Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Decreased Serum Zinc Is An Effect Of Ageing And Not Alzheimer's Disease, Alan Rembach, Dominic Hare, James Doecke, Samantha Burnham, Irene Volitakis, Christopher Fowler, Robert Cherny, Catriona Mclean, Rudolf Grimm, Ralph N. Martins, David Ames, Colin Masters, Ashley Bush, Blaine Roberts

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We examined the distribution of zinc in the periphery (erythrocytes and serum) in a large, well-characterised cohort, the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study, in order to determine if there is systemic perturbation in zinc homeostasis in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We observed an age dependent decrease in serum zinc of approximately 0.4% per year. When correcting for the age dependent decline in serum zinc no significant difference between healthy controls (HC), mildly cognitively impaired (MCI) or AD subjects was observed.

“Keeping It Together, Keeping Their Heads Above Water”: Western Australian Child Health Nurses’ Understanding Of Resilience In Postpartum Mothers, Rachael O. Collins, Julie Ann Pooley, Myra F. Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Assessing the well-being of postpartum mothers is an important aspect of postnatal nursing care. For this reason, Child Health Nurses (CHNs) are charged with the responsibility of identifying postpartum mothers who do/not manifest resilient behavioral qualities. However, little is known about CHNs’ conceptualization of resilience or how they assess resilience in postpartum mothers. This exemplar study addressed this knowledge shortfall by conducting semi-structured interviews with eight practicing CHNs. The study’s findings reveal that although CHNs’ conceptual understanding of resilience is congruent with current theoretical thinking, some variance does exist in the ways in which CHNs assess postpartum resilience, particularly, in …

Selection Of An Instrument To Evaluate The Organizational Environment Of Nurses Working In Intensive Care: An Integrative Review, Brett Abbenbroek, Christine M. Duffield, Doug Elliot

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

To determine an appropriate survey instrument to evaluate the impact of organizational structures on the work environment of intensive care nurses.

Links Between Insulin Resistance, Lipoprotein Metabolism And Amyloidosis In Alzheimer's Disease, Ian J. Martins, Rhona Creegan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The origins of premature brain aging and chronic disease progression are associated with atherogenic diets and sedentary lifestyles in Western communities. Interests in brain aging that involves non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the global stroke epidemic and neurodegeneration have become the focus of nutritional research. Atherogenic diets have been linked to plasma ceramide dysregulation and insulin resistance actively promoting chronic diseases and neurodegeneration in developed countries. Abnormal lipid signaling as observed in chronic diseases such as hypothyroidism, obesity and diabetes is connected to stroke and neurodegenerative diseases in man. Lipids that are involved in calcium and amyloid betahomeostasis are …

Traditional Chinese Medicine And New Concepts Of Predictive, Preventive And Personalized Medicine In Diagnosis And Treatment Of Suboptimal Health, Wei Wang, Alyce C. Russell, Yuxiang Yan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The premise of disease-related phenotypes is the definition of the counterpart normality in medical sciences. Contrary to clinical practices that can be carefully planned according to clinical needs, heterogeneity and uncontrollability is the essence of humans in carrying out health studies. Full characterization of consistent phenotypes that define the general population is the basis to individual difference normalization in personalized medicine. Self-claimed normal status may not represent health because asymptomatic subjects may carry chronic diseases at their early stage, such as cancer, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Currently, treatments for non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) are implemented after disease onset, which is …

A Process-Oriented Measure Of Habit Strength For Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity, J. Robert Grove, Irja Zillic, Nikola Medic

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Habitual action is an important aspect of health behaviour, but the relevance of various habit strength indicators continues to be debated. This study focused specifically on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and evaluated the construct validity of a framework emphasizing patterned action, stimulus-response bonding, automaticity, and negative consequences for nonperformance as indicators of habit strength for this form of exercise. Methods: Upper-level undergraduates (N = 124) provided demographic information and responded to questionnaire items assessing historical MVPA involvement, current MVPA involvement, and the four proposed habit strength dimensions. Factor analyses were used to examine the latent structure of the habit strength …

Influence Of Race Distance And Biological Sex On Age-Related Declines In Triathlon Performance. Part A, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Jeremiah Peiffer, Jeanick Brisswalter, Wing Y. Lau, Kazunori Nosaka, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study examined the effect of biological sex and race distance on the age-related declines in swimming, cycling, running and overall performances of the sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman and Ironman triathlons. Individual discipline and overall performance time of the top 20% non-elite males (n=468) and females (n=146) were compared by categorizing into four 10-year age-groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+ years) and normalising to the mean performance time of the fastest age-group for each race. An earlier, larger and faster rate of decline (p=0.01) in performance with ageing was observed in females (≥30 years, 9.3%, 3.0% per decade respectively) and males (≥40 …

