Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

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

Method: A 12-month medical chart audit of clients discharged from an Australian older adult–specific alcohol and other drug treatment service was performed. Measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption, the Kessler 10, and …

The Nexus Of Nursing Leadership And A Culture Of Safer Patient Care, Melanie Murray, Deborah R. Sundin, Vicki C. Cope

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims and objectives: To explore the connection between +6 nursing leadership and enhanced patient safety.

Background: Critical reports from the Institute of Medicine in 1999 and Francis QC report of 2013 indicate that healthcare organisations, inclusive of nursing leadership, were remiss or inconsistent in fostering a culture of safety. The factors required to foster organisational safety culture include supportive leadership, effective communication, an orientation programme and ongoing training, appropriate staffing, open communication regarding errors, compliance to policy and procedure, and environmental safety and security. As nurses have the highest patient interaction, and leadership is discernible at all levels of nursing, …

The 12-Year Prevalence And Trends Of Childhood Disabilities In Australia: Findings From The Survey Of Disability, Aging And Carers, Diana Arabiat, Lisa Whitehead, Mohammad Al Jabery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim: This paper contributes to knowledge on the prevalence and nature of disabilities in Australian children over a 12‐year period (2003–2015). Understanding the current state of childhood disability is imperative for predicting future needs for long‐term care and early intervention services for this population.

Methods: We used data on children 0–14 years from the 2003, 2009, 2012, and 2015 survey of Disability, Aging and Carers, which is an ongoing national survey covering both rural and urban areas of all States and Territories of Australia.

Results: Using the test for trends in population, no significant increases were noted in the prevalence …

Can A Renal Nurse Assess Fluid Status Using Ultrasound On The Inferior Vena Cava? A Cross-Sectional Interrater Study: Ultrasound On The Inferior Vena Cava, Ulrich Steinwandel, Nicholas Gibson, Amanda Towell, James Rippey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: Ultrasound of the inferior vena cava (IVC-US) has been used to estimate intravascular volume status and fluid removal during a hemodialysis session. Usually, renal nurses rely on other, imprecise methods to determine ultrafiltration. To date, no study has examined whether renal nurses can reliably perform ultrasound for volume assessment and for potential prevention of intradialytic hypotension. This pilot study aimed to determine if a renal nurse could master the skill of performing and correctly interpreting Point of Care Ultrasound on patients receiving hemodialysis.

Methods: After receiving theoretical training and performing 100 training scans, a renal nurse performed 60 ultrasound …

Relationship Of Dietary Nitrate Intake From Vegetables With Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: A Prospective Study In A Cohort Of Older Australians, Alex H. Liu, Catherine P. Bondonno, Joanna Russell, Victoria M. Flood, Joshua R. Lewis, Kevin D. Croft, Richard J. Woodman, Wai H. Lim, Annette Kifley, Germaine Wong, Paul Mitchell, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: Short-term trials indicate inorganic nitrate and nitrate-rich vegetables may have vascular health benefits. However, few observational studies have explored the relationship between nitrate intake and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association of nitrate intake from vegetables with CVD mortality in a sample of older Australians.

Methods: A subgroup of participants without diabetes or major CVD at baseline (1992–1994) were included from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, a population-based cohort study of men and women aged ≥ 49 years. Diets were evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline, …

Minimally Actuated Walking: Identifying Core Challenges To Economical Legged Locomotion Reveals Novel Solutions, Ryan T. Schroeder, John Ea Bertram

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Terrestrial organisms adept at locomotion employ strut-like legs for economical and robust movement across the substrate. Although it is relatively easy to observe and analyze details of the solutions these organic systems have arrived at, it is not as easy to identify the problems these movement strategies have solved. As such, it is useful to investigate fundamental challenges that effective legged locomotion overcomes in order to understand why the mechanisms employed by biological systems provide viable solutions to these challenges. Such insight can inform the design and development of legged robots that may eventually match or exceed animal performance. In …

