Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Positive Patient Experiences In An Australian Integrative Oncology Centre, Bonnie J. Furzer, Anna S. Petterson, Kemi E. Wright, Karen E. Wallman, Timothy R. Ackland, David J. Joske

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of cancer patients' utilising complementary and integrative therapies (CIT) within integrative oncology centres across Western Australia.Methods: Across four locations 135 patients accessed CIT services whilst undergoing outpatient medical treatment for cancer. Of the 135 patients, 66 (61 ± 12 y; female n = 45; male n = 21) agreed to complete a personal accounts questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions designed to explore patients' perceptions of CIT. All results were transcribed into nVivo (v9) and using thematic analysis, key themes were identified.Results: Of the 66 participants, 100% indicated they would …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Overexpression Of Phospholipase A2 Group Iia In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma And Association With Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression, Yan Chun Zhai, Bin Dong, Wen Qiang Wei, Yan He, Xin Qing Li, Robert T. Cormier, Wei Wang, Fen Liu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. The esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common histological type of esophageal cancer worldwide. Materials and Methods: Our goal in this study was to detect phospholipase A2 Group IIA (PLA2G2A) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) immuno-expression in ESCC in a high-risk population in China. Results: Positive expression of PLA2G2A protein was observed in 57.2% (166/290) of the cases, while COX-2 was found in 257 of 290 samples (88.6%), both PLA2G2A and COX-2 being expressed in 153 cases (52.8%), …

Dystonia Type 6 Gene Product Thap1: Identification Of A 50 Kda Dna-Binding Species In Neuronal Nuclear Fractions, Maitane Ortiz-Virumbrales, Marta Ruiz, Eugene Hone, Georgia Dolios, Rong Wang, Andrika Morant, Jessica Kottwitz, Laurie J. Ozelius, Sam Gandy, Michelle Ehrlich

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Mutations in THAP1 result in dystonia type 6, with partial penetrance and variable phenotype. The goal of this study was to examine the nature and expression pattern of the protein product(s) of the Thap1 transcription factor (DYT6 gene) in mouse neurons, and to study the regional and developmental distribution, and subcellular localization of Thap1 protein. The goal was accomplished via overexpression and knock-down of Thap1 in the HEK293T cell line and in mouse striatal primary cultures and western blotting of embryonic Thap1-null tissue. The endogenous and transduced Thap1 isoforms were characterized using three different commercially available anti-Thap1 antibodies and validated …

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.

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 …

The Effect Of Double-Blind Carbohydrate Ingestion During 60 Km Of Self-Paced Exercise In Warm Ambient Conditions, Camila Nassif, Aline R. Gomes, Gustavo H.C. Peixoto, Mauro H. Chagas, Danusa D. Soares, Emerson Silami-Garcia, Eric J. Drinkwater, Jack Cannon, Frank E. Marino

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study evaluated double blind ingestions of placebo (PLA) versus 6% carbohydrate (CHO) either as capsules (c) or beverage (b) during 60 km self-paced cycling in the heat (32C and 50% relative humidity).

“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 …

Induction Of Nafld With Increased Risk Of Obesity And Chronic Diseases In Developed Countries, Ian J. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The susceptibility of individuals to obesity has been reported in many developed countries with predisposition of humans to obesity associated with high calorie diets and unhealthy lifestyles. Obesity may closely be involved in cell suicide in various organ diseases with the importance of accelerated aging that requires early intervention with drug therapy to prevent diseases such as non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that has increased in children and reached to approx. 40% of the global population. Obesity is induced by various diets and lifestyle factors such as stress, anxiety and depression which are important to consider with the global …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Low Back Pain Beliefs Are Associated To Age, Location Of Work, Education And Pain-Related Disability In Chinese Healthcare Professionals Working In China: A Cross Sectional Survey, B K. Tan, Anne J. Smith, Peter B. O'Sullivan, Gang Chen, Angus F. Burnett, Andrew M. Briggs