Influence Of Age And Sex On Pacing During Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman And Ironman Triathlons. Part B, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, Jeanick Brisswalter, Wing Y. Lau, Kazunori Nosaka, Christopher Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of biological sex and age on the pacing strategies adopted by non-drafting top triathletes during the cycle and run disciplines of a Sprint, Olympic, half-Ironman and Ironman triathlon. Split times of the top 20% non-elite males (n=468) and females (n=146) were determined using official race transponders and a video capture system for pre-determined sections of the cycle and run disciplines of four triathlon distances. Indices of pacing were calculated to compare between sexes and age-groups. Results of this study indicated that different pacing strategies were adopted between athletes of different …

Developing And Validating A Healthcare Information Security Governance Framework, Rachel J. Mahncke, Patricia A. Williams

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

General medical practices' in Australia are vulnerable to information security threats and insecure practices. It is well accepted in the healthcare environment that information security is both a technical and a human endeavour, and that the human behaviours, particularly around integration with healthcare workflow, are key barriers to good information security practice. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioner's (RACGP) Computer and Information Security Standards (CISS) 2013 are the best practice standards for general practices, against which information security is assessed during practice accreditation. With the release of ISO/IEC 27014:2013 Information technology - Security techniques - Governance of information security …

Changing Places: The Need To Alter The Start Point For Information Security Design, Elizabeth Coles-Kemp, Patricia A. Williams

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Information security is a necessary requirement of information sharing within an electronic health system because without it confidentiality, availability, or integrity controls are absent. Research shows that the application of security in this setting is subject to workarounds partly because of resistance to security controls from clinicians who feel that their voice is excluded from the security design process. Heeks' explored the nature of health system design and referred to the distance between system designer and practitioner as the 'design-reality gap'. To reduce this gap, systems designers typically deploy usercentred, participatory approaches to design. They use various forms of consultation …

Parental Experiences Of Early Pulmonary Surveillance For Children With Cystic Fibrosis: A Research Proposal For Improved Family Psychosocial Outcomes, Cindy A. Branch-Smith, Tonia Douglas, Linda Shields, Stephen Stick, John Massie, Julie Ann Pooley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis (AREST-CF) conducts an early surveillance program (ESP) for children with cystic fibrosis (CF). The program has the potential to modify long term health outcomes for children through early detection of lung disease, long before signs and symptoms are apparent. The program is aimed specifically at infants and preschool children (~3 months to 6 years) who undergo annual, detailed and relatively invasive surveillance. Although the ESP has been operating for 10 years, how parents experience their child undergoing early surveillance of this nature, and the psychosocial factors that moderate these experiences, is …

Principles Of Practice In Mental Health Assessment With Aboriginal Australians, Yolonda Adams, Neil M. Drew, Roz Walker

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this chapter, concepts and history of assessment and testing in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing and mental health are discussed. Importantly, recently revised diagnostic guidelines and the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce 20131 and their appropriateness for meeting the distinctive needs of Aboriginal people are reviewed. Various assessment tools and measures that have been validated or proved appropriate for use with particular Aboriginal populations, i.e. youth, women and older people, are described. We conclude that practitioners need to be critically reflective in their role in assessment, and position themselves …

Moderation Of Assessments In A School Of Nursing And Midwifery; Enhancing Student Assessment Experiences, Lesley J. Andrew, Beverley A. Ewens, Rowena H. Scott

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper details a quality improvement initiative undertaken in 2013 within a School of Nursing and Midwifery, in Western Australia. The objective of the initiative was to support and enhance commencing student assessment experiences thorough the development of an evidence based, standardised assessment of moderation process.

