Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Measurement Of Oestradiol, Progesterone, Lh, Fsh And Hcg For Assisted Reproduction: A Comparison Of The Siemens Centaur Cp And Roche E411 Automated Analysers, Melissa Stemp, Allison Mcclements, Patricia Sykes, Vince Chapple, Phillip Matson

Research outputs 2013

Objective: To compare the results of two automated analysers by measuring reproductive hormones using the same quality control.

Methods: Results obtained by the Roche Cobas e411 automated analyser in a specialised fertility clinic were compared to the Siemens Centaur CP for the reproductive hormones oestradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH and hCG.

Results: Commercially-available quality control (QC) samples showed significant differences between the two assays for all five hormones at one or more levels. In clinical samples, the range of concentrations encountered was similar to the QC samples for LH and FSH but much higher for oestradiol, progesterone, and hCG showing the …

Preventing Maternal And Early Childhood Obesity: The Fetal Flaw In Australian Perinatal Care, Margaret R. Miller, Lydia A. Hearn, Paige Van Der Plight, Jane Willcox, Karen Campbell

Research outputs 2013

Almost half of Australian women of child-bearing age are overweight or obese, with a rate of 30–50% reported in early pregnancy. Maternal adiposity is a costly challenge for Australian obstetric care, with associated serious maternal and neonatal complications. Excess gestational weight gain is an important predictor of offspring adiposity into adulthood and higher maternal weight later in life. Current public health and perinatal care approaches in Australia do not adequately address excess perinatal maternal weight or gestational weight gain. This paper argues that the failure of primary health-care providers to offer systematic advice and support regarding women’s weight and related …

Melanoma Biomolecules: Independently Identified But Functionally Intertwined, Danielle E. Dye, Sandra Medic, Mel R. Ziman Dr, Deirdre R. Coombe

Research outputs 2013

The majority of patients diagnosed with melanoma present with thin lesions and generally these patients have a good prognosis. However, 5% of patients with early melanoma (thick) will have recurrence and die within 10 years, despite no evidence of local or metastatic spread at the time of diagnosis. Thus, there is a need for additional prognostic markers to help identify those patients that may be at risk of recurrent disease. Many studies and several meta-analyses have compared gene and protein expression in melanocytes, naevi, primary, and metastatic melanoma in an attempt to find informative prognostic markers for these patients. However, …

Online Healthy Lifestyle Support In The Perinatal Period: What Do Women Want And Do They Use It?, Lydia A. Hearn, Margaret R. Miller, Anna Fletcher

Research outputs 2013

Unhealthy weight gain and retention during pregnancy and postpartum is detrimental to mother and child. Although various barriers limit the capacity for perinatal health care providers (PHCPs) to offer healthy lifestyle counselling, they could guide women to appropriate online resources. This paper presents a project designed to provide online information to promote healthy lifestyles in the perinatal period. Focus groups or interviews were held with 116 perinatal women and 76 PHCPs to determine what online information perinatal women and PHCPs want, in what form, and how best it should be presented. The results indicated that women wanted smartphone applications (apps) …

Promoting Abstinence From Alcohol During Pregnancy: Implications From Formative Research, Kathryn France, Robert Donovan, Nadine Henley, Carol Bower, Elizabeth Elliott, Janet Payne, Heather D'Antoine, Anne Bartu

Research outputs 2013

This research developed messages to promote abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy and identified elements that enhance message persuasiveness. An exploratory phase was conducted in 2009 that comprised four focus groups with 23 women inWestern Australia and elicited beliefs and attitudes on alcohol use during pregnancy and motivations for behavior change. Four television concepts were subsequently developed and appraised in five focus groups with 31 participants using standard advertising pretesting questions. The implications for campaigns addressing prenatal alcohol exposure and further research are noted and limitations discussed. Funding was received from Healthway and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Advances In Personalized Targeted Treatment Of Metastatic Melanoma And Non-Invasive Tumor Monitoring, Dragana Klinac, Elin S. Gray, Michael Millward, Mel R. Ziman Dr

Research outputs 2013

Despite extensive scientific progress in the melanoma field, treatment of advanced stage melanoma with chemotherapeutics and biotherapeutics has rarely provided response rates higher than 20%. In the past decade, targeted inhibitors have been developed for metastatic melanoma, leading to the advent of more personalized therapies of genetically characterized tumors. Here we review current melanoma treatments and emerging targeted molecular therapies. In particular we discuss the mutant BRAF inhibitors Vemurafenib and Dabrafenib, which markedly inhibit tumor growth and advance patients’ overall survival. However this response is almost inevitably followed by complete tumor relapse due to drug resistance hampering the encouraging initial …

Two Case Studies Assessing The Effect Of Oral Contraceptive Pills Upon Serum Amh Concentrations: Results From An External Quality Assurance (Eqa) Scheme, Emily Zuvela, Melanie Walls, Phillip Matson

Research outputs 2013

Objective: To describe the effect of combined oral contraceptives (COC) on serum AMH level in 2 women.

