A Parent Education And Skills Training Early Intervention For Children With Autism
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$305,674.00
Summary
Autism is a severely handicapping disorder adversely affecting social interaction, communication, and behaviour, interests and activities. Over the past 9 years our team has conducted a follow-up study of a large group of 111 Australian children and adolescents with autism. The young people have continued to have very high levels of emotional and behavioural disturbance and generally do not improve. Parents of children with autism are under significant amounts of stress; reporting high levels of ....Autism is a severely handicapping disorder adversely affecting social interaction, communication, and behaviour, interests and activities. Over the past 9 years our team has conducted a follow-up study of a large group of 111 Australian children and adolescents with autism. The young people have continued to have very high levels of emotional and behavioural disturbance and generally do not improve. Parents of children with autism are under significant amounts of stress; reporting high levels of disturbed family functioning and mental health problems. Although there is no cure, children benefit most when early help is provided (under 5 years). There are several promising interventions based on intensive behaviour and educational management, for example requiring 40 hours per week of therapist contact over 2 years. Such programs are costly and impractical as widely available treatment options. Training parents to understand and manage their child also shows promise. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a parent skills training and education treatment program compared to supportive therapy, and to generally available community services. The therapists will follow a treatment manual that will ensure a consistent and replicable approach. The progress of the children with autism and their families will be reassessed immediately after treatment, and at 1 and 2 years post-treatment in order to ascertain immediate and long-term effects of the treatment. If treatment proves to be of use, we will have established a defined, cost efficient, practical and effective model of early treatment that can be easily taught to professionals and widely disseminated throughout early childhood services.Read moreRead less
Randomised Controlled Trial Of Virtual Reality Therapy After Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,264.00
Summary
Stroke is the second largest cause of disability in Australia. There is no cure, so patients must rely on therapy to restore movement. We want to make rehabilitation more effective. This study compares virtual reality game therapy (using the Nintendo Wii) to current best practice (constraint therapy). We anticipate patients will improve more with Wii therapy. Because it is fun, patients will enjoy therapy and spend longer training resulting in a greater recovery and better movement ability.
Protecting Against Malaria Through Liver-resident Memory T Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,196,853.00
Summary
We have shown that formation of liver-resident memory T cells (Trm), a newly discovered type of immune cells, can be induced by an innovative vaccination strategy called prime and trap for highly efficient protection against malaria in mice. Here, we will enhance prime and trap vaccination efficacy by defining the conditions that maximize liver Trm-mediated protection and will characterize simian and human liver Trm cells, paving the way to create the most efficient human malaria vaccine to date
Community-wide Active Case Finding For Tuberculosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,422,325.00
Summary
During 2010, 8.8 million people developed TB and 1.45 million people died due to the disease. In this project, which will be conducted in Vietnam, one of the countries in our region with a particularly high prevalence of TB, we will test a new form of an old intervention: community-wide screening for TB, not with x-rays but by testing sputum. If the project is successful it has the potential to lead to a giant leap forward towards the elimination of TB as a global health problem.
The Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group is an experienced research group conducting cancer clinical trials involving radiotherapy (RT) in order to improve cure rates, quality of life and to reduce side-effects of treatment. Fifty per cent of all cancer patients need RT as part of their treatment. The aim of the proposal is to strengthen the quality and safety of RT trials by (a) enabling rapid review and checking of treatment by electronic means and (b) improve trial design.
Plantwide Control of Modern Chemical Processes from a Network Perspective. Complex plants increasingly appear in modern Australian process industries, particularly in mineral processing, petrochemical and renewable energies sectors. These plants represent vast capital costs and manufacture products at a very large scale. Improvement in control and operation of these processes can potentially provide significant economic benefits. The expected outcome of this research is an effective approach to ....Plantwide Control of Modern Chemical Processes from a Network Perspective. Complex plants increasingly appear in modern Australian process industries, particularly in mineral processing, petrochemical and renewable energies sectors. These plants represent vast capital costs and manufacture products at a very large scale. Improvement in control and operation of these processes can potentially provide significant economic benefits. The expected outcome of this research is an effective approach to improve operational safety, efficiency, product quality and manufacturing flexibility, helping to build a more efficient and environmental conscious Australian chemical industry. This project will also enhance Australia's scientific reputation in the frontier research area of advanced process control and management.Read moreRead less
Periodontal Disease And Chronic Kidney Disease Among Aboriginal Adults; An RCT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,035,550.00
Summary
Chronic Kidney Disease is a growing public health concern in Australia, especially among Aboriginal populations. It is associated with progression to end stage kidney disease requiring dialysis, cardiovascular disease burden and high mortality. This study will use a randomised controlled trial design to determine if comprehensive periodontal therapy reduces progression of kidney disease among Aboriginal adults with chronic kidney disease residing in Central Australia.
Reducing Deaths From Pesticide Poisoning - Establishing A Regional Toxicology Research Centre.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$739,727.00
Summary
The World Health Organization estimates suggest nearly half a million people die from acute pesticide poisoning in the Asia-Pacific region each year. The Sri Lankan project will be the first attempt to systematically test whether a range of strategies can reduce long-term neurological damage and deaths from pesticides. The Australian-Sri Lankan Collaboration will, over the next five years, aim to improve assessment of sub-acute and long-term morbidity; promote 'evidence-based' treatment; develop ....The World Health Organization estimates suggest nearly half a million people die from acute pesticide poisoning in the Asia-Pacific region each year. The Sri Lankan project will be the first attempt to systematically test whether a range of strategies can reduce long-term neurological damage and deaths from pesticides. The Australian-Sri Lankan Collaboration will, over the next five years, aim to improve assessment of sub-acute and long-term morbidity; promote 'evidence-based' treatment; develop new antidotes (and assess their cost effectiveness), and see if pesticide regulation can reduce the rate of severe or fatal poisoning. If successful, this program may become a model for the region as to how to substantially reduce this largely hidden tragedy.Read moreRead less
N-Acetyl Cysteine In Schizophrenia Resistant To Clozapine: A Double-Blind Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial Targeting Negative Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$981,789.00
Summary
Many patients with schizophrenia remain treatment resistant even after “last resort” medications like clozapine. This proposal will conduct a novel multi-site randomised placebo controlled trial of adjunctive N-acetyl cysteine in patients with clozapine resistant schizophrenia. Treatment efficacy will be examined at 8, 26 and 52 weeks.