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Underutilization Of Antenatal Care Services In Nigeria: A Comparative Study Of Rural And Urban Residences Based On The 2013 Nigeria Demographic And Health Survey, Emmanuel O. Adewuyi, Asa Auta, Vishnu Khanal, Olasunkanmi D. Bamidele, Cynthia P. Akuoko, Kazeem Adefemi, Samson J. Tapshak, Yun Zhao

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction Antenatal care (ANC) is a major public health intervention aimed at ensuring safe pregnancy outcomes. In Nigeria, the recommended minimum of four times ANC attendance is underutilized. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with underutilization of ANC services with a focus on the differences between rural and urban residences in Nigeria. Methods We analyzed the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey dataset with adjustment for the sampling weight and the cluster design of the survey. The prevalence of underutilization of ANC was assessed using frequency tabulation while associated factors were examined using Chi-Square test and multivariable logistic …

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

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

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

Exposure To Environmental Microbiota Explains Persistent Abdominal Pain And Irritable Bowel Syndrome After A Major Flood, Nurfadhilah Yusof, Nurhazwani Hamid, Zheng Feei Ma, Rona Marie Lawenko, Wan Mohd Zahiruddin Wan Mohammad, Deirdre Collins, Min Tze Liong, Toshitaka Odamaki, Jinzhong Xiao, Yeong Yeh Lee

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

After an environmental disaster, the affected community is at increased risk for persistent abdominal pain but mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to determine association between abdominal pain and poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) practices, and if small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and/or gut dysbiosis explain IBS, impaired quality of life (QOL), anxiety and/or depression after a major flood.

Results

New onset abdominal pain, IBS based on the Rome III criteria, WaSH practices, QOL, anxiety and/or depression, SIBO (hydrogen breath testing) and stools for metagenomic sequencing were assessed in flood victims. Of 211 participants, 37.9 % ( …

Effect Of Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Remoteness And Indigenous Status On Hospital Usage For Western Australian Preterm Infants Under 12 Months Of Age: A Population-Based Data Linkage Study, Natalie A. Strobel, Sue Peter, Kimberley E. Mcauley, Daniel R. Mcaullay, Rhonda Marriott, Karen M. Edmond

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives:

Our primary objective was to determine the incidence of hospital admission and emergency department presentation in Indigenous and non-Indigenous preterm infants aged postdischarge from birth admission to 11 months in Western Australia. Secondary objectives were to assess incidence in the poorest infants from remote areas and to determine the primary causes of hospital usage in preterm infants.

Design:

Prospective population-based linked data set.

Setting and participants:

All preterm babies born in Western Australia during 2010 and 2011.

Main outcome measures:

All-cause hospitalisations and emergency department presentations.

Results:

There were 6.9% (4211/61 254) preterm infants, 13.1% (433/3311) Indigenous …

Additive Manufacturing Techniques And Their Biomedical Applications, Yujing Liu, Wei Wang, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is gaining increasing attention in medical fields, especially in dental and implant areas. Because AM technologies have many advantages in comparison with traditional technologies, such as the ability to manufacture patient-specific complex components, high material utilization, support of tissue growth, and a unique customized service for individual patients, AM is considered to have a large potential market in medical fields. This brief review presents the recent progress of 3D-printed ­biomedical materials for bone applications, mainly for metallic materials, including multifunctional alloys with high strength and low Young’s modulus, shape memory alloys, …

Seminal Plasma Enables Selection And Monitoring Of Active Surveillance Candidates Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Based Metabolomics: A Preliminary Investigation, Matthew J. Roberts, Renee S. Richards, Clement W.K. Chow, Marion Buck, John Yaxley, Martin F. Lavin, Horst Joachim Schirra, Robert A. Gardiner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Diagnosis and monitoring of localized prostate cancer requires discovery and validation of noninvasive biomarkers. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics of seminal plasma reportedly improves diagnostic accuracy, but requires validation in a high-risk clinical cohort.

