Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reduced Cardiovascular Capacity And Resting Metabolic Rate In Men With Prostate Cancer Undergoing Androgen Deprivation: A Comprehensive Cross-Sectional Investigation, Bradley Wall, Daniel A. Galvao, Naeem Fatehee, Dennis Taaffe, Nigel Spry, David Joseph, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives. To investigate if androgen deprivation therapy exposure is associated with additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic treatment-related toxicities. Methods. One hundred and seven men (42-89 years) with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy completed a maximal graded objective exercise test to determine maximal oxygen uptake, assessments for resting metabolic rate, body composition, blood pressure and arterial stiffness, and blood biomarker analysis. A cross-sectional analysis was undertaken to investigate the potential impact of therapy exposure with participants stratified into two groups according to duration of androgen deprivation therapy (≥3 months). Results. Maximal oxygen uptake (26.1 ± 6.0 mL/kg/min …

Circulating Tumor Dna To Monitor Treatment Response And Detect Acquired Resistance In Patients With Metastatic Melanoma, Elin S. Gray, Helen Rizos, Anna L. Reid, Suzanah Boyd, Michelle Pereira, Johnny Lo, Varsha Tembe, James Freeman, Jenny Lee, Richard Scolyer, Kelvin Siew, Chris Lomma, Adam Cooper, Muhammad Khattak, Tarek Meniawy, Georgina Long, Matteo Carlino, Michael Millward, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Repeat tumor biopsies to study genomic changes during therapy are difficult, invasive and data are confounded by tumoral heterogeneity. The analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can provide a non-invasive approach to assess prognosis and the genetic evolution of tumors in response to therapy. Mutation-specific droplet digital PCR was used to measure plasma concentrations of oncogenic BRAF and NRAS variants in 48 patients with advanced metastatic melanoma prior to treatment with targeted therapies (vemurafenib, dabrafenib or dabrafenib/trametinib combination) or immunotherapies (ipilimumab, nivolumab or pembrolizumab). Baseline ctDNA levels were evaluated relative to treatment response and progression-free survival (PFS). Tumor-associated ctDNA was …

Maternal Fish Oil Supplementation In Pregnancy: A 12 Year Follow-Up Of A Randomised Controlled Test, Suzanne Meldrum, Janet A. Dunstan, Jonathon K. Foster, Karen Simmer, Susan L. Prescott

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A number of trials have been undertaken to assess whether the intake of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) during pregnancy can influence the neurological development of the offspring, yet no consensus from these trials has been reached. We aimed to investigate the long-term effects (12 years) of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on neurodevelopment, including cognition, language and fine motor skills. In a follow up of a previously published randomised controlled trial of 98 pregnant women, their children were assessed at 12 years of age using a battery of neurodevelopmental assessments. Fifty participants were assessed at 12 years, …

Strategy For Improvement Of Maternal Health In Nepal, Gehendra Mahara, Xiuhua Gua, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Maternal death is a public health problem in like Nepal. Still women have been facing the pregnancy related problems due to inaccessible and poor quality health service as well as a less available health service from skilled health workers. This is due to lack of essential knowledge about pregnancy and its complications. The main aim of this article is to evaluate and synthesize the current public health issues of maternal health of women in Nepal. Syntheses the problems, challenges and issues regarding maternal health and what can be done for the improvement of those problems with the evidence base practice. …

Leadership Skills For Nursing Unit Managers To Decrease Intention To Leave, Michael R. Roche, Christine M. Duffield, Sofia Dimitrelis, Belinda Frew

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim: To examine specific elements of nursing leadership linked to intention to leave, in public acute care hospitals. Background: Nurse turnover is a global issue receiving widespread attention due to prolonged and projected workforce shortages. Nurse management and leadership qualities have been associated with intention to leave and turnover of nurses. The role of the nurse unit managers in the retention of nurses is becoming increasingly important, particularly because of their strong influence on the quality and stability of the work environment. Methods: Data were collected from 6 2 medical, surgical, and mixed units across eleven public acute care hospitals …

Bite Marks On Skin And Clay: A Comparative Analysis, R K. Gorea, O. P. Jasuja, Abdulwahab Ali Abuderman, Abhinav Gorea

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Bite marks are always unique because teeth are distinctive. Bite marks are often observed at the crime scene in sexual and in physical assault cases on the skin of the victims and sometimes on edible leftovers in burglary cases. This piece of evidence is often ignored, but if properly harvested and investigated, bite marks may prove useful in apprehending and successfully prosecuting the criminals. Due to the importance of bite marks, we conducted a progressive randomised experimental study conducted on volunteers. A total of 188 bite marks on clay were studied. Based on these findings, 93.34% of the volunteers could …

Erratum To Traditional Chinese Medicine And New Concepts Of Predictive, Preventive And Personalised Medicine In Diagnosis And Treatment Of Sub-Optimal Health [The Epma Journal 5, (2014) 12], Wei Wang, Alyce Russell, Yuxiang Yan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract provided.

