Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ketogenic Diet Decreases Emergency Room Visits And Hospitalizations Related To Epilepsy., Husam R. Kayyali, Anastasia Luniova, Ahmed Abdelmoity

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background. Approximately, one-third of patients with epilepsy are refractory to pharmacological treatment which mandates extensive medical care and imposes significant economic burden on patients and their societies. This study intends to assess the impact of the treatment with ketogenic diet (KD) on reducing seizure-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations in children with refractory epilepsy. Methods. This is a retrospective review of children treated with the KD in one tertiary center. We compared a 12 months' period prior to KD with 12 months after the diet was started in regard to the number of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, …

Whole-Genome Sequencing And Disability In The Nicu: Exploring Practical And Ethical Challenges., Michael J. Deem

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Clinical whole-genome sequencing (WGS) promises to deliver faster diagnoses and lead to better management of care in the NICU. However,several disability rights advocates have expressed concern that clinical use of genetic technologies may reinforce and perpetuate stigmatization of and discrimination against disabled persons in medical and social contexts. There is growing need, then, for clinicians and bioethicists to consider how the clinical use of WGS in the newborn period might exacerbate such harms to persons with disabilities. This article explores ways to extend these concerns to clinical WGS in neonatal care. By considering these perspectives during the early phases of …

Challenges And Futures For Ethical Social Media Research, Casey Fiesler, Stevie Chancellor, Anna Lauren Hoffmann, Jessica Pater, Nicholas Proferes

Health Services and Informatics Research

In AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media ICWSM Workshop:

Social media and user-generated content platforms have opened up new possibilities for communication and creativity while also providing huge amounts of information about people and their online behavior. The evolution of technology and research methods presents ongoing ethical challenges to studying people and their digital traces. These challenges are a continuing source of discussion within the research community and also a topic of public discourse as social media scholarship gains greater visibility. This workshop is aimed at exploring difficult and unanswered ethical questions, touching on issues such as consent, privacy, …

#Thyghgapp: Instagram Content Moderation And Lexical Variation In Pro-Eating Disorder Communities, Stevie Chancellor, Jessica Pater, Trustin Clear, Eric Gilbert, Munmun De Choudhury

Health Services and Informatics Research

CSCW '16, FEBRUARY 27–MARCH2, 2016, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA

In Proceedings of the 19th ACM conference on computer-supported cooperative work & social computing.

Pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) communities on social media encourage the adoption and maintenance of disordered eating habits as acceptable alternative lifestyles rather than threats to health. In particular, the social networking site Instagram has reacted by banning searches on several proED tags and issuing content advisories on others. We present the first large-scale quantitative study investigating pro-ED communities on Instagram in the aftermath of moderation – our dataset contains 2.5M posts between 2011 and 2014. We find that …

Stand By You: An Interprofessional Compassionate Service, Rose Allen, Renato Santos, Arlenna Williams, Sarita Khanal

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining The Potential Clinical Value Of Curcumin In The Prevention And Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease, K. G. Goozee, T. M. Shah, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, B. Brown, Guiseppe Verdile, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Curcumin derived from turmeric is well documented for its anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies show that curcumin also possesses neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing properties that may help delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Currently, clinical diagnosis of AD is onerous, and it is primarily based on the exclusion of other causes of dementia. In addition, phase III clinical trials of potential treatments have mostly failed, leaving disease-modifying interventions elusive. AD can be characterised neuropathologically by the deposition of extracellular β amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. Disruptions in Aβ metabolism/clearance contribute to …

Fine Particulate Air Pollution And Hospital Emergency Room Visits For Respiratory Disease In Urban Areas In Beijing, China, In 2013, Qin Xu, Xia Li, Shuo Wang, Chao Wang, Fangfang Huang, Qi Gao, Lijuan Wu, Lixin Tao, Jin Guo, Wei Wang, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Heavy fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) air pollution occurs frequently in China. However, epidemiological research on the association between short-term exposure to PM_2.5 pollution and respiratory disease morbidity is still limited. This study aimed to explore the association between PM_2.5 pollution and hospital emergency room visits (ERV) for total and cause-specific respiratory diseases in urban areas in Beijing. Methods Daily counts of respiratory ERV from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2013, were obtained from ten general hospitals located in urban areas in Beijing. Concurrently, data on PM_2.5 were collected from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, …

Drug Use Monitoring In Australia: An Expansion Into The Pilbara, Natalie Gately, Suzanne Ellis, Robyn Morris

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The relationship between alcohol, illicit drugs and offending is complex and dynamic. Substance misuse both nationally and internationally has been found to be prevalent in detained populations (Bennett & Holloway 2007, Pernanen, Cousineau, Brochu & Sun 2002, Sweeney & Payne 2012). With the cost of crime in Australia estimated to be $36 billion per annum (AIC 2009), it is important to establish some of the links that, if addressed, may reduce the level of commissions of crime and increase the wellbeing of Australians.