Methods: The COC was initially stopped after over 12 years use then restarted, with the serum being analysed by 6–8 laboratories in an EQA scheme using the same assay (Beckman Coulter Gen II).

Results: In both women, the AMH rose significantly after cessation of the pill, and then dropped after resumption.

Conclusions: In summary, AMH was affected by the combined oral contraceptive pill and further studies on the effect of oral contraceptives are warranted.

Internal Quality Control For The Direct Mar Igg Test: A Simple And Effective Method Using Spiked Seminal Plasma, Kailin Yap, Tara Cawley, Phillip Matson

Research outputs 2013

Objective: To introduce a system using spiked seminal plasma for the QC of the MAR direct test, and to facilitate the determination of assay variability.

Methods: A simple quality control (QC) system for use in the direct MAR test was developed using samples prepared by adding serum to antibody-negative centrifuged seminal plasma to obtain optimal binding, and storing 0.4 mL aliquots at −20 °C in straws. The serum was either from vasectomised men (positive control) or an antibody-negative woman (negative control). QC samples were thawed and mixed 1:1 with donor semen and pre-incubated for 1 hr at 37 …

Neonatal Outcomes After Preterm Birth By Mothers' Health Insurance Status At Birth: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Kristjana Einarsdóttir, Fatima A. Haggar, Amanda T. Langridge, Anthony S. Gunnell, Helen Leonard, Fiona J. Stanley

Research outputs 2013

Background: Publicly insured women usually have a different demographic background to privately insured women, which is related to poor neonatal outcomes after birth. Given the difference in nature and risk of preterm versus term births, it would be important to compare adverse neonatal outcomes after preterm birth between these groups of women after eliminating the demographic differences between the groups. Methods: The study population included 3085 publicly insured and 3380 privately insured, singleton, preterm deliveries (32–36 weeks gestation) from Western Australia during 1998–2008. From the study population, 1016 publicly insured women were matched with 1016 privately insured women according to …

Review Of Ear Health And Hearing Among Indigenous Australians, Jane F. Burns, Neil J. Thomson

Research outputs 2013

Indigenous Australians experience some of the highest levels of ear disease and hearing loss in the world, with rates up to ten times more than those for non-Indigenous Australians [4]. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to ear infections. The most common ear disease among Indigenous children is otitis media (OM), which is inflammation/infection of the middle ear typically caused by bacterial and viral pathogens. Indigenous children living in urban, rural and, particularly, remote areas, are more likely than their non-Indigenous counterparts to have OM at younger ages, more often, at a greater level of severity, and with more likelihood …

Pedal Force Effectiveness In Cycling: A Review Of Constraints And Training Effects, Rodrigo Bini, Patria Hume, James L. Croft, Andrew Kilding

Research outputs 2013

Pedal force effectiveness in cycling is usually measured by the ratio of force perpendicular to the crank (effective force) and total force applied to the pedal (resultant force). Most studies measuring pedal forces have been restricted to one leg but a few studies have reported bilateral asymmetry in pedal forces. Pedal force effectiveness is increased at higher power output and reduced at higher pedaling cadences. Changes in saddle position resulted in unclear effects in pedal force effectiveness, while lowering the upper body reduced pedal force effectiveness. Cycling experience and fatigue had unclear effects on pedal force effectiveness. Augmented feedback of …

Perceptions Of Five-Year Competitive Categories: Model Of How Relative Age Influences Competitiveness In Masters Sport, Nikola Medic, Bradley Young, J. Robert Grove

Research outputs 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the contrasting perceptions of masters swimmers related to the first and fifth constituent years of a 5-year age category. Swimmers aged between 35 and 93 years (154 male, 184 female) were surveyed at the 2008 FINA World Masters Championships. Exploratory factor analysis indicated the existence of the following five factors considered important for preparation, attendance, and success at masters competitions: awareness of advantages, expectancy, motivation, training, and physiological capacity. One sample ttests showed that masters swimmers are conscious of advantages that 5-year age categories afford to relatively-younger cohorts (i.e., those who are …

Enhancing The Uptake Of Learning Through Simulation In Health, Cobie Rudd

Research outputs 2013

The initial reason that a simulated learning environment (SLE) was pursued was to offer university-based health students a safe and authentic environment in which to learn and practise their skills. Since that time, some eight years later, experience has shown that an SLE needed multiple dimensions to its work, based on evidence. In addition, a new approach to applying and integrating learning through simulation within health curricula, that was replicable and affordable, was required...