Using Global Positioning Systems (Gps) And Temperature Data To Generate Time-Activity Classifications For Estimating Personal Exposure In Air Monitoring Studies: An Automated Method, Elizabeth Nethery, Gary Mallach, Daniel Rainham, Mark S. Goldberg, Amanda J. Wheeler

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Personal exposure studies of air pollution generally use self-reported diaries to capture individuals’ time-activity data. Enhancements in the accuracy, size, memory and battery life of personal Global Positioning Systems (GPS) units have allowed for higher resolution tracking of study participants’ locations. Improved time activity classifications combined with personal continuous air pollution sampling can improve assessments of location-related air pollution exposures for health studies. Methods: Data was collected using a GPS and personal temperature from 54 children with asthma living in Montreal, Canada, who participated in a 10-day personal air pollution exposure study. A method was developed that …

A Systematic Review Of Episodic Volunteering In Public Health And Other Contexts, Melissa K. Hyde, Jeff Dunn, Paul A. Scuffham, Suzanne K. Chambers

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Episodic volunteers are a critical resource for public health non-profit activities but are poorly understood. A systematic review was conducted to describe the empirical evidence about episodic volunteering (EV) in the public health sector and more broadly. Study location, focus and temporal trends of EV research were also examined. Methods. Twelve key bibliographic databases (1990-April week 2, 2014) were searched, including Google Scholar. Empirical studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals that identified participants as EVs who volunteered to support Not-for-Profit organisations in the health and social welfare sectors were included. EV definitions, characteristics, economic costs, antecedents and outcomes …

The Global Obesity Epidemic Is Related To Stroke, Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease, Ian J. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The global epidemic in obesity and diabetes has affected individuals in both the developing and developed world with the global death rate (63%) related to chronic diseases with 35% attributed to cardiovascular disease and stroke, 21 % to cancer and 12 % to chronic respiratory disease. The interest in connections between the global stroke epidemic, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has increased with hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, atrial fibrillation, excessive alcohol consumption, abnormal lipid profile and psychosocial stress/depression implicated in their pathogenesis. The connection between stroke and AD is possibly related to the low adiponectin and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Overview Of Australian Indigenous Health Status, 2013, Neil Thomson, Jane Burns, Anomie, Michelle Catto, Stephanie Colbert, Belinda D'Costa, Michelle Ellwell, Caitlin Gray, Joanne Hoareau, Andrea Macrae, Christine Potter, Kathy Ride, Avinna Trzesinski

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The main purpose of the Overview is to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Indigenous people. It has been prepared by the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet as a part of our contributions to ‘closing the gap’ in health between Indigenous people and other Australians by making relevant, high quality knowledge and information easily accessible to policy makers, health service providers, program managers, clinicians, researchers, students and the general community.

The initial sections of this Overview provide information about the context of Indigenous health, Indigenous population, and various measures of …

An Anemia Of Alzheimer's Disease, N G. Faux, A Rembach, J Wiley, K A. Ellis, D Ames, C J. Fowler, Ralph N. Martins, K K. Pertile, R L. Rumble, B Trounson, C L. Masters, A I. Bush

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Lower hemoglobin is associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since brain iron homeostasis is perturbed in AD, we investigated whether this is peripherally reflected in the hematological and related blood chemistry values from the Australian Imaging Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study (a community-based, cross-sectional cohort comprising 768 healthy controls (HC), 133 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 211 participants with AD). We found that individuals with AD had significantly lower hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volume and higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates (adjusted for age, gender, APOE-ε4 and site). In AD, plasma iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation …

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 …

A Comparison Of Aphasia Therapy Outcomes Before And After A Very Early Rehabilitation Programme Following Stroke, Erin Godecke, Natalie A. Ciccone, Andrew S. Granger, Tapan Rai, Deborah West, Angela Cream, Jade Cartwright, Graeme J. Hankey