Molecular Determinants And Interaction Data Of Cyclic Peptide Inhibitor With The Extracellular Domain Of Trkb Receptor, Nitin Chitranshi, Vivek Gupta, Yogita Dheer, Veer Gupta, Roshana Vander Wall, Stuart Graham

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

TrkB is a high affinity receptor for the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its phosphorylation stimulates activation of several intracellular signalling pathways linked to cellular growth, differentiation and maintenance. Identification of various activators and inhibitors of the TrkB receptor and greater understanding their binding mechanisms is critical to elucidate the biochemical and pharmacological pathways and analyse various protein crystallization studies. The data presented here is related to the research article entitled "Brain Derived neurotrophic factor is involved in the regulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) signalling" [1]. Cyclotraxin B (CTXB) is a disulphide bridge linked cyclic peptide molecule …

The Effects Of Latrepirdine On Amyloid-Β Aggregation And Toxicity, Tenielle Porter, Prashant Bharadwaj, David Groth, Adrian Paxman, Simon Laws, Ralph Martins, Guiseppe Verdile

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Latrepirdine (DimebonTM) has been demonstrated to be a neuroprotective and cognition improving agent in neurodegenerative diseases that feature protein aggregation and deposition, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein aggregates is a key event in the neurodegenerative process in AD. This study explores if latrepirdine modulation of protein aggregation contributes to its neuroprotective mechanism of action. Assessment of neuronal cell death showed that there was a significant reduction in lactate dehydrogenase release at an equimolar ratio of Aβ:latrepirdine and with lower concentrations of latrepirdine. The ability of latrepirdine to alter the formation of Aβ42 aggregates was …

Plasma Apolipoprotein J As A Potential Biomarker For Alzheimer's Disease: Australian Imaging, Biomarkers And Lifestyle Study Of Aging, Veer Gupta, James D. Doecke, Eugene Hone, Steve Pedrini, Simon M. Laws, Madhav Thambisetty, Ashley Bush,, Christopher C. Rowe, Victor L. Villemagne, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Stuart Lance Macaulay, Alan Rembach, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Ralph N. Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction:

For early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the field needs biomarkers that can be used to detect disease status with high sensitivity and specificity. Apolipoprotein J (ApoJ, also known as clusterin) has long been associated with AD pathogenesis through various pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of plasma apoJ as a blood biomarker for AD.

Methods:

Using the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of aging, the present study assayed plasma apoJ levels over baseline and 18 months in 833 individuals. Plasma ApoJ levels were analyzed with respect to clinical classification, age, gender, …

Comparing Biological Markers Of Alzheimer's Disease Across Blood Fraction And Platforms: Comparing Apples To Oranges, Sid E. O'Bryant, Simone Lista, Robert A. Rissman, Melissa Edwards, Fan Zhang, James Hall, Herik Zetterberg, Simon Lovestone, Veer Bular Gupta, Neill Graff-Radford, Ralph N. Martins, Andreas Jeromin, Stephen Waring, Esther Oh, Mitchel Kling, Laura D. Baker, Harald Hampel

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction:

This study investigated the comparability of potential Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers across blood fractions and assay platforms.

Methods:

Nonfasting serum and plasma samples from 300 participants (150 AD patients and 150 controls) were analyzed. Proteomic markers were obtained via electrochemiluminescence or Luminex technology. Comparisons were conducted via Pearson correlations. The relative importance of proteins within an AD diagnostic profile was examined using random forest importance plots.

Results:

On the Meso Scale Discovery multiplex platform, 10 of the 21 markers shared > 50% of the variance across blood fractions (serum amyloid A R2 = 0.99, interleukin (IL)10 R2 = 0.95, fatty …

Genetic Model, Feifei Zhao, Manshu Song, Youxin Wang, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract provided.

