Physical, Lifestyle And Psychosocial Determinants Of Spinal Pain Development In Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,800.00
Summary
This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pai ....This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pain and of treatment of those adolescents unlucky enough to have an episode. Better understanding and interventions for adolescent spinal pain will also have longer term implications by reducing adult spinal pain. Four out of 5 adults will experience spinal pain. In the USA treating adult back pain is the 4th largest health care cost. Many adults with chronic back pain had their first episode during adolescence. A better understanding of spinal pain in adolescence may help prevent it developing into a lifelong disability. We will collect information from 2,000 adolescents on their experience of back and neck pain and on potential physical, lifestyle and psychosocial risk factors. We believe factors such as their posture, muscle capacity, TV and computer use, mental health and social situation all combine to influence whether a person develops back or neck pain. The project is unique as it will not only collect a broad range of information during adolescence, but will also make use of a large database of health, developmental and psychosocial information already collected from these children since birth. With a better understanding of the development of spinal pain we will be able to develop guidelines to help prevent these problems. We will also be able to develop better treatment plans for sub-groups of adolescents with a particular combination of risk factors. Together these initiatives will assist in understanding and breaking the pathway to chronic spinal pain.Read moreRead less
A Program Of Methodological And Collaborative Research In Biostatistics And Population Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$264,081.00
Summary
Biostatistics is a critical component of health and medical research, especially for studies in population health. However, there is an increasing gap between supply and demand for high-level biostatistical input. This proposal combines novel methodological research into methods for analysing incomplete data, with collaborative research applying new ideas and complex analyses to important health problems. The fellowship will facilitate my development as a future leader in this key area.
Automated Screening Measures Associated With Risk And Treatment (SMART) Of Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,244.00
Summary
Women with greater mammographic density (white area on a mammogram) are at greater risk of breast cancer. Prof Hopper (supervisor) has led international research in this area using a method called CUMULUS. Drs Makalic and Schmidt (co-supervisors) have created an automated measure, called CIRRUS. My aims are to: find out which factors influence CIRRUS, confirm that CIRRUS predicts breast cancer risk, and develop automated measures of a breast cancer risk based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Proposed Standards And Guidelines For Bycatch Management In Commonwealth Fisheries
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$179,551.00
Summary
Through its policy on fisheries bycatch, the Commonwealth acknowledges that ecological sustainable development must be based on a strategic approach to addressing bycatch interactions. There is a need to mitigate fishery interactions with non-target species, particularly threatened, endangered and protected (TEP) species, consistent with AFMA’s aim of promoting the sustainable use of fisheries resources by conserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Industry, AFMA and researchers have previou ....Through its policy on fisheries bycatch, the Commonwealth acknowledges that ecological sustainable development must be based on a strategic approach to addressing bycatch interactions. There is a need to mitigate fishery interactions with non-target species, particularly threatened, endangered and protected (TEP) species, consistent with AFMA’s aim of promoting the sustainable use of fisheries resources by conserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Industry, AFMA and researchers have previously collaborated to address bycatch issues in Commonwealth fisheries, with outputs including the implementation of mitigation devices in specific fisheries, the development of bycatch action plans, bycatch workplans and the ecological risk management (ERM) process. In many cases, however, industry cannot readily demonstrate the benefits of these activities, which is critical for differentiating Australian seafood products from those of less environmentally-friendly competitors.
There is a need for an overarching approach to bycatch mitigation to ensure consistent standards across fisheries and transparent indicators of performance. Bycatch issues are often fisheries specific, but the development of mitigation strategies in individual fisheries needs to address the same core elements, e.g. stakeholder consultation, performance testing, monitoring and compliance. Standards are required to ensure that each of these core elements are adequately addressed in response to the emergence of a bycatch issue.
