. Jack, Jr, Michael Weiner, Randall J. Bateman, John C. Morris, Richard Mayeux, Adam M. Brickman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: White matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume on MRI is increased among presymptomatic individuals with autosomal dominant mutations for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One potential explanation is that WMH, conventionally considered a marker of cerebrovascular disease, are a reflection of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and that increased WMH in this population is a manifestation of this vascular form of primary AD pathology. We examined whether the presence of cerebral microbleeds, a marker of CAA, mediates the relationship between WMH and estimated symptom onset in individuals with and without autosomal dominant mutations for AD.

Participants and methods: Participants (n = 175, …

Low-Level Cadmium Exposure And Cardiovascular Outcomes In Elderly Australian Women: A Cohort Study, Kane Deering, Anna C. Callan, Richard Prince, Wai Lim, Peter Thompson, Joshua Lewis, Andrea Hinwood, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Cadmium has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in observational studies, however there has been a limited focus on this relationship in women.

Objectives

This study investigated the association of urinary cadmium (UCd) concentrations with CVD outcomes and all-cause mortality in elderly Western Australian (WA) women.

Methods

UCd excretion was measured at baseline in 1359 women, mean age 75.2 ± 2.7 years and 14.5 years of atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) hospitalisations and deaths, including both the principle cause of death and all associated causes of death. Health outcome data were retrieved from the Western Australian Data …

Public Health Implications Of Metal Ash Concentrations From Prescribed Burns: A Study Of Open Jarrah Forests, John Edwards

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Ash is not a homogenous product. It is the solid residue of combustion and contains a complex mixture of chemical products. The fire that produces ash is non-discriminatory in that it will burn anything that is combustible. The ash residue resulting from fires varies and is dependent on its source, and burn characteristics such as the temperature of the fire. Ash comprises particles of carbon, soot and trace elements. Ash presents public health risk to people and communities, through direct and indirect ingestion, inhalation and absorption. The health effects of ash exposure are not limited to symptoms affecting the eyes, …

Circulating Tumour Dna: A Non-Invasive Biomarker For Melanoma, Ashleigh Cavell Mcevoy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Cutaneous melanoma accounts for 90% of all skin cancer deaths (Balch et al., 2010) and is responsible for 3.6% of deaths from cancer in Australia (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016). Whilst early detection and successful surgical removal of primary melanomas have improved survival rates (DeSantis et al., 2014), approximately 30% of these patients will have disease recurrence at some point in their lives (Soong et al., 1992; Soong et al., 1998). This is despite being considered disease free following treatment, which may have included surgical removal of the primary and/or its metastasis/es, radiation and/or systemic therapy. Whilst the …

Holistic Health: Shaping Women’S Experiences Of Positive Body Image, Helen Elizabeth Monks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This PhD thesis seeks to contribute to a nuanced understanding of positive body image and how it is expressed among a group of women participating in holistic health culture in a modern Western society. Qualitative data were collected from in-depth ethnographic interviews with 25 women in Perth, Western Australia, to illuminate an understanding of their holistic health beliefs and practices, perceptions of appearance and health ideals, as well as their understandings of positive body image. Thematic analysis of the data through Nvivo revealed several overarching themes, demonstrating how certain aspects of holistic health culture may encourage or dissuade the development …

Design, Implementation And Evaluation Of The Impact Of A Body Image Professional Development Program For Early Childhood Educators, Karen Lombardi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Poor body image is a serious public health concern globally, and may lead to the development of poor mental and physical health, as well as eating disorders. Body image concerns were once believed to arise during puberty, though it is now reported children as young as three years of age present with such problems. Early intervention is therefore an important strategy to improve mental and physical health outcomes for very young children, and educators are an obvious conduit to build confidence, self-esteem and resilience of such children. In order for them to adequately fulfil this role, educators must first understand …

Exploring The Preparedness Of Novice (Student) Paramedics For The Mental Health Challenges Of The Paramedic Profession: Using The Wisdom Of The Elders, Lisa Holmes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates the preparedness of novice (student) paramedics for the mental health challenges of the paramedic profession and identifies the coping strategies used by veteran paramedics to successfully meet these challenges. The lived experience of veteran paramedics is utilised to provide this important assistance.

