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Body Composition Changes In Cardiac Cachexia: Pathophysiology, Quantification And Approaches To Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,000.00
Summary
Cachexia is weight loss and weakness caused by disease, or as a side effect of illness. Congestive heart failure is a common cardiovascular condition that is accompanied by high mortality (up to 50% over 2 years) and considerable suffering. People with congestive heart failure often develop cachexia. This project will explore the mechanisms responsible for the development of cachexia using an animal model of cardiac cachexia that the researchers have developed. It will be complemented by an exam ....Cachexia is weight loss and weakness caused by disease, or as a side effect of illness. Congestive heart failure is a common cardiovascular condition that is accompanied by high mortality (up to 50% over 2 years) and considerable suffering. People with congestive heart failure often develop cachexia. This project will explore the mechanisms responsible for the development of cachexia using an animal model of cardiac cachexia that the researchers have developed. It will be complemented by an examination of the effects of exercise on measures of cachexia in patients with congestive heart failure. The researchers believe that this study will supply valuable new information about the development of cachexia and lead to new therapies for this syndrome.Read moreRead less
Phosphoproteomics: Metabolic And Exercise Signalling Markers For Sedentary And Trained Individuals
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,222,500.00
Summary
It is widely recognized that diet and exercise have a major influence on the health and fitness. Sedentary lifestyles predispose people to obesity and the early development of age onset diseases. In the past decade we have gained considerable insight into the regulatory links between exercise and metabolism particularly involving the AMPK signalling pathway. This project is concerned with the phosphoproteome of trained and untrained skeletal muscle, fat and erythrocytes as a marker of fitness.
Spatial Simulation Modelling Of Containment Strategies For Pandemic Influenza
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,927.00
Summary
This research will develop a spatial simulation model to predict the spread of pandemic influenza within Australia. The resulting software program will be readily usable by disease managers, both during and prior to an outbreak, to predict the effect of various containment measures on the size, rate and location of disease spread, through a city, state or the nation. Deployed in _real time� after an outbreak has started in Australia, it will be used to predict infection spread and the containmen ....This research will develop a spatial simulation model to predict the spread of pandemic influenza within Australia. The resulting software program will be readily usable by disease managers, both during and prior to an outbreak, to predict the effect of various containment measures on the size, rate and location of disease spread, through a city, state or the nation. Deployed in _real time� after an outbreak has started in Australia, it will be used to predict infection spread and the containment effect of a range of interventions. The model would use data obtained during initial stages of the outbreak to refine the model, so allowing accuracy in daily spread prediction; similar use of spatial models occurred during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the UK. In a pre-pandemic period the simulation model will be available to predict the containment effect of a range of response measures, such as travel restrictions, workplace and school closures, vaccination and antiviral usage. Specifically, this project will apply the simulation model to determine optimal use of limited resources such as the _when and where� targeting of antiviral drugs and initial supplies of vaccine.Read moreRead less
Case Conferencing, Quality Of Life And Palliative Care For Clients From Remote Communities In The Northern Territory
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$42,750.00
Summary
This project addresses an area in the delivery of palliative care in rural and remote Top End of the NT, where research is seriously lacking. It will focus on the relationship between quality of life and communication between health providers and palliative clients and their carers. The conduit of communication will be case conferences and family conferences. There has been some research that reflects that case conferencing (in urban areas) in palliative care leads to improved quality of life (M ....This project addresses an area in the delivery of palliative care in rural and remote Top End of the NT, where research is seriously lacking. It will focus on the relationship between quality of life and communication between health providers and palliative clients and their carers. The conduit of communication will be case conferences and family conferences. There has been some research that reflects that case conferencing (in urban areas) in palliative care leads to improved quality of life (Mitchell 2006). This project will be assessing whether there is a similar association between quality of life and case conferencing in rural and remote Northern Territory. The project will also assess the dynamics of communication between palliative clients and their carers and the health providers.Read moreRead less
An Exploration Of Functional Decline And The Potential For Rehab In Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$50,000.00
Summary
Lung cancer is one of the commonest human cancers and the leading cause of cancer deaths. People with advanced cancer experience significant decline in functional capacity as their disease advances and they approach death. This decline is likely to have significant impact on quality of life. In lung cancer this decline can be exacerbated by chronic illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While significant clinical benefits have been demonstrated in COPD patients with the ....Lung cancer is one of the commonest human cancers and the leading cause of cancer deaths. People with advanced cancer experience significant decline in functional capacity as their disease advances and they approach death. This decline is likely to have significant impact on quality of life. In lung cancer this decline can be exacerbated by chronic illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While significant clinical benefits have been demonstrated in COPD patients with the introduction of pulmonary rehabilitation, little research has been conducted to either map the functional status of lung cancer patients or to explore the application of pulmonary rehabilitation in this setting. This study seeks to begin a program of work in this area through first exploring the characteristics of functional decline in this group and then assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a rehabilitation program specifically addressing the functional status needs identified.Read moreRead less