Materials and methods:

Seminal plasma samples of 151 men being investigated for prostate cancer were analyzed with ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. After adjustment for buffer (add-to-subtract) and endogenous enzyme influence on metabolites, metabolite profiling was performed with multivariate statistical analysis (principal components analysis, partial least squares) and targeted quantitation.

Results:

Seminal plasma metabolites best predicted low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer with differences observed between these …

Work Change In Multiple Sclerosis As Motivated By The Pursuit Of Illness-Work-Life Balance: A Qualitative Study, Lavanya Vijayasingham, Uma Jogulu, Pascale Allotey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Individuals with multiple sclerosis have a tendency to make early decisions for work change, even in reversible, episodic, or mild disease stages. To better understand how a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis influences perceptions of work and motivations for work changes, we conducted a hermeneutic phenomenology study to explore the work lives of ten individuals with MS in Malaysia. The interpretive analysis and cumulative narratives depict an overarching change in their concept of ideal work and life aspirations and how participants make preemptive work changes to manage illness-work-life futures in subjectively meaningful ways. Discussions on their integrated pursuit of finding dynamic …

The Gene Smart Study: Method, Study Design, And Preliminary Findings, Xu Yan, Nir Eynon, Ioannis D. Papadimitriou, Jujiao Kuang, Fiona Munson, Oren Tirosh, Lannie O’Keefe, Lyn R. Griffiths, Kevin J. Ashton, Nuala Byrne, Yannis P. Pitsiladis, David J. Bishop

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The gene SMART (genes and the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to Training) Study aims to identify genetic variants that predict the response to both a single session of High-Intensity Interval Exercise (HIIE) and to four weeks of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). While the training and testing centre is located at Victoria University, Melbourne, three other centres have been launched at Bond University, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and the University of Brighton, UK. Currently 39 participants have already completed the study and the overall aim is to recruit 200 moderately-trained, healthy Caucasians participants (all males 18 – 45 y, BMI …

Prevalence Of Binary Toxin Positive Clostridium Difficile In Diarrhoeal Humans In The Absence Of Epidemic Ribotype 027, Alan M. Mcgovern, Grace O. Androga, Daniel R. Knight, Mark W. Watson, Briony Elliott, Niki F. Foster, Barbara J. Chang, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Virulence of Clostridium difficile is primarily attributed to the large clostridial toxins A and B while the role of binary toxin (CDT) remains unclear. The prevalence of human strains of C. difficile possessing only CDT genes (A¯B¯CDT ⁺) is generally low (< 5 %), however, this genotype is commonly found in neonatal livestock both in Australia and elsewhere. Zoonotic transmission of C. difficile has been suggested previously. Most human diagnostic tests will not detect A¯B¯CDT ⁺ strains of C. difficile because they focus on detection of toxin A and/or B. We performed a prospective investigation into the prevalence and genetic characteristics of A¯B¯CDT ⁺ C. difficile in symptomatic humans. All glutamate dehydrogenase or …

Neuromuscular Training Improves Lower Extremity Biomechanics Associated With Knee Injury During Landing In 11-13 Year Old Female Netball Athletes: A Randomized Control Study, Amanda J. Hopper, Erin Haff, Christopher Joyce, Rhodri S. Lloyd, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a neuromuscular training (NMT) program on lower-extremity biomechanics in youth female netball athletes. The hypothesis was that significant improvements would be found in landing biomechanics of the lower-extremities, commonly associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, following NMT. Twenty-three athletes (age = 12.2 ± 0.9 years; height = 1.63 ± 0.08 m; mass = 51.8 ± 8.5 kg) completed two testing sessions separated by 7-weeks and were randomly assigned to either a experimental or control group. Thirteen athletes underwent 6-weeks of NMT, while the remaining 10 served as controls …

