Understanding Relapse In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Investigation Of Return Of Fear.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$255,014.00
Summary
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common and results in significant impairment. There are effective psychological treatments for PTSD, yet relapse following treatment remains high. The proposed research will involve a series of experiments and observational studies to better understand the process that lead to relapse in patients receiving treatment for PTSD. The findings of these studies will assist in modifying treatment to ensure that symptom gains are maintained following treatment.
An Evaluation Of The Validity Of Measureing Salivary Oxycodone Concentrations For Pharmacokinetic Studies In Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$49,135.00
Summary
In many countries, oxycodone is replacing morphine as the opioid of first choice for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Despite this, very little is known about how the drug is processed in the body or how its ability to control pain is affected by such factors as other drugs, age or organ function. Studies to determine this usually require multiple blood tests from individual patients over set time periods. Our team is able to measure drug levels in saliva and has shown this to be a vali ....In many countries, oxycodone is replacing morphine as the opioid of first choice for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Despite this, very little is known about how the drug is processed in the body or how its ability to control pain is affected by such factors as other drugs, age or organ function. Studies to determine this usually require multiple blood tests from individual patients over set time periods. Our team is able to measure drug levels in saliva and has shown this to be a valid substitute for the measurement of drug levels in blood. Furthermore, one of us has developed a computer modelling system that shows how drugs are handled in the body using only a few samples from each patient. Palliative care patients are generally frail and unwell. We are reluctant to expose them to invasive tests such as repeated blood sampling. If we can prove that saliva sampling is as good as blood sampling, we will have identified a simple non-invasive means of greatly increasing our knowledge of oxycodone and how it behaves in individual patients. This in turn may allow us to tailor drug doses according to the unique characteristics of each patient and to optimise their pain control.Read moreRead less
Improving First Trimester Screening By Combining Rapid MF-PCR Of PAP Smears With Nuchal Ultrasound Scanning
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$206,809.00
Summary
Genetic defects are the major cause of embryonic and foetal death as well as being responsible for a large proportion of childhood disabilities. Although many are detected by the ~50,000 prenatal tests currently performed annually in Australia, these methods are only offered to high risk mothers because they are invasive (~1% risk of miscarriage), and-or expensive. A rapid, low cost, less invasive and safer alternative prenatal diagnostic method such as PAP smears that could be offered to all mo ....Genetic defects are the major cause of embryonic and foetal death as well as being responsible for a large proportion of childhood disabilities. Although many are detected by the ~50,000 prenatal tests currently performed annually in Australia, these methods are only offered to high risk mothers because they are invasive (~1% risk of miscarriage), and-or expensive. A rapid, low cost, less invasive and safer alternative prenatal diagnostic method such as PAP smears that could be offered to all mothers regardless of risk is therefore of immense value both to mothers and to the health care system. This proposal enhances first trimester screening by improving prenatal diagnosis from PAP smears. Although normally taken to detect cancer, these smears contain significant numbers of foetal cells. We will investigate: the best way and time to obtain these cells, the best way to remove the cells from any contamination, improvements in genetic diagnosis of these cells using a technique known as MF-PCR which is rapidly revolutionising conventional prenatal diagnosis. By automating these procedures, they will become less expensive and more accessible to all mothers regardless of risk. We will also compare these procedures with alternative first trimester screening techniques such as nuchal translucency to determine the value of both tests singly and in combination. This research should provide a safe, reliable and accurate method allowing inexpensive prenatal screening to be available for all pregnancies. General screening programmes using this new test, particularly if combined with nuchal translucency programmes, would result in a dramatic reduction in affected babies with major implications to families and the health care system.Read moreRead less
Determinants Of The Oral Health Of Adults Entering The Third Decade Life-stage
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,500.00
Summary
There has been a strong investment in the oral health of Australian children and their oral health has greatly improved. However, there are a number of indications that not all the gains in child and adolescent oral health are not carried through to the next life stage, adulthood. Somewhere in the intervening years, much of the gains in oral health invested in children and adolescents are dissipated. Hence, the purpose of this proposed research is to document the nature, distribution and determi ....There has been a strong investment in the oral health of Australian children and their oral health has greatly improved. However, there are a number of indications that not all the gains in child and adolescent oral health are not carried through to the next life stage, adulthood. Somewhere in the intervening years, much of the gains in oral health invested in children and adolescents are dissipated. Hence, the purpose of this proposed research is to document the nature, distribution and determinants of oral health among South Australian 29 year olds so as to identify points of intervention to maintain Australian's improved oral health further into adulthood. The specific aims of the research are to document the oral health of a cohort of 29 year olds describe their dental life history and key proximate influences on their oral health identify significant determinants of their oral health to compare the cohort with a representative SA sample of the same age. This project will approach some 3,763 29 year old adults who participated in earlier research as 13 year olds in 1988-89. It will also compare these adults with a random sample of 557 further 29 year olds from the SA Electoral Roll. Participants will be interviewed and then dentally examined, providing a range of key outcome measures on oral health status and explanatory factors from when they were 13 years old, their dental history and circumstances as 29 year olds. The research project is expected to provide detailed documentation of the prevalence and severity of oral disease and its distribution in an adult cohort, and exploration of the dental life history and current determinants of the oral disease observed. It is anticipated that the strength of hypothesised relationships of determinants will have direct policy implications.Read moreRead less