Serum Concentrations Of The Biomarkers Ca125, Ca15-3, Ca72-4, Tpsa And Papp-A In Natural And Stimulated Ovarian Cycles, Melissa J. Stemp, Peter Roberts, Allison Mcclements, Vincent Chapple, Jay Natalwala, Michael L. Black, Phillip L. Matson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: Biomarkers associated with cancer screening (CA125, CA15-3, CA72-4, total prostate specific antigen [tPSA]) and the monitoring of pregnancy (pregnancy associated plasma protein-A [PAPP-A]) were measured during natural and stimulated ovarian cycles in disease-free non-pregnant women to determine if they could reflect normal events relating to ovulation and/or endometrial changes. Methods: A total of 73 blood samples (10 women) collected throughout the natural menstrual cycle, and 64 blood samples (11 women) taken during stimulated ovarian cycles, were analysed on the Roche Cobas e411 automated analyser. Results: Detectable levels of tPSA were measured in at least one point in the cycle …

En Attendant Centiloid, Victor L. Villemagne, Vincent Doré, Paul Yates, Belinda Brown, Rachel Mulligan, Pierrick Bourgeat, Robyn Veljanoski, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Kevin Ong, Alan Rembach, Robert Williams, Samantha C. Burnham, Simon Laws, Olivier Salvado, Kevin Taddei, S. L. Macaulay, Ralph Martins, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Christopher C. Rowe

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aims: Test the robustness of a linear regression transformation of semiquantitative values from different Aβ tracers into a single continuous scale. Study Design: Retrospective analysis. Place and Duration of Study: PET imaging data acquired in Melbourne and Perth, Australia, between August 2006 and May 2014. Methodology: Aβ imaging in 633 participants was performed with four different radiotracers: flutemetamol (n=267), florbetapir (n=195), florbetaben (n=126) and NAV4694 (n=45). SUVR were generated with the methods recommended for each tracer, and classified as high (Aβ+) or low (Aβ-) based on their respective thresholds. Linear regression transformation based on reported head-to-head comparisons of each tracer …

Pgc-1Α Mediated Muscle Aerobic Adaptations To Exercise, Heat And Cold Exposure, Mohammed Ihsan, Greig Watson, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

PGC-1α is regarded as a key regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis due to its central role in regulating the activity of key transcription factors associated with encoding mitochondrial components. Additionally, PGC-1α has shown to mediate adaptations that increase fat metabolism and angiogenesis, contributing to the overall oxidative phenotype of the muscle. While it is well established that exercise is a potent stimulator of PGC-1α, recent evidence indicates that heat and cold exposures may also influence mitochondrial biogenesis through the up-regulation of PGC-1α. This highlights the potential use of these modalities in conjunction with exercise to enhance training adaptations. As such, the …

Improving Health Professional's Knowledge Of Hepatitis B Using Cartoon Based Learning Tools: A Retrospective Analysis Of Pre And Post Tests, Moira G. Sim, Ashleigh C. Mcevoy, Toni D. Wain Ms, Eric L. Khong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Hepatitis B serology is complex and a lack of knowledge in interpretation contributes to the inadequate levels of screening and referral for highly effective hepatitis antiviral treatments. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed so that current and future healthcare professionals are more confident in the detection and assessment of hepatitis B to improve the uptake of treatment and reduce long-term complications from the disease. Cartoons have been used effectively as a teaching tool in other settings and were considered as a potentially useful teaching aid in explaining hepatitis B serology. This study examines the impact of cartoons in …

Risk Factors For Cerebrovascular Disease Mortality Among The Elderly In Beijing: A Competing Risk Analysis, Zhe Tang, Tao Zhou, Yanxia Luo, Changchun Xie, Da Huo, Lixin Tao, Lei Pan, Fei Sun, Huiping Zhu, Xinghua Yang, Wei Wang, Aoshuang Yan, Xia Li, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: To examine the associations of combined lifestyle factors and physical conditions with cerebrovascular diseases (CBVD) mortality, after accounting for competing risk events, including death from cardiovascular diseases, cancers and other diseases. Methods: Data on 2010 subjects aged over 55 years were finally analyzed using competing risk models. All the subjects were interviewed by the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), in China, between 1 January 1992 and 30 August 2009. Results: Elderly females were at a lower risk of death from CBVD than elderly males (HR = 0.639, 95% CI = 0.457-0.895). Increasing age (HR = 1.543, 95% CI …

Contourlet Textual Features: Improving The Diagnosis Of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules In Two Dimensional Ct Images, Jingjing Wang, Tao Sun, Ni Gao, Desmond D. Menon, Yanxia Luo, Qi Gao, Xia Li, Wei Wang, Huiping Zhu, Pingxin Lv, Zhigang Liang, Lixin Tao, Xiangtong Liu, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Materials and Methods: A total of 6,299 CT images were acquired from 336 patients, with 1,454 benign pulmonary nodule images from 84 patients (50 male, 34 female) and 4,845 malignant from 252 patients (150 male, 102 female). Further to this, nineteen patient information categories, which included seven demographic parameters and twelve morphological features, were also collected. A contourlet was used to extract fourteen types of textural features. These were then used to establish three support vector machine models. One comprised a database constructed of nineteen collected patient information categories, another included contourlet textural features and the third one contained both …