Association Between Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics And Suboptimal Health Status In Chinese Population, Youxin Wang, Xiaoxue Liu, Jing Qiu, Hao Wang, Di Liu, Zhongyao Zhao, Manshu Song, Qiaofeng Song, Xizhu Wang, Yong Zhou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a physical state between health and illness, and previous studies suggested that SHS is associated with majority components of cardiovascular health metrics defined by American Heart Association (AHA). We investigated the association between SHS and cardiovascular health metrics in a cross-sectional analysis of China suboptimal health cohort study (COACS) consisting of 4313 participants (60.30 % women) aged from 18 to 65 years old. The respective prevalence of SHS is 7.10 %, 9.18 %, 10.04 % and 10.62 % in the first, second, third and fourth quartiles of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics (P for …

"Active Team" A Social And Gamified App-Based Physical Activity Intervention: Randomised Controlled Trial Study Protocol, Sarah Edney, Ronald Plotnikoff, Corneel Vandelanotte, Tim Olds, Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij, Jillian Ryan, Carol Maher

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Physical inactivity is a leading preventable cause of chronic disease and premature death globally, yet over half of the adult Australian population is inactive. To address this, web-based physical activity interventions, which have the potential to reach large numbers of users at low costs, have received considerable attention. To fully realise the potential of such interventions, there is a need to further increase their appeal to boost engagement and retention, and sustain intervention effects over longer periods of time. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a gamified physical activity intervention that connects users to each …

A Blood-Based Biomarker Panel Indicates Il-10 And Il-12/23p40 Are Jointly Associated As Predictors Of Β-Amyloid Load In An Ad Cohort, Steve Pedrini, Veer B. Gupta, Eugene Hone, James Doecke, Sid O’Bryant, Ian James, Ashley I. Bush, Christopher C. Rowe, Victor L. Villemagne, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Ralph N. Martins, Aibl Research Group

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterised by extracellular amyloid deposition as plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein. As no current clinical test can diagnose individuals at risk of developing AD, the aim of this project is to evaluate a blood-based biomarker panel to identify individuals who carry this risk. We analysed the levels of 22 biomarkers in clinically classified healthy controls (HC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s participants from the well characterised Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of aging. High levels of IL-10 and IL-12/23p40 were significantly associated with amyloid …

Effects Of A Six-Week Strength Training Programme On Change Of Direction Performance In Youth Team Sport Athletes, Frank A. Bourgeois, Paul Gamble, Nic D. Gill, Mike R. Mcguigan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study investigated the effects of eccentric phase-emphasis strength training (EPE) on unilateral strength and performance in 180- and 45-degree change of direction (COD) tasks in rugby union players. A 12-week cross-over design was used to compare the efficacy of resistance training executed with 3 s eccentric duration (EPE, n = 12) against conventional strength training, with no constraints on tempo (CON, n = 6). Players in each condition were categorised as ‘fast’ (FAST) or ‘slow’ (SLOW) using median trial times from baseline testing. Players recorded greater isometric strength improvements following EPE (ES = − 0.54 to 1.80). Whilst these …

Cruciferous And Allium Vegetable Intakes Are Inversely Associated With 15‐Year Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease Deaths In Older Adult Women, Lauren Blekkenhorst, Catherine P. Bondonno, Joshua Lewis, Amanda Devine, Kun Zhu, Wai Lim, Richard Woodman, Lawrence Beilin, Richard Prince, Jonathan M. Hodgson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Higher vegetable intake is consistently associated with lower atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) events. However, the components responsible and mechanisms involved are uncertain. Nonnutritive phytochemicals may be involved. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations of total vegetable intake and types of vegetables grouped according to phytochemical constituents with ASVD mortality.