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Evidence pointing towards a more efficacious model of care using a biopsychosocial approach for LBP management highlights the need to understand the pain-related beliefs of patients and those who treat them. The beliefs held by healthcare professionals (HCPs) are known to influence the treatment advice given to patients and consequently management outcomes. Back pain beliefs are known to be influenced by factors such as culture, education, health literacy, place of work, personal experience of LBP and the sequelae of LBP such as disability. There is currently a knowledge …

Effect Of Head And Limb Orientation On Trunk Muscle Activation During Abdominal Hollowing In Chronic Low Back Pain, Kevin Parfrey, Sean G. Gibbons, Eric J. Drinkwater, David G. Behm

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) have altered activations patterns of the anterior trunk musculature when performing the abdominal hollowing manœuvre (attempt to pull umbilicus inward and upward towards the spine). There is a subgroup of individuals with CLBP who have high neurocognitive and sensory motor deficits with associated primitive reflexes (PR). The objective of the study was to determine if orienting the head and extremities to positions, which mimic PR patterns would alter anterior trunk musculature activation during the hollowing manoeuvre. Methods. This study compared surface electromyography (EMG) of bilateral rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and …

Monitoring Changes In Circulating Tumour Cells As A Prognostic Indicator Of Overall Survival And Treatment Response In Patients With Metastatic Melanoma, Dragana Klinac, Elin S. Gray, James B. Freeman, Anna Reid, Samantha Bowyer, Michael Millward, Mel Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: New effective treatments for metastatic melanoma greatly improve survival in a proportion of patients. However biomarkers to identify patients that are more likely to benefit from a particular treatment are needed. We previously reported on a multimarker approach for the detection of heterogenous melanoma circulating tumour cells (CTCs). Here we evaluated the prognostic value of this multimarker quantification of CTCs and investigated whether changes in CTC levels during therapy can be used as a biomarker of treatment response and survival outcomes.Methods: CTCs were captured by targeting the melanoma associated markers MCSP and MCAM as well as the melanoma stem …

Effect Of Bdnf Val66met On Memory Decline And Hippocampal Atrophy In Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease: A Preliminary Study, Yen Y. Lim, Victor L. Villemagne, Simon M. Laws, David Ames, Robert H. Pietrzak, Kathryn A. Ellis, Karra Harrington, Pierrick Bourgeat, Ashley I. Bush, Ralph N. Martins, Colin L. Masters, Christopher C. Rowe, Paul Maruff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: Cross-sectional genetic association studies have reported equivocal results on the relationship between the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met and risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As AD is a neurodegenerative disease, genetic influences may become clearer from prospective study. We aimed to determine whether BDNF Val66Met polymorphism influences changes in memory performance, hippocampal volume, and Aβ accumulation in adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and high Aβ. Methods: Thirty-four adults with aMCI were recruited from the Australian, Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study. Participants underwent PiB-PET and structural MRI neuroimaging, neuropsychological assessments and BDNF genotyping at baseline, 18 month, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Time Course Of Central And Peripheral Alterations After Isometric Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation-Induced Muscle Damage, Alexandre Fouré, Kazunori Nosaka, Jennifer Wegrzyk, Guillueme Duhamel, Arnaud Le Troter, Helene Boudinet, Jean-Pierre Mattei, Christophe Vilmen, Marc Jubeau, David Bendahan, Julien Gondin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Isometric contractions induced by neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) have been shown to result in a prolonged force decrease but the time course of the potential central and peripheral factors have never been investigated. This study examined the specific time course of central and peripheral factors after isometric NMES-induced muscle damage. Twenty five young healthy men were subjected to an NMES exercise consisting of 40 contractions for both legs. Changes in maximal voluntary contraction force of the knee extensors (MVC), peak evoked force during double stimulations at 10 Hz (Db10) and 100 Hz (Db100), its ratio (10:100), voluntary activation, muscle soreness and …