Initially, two surveys were developed and administered to 16 course coordinators and 302 students of the 16 accredited undergraduate degree paramedicine courses across Australia and New Zealand, to identify the perceived need (for preparation) within the curriculum. In addition, the anticipations, confidence and fears of novice (student) paramedics, course coordinators and veteran paramedics were also …

A Framework For Development Of Android Mobile Electronic Prescription Transfer Applications In Compliance With Security Requirements Mandated By The Australian Healthcare Industry, Kyaw Kyaw Htat

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigates mobile electronic transfer of prescription (ETP) in compliance with the security requirements mandated by the Australian healthcare industry and proposes a framework for the development of an Android mobile electronic prescription transfer application. Furthermore, and based upon the findings and knowledge from constructing this framework, another framework is also derived for assessing Android mobile ETP applications for their security compliance.

The centralised exchange model-based ETP solution currently used in the Australian healthcare industry is an expensive solution for on-going use. With challenges such as an aging population and the rising burden of chronic disease, the cost of …

Impact Of Biobanks On Research Outcomes In Rare Diseases：A Systematic Review, Monique Garcia

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Rare diseases (RDs) are a global priority yet are still under researched. When combined, RDs are common, with individual diseases numbering approximately 5,000-8,000, equating to approximately 7% of the population in Europe. Extrapolating this figure for Australia suggests that about 1.2 million people are affected by RDs, with about 400,000 of those being children. The WA Rare Diseases Strategic Framework 2015-2018, the first strategy for rare diseases in Australia, recognises that in order to alleviate the significant burden of rare diseases, innovative translational tools that facilitate research into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies should be given priority.

Registries facilitate clinical, …

Genetic Determinants Of Rates Of Cognitive Decline In Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease, Tenielle L. S. Porter

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In 2015 the number of people worldwide living with Dementia was 46.8 million, with approximately 50-75% of these cases being clinically defined as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite extensive efforts, clinical trials have so far failed to yield a treatment that successfully addresses the underlying cause of AD. This lack of treatment has been suggested, in part, to be a result of late stage of intervention in current clinical trial design. For this reason, greater focus has been placed on preclinical trials and in turn both the identification of individuals at-risk for AD and, amongst these, those that are expected to …

Assessment Of Joint Kinetics In Elite Sprint Cyclists, Lynne Munro

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sprint cycling requires the production of explosive muscle power outputs up to very high pedalling rates. The ability to assess muscular function through the course of the sprint would aid training practices for high-level performers. Inverse dynamics provides a non-invasive means of estimating the net muscle actions acting across any joint contributing to movement. However, analysis of joint kinetics requires motion-capture techniques that present some unique challenges for cycling. This thesis presents three studies investigating the application of a custom-designed force pedal system to examine the joint kinetics of elite trained track sprint cyclists. To provide the basis for selecting …

Gender Differences In Physical Performance Characteristics Of Competitive Surfers, Joanna Parsonage

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Competitive surfing is judged on the performance and complexity of innovative and progressive manoeuvres. As such, surfers require the physical attributes of strength and power in both the upper and lower-body in order to facilitate performance. To date, there remains limited research pertaining to the physical performance characteristics of competitive female surfers, making it difficult to quantify the current gender gap in performance attributes. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was fivefold: (1) to describe and compare the gender differences in physical performance characteristics of competitive surfers; (2) to investigate the reliability and validity of the isometric push-up (IPU), dynamic …

Mindfulness At Work: Assessing The Impact Of Practising Mindfulness In The Workplace On Engagement, Wellbeing, Happiness And Positivity, Fiona Peters

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aim: The purpose of this study carried out in Perth, Western Australia was to examine the effect of mindfulness training on workers in a university setting, by assessing the impact of mindfulness training on their sense of wellbeing, happiness, positivity and level of engagement in their jobs.