Plain Language Review Of Cardiovascular Health Among Indigenous Australians, Caitlin Gray

Research outputs 2013

This document summarises, in plain language, information about the cardiovascular health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It provides information about :

• the various cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors
• the extent of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including prevalence, hospitalisation and death rates
• types and levels of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CVD patients
• strategies and programs that aim to improve the cardiovascular health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The publication is a plain language summary of the Review of cardiovascular health among Indigenous Australians (2013) by …

Reversibility Of Membrane N-Glycome Of Hela Cells Upon Treatment With Epigenetic Inhibitors, Tomislav Horvat, Martina Dezeljin, Irma Redzic, Darko Barisic, Maja H. Bosnar, Gordan Lauc

Research outputs 2013

Glycans are essential regulators of protein function and are now in the focus of research in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. There are numerous modes of regulating their biosynthesis, including epigenetic mechanisms implicated in the expression of glyco-genes. Since N-glycans located at the cell membrane define intercellular communication as well as a cellular response to a given environment, we developed a method to preferentially analyze this fraction of glycans. The method is based on incorporation of living cells into polyacrylamide gels, partial denaturation of membrane proteins with 3 M urea and subsequent release of N-glycans with PNGase F followed by …

Pathology Associated With Aav Mediated Expression Of Beta Amyloid Or C100 In Adult Mouse Hippocampus And Cerebellum, Eleanor S. Drummond, Jill Muhling, Ralph Martins, Linda K. Wijaya, Erich M. Ehlert, Alan R. Harvey

Research outputs 2013

Accumulation of beta amyloid (Ab) in the brain is a primary feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but the exact molecular mechanisms by which Ab exerts its toxic actions are not yet entirely clear. We documented pathological changes 3 and 6 months after localised injection of recombinant, bi-cistronic adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV2) expressing human Ab40- GFP, Ab42-GFP, C100-GFP or C100V717F-GFP into the hippocampus and cerebellum of 8 week old male mice. Injection of all rAAV2 vectors resulted in wide-spread transduction within the hippocampus and cerebellum, as shown by expression of transgene mRNA and GFP protein. Despite the lack of accumulation of …

The Acceleration Of Aging And Alzheimer’S Disease Through The Biological Mechanisms Behind Obesity And Type Ii Diabetes, Ian J. Martins, Wei Ling F. Lim, Andrea C. Wilson, Simon M. Laws, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2013

The incidence of diabetes is predicted to increase to 21% by 2050. Currently, one third of US adults are obese and over 11% of these individuals have diabetes. Due to the growing need for therapeutic intervention to control and/or stabilize this increase in the incidence of diabetes in Western communities, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the association between obesity and Type 2 diabetes has become increasingly important to diabetes research. The increased cell senescence associated with diabetes has been associated with the limited ability of cells to divide, with indication of telomere shortening and genomic instability of the cells. Obese …

Ngala Healthy You, Healthy Baby: A Personalized Online Program To Support Healthy Weight In Pregnancy And Early Life, Margaret R. Miller, Lydia A. Hearn, Anna Fletcher, Lelia R. Green

Research outputs 2013

Perinatal maternal obesity is common and has significant child and maternal health consequences. Online resources have the potential to engage young mothers to adopt healthier lifestyles during pregnancy and postpartum. Intercept interviews with 53 pregnant women at antenatal clinics and focus groups with 67 new mothers at mothers’ groups and playgroups were conducted to determine preferred types and formats of online information and support. The expressed needs of women were matched to behaviour change theory to guide development of the Healthy You Healthy Baby website and Smartphone application. A mix of factual and practical online information, self-assessment, goal-setting and feedback …

Work Integrated Learning: A Whole Of Curriculum Approach, Catharine Andre, Beverley A. Ewens, Fiona Foxall