Methods and Results

The cohort consisted of 1226 Australian women aged 70 years and older without clinical ASVD or diabetes mellitus at baseline (1998). Vegetable intakes were calculated per serving (75 g/d) and were also classified into prespecified types relating to phytochemical constituents. ASVD‐related deaths were …

Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease Associated Pathways Identified In Retinal And Vitreous Proteome From Human Glaucoma Eyes, M. Mirzaei, Veer Bala Gupta, J. M. Chick, T. M. Greco, Y. Wu, N. Chitranshi, R. V. Wall, Eugene Hone, L. Deng, Y. Dheer, M. Abbasi, M. Rezaeian, N. Braidy, Y. You, G. H. Salekdeh, P. A. Haynes, M. P. Molloy, Ralph Martins, I. M. Cristea, S. P. Gygi, S. L. Graham, V. K. Gupta

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Glaucoma is a chronic disease that shares many similarities with other neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system. This study was designed to evaluate the association between glaucoma and other neurodegenerative disorders by investigating glaucoma-associated protein changes in the retina and vitreous humour. The multiplexed Tandem Mass Tag based proteomics (TMT-MS3) was carried out on retinal tissue and vitreous humour fluid collected from glaucoma patients and age-matched controls followed by functional pathway and protein network interaction analysis. About 5000 proteins were quantified from retinal tissue and vitreous fluid of glaucoma and control eyes. Of the differentially regulated proteins, 122 were …

Myocardial Infarction In The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study: The Interaction Among Environmental, Health, Social, Behavioural And Genetic Factors, Tina K. Gonzales, James A. Yonker, Vicky Chang, Carol L. Roan, Pamela Herd, Craig S. Atwood

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives:

This study examined how environmental, health, social, behavioural and genetic factors interact to contribute to myocardial infarction (MI) risk.

Design:

Survey data collected by Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), USA, from 1957 to 2011, including 235 environmental, health, social and behavioural factors, and 77 single- nucleotide polymorphisms were analysed for association with MI. To identify associations with MI we utilized recursive partitioning and random forest prior to logistic regression and chi-squared analyses.

Participants:

6198 WLS participants (2938 men; 3260 women) who (1) had a MI before 72 years and (2) had a MI between 65 and 72 years. …

An Integrative Study Of Motivation And Goal Regulation Processes In Subclinical Anxiety, Depression And Hypomania, Joanne M. Dickson, Sheri Johnson, Christopher Huntley, Peter Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Research has implicated motivation and goal regulation in susceptibility to mood disorders. We studied for the first time key facets of motivation and goal regulation concurrently in relation to affective symptoms. The cross-national sample comprised 510 university students from the United States (n = 279) and United Kingdom (n = 231). Participants completed self-report measures of motivation, conditional goal setting, urgency, depression, anxiety, and mania risk. Structural Equation Modeling results found that behavioral activation system scores correlated negatively with depression and positively with mania risk, but were unrelated to anxiety. High conditional goal setting correlated uniquely with higher …

Stimulation Of Anterior Thalamic Nucleus Protects Hippocampus Neural Injury In Kainic Acid-Induced Epileptic Rats, Na Yan, Ning Chen, Wei Gao, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Anterior nucleus of thalamus (ANT) stimulation has been proved to be effective in the treatment of refractory epilepsy, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We examined the role of ANT stimulation on hippocampal neuron death after seizures induced by kainic acid (KA). Our data showed that ANT stimulation could significantly rescue neurons from death induced by seizures, by reducing the release of cytochrome c (cyto c) and also via apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) induced by seizures through inhibiting the activated caspase-9 and caspase-3. Our data suggest that ANT stimulation may protect against neuronal loss and reduce neuronal injury in …

Affordance Boundaries Are Defined By Dynamic Capabilities Of Parkour Athletes In Dropping From Various Heights, James L. Croft, John E.A. Bertram

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Available behaviors are determined by the fit between features of the individual and reciprocal features of the environment. Beyond some critical boundary certain behaviors become impossible causing sudden transitions from one movement pattern to another. Parkour athletes have developed multiple movement patterns to deal with their momentum during landing. We were interested in whether drop distance would cause a sudden transition between a two-footed (precision) landing and a load-distributing roll and whether the transition height could be predicted by dynamic and geometric characteristics of individual subjects. Kinematics and ground reaction forces were measured as Parkour athletes stepped off a box …