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background Very early aphasia rehabilitation studies have shown mixed results. Differences in therapy intensity and therapy type contribute significantly to the equivocal results. Aims To compare a standardized, prescribed very early aphasia therapy regimen with a historical usual care control group at therapy completion (4-5 weeks post-stroke) and again at follow-up (6 months). Methods & Procedures This study compared two cohorts from successive studies conducted in four Australian acute/sub-acute hospitals. The studies had near identical recruitment, blinded assessment and data-collection protocols. The Very Early Rehabilitation (VER) cohort (N = 20) had mild-severe aphasia and received up to 20 1-h sessions …

Altered Cytological Parameters In Buccal Cells From Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment And Alzheimer's Disease, Maxime François, Wayne Leifert, Jane Hecker, Jeffrey Faunt, Ralph Martins, Philip Thomas, Michael Fenech

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Previous studies have shown that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be reflective of the early stages of more pronounced neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is a need for a minimally invasive and inexpensive diagnostic to identify those who exhibit cellular pathology indicative of MCI and AD risk so that they can be prioritized for primary preventative measures. The hypothesis was that a minimally invasive approach using cytological markers in isolated buccal mucosa cells can be used to identify individuals of both MCI and AD. An automated buccal cell assay was developed using laser scanning cytometry (LSC) to …

The Reliability Of An Adolescent Dietary Pattern Identified Using Reduced-Rank Regression: Comparison Of A Ffq And 3 D Food Record, Geeta Appannah, Gerda K. Pot, Therese A. O'Sullivan, Wendy H. Oddy, Susan A. Jebb, Gina L. Ambrosini

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Despite the increasing use of dietary patterns (DP) to study diet and health outcomes, relatively few studies have examined the reliability of DP using different dietary assessment methods. Reduced-rank regression (RRR) is an emerging statistical method that incorporates a priori information to characterise DP related to specific outcomes of interest. The aim of the present study was to compare DP identified using the RRR method in a FFQ with those in a 3 d food record (FR). Participants were 783 adolescents from the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Cohort Study who completed both a FFQ and FR at 14 years of …

Young Australian Adults’ Reactions To Viewing Personalised Uv Photoaged Photographs, Lori L. Presti, Paul Chang, Myra F. Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Despite two nationwide sun-protection awareness campaigns, young Australian adults continue to sunbathe. Since their primary motivation for tanning is appearance enhancement, it may well be that campaigns that highlight the negative effects of tanning on appearance are more effective than campaigns that emphasise the health risks associated with sun exposure.Aims: This study aims to explore young adults’ reactions to viewing a photoaged photograph of the sun damage already visible in their facial image.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven females and three males aged 20-30 years. The interview transcripts were transcribed verbatim and were then subjected to Interpretive Phenomenological …

Higher Breakfast Glycaemic Load Is Associated With Increased Metabolic Syndrome Risk, Including Lower Hdl-Cholesterol Concentrations And Increased Tag Concentrations, In Adolescent Girls, Analise Nicholl, Mary Du Heaume, Trevor A. Mori, Lawrence J. Beilin, Wendy H. Oddy, Alexandra P. Bremner, Therese A. O'Sullivan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Almost all previous studies examining the associations between glycaemic load (GL) and metabolic syndrome risk have used a daily GL value. The daily value does not distinguish between peaks of GL intake over the day, which may be more closely associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between daily and mealtime measures of GL and metabolic syndrome risk, including metabolic syndrome components, in adolescents. Adolescents participating in the 14-year follow-up of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study completed 3 d food records and metabolic assessments. Breakfast …

Motherless Mothers: Maternally Bereaved Women In Their Everyday Roles As Mothers, Bethwyn Rowe, Bronwyn A. Harman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Motherless mothers are women who lose their mothers to death prior to having their children, and therefore raise their children without the maternal support and guidance afforded to many women whose mothers are still alive (Edelman, 2006). A qualitative research design was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the everyday experiences faced by motherless mothers. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 motherless mothers. Four major themes emerged including grief, support, absence of knowledge, and changes to self following loss. Results provide insight into the ongoing influence a mother's death can have on a daughter's life and draw distinction …

A Dynamic Evaluation Of How Kick Point Location Influences Swing Parameters And Related Launch Conditions, Christopher Joyce, Angus Burnett, Alvaro Reyes, Stephen Herbert

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In golf, many parameters of the driver can be modified to maximise hitting distance. The main objective of this study was to determine whether drivers fitted with shafts having high and low kick points would alter selected swing parameters and related launch conditions. In total, 12 elite male golfers (handicap score = 1.2 ± 1.8) had three shots analysed for two drivers fitted with 'stiff' shafts with differing kick point location. Stiffness profiles of these shafts were also measured. Five swing and related launch parameters were measured using a real-time launch monitor. The locations of the low and high kick …