Research outputs 2013

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia is currently developing an innovative work integrated learning masters to service the needs of students and industry. As this paper details, the program is aimed at Registered Nurses and Midwives to support and develop the skills to conceptualise and implement a work integrated program of study, the products of which are then used as recognised assessment items. Unlike many other work integrated learning initiatives, this curriculum is entirely work integrated learning based with early units of study providing students with the foundational skills and conceptual understanding required to …

Association Between Γ-Glutamyl Transferase And Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study Of An Adult Population In Beijing, Lixin Tao, Xia Li, Huiping Zhu, Yue Gao, Yanxia Luo, Wei Wang, Zhaoping Wang, Dongning Chen, Lijuan Wu, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2013

The relationship between liver enzymes and clustered components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is explored and the predictive power of γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) for the diagnosis of MetS in an adult population in Beijing is investigated. A total of 10,553 adults aged 20-65 years who underwent health examinations at Beijing Tongren Hospital in 2012 were enrolled in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis is conducted to determine the associations between the levels of various liver enzymes and clustered components of MetS. A receiver operating characteristic analysis is used to determine the optimal cut-off value of GGT for the diagnosis of MetS. …

The Ecology Of Medical Care In Beijing, Shuang Shao, Feifei Zhao, Jing Wang, Lei Feng, Xiaoqin Lu, Juan Du, Yuxiang Yan, Chao Wang, Yinghong Fu, Jingjing Wu, Xinwei Yu, Kaykeng Khoo, Youxin Wang, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2013

Background: We presented the pattern of health care consumption, and the utilization of available resources by describing the ecology of medical care in Beijing on a monthly basis and by describing the socio-demographic characteristics associated with receipt care in different settings. Methods: A cohort of 6,592 adults, 15 years of age and older were sampled to estimate the number of urbanresident adults per 1,000 who visited a medical facility at least once in a month, by the method of three-stage stratified and cluster random sampling. Separate logistic regression analyses assessed the association between those receiving care in different types of …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Life Satisfaction In Colorectal Cancer Survivors: Trajectories Of Adjustment, Jeff Dunn, Shu Kay Ng, William Breitbart, Joanne Aitken, Pip Youl, Peter D. Baade, Suzanne K. Chambers

Research outputs 2013

Background: This longitudinal study describes the five year trajectories of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) and life satisfaction in long term colorectal cancer survivors.Patients and methods: A population-based sample of 1966 colorectal cancer survivors were surveyed at six time points from five months to five years post-diagnosis. Predictor variables were: socio-demographic variables, optimism; cancer threat appraisal; perceived social support. Quality of life was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (HR-QOL); and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Growth mixture models were applied to identify trajectory classes and their predictors.Results: Distinct adjustment trajectories were identified for HR-QOL and life satisfaction. …

Markers Of Circulating Tumour Cells In The Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Melanoma Correlate With Disease Recurrence And Progression, Anna L. Reid, M Millward, Robert Pearce, M Lee, M Frank, A Ireland, L Monshizadeh, Tapan Rai, P Heenan, Sandra Medic, P Kumarasinghe, Melanie R. Ziman

Research outputs 2013

Background Multimarker quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) represents an effective method for detecting circulating tumour cells in the peripheral blood of patients with melanoma. Objectives To investigate whether the phenotype of circulating melanoma cells represents a useful indicator of disease stage, recurrence and treatment efficacy. Methods Peripheral blood was collected from 230 patients with melanoma and 152 healthy controls over a period of 3 years and 9 months. Clinical data and blood samples were collected from patients with primary melanoma (early stages, 0-II, n = 154) and metastatic melanoma (late stages, III-IV, n = 76). Each specimen was examined …

The Economic Benefits Of Increased Levels Of Nursing Care In The Hospital Setting, Diane E. Twigg, Elizabeth Geelhoed, Alexandra Bremner, Christine M. Duffield

Research outputs 2013

Aim: To assess the economic impact of increased nursing hours of care on health outcomes in adult teaching hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. Background: Advancing technology and increased availability of treatment interventions are increasing demand for health care while the downturn in world economies has increased demand for greater efficiency. Nurse managers must balance nurse staffing to optimize care and provide efficiencies. Design: This longitudinal study involved the retrospective analysis of a cohort of multi-day stay patients admitted to adult teaching hospitals. Methods: Hospital morbidity and staffing data from September 2000 until June 2004, obtained in 2010 from a previous …

Myocardial Infarction: Sex Differences In Symptoms Reported To Emergency Dispatch, Linda L. Coventry, Alexandra Bremmer, Ian Jacobs, Judith Finn