Consumer preferences for voluntary carbon mitigation in the aviation sector. The demand for aviation is rapidly adding to carbon emissions. Little is known about consumer preferences for aviation carbon offsets and how they evolve over time. This hinders the expansion of voluntary schemes at a crucial period in history. This research will investigate consumers offset preferences and their willingness to pay for aviation carbon mitigation using a novel time series methodology. The project aims to ....Consumer preferences for voluntary carbon mitigation in the aviation sector. The demand for aviation is rapidly adding to carbon emissions. Little is known about consumer preferences for aviation carbon offsets and how they evolve over time. This hinders the expansion of voluntary schemes at a crucial period in history. This research will investigate consumers offset preferences and their willingness to pay for aviation carbon mitigation using a novel time series methodology. The project aims to inform government policies and to help industry to develop carbon offset programs which are more likely to be supported by consumers, thus helping to reduce carbon emissions in the long term. It also aims to profile carbon offsetting groups to support communication activities to increase the size and value of offsets.Read moreRead less
Evaluating Perceptual Benefits Of Bilateral Cochlear Implants For Young Children And Infants
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,843.00
Summary
The cochlear implant (bionic ear) has revolutionised communication for children with profound hearing loss. Nevertheless, children with the standard single implant still face huge challenges in educational and social settings. Difficulties include understanding speech that is soft, or speech in noisy environments, such as the classroom. Also, with one implant, children cannot locate the source of sound, such as the speaker in a group conversation, team-mates during sport, or an oncoming car. Res ....The cochlear implant (bionic ear) has revolutionised communication for children with profound hearing loss. Nevertheless, children with the standard single implant still face huge challenges in educational and social settings. Difficulties include understanding speech that is soft, or speech in noisy environments, such as the classroom. Also, with one implant, children cannot locate the source of sound, such as the speaker in a group conversation, team-mates during sport, or an oncoming car. Research with other normal hearing and hearing impaired groups suggests that two (bilateral) implants may possibly improve performance in these conditions. Although hundreds of children worldwide have received bilateral implants, very limited evidence is available to indicate whether two implants are significantly better than one, especially for young children. The main aim of the research is to evaluate the improvement in listening performance when young children and infants use two implants as compared with one. An additional aim is to gain clinical knowledge of bilateral implant use in order to develop selection criteria and management protocols for young bilateral candidates in the future. Results of this research will determine if bilateral implants should become a standard option for young children at the RVEEH-University of Melbourne Implant Clinic. The results will be published and presented internationally to influence clinical practice worldwide. All children using a cochlear implant, or in need of one in the future, will benefit as the study outcomes will indicate the best choice of hearing devices for individual children, and help to determine best-practice management if bilateral implants become an option for all children.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100385
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$366,000.00
Summary
Cyberactivism, tourism and trophy hunting ethics 2.0. This project aims to analyse the effectiveness of anti-trophy hunting cyberactivism at hunting destinations. After the 2015 shooting of Cecil the Zimbabwean lion, trophy hunting tourism and its ethical ambiguities re-entered the public consciousness globally. Australian tourists have been implicated in the controversial practice, and Australia has recently had to reconsider its laws in this respect. At the same time, cyberactivist movements i ....Cyberactivism, tourism and trophy hunting ethics 2.0. This project aims to analyse the effectiveness of anti-trophy hunting cyberactivism at hunting destinations. After the 2015 shooting of Cecil the Zimbabwean lion, trophy hunting tourism and its ethical ambiguities re-entered the public consciousness globally. Australian tourists have been implicated in the controversial practice, and Australia has recently had to reconsider its laws in this respect. At the same time, cyberactivist movements in social media have taken a stance against trophy hunting. This project aims to improve the effectiveness of cyberactivism to protect endangered species in trophy hunting destinations, particularly Southern Africa, and to guide Australian policy frameworks.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101072
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Photos of the past: the negotiation of identity and belonging at Australian tourism sites. This project will explore the way visitors construct and express identity at a range of tourism sites in Australia. Focussing upon the practices of photography, the research will provide a detailed analysis of negotiations of belonging, which in turn may be used to facilitate debate over the pressing contemporary issue of national cohesion.