Messages That Increase Women's Intentions To Abstain From Alcohol During Pregnancy: Results From Quantitative Testing Of Advertising Concepts, Kathryn E. France, Robert J. Donovan, Carol Bower, Elizabeth J. Elliott, Janet M. Payne, Heather D'Antoine, Anne E. Bartu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Public awareness-raising campaigns targeting alcohol use during pregnancy are an important part of preventing prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Despite this, there is little evidence on what specific elements contribute to campaign message effectiveness. This research evaluated three different advertising concepts addressing alcohol and pregnancy: a threat appeal, a positive appeal promoting a self-efficacy message, and a concept that combined the two appeals. The primary aim was to determine the effectiveness of these concepts in increasing women's intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. Methods. Women of childbearing age and pregnant women residing in Perth, Western …

Reporting On The Seminar - Risk Interpretation And Action (Ria): Decision Making Under Conditions Of Uncertainty, Emma E. Doyle, Shabana Khan, Carolina Adler, Ryan C. Alaniz, Simone Athayde, Kuan H. Lin, Wendy Saunders, Todd Schenk, Fabiola Sosarodriguez, Victoria Sword-Daniels, Olayinka Akanle, Marie A. Baudoin, Chiung T. Chang, Karianne D. De Bruin, Riyanti Djalante, Christine Eriksen, Hsiang C. Lee, Jyoti Mishra, Victor O. Okorie, David R. Olanya, Goda Perlaviciute, Naxhelli Ruizrivera, Suzanne Vallance, Xinlu Xie, Lun Yin, Sarah Beaven, Charles Ebikeme, Richard Eiser, David Johnston, Christine Kenney, Douglas Paton, Sarah Schweizer, Vivi Stavrou

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The paper reports on the World Social Science (WSS) Fellows seminar on Risk Interpretation and Action (RIA), undertaken in New Zealand in December, 2013. This seminar was coordinated by the WSS Fellows program of the International Social Science Council (ISSC), the RIA working group of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) program, the IRDR International Center of Excellence Taipei, the International START Secretariat and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Twenty-five early career researchers from around the world were selected to review the RIA framework under the theme of 'decision-making under conditions of uncertainty', and develop novel theoretical approaches …

Anxiety Symptoms, Cerebral Amyloid Burden And Memory Decline In Healthy Older Adults Without Dementia: 3-Year Prospective Cohort Study, Robert H. Pietrzak, J C. Scott, Alexander Neumeister, Yen Ying Lim, David Ames, Kathyrn A. Ellis, Kara Harrington, Nicola T. Lautenschlager, Cassandra Szoeke, Ralph Martins, Colin L. Masters, Victor L. Villemagne, Christopher C. Rowe, Paul Maruff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Although beta-amyloid, anxiety and depression have been linked cross-sectionally to reduced memory function in healthy older adults without dementia, prospective data evaluating these associations are lacking. Using data from an observational cohort study of 178 healthy older adults without dementia followed for 3 years, we found that anxiety symptoms significantly moderated the relationship between beta-amyloid level and decline in verbal (Cohen's d = 0.65) and episodic (Cohen's d = 0.38) memory. Anxiety symptoms were additionally linked to greater decline in executive function, irrespective of beta-amyloid and other risk factors. These findings suggest that interventions to mitigate anxiety symptoms may help …

Cerebral Responses To Innocuous Somatic Pressure Stimulation Following Aerobic Exercise Rehabilitation In Chronic Pain Patients: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, Peter S. Micalos, Mayuresh S. Korgaonkar, Eric J. Drinkwater, Jack Cannon, Frank E. Marino

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this research was to assess the functional brain activity and perceptual rating of innocuous somatic pressure stimulation before and after exercise rehabilitation in patients with chronic pain.