Method: Participants (n = 54) were recruited through the Edith Cowan University staff Health and Wellness Program, Live Life Longer and randomly allocated into two groups of 27. Both groups were invited to take part in 6 weeks of mindfulness training with staggered starts, group 2 began once group 1 had completed the …

The Utility Of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation As A Treatment Strategy For Circadian Rhythm And Sleep Disturbances In Premanifest Huntington’S Disease, Danielle Megan Bartlett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare, neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) sequence in the Huntingtin gene, resulting in the production of an aberrant protein, mutant huntingtin (mHTT). The mHTT protein exhibits a toxic loss and gain in function, leading to degeneration of neurons in the brain. Consequently, the classic triad of motor, cognitive and mood features of the disease develop. Among the earliest features of HD are circadian rhythm and sleep disturbances. These anomalies present many years prior to formal clinical diagnosis of HD and, while it has been postulated that these disturbances arise as a …

A Profile Of Game Style, Physical, Technical And Tactical Skills, And The Pathways That Underpin Expertise In Australian Youth Soccer Players, Bradley Scott Keller

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The attainment of expertise has been the focus of research in many domains including music, chess and sport. This research has progressed with many theories detailing the best way to develop expertise and nurture talent in sport. Soccer is a multifaceted sport which requires a number of physical, technical and tactical skills to be successful, making it difficult to achieve expertise. Although Australia’s performance on the international stage is improving, there is a lack of evidence to inform the most effective development pathways to support the next wave of talented youth soccer players. Therefore, the aim of the thesis was …

Braking Ground Reaction Force During 90deg Sidestep Cut And Its Relationship To Leg Muscle Strength, Walter Yu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Previous studies on change of direction (COD) have reported that braking is an important factor for COD performance. However, previous studies have focused on the plant step and the penultimate step (PEN), thus little is known about deceleration before these steps. This study compared ground reaction forces (GRF) of two braking steps, the PEN and the step prior to PEN (PEN-1), the entry and exit velocity of the COD, and muscle function measures (leg press and leg curl one-repetition maximum, isometric and isokinetic strength, and drop jump performance) between faster and slower participants for a 90^o sidestep cut. This …

Ultrasound Measurements On The Inferior Vena Cava By Renal Nursing Staff For Assessment And Management Of Intravascular Volume Status In Haemodialysis Patients, Ulrich Steinwandel

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Title: Ultrasound measurements on the inferior vena cava (IVC-US) by renal nursing staff for assessment and management of intravascular volume status in haemodialysis patients.

Aims: The primary aim of this thesis was to provide evidence that renal nurses could safely and efficiently perform IVC-US on haemodialysis patients to obtain objective assessment of intravascular volume status and potentially reduce adverse events and morbidity. The secondary aims for this study were: (1) conduct a systematic literature review to identify evidence if renal nurses have previously used this method for intravascular volume assessment; (2) teach a renal nurse through a staged educational programme, …

The Delivery Of Primary Health Care In Remote Australian Communities: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Perspective Of Nurses, Kylie Mccullough

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Around 85% of Australia’s landmass is remote and sparsely populated. Across these vast areas of desert, wilderness and tropical islands, nurses provide the majority of health care services. The residents of Australia’s remote communities have poorer health status than their metropolitan counterparts. The proportion of Indigenous people is high and health and social disadvantage is widespread. The characteristics of each remote community are unique and often reflect challenges associated with distance to tertiary health services and limited health resources. As a result, nursing practice within this context is very different to other nursing contexts. Despite recognition of Primary Health Care …

The Mechanics Of Front Leg Loading During Cricket Fast Bowling: Delivery Variations, Spell Demands, And The Effects Of Strength Training, Samuel J. Callaghan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The goal of fast bowling in cricket is to dismiss a batsman for as few runs as possible. To assist this goal, fast bowlers will attempt to maximise ball release velocity (BRV) to decrease the decision-making and stroke execution time of the opposing batsmen. Fast bowlers will also employ various delivery lengths (i.e. short, good and full) to assist in affecting a batsman’s stroke execution.

Several issues remain to be addressed with regards to the biomechanical assessment of fast bowling. This is particularly evident when analysing fast bowling performance (i.e. BRV), the implications of front foot loading (i.e. vertical and …