Iron Supplementation And Altitude: Decision Making Using A Regression Tree, Laura A. Garvican-Lewis, Andrew D. Govus, Peter Peeling, Chris R. Abbiss, Christopher J. Gore

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract provided.

Stick Or Switch: A Selection Heuristic Predicts When People Take The Perspective Of Others Or Communicate Egocentrically, Shane Rogers, Nicholas Fay

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper examines a cognitive mechanism that drives perspective-taking and egocentrism in interpersonal communication. Using a conceptual referential communication task, in which participants describe a range of abstract geometric shapes, Experiment 1 shows that perspective-taking and egocentric communication are frequent communication strategies. Experiment 2 tests a selection heuristic account of perspective-taking and egocentric communication. It uses participants' shape description ratings to predict their communication strategy. Participants' communication strategy was predicted by how informative they perceived the different shape descriptions to be. When participants' personal shape description was perceived to be more informative than their addressee's shape description, there was a …

Profiling Igg N-Glycans As Potential Biomarker Of Chronological And Biological Ages: A Community-Based Study In A Han Chinese Population, Xinwei Yu, Youix Wang, Jasminka Krištić, Jing Dong, Xi Chu, Siqi Ge, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Di Lui, Zhongya Zhao, Hongli Peng, Maja P. Baković, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Igor Rudan, Harry Campbell, Gordan Lauc, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As an important post-translation modifying process, glycosylation significantly affects the structure and function of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules and is essential in many steps of the inflammatory cascade. Studies have demonstrated the potential of using glycosylation features of IgG as a component of predictive biomarkers for chronological age in several European populations, whereas no study has been reported in Chinese. Herein, we report various patterns of changes in IgG glycosylation associated with age by analyzing IgG glycosylation in 701 community-based Han Chinese (244 males, 457 females; 23-68 years old). Eleven IgG glycans, including FA2B, A2G1, FA2[6]G1, FA2[3]G1, FA2[6]BG1, FA2[3]BG1, A2G2, …

Resilience As Resistance To The New Managerialism: Portraits That Reframe Nursing Through Quotes From The Field, Vicki Cope, Bronwyn Jones, Joyce Hendricks

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim:

This paper acknowledges the relationship between resilience and the new managerialism of contemporary nursing.

Methods:

Qualitative portraiture methodology.

Discussion:

The new managerialism in hospital settings results in a rapidly increasing turnover of acutely ill or comorbid patients, which directly relates to retention and quality service. In education settings, the management imperative to recruit more students into the profession combined with financial cutbacks leads to similar tensions. In aged care the trend equates care directly with funding, with the same effect. Yet despite this, many registered nurses remain working. Portraiture explored 'why' nurses remain in workplaces often described as awful. …

Nursing Education In China: Meeting The Global Demand For Quality Healthcare, Carol Wang, Lisa Whitehead, Sara J. Bayes

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

With a predicted global nursing shortage, ensuring the provision of quality healthcare has become a pressing concern. In China, these concerns include the need to produce nurses trained to a level to support advancing nursing practice and a healthcare system that supports the growth and retention of nurses in China. This paper argues that the standard of nursing education in China plays a crucial role in preparing graduates to meet the health demands of China's growing population and the role that China can play into the future in the global progression of nursing. Collaboration between nursing authorities, educators, and legislators …

Spatiotemporal Pattern Analysis Of Scarlet Fever Incidence In Beijing, China, 2005–2014, Gehendra Mahara, Chao Wang, Da Huo, Qin Xu, Fangfang Huang, Lixin Tao, Jin Guo, Kai Cao, Liu Long, Jagadish K. Chhetri, Qi Gao, Wei Wang, Quanyi Wang, Xiuhua Guo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

To probe the spatiotemporal patterns of the incidence of scarlet fever in Beijing, China, from 2005 to 2014.

Methods:

A spatiotemporal analysis was conducted at the district/county level in the Beijing region based on the reported cases of scarlet fever during the study period. Moran’s autocorrelation coefficient was used to examine the spatial autocorrelation of scarlet fever, whereas the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic was used to determine the hotspot incidence of scarlet fever. Likewise, the space-time scan statistic was used to detect the space-time clusters, including the relative risk of scarlet fever incidence across all settings.