Profiling Of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors And Medication Utilisation Among Type Ii Diabetes Patients In Ghana: A Prospective Cohort Study, Eric Adua, Peter Roberts, Samuel Asamoah Sakyi, Francis Agyemang Yeboah, Albert Dompreh, Kwasi Frimpong, Enoch Odame Anto, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is complicated by multiple cardio-metabolic risk factors. Controlling these factors requires lifestyle modifications alongside utilisation of anti-diabetic medications. Different glucose lowering [(biguanides (BIGs), sulfonylureas (SUAs), thiazolidinediones (TNZ)], lipid lowering (statins), and anti-hypertensive medicines [angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and central acting drugs (CADs)] have been approved for controlling hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension respectively. Here, we examined factors that characterise T2DM and explored the response to medication therapy among T2DM patients.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study recruited 241 T2DM patients reporting at a clinic …

Sensitive Droplet Digital Pcr Method For Detection Of Tert Promoter Mutations In Cell Free Dna From Patients With Metastatic Melanoma, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Leslie Calapre, Michelle Pereira, Tindaro M. Giardina, Cleo Robinson, Muhammad A. Khattak, Tarek M. Meniawy, Antonia L. Pritchard, Nicholas K. Hayward, Benhur Amanuel, Michael J. Millward, Mel R. Ziman Dr, Elin S. Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Currently mainly BRAF mutant circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is utilized to monitor patients with melanoma. TERT promoter mutations are common in various cancers and found in up to 70 % of melanomas, including half of BRAF wildtype cases. Therefore, a sensitive method for detection of TERT promoter mutations would increase the number of patients that could be monitored through ctDNA analysis.

Methods:

A droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay was designed for the concurrent detection of chr5:1,295,228 C > T and chr5:1,295,250 C > T TERT promoter mutations. The assay was validated using 39 melanoma cell lines and 22 matched plasma and …

Evaluation Of Cholinergic Deficiency In Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease Using Pupillometry, Shaun Frost, Liam Robinson, Christopher C. Rowe, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Kevin Taddei, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Ralph Martins, Yogesan Kanagasingam

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Cortical cholinergic deficiency is prominent in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and published findings of diminished pupil flash response in AD suggest that this deficiency may extend to the visual cortical areas and anterior eye. Pupillometry is a low-cost, noninvasive technique that may be useful for monitoring cholinergic deficits which generally lead to memory and cognitive disorders. The aim of the study was to evaluate pupillometry for early detection of AD by comparing the pupil flash response (PFR) in AD (N=14) and cognitively normal healthy control (HC, N=115) participants, with the HC group stratified according to high (N=38) and low (N=77) neocortical …

The Hsp72 And Hsp90Α Mrna Responses To Hot Downhill Running Are Reduced Following A Prior Bout Of Hot Downhill Running, And Occur Concurrently Within Leukocytes And The Vastus Lateralis, James A. Tuttle, Bryna C.R. Chrismas, Oliver R. Gibson, James H. Barrington, David C. Hughes, Paul C. Castle, Alan J. Metcalfe, Adrian W. Midgley, Oliver Pearce, Chindu Kabir, Faizal Rayanmarakar, Sami Al-Ali, Mark P. Lewis, Lee Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The leukocyte heat shock response (HSR) is used to determine individual's thermotolerance. The HSR and thermotolerance are enhanced following interventions such as preconditioning and/or acclimation/acclimatization. However, it is unclear whether the leukocyte HSR is an appropriate surrogate for the HSR in other tissues implicated within the pathophysiology of exertional heat illnesses (e.g., skeletal muscle), and whether an acute preconditioning strategy (e.g., downhill running) can improve subsequent thermotolerance. Physically active, non-heat acclimated participants were split into two groups to investigate the benefits of hot downhill running as preconditioning strategy. A hot preconditioning group (HPC; n = 6) completed two trials (HPC1 …