Standards will also assist the fishing industry in fostering positive public perception and meeting legislative requirements, e.g. strategic assessments under the EPBC Act . Standards are particularly important to fisheries seeking to move to co-management where there is a need for greater transparency and accountability. Objectives: 1. Develop standards for mitigating bycatch in Commonwealth fisheries, including an accompanying set of guidelines for establishing technical criteria for assessing the performance, ongoing monitoring and review of bycatch mitigation measures. 2. Test the proposed standards and guidelines on a bycatch issue in a key Commonwealth fishery. Read moreRead less
Statistical Methods For Handling Missing Data In Longitudinal Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$198,000.00
Summary
Modern epidemiological research has a strong focus on studying the causes and consequences of major health outcomes over the life span. Studies are increasingly conducted on large cohorts of individuals over long periods of time, extending from before birth through to the later years of life. An example of this type of study is the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study, which began in 1992 with participants aged 15 and is now seeking funding for a 9th wave of data collection in 2005. A major ....Modern epidemiological research has a strong focus on studying the causes and consequences of major health outcomes over the life span. Studies are increasingly conducted on large cohorts of individuals over long periods of time, extending from before birth through to the later years of life. An example of this type of study is the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study, which began in 1992 with participants aged 15 and is now seeking funding for a 9th wave of data collection in 2005. A major challenge that arises in analysing data from studies of this kind is the difficulty created by the occurrence of missing data. In longitudinal studies with multiple measurement occasions, participants rarely complete all waves of data collection, and even when present an individual may not provide data on all study variables. Common practice in analysing such data is to omit individuals entirely if they have a missing value on any of the variables required for the analysis in question. This approach can lead to major biases in conclusions, by excluding individuals in whom patterns of association may be quite different than among those retained, and at best leads to loss of reliability in findings due to the reduction in numbers available for analysis. Recent statistical research has led to a range of new techniques for better handling of missing data in such studies, including the method of multiple imputation (MI), under which multiple copies of the dataset are created with imputed values filled in for the missing values. This approach has enormous potential for helping to produce better answers from large longitudinal studies but a number of issues require research to ensure that the method is made available to researchers in a convenient form and, most importantly, used in a way that leads to sound conclusions. This project will address many of these issues, leading to enhanced capacity to extract valuable information from large epidemiological studies.Read moreRead less
Tactical Research Fund: Rapid Response To Abalone Virus Depletion In Western Victoria: Information Acquisition And Reefcode Assessment Models
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$70,000.00
Summary
The workshop review concluded that (1) there are significant gaps and limitations in the existing information on the status of the abalone populations across reefs in western Victoria (West and Central zones) and exposure of these populations to the virus and (2) that the current regional model was inadequate to represent the current situation in the western zone or to evaluate management options.
In relation to the information needs, it was concluded that there was an urgent need for ....The workshop review concluded that (1) there are significant gaps and limitations in the existing information on the status of the abalone populations across reefs in western Victoria (West and Central zones) and exposure of these populations to the virus and (2) that the current regional model was inadequate to represent the current situation in the western zone or to evaluate management options.
In relation to the information needs, it was concluded that there was an urgent need for a repeat of the scientific surveys at all the standard monitoring sites in the western zone, and far enough into the central zone to be ahead of the virus outbreaks, during July-August 2007. The standard sampling should be augmented by genetic sampling and broad survey of aggregations on the reefs.
The current quantitative regional model is not adequate to represent the current situation in the western zone or to evaluate management options. This is because the current situation in the western zone provides both a form of depletion that is very different from fishing, in terms of the size classes affected and extent of depletion. Reefs are affected differently and the management options are also likely to vary by reef, but the existing regional model does not represent reefs. Because the current situation is unique, there is no longer a basis for assuming that the previously-used industry-based semi-quantitative assessment of reef codes will continue to be reliable.
Thus there is a need to develop and apply a quantitative model that is spatially resolved to at least the reef-code level, and to use this for assessment of population status and examination of management options at the reef-code level. Objectives: 1. Conduct the scientific surveys at the DPIR reef-code sites, using the Victorian survey methods, augmented by genetic sampling and extended survey of the extent of aggregations. 2. Develop a long-term monitoring strategy for continued assessment of reef-stock status and management options. 3. Use existing models to broadly illustrate the likely impacts of the outbreaks. 4. Compile existing information on the outbreaks in an accessible, informative form, develop reef-code growth, maturity and abundance trajectories, and agreed catch histories. 5. Develop and apply a quantitative model that is spatially resolved to the scale of reef-codes, and use this to assess the status of populations and inform the Total Allowable Catch setting process. Read moreRead less
Centre For Research Excellence In Total Joint Replacement OPtimising OUtcomes, Equity, Cost Effectiveness And Patient Selection (OPUS)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,500,000.00
Summary
Joint replacement surgery is one of the most successful surgeries performed in Australia and globally. With an ageing population, demand for this procedure will increase dramatically, placing burden on a constrained health system. This Centre targets the journey of patients undergoing joint replacement surgery, seeking to optimise patient safety and outcomes, in addition to improving efficiencies and equitablity of this important surgical procedure.
Aquafin CRC - SBT Aquaculture Subprogram: Risk And Response - Understanding The Tuna Farming Environment
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,594,867.00
Summary
Representatives of the tuna industry have expressed a clear need to understand the oceanography of the Port Lincoln tuna farming region so that they could predict likely trajectories and effects of phytoplankton blooms and any instances of dirty water on tuna farming, enabling them to develop emergency management protocols for such events. They also need to identify the range of variation in environmental conditions in both the water column and sediments within the farming zone and how this mi ....Representatives of the tuna industry have expressed a clear need to understand the oceanography of the Port Lincoln tuna farming region so that they could predict likely trajectories and effects of phytoplankton blooms and any instances of dirty water on tuna farming, enabling them to develop emergency management protocols for such events. They also need to identify the range of variation in environmental conditions in both the water column and sediments within the farming zone and how this might impact on farming practices, particularly if fish are to be kept for longer periods and if stocking numbers increase. In the event of an emergency (e.g. algal bloom, oil spill, disease outbreak), the industry needs to identify areas likely to be impacted and safer areas where pontoons might be relocated. Industry would also benefit from real-time weather and oceanographic information being available at the farm site to optimize visits to the farms for feeding, maintenance etc.
