A Phase III Trial Comparing Adjuvant Versus Salvage Radiotherapy For High Risk Patients Post Radical Prostatectomy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$819,138.00
Summary
About half of all patients Treated with an operation to remove their prostate cancer have a high chance of the cancer coming back. Giving immediate radiotherapy to all patients will improve cure rates but does not benefit all men and can cause significant side effects. This study explores whether it is safe to wait and only give radiotherapy when there is a rising PSA after surgery indicating active cancer. A total of 470 men from Australasia will enter this study comparing the two approaches.
Developing An Australian Valuation For The EQ-5D-5L Quality Of Life Instrument
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,357.00
Summary
In the assessment of gains resulting from a health technology, it is standard to consider both mortality and quality of life effects. This project explores how Australians value different components of quality of life. To do this, we are running an online survey called a discrete choice experiment, and analysing the data using a range of cutting-edge econometric techniques. This will allow policy-makers to better reflect people's preferences when making decisions about new technologies.
Population dynamics and genetic variation of plants with contrasting fire responses. We combine the traditional concerns of population viability analyses with the modern techniques of DNA fingerprinting for precise genotyping of individual plants and their seeds. We expect major breakthroughs in our understanding of how fire-killed species have survived thousands of years of frequent burning by Aborigines (by identifying seeds dispersed long distances from burnt parents); how paternity of offspr ....Population dynamics and genetic variation of plants with contrasting fire responses. We combine the traditional concerns of population viability analyses with the modern techniques of DNA fingerprinting for precise genotyping of individual plants and their seeds. We expect major breakthroughs in our understanding of how fire-killed species have survived thousands of years of frequent burning by Aborigines (by identifying seeds dispersed long distances from burnt parents); how paternity of offspring changes over the lifespan of plants which retain their seeds for many years; at what age within-plant genetic variation is at a maximum as a guide to optimal fire management; and the extent that deleterious somatic mutations explain low seed set among long-lived species.Read moreRead less
The internet of toys: examining connected toys for children. This project aims to investigate the emerging communication world of the internet of toys where toys relate one-on-one to children and also connect to other toys, other children and/or database data. The project will examine the emerging benefits and risks of these connected toys through engaging with families and industry, as well as with regulatory and policy developments. It will inform and influence policy makers, toy designers and ....The internet of toys: examining connected toys for children. This project aims to investigate the emerging communication world of the internet of toys where toys relate one-on-one to children and also connect to other toys, other children and/or database data. The project will examine the emerging benefits and risks of these connected toys through engaging with families and industry, as well as with regulatory and policy developments. It will inform and influence policy makers, toy designers and families of children too young to understand the implications of data privacy and security that these toys bring. It will benefit decision-making regarding the design and regulatory environments in which these toys are made.Read moreRead less
Threshold traits: conditionality, instability and broken symmetry. This project will use experimental evolutionary ecology to understand biological switches that are tripped in response to environmental change. This will increase knowledge of how the environment affects organisms; exploring the limits to diversity on the one hand and the generation of novelty on the other.
The role of public culture in the construction of contemporary Australian literature. Literature is not simply a body of texts; it is a cultural technology, affected by changing patterns of production and consumption. Witness the 'cult of celebrity', the phenomenal recent growth of literary festivals, literary internet sites, reading groups, changing patterns of literary marketing, education, employment and leisure. Academic scholarship, largely text-based, fails to engage with these public and ....The role of public culture in the construction of contemporary Australian literature. Literature is not simply a body of texts; it is a cultural technology, affected by changing patterns of production and consumption. Witness the 'cult of celebrity', the phenomenal recent growth of literary festivals, literary internet sites, reading groups, changing patterns of literary marketing, education, employment and leisure. Academic scholarship, largely text-based, fails to engage with these public and popular phenomena. Our project develops methods for describing and evaluating how these practices construct literary value and cultural identity, in ways that will bring academic literary analysis into a more informed, more creative engagement with public and popular culture in Australia.Read moreRead less
Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition. The evolution of cognition is a fundamentally important yet poorly researched area. It has recently become clear that rather than measuring cognitive performance between species, understanding the causes of intraspecific variation in cognitive performance is vital to accurately measure the selective benefits of cognition. Recent groundbreaking research on Australian magpies has revealed individual differences in cognitive performanc ....Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition. The evolution of cognition is a fundamentally important yet poorly researched area. It has recently become clear that rather than measuring cognitive performance between species, understanding the causes of intraspecific variation in cognitive performance is vital to accurately measure the selective benefits of cognition. Recent groundbreaking research on Australian magpies has revealed individual differences in cognitive performance are influenced by differences in sociality. This proposal will determine the causality of these results by examining the developmental and fitness consequences of individual differences in cognitive performance in relation to social interactions, thus directly addressing the sociality-cognition debate.Read moreRead less
National Centre Of Research Excellence To Improve Management Of Peripheral Arterial Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,618,637.00
Summary
Approximately 15% of adults have blockages or weakness of major arteries in the periphery, associated with impaired quality of life and a high mortality. Significant management deficiencies for these problems include limited diagnostic, prognostic and treatment options, as well as poor adoption of evidence based practice. The proposed national centre will bring together a group of experts in the field to instigate a number of initiatives to improve patient management.
Family Internet: theorising domestic Internet consumption, production and use within Australian families. The proposed research interrogates the role of the Internet in Australian domestic contexts, specifically among families with school-aged children. The investigation will inform discussion about ways in which the Internet is becoming integrated within family life, including the relocation of school and work agendas to the domestic sphere.
The significance of the research lies in the growin ....Family Internet: theorising domestic Internet consumption, production and use within Australian families. The proposed research interrogates the role of the Internet in Australian domestic contexts, specifically among families with school-aged children. The investigation will inform discussion about ways in which the Internet is becoming integrated within family life, including the relocation of school and work agendas to the domestic sphere.
The significance of the research lies in the growing sociocultural importance of the Internet and its potential role as a catalyst for, and an enabler of, knowledge creation and management. Age, gender, power, pleasure, competencies and roles relating to Internet use within Australian family settings will all be addressed.
Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101978
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,899.00
Summary
Digital Play: Social network sites and the well-being of young children . Children's internet use is rapidly changing. The usage patterns of tweens (aged nine to 12 years) now resemble those of teenagers five to six years ago, while the usage of younger children (aged five to eight years) is approaching that of tweens. Primary school aged children are increasingly engaging in virtual worlds with social network functions. These spaces carry with them opportunities as well as risks. Policy resourc ....Digital Play: Social network sites and the well-being of young children . Children's internet use is rapidly changing. The usage patterns of tweens (aged nine to 12 years) now resemble those of teenagers five to six years ago, while the usage of younger children (aged five to eight years) is approaching that of tweens. Primary school aged children are increasingly engaging in virtual worlds with social network functions. These spaces carry with them opportunities as well as risks. Policy resources often target high school children; the aim of this project is to explore the internet usage of primary school students. The project will map the benefits, risks and competencies associated with these usage trends and develop recommendations for parents and policy makers. Read moreRead less