Gubernacular Migration During Testicular Descent And The Role Of The Mammary Line
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$513,642.00
Summary
This study investigates the role of the mammary line, which forms the breasts in females and is present but invisible in males, in the mechanism of testicular descent.
Quality Assurance In LDR And HDR Prostate Brachytherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$221,500.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men over 55 years of age. Approximately 30% of all diagnosed cancers in this age group are prostate carcinomas. Low and high dose rate brachytherapy are newly established treatment options for early-stage, low-risk, prostate cancer and are an alternative to curative prostatectomy in most patients. Local control and cure of prostate cancer is greatly influenced by the dose distribution generated by both the treatment techniques. Tre ....Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men over 55 years of age. Approximately 30% of all diagnosed cancers in this age group are prostate carcinomas. Low and high dose rate brachytherapy are newly established treatment options for early-stage, low-risk, prostate cancer and are an alternative to curative prostatectomy in most patients. Local control and cure of prostate cancer is greatly influenced by the dose distribution generated by both the treatment techniques. Treatment plans must be able to deliver a prescribed dose in the tumour, with adequate margins, while minimising the dose delivered to the surrounding normal tissue and critical organs. It is well recognised that, however skilful the radiation oncologist, an ideal dose distribution according to a treatment plan plan does not guarantee a well delivered dose. Complications such as impotence, severe radiation urethritis and severe rectal bleeding will arise if overdosing of the neuro-vascular bundle, urethra and rectum occurs respectively. This project is based on newly developed instrumentation that will allow continuous, realtime, in vivo, monitoring of the radiation dose levels in the urethra and rectum during brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer. Such monitoring of the treatment procedure, has been identified as a high priority by the American Brachytherapy Society. The technique will allow extensive in vivo and post treatment studies to be performed by clinicians so as to measure the dose levels currently received and identify the optimum acceptable dose levels for future procedures. The outcomes of this project may well be able to be utilised in other forms of brachytherapy treament (e.g. breast, cervical cancer) and other radiation treatment modailities (e.g. conventional radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy) to also reduce complications associated with these treatment modalities.Read moreRead less
Study Of Papillomavirus DNA Encapsidation And Formation Of Infectious Virions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$214,053.00
Summary
Papillomavirus (PV) is a sexually-transmitted virus that is a major cause of cervical cancer. Our study will determine how PV is able to form new virus particles inside infected cells. This is a critical part of the virus life-cycle, and a better understanding of this process may allow it to be trageted by anti-viral treatments. In addition, we will develop a method to create non-harmful virus particles which we will use to study human immune responses to the virus.
Chronic Disease Outcomes And Enhanced Primary Care In Seniors: A Cross-Jurisdictional Linkage Project
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,077,766.00
Summary
This project will provide evidence on how best to use the efforts of Australian GPs to obtain better outcomes in patients aged 65+ years who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, asthma and emphysema, seizures and stomach disorders. It will also examine the best way that GP visits can promote healthier ageing in all older seniors, aged 75+ years. For each disease and in older seniors, the study will be able to detect which of the following factors ....This project will provide evidence on how best to use the efforts of Australian GPs to obtain better outcomes in patients aged 65+ years who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, asthma and emphysema, seizures and stomach disorders. It will also examine the best way that GP visits can promote healthier ageing in all older seniors, aged 75+ years. For each disease and in older seniors, the study will be able to detect which of the following factors are the most important for better patient health: (i) seeing a GP more times, (ii) seeing a GP at more even intervals, (iii) seeing the same GP, or (iv) seeing a GP with a lot of experience in chronic diseases. Separate investigations will be made in older people living in hostels and nursing homes, because their needs may be different. The study will also evaluate the benefits of a major change that occurred to Medicare in 1999, when GPs were paid to perform health assessments and to prepare health plans (with other health workers) for patients with chronic health problems. The results will enable this important initiative to be further improved. The study will use a unique and new Australian research facility, which has brought together health data on the entire population of WA from both the State and Commonwealth levels, including information on Medicare use, pharmaceuticals, hospital stays and deaths. The facility works in such a way as to preserve patient and GP privacy. A strong feature of this research will be the degree of involvement of a representative and voluntary group of older Australian patients who attend GP clinics, and the GPs themselves, in advising the researchers on what's important to consumers and GPs.Read moreRead less
Validating And Optimising The Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Physiology Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$91,725.00
Summary
Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles ar ....Combined electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to detect the anatomical areas in the brain that show electrical activity. Several centres worldwide use this technique to localise the seizure focus in patients with epilepsy. However, there is a lack of validation of the currently applied techniques. Current analysis methods have been developed and validated for other fMRI paradigms, such as motor tasks. It is not known whether the same principles are applicable and optimal for fMRI-EEG data. The proposed project aims at validating and optimising the analysis strategies for fMRI-EEG data.Read moreRead less
Improving Medication Safety In Seniors: A Cross-Jurisdictional Linkage Project
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$636,717.00
Summary
The project will identify priorities for tackling the current epidemic of hospitalisation of Australians aged 65+ years due to side effects of their medications. Two different groups of medications will be investigated. The first will be the prescribed drugs most often recorded as causes of hospital stay, including those taken to stop blood clotting, for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, for rheumatism or strong pain relief, anti-cancer drugs and steroids. The study will exa ....The project will identify priorities for tackling the current epidemic of hospitalisation of Australians aged 65+ years due to side effects of their medications. Two different groups of medications will be investigated. The first will be the prescribed drugs most often recorded as causes of hospital stay, including those taken to stop blood clotting, for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, for rheumatism or strong pain relief, anti-cancer drugs and steroids. The study will examine which of these drugs taken under what circumstances has the highest risk, so prevention can be better targeted. The study will investigate if adequate laboratory monitoring of the anti- clotting drugs is taking place and whether the guidelines should be updated. The second group will be 68 medications that should be avoided in seniors according to an international expert panel. The research will see how often these 'inappropriate medications' are still prescribed in the Australian setting, and the size of their contributions to unplanned hospital stays. The researchers suspect that this problem is much larger than immediately apparent from routine statistics, because many of the side effects of inappropriate medications are non-specific, such as confusion, drowsiness or difficulty standing up, thus putting seniors at risk of falls and neglect of other aspects of their health. The study will use a unique and new Australian research facility, which has brought together health data on the entire population of WA from both the State and Commonwealth levels, including information on pharmaceuticals, Medicare use, hospital stays and deaths. The facility works in such a way as to preserve patient and GP privacy. A strong feature of this research will be the degree of involvement of a representative and voluntary group of older Australian patients who attend GP clinics, and the GPs themselves, in advising the researchers on what's important to consumers and GPs.Read moreRead less