Research outputs 2013

Background: Emergency management of myocardial infarction (MI) is time-critical, because improved patient outcomes are associated with reduced time from symptom onset to definitive care. Previous studies have identified that women are less likely to present with chest pain. Objective: We sought to measure the effect of sex on symptoms reported to the ambulance dispatch and ambulance times for MI patients. Methods: The Western Australia Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) was used to identify patients with emergency department (ED) diagnoses of MI (ST-segment elevation MI and non–ST-segment elevation MI) who arrived by ambulance between January 1, 2008, and October 31, 2009. …

Predicting Alzheimer Disease With Β-Amyloid Imaging: Results From The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, And Lifestyle Study Of Ageing, Christopher Rowe, Pierrick Bourgeat, Kathryn Ellis, Belinda M. Brown, Lim Yen Ying, Rachel Mulligan, Gareth Jones, Paul Maruff, Michael Woodward, Roger Price, Peter Robins, Henri Tochon-Danguy, Graeme O'Keefe, Kerryn Pike, Paul Yates, Cassandra Szoeke, Olivier Salvado, S Lance Macaulay, Tim O'Meara, Richard Head, Lynne Cobiac, Greg Savage, Ralph N. Martins, Colin Masters, David Ames, Victor Villemagne

Research outputs 2013

Objective: Biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD) can detect the disease pathology in asymptomatic subjects and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but their cognitive prognosis remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the prognostic value of β-amyloid imaging, alone and in combination with memory performance, hippocampal atrophy, and apolipoprotein E ε4 status in nondemented, older individuals. Methods: A total of 183 healthy individuals (age = 72.0 ± 7.26 years) and 87 participants with MCI (age = 73.7 ± 8.27) in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle study of ageing were studied. Clinical reclassification was performed after 3 years, blind to biomarker …

Considerations For The Development Of Agility During Childhood And Adolescence, R. S. Lloyd, P. Read, J. L. Oliver, R. W. Meyers, Sophia Nimphius, I. Jeffreys

Research outputs 2013

Despite being recognized as an essential component of sports performance, agility development in youths is largely under-researched. this article reviews the evidence examining the effects of growth, maturation and training on both change of direction speed and cognitive processing in children and adolescents, and how combined, these factors may influence agility. training guidelines are provided to help strength and conditioning coaches prescribe agility training for youths at different stages of maturation, in a safe and effective manner.

Regulating Small Firm Safety Via The Supply Chain: Implications Of The Australian Work Health And Safety Act, Susanne Bahn, John Kitching

Research outputs 2013

The impact of the Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act) highlights subcontractor working practices. By motivating contractors to influence subcontractor working practices, regulation influences the latter’s health and safety performance. Indirect routes of regulatory influence, working via supply chains, might prove to be a more effective means of improving small firm health and safety than placing obligations upon subcontractors directly, and limit contractor exposure to their new liability for subcontractor breach.

Systematic Review Of Research Into The Psychological Aspects Of Prostate Cancer In Asia: What Do We Know?, Suzanne Kathleen Chambers, Melissa Karen Hyde, David Fu-Keung Ip, Jeffrey Charles Dunn, Robert Alexander Gardiner

Research outputs 2013

Background: To review the peer reviewed literature on the psychological aspects of the prostate cancer experience of men in Asia. Materials and Methods: Medline and PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Web of Science (1999 – November Week 4, 2012) were searched. Inclusion criteria were: included men with prostate cancer and/or their partners or caregivers who identify as Asian recruited in an Asian country; and assessed health-related quality of life, psychological and social adjustment relating to prostate cancer and published in English after 1st January 1999 and prior to 30th November, 2012. Study aims; design; quality; level of evidence, and key results …

Patterns Of Physical And Psychological Development In Future Teenage Mothers, Daniel Nettle, Thomas E. Dickins, David A. Coall, Paul De Monrnay Davis

Research outputs 2013

Background and objectives: Teenage childbearing may have childhood origins and can be viewed as the outcome of a coherent reproductive strategy associated with early environmental conditions. Life-history theory would predict that where futures are uncertain fitness can be maximized through diverting effort from somatic development into reproduction. Even before the childbearing years, future teenage mothers differ from their peers both physically and psychologically, indicating early calibration to key ecological factors. Cohort data have not been deliberately collected to test life-history hypotheses within Western populations. Nonetheless, existing data sets can be used to pursue relevant patterns using socioeconomic variables as indices …