Results:

A total of …

Heat-Mediated Reduction Of Apoptosis In Uvb-Damaged Keratinocytes In Vitro And In Human Skin Ex Vivo, Leslie Calapre, Elin S. Gray, Sandrine Kurdykowski, Anthony David, Prue Hart, Pascal Descargues, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

UV radiation induces significant DNA damage in keratinocytes and is a known risk factor for skin carcinogenesis. However, it has been reported previously that repeated and simultaneous exposure to UV and heat stress increases the rate of cutaneous tumour formation in mice. Since constant exposure to high temperatures and UV are often experienced in the environment, the effects of exposure to UV and heat needs to be clearly addressed in human epidermal cells.

Methods:

In this study, we determined the effects of repeated UVB exposure 1kJ/m2 followed by heat (39°C) to human keratinocytes. Normal human ex vivo skin models …

Greater Strength Gains After Training With Accentuated Eccentric Than Traditional Isoinertial Loads In Already Strength-Trained Men, Simon Walker, Anthony J. Blazevich, Greg Haff, James J. Tufano, Robert Newton, Keijo Häkkinen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

As training experience increases it becomes more challenging to induce further neuromuscular adaptation. Consequently, strength trainers seek alternative training methods in order to further increase strength and muscle mass. One method is to utilize accentuated eccentric loading, which applies a greater external load during the eccentric phase of the lift as compared to the concentric phase. Based upon this practice, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 10 weeks of accentuated eccentric loading vs. traditional isoinertial resistance training in strength-trained men. Young (22 ± 3 years, 177 ± 6 cm, 76 ± 10 kg, n = …

Aβ-Related Memory Decline In Apoe Ε4 Noncarriers: Implications For Alzheimer Disease, Yen Ying Lim, Simon Laws, Victor Villemagne, Robert Pietrzak, Tenielle Porter, David Ames, Christoher Fowler, Stephanie Rainey-Smith, Peter Snyder, Ralph Martins, Olivier Salvado, Pierrick Bourgeat, Christopher Rowe, Colin Masters, Paul Maruff

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

As the absence of Aβ-related memory decline in APOE ϵ4 noncarriers may be due to the relative brevity of previous studies, we aimed to characterize Aβ-related cognitive decline over 72 months in APOE ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers who were cognitively normal (CN).

Methods:

CN older adults (n 423) underwent Aβ imaging and APOE genotyping. Participants completed comprehensive neuropsychological testing at baseline 18-, 36-, 54-, and 72-month assessments.

Results:

Relative to Aβ- CN ϵ4 noncarriers, both Aβ+ CN ϵ4 carriers and noncarriers showed significantly increased decline in measures of memory, language, and executive function as well as higher rates of …

Cardiovascular, Metabolic Effects And Dietary Composition Of Ad-Libitum Paleolithic Vs. Australian Guide To Healthy Eating Diets: A 4-Week Randomised Trial, Angela Genoni, Philippa Lyons-Wall, Johnny Lo, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

The Paleolithic diet is popular in Australia, however, limited literature surrounds the dietary pattern. Our primary aim was to compare the Paleolithic diet with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) in terms of anthropometric, metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, with a secondary aim to examine the macro and micronutrient composition of both dietary patterns

Methods:

39 healthy women (mean ± SD age 47 ± 13 years, BMI 27 ± 4 kg/m2) were randomised to either the Paleolithic (n = 22) or AGHE diet (n = 17) for four weeks. Three-day weighed food records, body composition and biochemistry data …

Protocol For Care After Lymphoma (Caly) Trial: A Phase Ii Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Lymphoma Nurse-Led Model Of Survivorship Care, Karen Taylor, David Joske, Max Bulsara, Caroline Bulsara, Leanne Monterosso

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Introduction:

Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia and internationally. Owing to the aggressive nature of the disease and intensity of treatment, survivors face long-term effects that impact on quality of life. Current models of follow-up post-treatment fail to address these complex issues. Given that 74% of patients with lymphoma cancer now survive 5 years beyond diagnosis and treatment, it is important to address this gap in care.

Aim:

To determine self-reported informational and practical needs, anxiety, depression, stress, coping and empowerment at baseline, 3 and 6 months.

Methods and analysis:

A pilot randomised controlled trial will …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Very Early Rehabilitation In Speech After Stroke, Erin Godecke, Elizabeth Armstrong, Tapan Rai, Sandy Middleton, Natalie Ciccone, Anne Whitworth, Miranda Rose, Audrey Holland, Fiona Ellery, Graeme Hankey, Dominique Cadilhac, Julie Bernhardt

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Rationale:

The efficacy of rehabilitation therapy for aphasia caused by stroke is uncertain.