Early Influences Of Obesity And Fat Patterning In Children:critical Periods, Environmental Determinants, And Socio-cultu
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,152,711.00
Summary
Childhood obesity is an escalating public health problem both internationally and within Australia. Rates of childhood obesity in Australia are at one of the highest amongst developed nations. 25% of Australian children are currently overweight or obese. Obesity is a strong risk factor for chronic disease. In children, obesity is of concern because it is highly likely to persist and, during childhood, contributes to serious physical and mental health problems. A quarter of Australian children ar ....Childhood obesity is an escalating public health problem both internationally and within Australia. Rates of childhood obesity in Australia are at one of the highest amongst developed nations. 25% of Australian children are currently overweight or obese. Obesity is a strong risk factor for chronic disease. In children, obesity is of concern because it is highly likely to persist and, during childhood, contributes to serious physical and mental health problems. A quarter of Australian children are now carrying excess body fat. Because of these factors, prevention of obesity is paramount because success of current treatment options is limited and does not last. Especially harmful forms of fatness may originate in early life - the tendency to store fat in the abdominal region and the tendency to accrete fat rather than muscle (at any body size). For this reason, the early life determinants of obesity deserve special attention, even in the presence of society-wide factors conducive to obesity. Professor Moore and a group of researchers from the University of Adelaide will test the proposition that pre-birth and infancy is a ‘critical period’ for the development of obesity. The group aims to investigate whether there is a distinct period in early life for acquiring the predisposition to harmful forms of fatness. The project also aims to identify practical opportunities for prevention, focusing on mothers and their infants.Read moreRead less
Avian Influenza - National Perception Of Risks To Paramedics And Innovative Ambulance Service Population-based Models Of
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$297,909.00
Summary
This research addresses the important public health role of prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in containing and managing contagion should an influenza pandemic evolve in Australia. Paramedics are front line health staff and in the event of a pandemic will be among the first members of the community to face exposure to infection. This research will explore the attitudes and perceptions of paramedics and their families to working in epidemic conditions, provide prediction of behavioural ....This research addresses the important public health role of prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in containing and managing contagion should an influenza pandemic evolve in Australia. Paramedics are front line health staff and in the event of a pandemic will be among the first members of the community to face exposure to infection. This research will explore the attitudes and perceptions of paramedics and their families to working in epidemic conditions, provide prediction of behavioural responses to highly infectious environments, and a clear understanding of attitudes to infection control and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Knowledge of how to manage and support the responses of frontline health workers to an infectious disease outbreak is critical to the emergency system response. This project aims to mitigate the effects of perceived risk of infection on attitudes and behaviour of paramedics, by informing health promotion and infection-prevention messages to paramedics and their families. This research will also explore the emerging role of ambulance services as a key component of a public health surveillance system to provide an early warning of pandemic disease outbreaks and facilitate implementation of effective disease control strategies. Current triage systems, used for allocation of patients to appropriate treatment and-or quarantine, are not designed for epidemic environments, and may inadvertently facilitate disease spread and delay identification of victims requiring immediate care and-or quarantine. This project will explore the utility of a population-based triage tool to control an infectious disease outbreak by reducing patient-to-patient disease transmission. The project will facilitate expansion of current public health disease surveillance strategies and triage mechanisms for use during an epidemic, to effectively manage increased workloads within a highly infectious environment, whilst maintaining usual emergency medical services.Read moreRead less
Enterovirus 71 In The Asia-Pacific Region: Reverse Genetic Approaches To Virus Surveillance And Vaccine Development.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$690,833.00
Summary
In this research the team will use advanced biotechnological techniques to study the distribution and virulence markers of an important emerging infectious disease, enterovirus 71 encephalitis, in the Asia-Pacific region. The knowledge and technical advances derived from this study will be shared with neighbouring countries in order to conduct sensitive surveillance for this infection throughout the region. The study's other major aim is to use cutting-edge biotechnological techniques to develop ....In this research the team will use advanced biotechnological techniques to study the distribution and virulence markers of an important emerging infectious disease, enterovirus 71 encephalitis, in the Asia-Pacific region. The knowledge and technical advances derived from this study will be shared with neighbouring countries in order to conduct sensitive surveillance for this infection throughout the region. The study's other major aim is to use cutting-edge biotechnological techniques to develop a genetically defined, live attenuated vaccine strain. Candidate vaccine strains will be tested for their effectiveness in both cell culture-based and animal models.Read moreRead less
A Study To Pilot A Clinical Trial To Test Dignity Psychotherapy For The Frail Aged
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$25,000.00
Summary
One of the greatest challenges today is to preserve the dignity of the frail elderly. Our study will test and perfect a strategy to trial a new approach for this population, Dignity Psychotherapy. The approach will document aspects of the senior's life that they regard as meaningful, want remembered, or of which they are proud. Among the terminally ill, the approach has had positive outcomes. Benefits for elders may include that the approach forms a foundation for holistic care.