A Combination Of Physical Activity And Computerized Brain Training Improves Verbal Memory And Increases Cerebral Glucose Metabolism In The Elderly, Tejal Shah, Giuseppe Verdile, Hamid R. Sohrabi, A Campbell, E Putland, C Cheetham, S Dhaliwal, M Weinborn, P Maruff, D Darby, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Physical exercise interventions and cognitive training programs have individually been reported to improve cognition in the healthy elderly population; however, the clinical significance of using a combined approach is currently lacking. This study evaluated whether physical activity (PA), computerized cognitive training and/or a combination of both could improve cognition. In this nonrandomized study, 224 healthy community-dwelling older adults (60-85 years) were assigned to 16 weeks home-based PA (n = 64), computerized cognitive stimulation (n = 62), a combination of both (combined, n = 51) or a control group (n = 47). Cognition was assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning …

Shades Of Grey: The Need For A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Research Investigating Alcohol And Ageing, Celia Wilkinson, Julie Dare

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper calls for an increase in multi-disciplinary research on the issue of alcohol and ageing, to ensure public health interventions reflect the complex and diverse needs of older drinkers. Older people (65+ years) represent a unique segment of the population; compared to adolescents and younger people, they are more likely to have a range of co-morbid conditions and be taking prescribed medication, and are more physiologically vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. This suggests that from a public health perspective, alcohol use by older people is problematic. However, as with younger people, alcohol use is closely associated with socialisation …

Social Engagement, Setting And Alcohol Use Among A Sample Of Older Australians, Julie Dare, Celia Wilkinson, Steve Allsop, Stacey Waters, Sheila Mchale

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The harms associated with risky alcohol consumption have long been researched and recognised in the health field. However, little available research has focused on older people, or extended analysis of alcohol use by this segment of the population beyond a bio-medical perspective. With the rapid ageing of the global population, research that investigates alcohol use amongst older people from a social perspective is important. This article reports on research with a group of older women and men, to identify and explain factors that influence alcohol consumption. In-depth interviews were conducted in Perth, Western Australia with 20 men and 22 women …

Carer Experiences With Rehabilitation In The Home: Speech Pathology Services For Stroke Survivors, Katy Stewart, Natalie Ciccone, Elizabeth Armstrong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Caring for a stroke survivor can be a complex role with carers at an increased risk of mental health difficulties. Early supported discharge from hospital with rehabilitation in the home (RITH) allows stroke survivors to return home at an earlier stage in the recovery process, potentially placing an extra burden on carers. Being involved in intensive therapy,in the home, in the early days post-stroke may be difficult with the role and experiences of carers in RITH being underresearched. This paper identifies the roles, experiences and preferences of ten carers of stroke survivors with dysarthia and dysphagia. Many carers were involved …

Developing Bilateral And Spatial Concepts In Primary School-Aged Children: An Empirical Evaluation Of The Anker Bilateral Spatial System, Janet Richmond Dr, M Taylor Dr, S Evans

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties contribute to school-aged learning problems. Hence, a need exists to address children’s visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties as early as possible in the child’s school career. Thus, this study reports on the evaluation of the Anker Bilateral Spatial System’s (ABSS) effectiveness in remediating primary school children’s perceptual difficulties.

Method: Thirty-one children (17 boys and 14 girls) aged 6 to 12 years who had been identified by their classroom teacher as having observable visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties participated in a 10-week pre/posttest intervention study. The study’s pre/posttest assessments included the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor …

Factors That Contribute To Balance And Mobility Impairments In Individuals With Huntington's Disease, Travis Cruickshank, Alvaro Reyes, Luis Peñailillo, Jennifer Thompson, Mel Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Mobility and balance problems are common and often debilitating features of Huntington's disease (HD). In this exploratory study we aimed to investigate the influence of disease severity, severity of motor deficits, lower limb muscle strength, cognition, executive function, lean muscle mass and reactivity on mobility and balance.Twenty-two individuals with HD were recruited from the North Metropolitan Area Mental Health Service, Perth, Australia. Pertinent demographic, genetic and disease progression information was recorded prior to testing. Balance was assessed using dynamic and static balance tasks. Mobility was assessed using self-paced and fast-paced mobility measures. Cognitive and executive measures were used to assess …

Do Dance Floor Force Reduction And Static Stiffness Represent Dynamic Floor Stiffness During Dance Landings?, Luke S. Hopper, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Bruce C. Elliott, Timothy R. Ackland, Paul R. Fleming

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Dance training on floors that are not 'sprung' are assumed to have direct implications for injury. Standards for dance floor manufacture in Europe and North America quantify floor force reduction by measuring the impact forces of drop masses. In addition, many studies of human mechanical adaptations to varied surfaces, have quantified test surfaces using measures of static stiffness. It is unclear whether these methods for the measurement of floor mechanical properties actually reflect dancer requirements or floor behaviour under dancer loading. The aim of this study was to compare the force reduction, static stiffness and dynamic stiffness of a range …