Aims and hypothesis:

The Very Early Rehabilitation of Speech (VERSE) trial aims to determine if intensive prescribed aphasia therapy (VERSE) is more effective and cost saving than non-prescribed, intensive (usual care-plus) and non-intensive usual care (UC) therapy when started within 15 days of stroke onset and continued daily over four weeks. We hypothesize that aphasia therapy when started very early after stroke and delivered daily could enhance recovery of communication compared with UC.

Sample size estimates:

A total of 246 participants (82 per arm) will provide 80% …

Engaging Australian Aboriginal Narratives To Challenge Attitudes And Create Empathy In Health Care: A Methodological Perspective, Toni D. Wain, Moira Sim, Dawn Bessarab, Donna Mak, Colleen Hayward, Cobie Rudd

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Unconscious bias and negative attitudes towards minority groups have detrimental effects on the way health care is, or is not, provided to these groups. Recognition of racist attitudes and behaviours as well as understanding clients' experiences of health and health care are pivotal to developing better health care strategies to positively impact on the quality and safety of care provided to Indigenous people. Indigenous research demands inclusive research processes and the use of culturally appropriate methodologies. This paper presents a methodological account of collecting narratives which accurately and respectfully reflect Aboriginal Australians' experiences with health care in Western Australia. …

Sources, Incidence And Effects Of Non-Physical Workplace Violence Against Nurses In Ghana, Issac Boafo, Peter Hancock, Eyal Gringart

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim

To document the incidence, sources and effects of workplace verbal abuse and sexual harassment against Ghanaian nurses.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ghana from 2013–2014 which surveyed 592 professional nurses and midwives working in public hospitals in Ghana using the health sector violence questionnaire.

Results

The majority of participants were females (80%). The average age of participants was 31·76 years and the average number of years practising as nurse was 7·38. Twelve per cent of the participants experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment and 52·2% were exposed to verbal abuse. The majority of perpetrators of …

1h-Nmr Urinary Metabolomic Profiling For Diagnosis Of Gastric Cancer, Angela W. Chan, Pascal Mercier, Daniel Schiller, Robert Bailey, Sarah Robbins, Dean T. Eurich, Michael B. Sawyer, David Broadhurst

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Metabolomics has shown promise in gastric cancer (GC) detection. This research sought to identify whether GC has a unique urinary metabolomic profile compared with benign gastric disease (BN) and healthy (HE) patients.

Methods:

Urine from 43 GC, 40 BN, and 40 matched HE patients was analysed using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy, generating 77 reproducible metabolites (QC-RSD < 25%). Univariate and multivariate (MVA) statistics were employed. A parsimonious biomarker profile of GC vs HE was investigated using LASSO regularised logistic regression (LASSO-LR). Model performance was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results:

GC displayed a clear discriminatory biomarker profile; the BN profile overlapped with GC and HE. LASSO-LR identified …

Autoantibody Production In Cancer—The Humoral Immune Response Toward Autologous Antigens In Cancer Patients, Pauline Zaenker, Elin Solomonovna Gray, Melanie Ruth Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A link between autoimmune responses and cancer via autoantibodies was first described in the 1950s. Since, autoantibodies have been studied for their potential use as cancer biomarkers, however the exact causes of their production remain to be elucidated. This review summarizes current theories of the causes of autoantibody production in cancer, namely:

1) defects in tolerance and inflammation,

2) changes in protein expression levels,

3) altered protein structure, and

4) cellular death mechanisms.

We also highlight the need for further research into this field to improve our understanding of autoantibodies as biomarkers for cancer development and progression.

Acute Inflammatory Response To Low-, Moderate-, And High-Load Resistance Exercise In Women With Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema, Prue Cormie, Benjamin Singh, Sandi Hayes, Jonathan M. Peake, Daniel A. Galvao, Dennis Taaffe, Nigel Spry, Kazunori Nosaka, Bruce Cornish, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Resistance exercise is emerging as a potential adjunct therapy to aid in the management of breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL). However, the mechanisms underlying the relationships between the acute and long-term benefits of resistance exercise on BCRL are not well understood.

Purpose

To examine the acute inflammatory response to upper-body resistance exercise in women with BCRL and to compare these effects between resistance exercises involving low, moderate, and high loads. The impact on lymphedema status and associated symptoms was also compared.

Methods.

A total of 21 women, 62 ± 10 years old, with BCRL participated in the study. Participants completed …