To meet this need, we propose to develop an integrated hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model of the tuna farming area, based on that which CSIRO have developed for the Huon Estuary. Based on the knowledge that CSIRO have gained from this previous study, and our knowledge of the data available for the Port Lincoln area, a number of knowledge gaps have been identified that need to be addressed before we can have confidence in the outputs of any model that is developed. These gaps include the extent and nature of benthic-pelagic coupling in the area (ie how do nutrients move between the water column and the sediments), the nature and role of phytoplankton in the system, the nature of the hydrodynamic regime in the area, and how prone the sediments are to resuspension under different wind and wave regimes. While it will still be possible to develop a basic modeling framework without addressing these knowledge gaps, we feel that doing this will result in the development of a poorly calibrated and inadequately verified model that could provide misleading results, possibly resulting in decisions by farmers and managers that are detrimental to the industry.
The industry depends on a healthy marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Tuna farms are a significant point source of nutrients into the marine environment (most of the nitrogen in the feed is excreted as ammonia), but this needs to be put into the context of natural nutrient levels and their seasonal variations. It is important to establish the carrying capacity of the farming region which both maintains a healthy and productive industry and protects marine environmental values. Phytoplankton blooms, including potentially harmful species such as Chatonella, are known in the Port Lincoln area but the causative factors are poorly understood and the influence of advection from regions further off-shore (e.g. upwelling cells) is unknown. Thus the risk they pose to the industry is unknown, and needs to be assessed.
Sediments are a key site for regeneration of nutrients back into the water column, but their quantitative importance in nutrient recycling in the Port Lincoln area is presently poorly known. Also, sediments are resuspended by waves and tide presenting an additional threat to penned tuna through gill damage, reduced feeding and as a possible source of harmful algal species from released cysts. The consequences of sediment resuspension can be dramatic as seen in the high mortality associated with the April 1996 event when tuna were held in pens located in shallow water inside Boston Island. While this is less likely with current farming practices, it would still be wise to properly asses the threat of a repeat event. Alternatively, during milder resuspension events, organic wastes may be dispersed over a larger area, allowing them to be assimilated more rapidly. The dropping of the nets to the seafloor at the end of the farming season may also act to disperse wastes and increase their assimilation.
This combination of issues and risks constitutes a significant scientific challenge. While we must continue to guard against any major environmental changes due to eutrophication, it is clear that more subtle environmental effects (phytoplankton bloom frequency and composition, zooplankton and jellyfish swarms, sediment resuspension) may affect industry production and profitability. Equally, regulators need assurance that marine ecosystems will not undergo unacceptable environmental change as industry develops. Industry and managers not only require knowledge of environmental changes, but a capability to resolve and predict the environmental response to changes in the offshore ocean regime, changes in catchment loads, and effects of the industry itself. Advances in observation technologies, in scientific understanding, and in modelling capability, together make it possible for scientists to develop the knowledge, understanding and prediction needed to underpin both long-term planning and short-term operational decisions. The goal here is for the CRC to work with industry and managers to provide an environmental information and prediction system which allows industry and regulators to manage environmental risk. Objectives: 1. Characterisation of the main oceanographic features of the tuna grow-out region at Port Lincoln through field studies and calibration of the three dimensional hydrodynamic model previously developed for salmonid farming in Tasmania. 2. Identification and description of dynamics of phytoplankton and benthic microalgal species, the factors causing algal blooms and the role, if any, of nutrients released from tuna farming. 3. Integration of phytoplankton and nutrient data into a 3D biogeochemical model for the Port Lincoln farming area that will allow movement of blooms etc to be predicted. 4. Refine description of variations in sediment type and assimilative capacity for organic matter including an assessment of the role of microbial and faunal communities in carbon remineralisation and nutrient release. 5. Application of sediment models to identify likelihood of sediments being resuspended and identification of factors affecting this together with an assessment of their role in algal blooms. 6. Further development of the near real-time telemetered environmental observation system with web access. 7. To develop an integrated hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model of the Port Lincoln tuna farming area, that will assist managers and farmers to assess how external and internal disturbances are likely to move through the area, and thus allow them to make informed decisions on how to best mitigate the risks associated with any given disturbance, and to develop pre-prepared emergency management protocols for particular events. Read moreRead less