The Use Of Unregulated Staff: Time For Regulation?, Christine M. Duffield, Di E. Twigg, Judith D. Pugh, Gemma Evans, S Dimitrelis, Michael A. Roche

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Internationally, shortages in the nursing workforce, escalating patient demands, and financial constraints within the health system have led to the growth of unlicensed nursing support workers. Recently, in relation to the largest publicly funded health system (National Health Service), it was reported that extensive substitution of registered nurses with unskilled nursing support workers resulted in inadequate patient care, increased morbidity and mortality rates, and negative nurse outcomes. We argue that it is timely to consider regulation of nursing support workers with their role and scope of practice clearly defined. Further, the addition of these workers in a complementary model of …

Positive Correlation Between The Expression Of Heag1 And Hif-1Α In Breast Cancers: An Observational Study, Qingxuan Lai, Ting Wang, Qingqing Guo, Yuxiang Zhang, Youxin Wang, Li Yuan, Rui Ling, Yan He, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: To explore the expression patterns of Eag1 (ether á go-go 1) and HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α) in a cohort of patients with breast cancer. Setting: Department of general surgery in an upper first-class hospital in Xi'an, China. Participants: A total of 112 female Han Chinese patients with a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma were included. Patients with main internal diseases, such as cardiovascular, endocrine, gastroenterological, haematological, infectious diseases, etc, were excluded. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Expression profiles of Eag1 and HIF-1α. Results: Eag1 and HIF-1α were overexpressed in the tumour tissues compared with the pair-matched control tissues, p=0.002 …

Development Of A Medical Academic Degree System In China, Lijuan Wu, Youxin Wang, Xiaoxia Peng, Manshu Song, Xiuhua Guo, Hugh Nelson, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Context: The Chinese government launched a comprehensive healthcare reform to tackle challenges to health equities. Medical education will become the key for successful healthcare reform. Purpose:We describe the current status of the Chinese medical degree system and its evolution over the last 80 years. Content: Progress has been uneven, historically punctuated most dramatically by the Cultural Revolution. There is a great regional disparity. Doctors with limited tertiary education may be licensed to practice, whereas medical graduates with advanced doctorates may have limited clinical skills. There are undefined relationships between competing tertiary training streams, the academic professional degree, and the clinical …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Mass Media Coverage Of Genomics Medicine In China: A Call For Science Journalism In The Developing World, Feifei Zhao, Yan Chen, Siqi Ge, Xinwei Yu, Shuang Shao, Michael Black, Youxin Wang, Jie Zhang, Manshu Song, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Science journalism is a previously neglected but rapidly growing area of scholarship in postgenomics medicine and socio-technical studies of knowledge-based innovations. Science journalism can help evaluate the quantity and quality of information flux between traditional scientific expert communities and the broader public, for example, in personalized medicine education. Newspapers can play a crucial role in science and health communication, and more importantly, in framing public engagement. However, research on the role of newspaper coverage of genomics-related articles has not been readily available in resource-limited settings. As genomics is rapidly expanding worldwide, this gap in newspaper reportage in China is therefore …

General Practitioners' Experiences Of Bereavement Care And Their Educational Support Needs: A Qualitative Study, Moira O'Connor, Lauren J. Breen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: General Practitioners (GPs) are well-positioned to provide grief support to patients. Most GPs view the provision of bereavement care as an important aspect of their role and the GP is the health professional that many people turn to when they need support. We aimed to explore GPs' understandings of bereavement care and their education and professional development needs in relation to bereavement care. Methods. An in-depth qualitative design was adopted using a social constructionist approach as our aims were exploratory and applied. Nineteen GPs (12 women and 7 men) living in Western Australia were interviewed; 14 were based 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 …

Protocol For The Rt Prepare Trial: A Multiple-Baseline Study Of Radiation Therapists Delivering Education And Support To Women With Breast Cancer Who Are Referred For Radiotherapy, Georgia Halkett, Moira O'Connor, Sanchia Aranda, Michael Jefford, Nigel Spry, Therese Shaw, Rachael Moorin, Penelope Schofield

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction: There is limited evidence to guide the preparation of patients for radiotherapy. This paper describes the protocol for an evaluation of a radiation therapist led education intervention delivered to patients with breast cancer in order to reduce psychological distress. Methods: A multiple-baseline study is being used. Usual care data is being collected prior to the start of the intervention at each of three sites. The intervention is delivered by radiation therapists consulting with patients prior to their treatment planning and on the first day of treatment. The intervention focuses on providing sensory and procedural information to patients and reducing …