A Cluster RCT Of Educational Interventions To Improve The Treatment Of Acute Poisoning In Rural Asian Hospitals
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$757,717.00
Summary
This project aims to identify simple, cheap and effective training methods that can be delivered to doctors and health care workers practicing in remote areas or in situations of professional isolation. It particularly targets poisoning as this is a common cause of death in rural Asia and consumes a large amount of health resources. The potential benefits will be a reduction in deaths and health care costs and an identification of training methods that can be used for other health problems.
Understanding How Language And Reading Problems Develop: A Population-based Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Age 7
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$667,507.00
Summary
Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk ....Early language and reading problems are common and therefore significant public health problems. They are disabling and have life-long implications for oral and written communication skills, social and emotional well-being, cognition, behaviour, academic achievement and employment. This study will address the following three problems: 1. To date no study has documented how language and reading problems develop from infancy (8 months) through to school age (7 years). 2. Little is known about risk factors, identified early in infancy and childhood, that can be reliably used to predict language and reading problems later in childhood. 3. The relationships between language difficulties and reading problems are poorly understood. Therefore, we currently have no satisfactory methods for reliably detecting which children at much younger ages are at risk of later language disorders or reading problems. Without this information it is impossible to develop effective prevention and early intervention programs. These programs are critical if we are to: a) Prevent language and reading problems from occurring, thereby reducing the prevalence of the problem b) Intervene early in childhood, thereby reducing in the longer term the burden and cost associated with language and reading problems. The proposed study builds on an existing substantial investment by the NHMRC in the Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS). It will provide a world-first description of the evolution of language difficulties and reading problems from infancy through to school age within a single population cohort.Read moreRead less
Predictors And Correlates Of Developmental Language Problems: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Pre-school Age
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$537,750.00
Summary
Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are availab ....Language impairment is a disabling condition, thought to affect between 7% and 15% of 4 year old children. It has serious and lasting implications for social and emotional development, cognition, behaviour and literacy. A link has been demonstrated between language impairment and later psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Given the potential of enhancing the language development of young children, it is critical that effective prevention and early intervention programs are available. However, current knowledge is liminted in that there are no entirely satisfactory methods for detecting children who at much younger ages, 8 months, 12 months, 2 years and 3 years, are at risk of later impairment. In this study we aim to: examine the risk factors (many are thought to exist) that contribute to language impairment learn more about the natural history of this disabling disorder in children between 8 months and 4 years of age Ultimately, we aim to identify early signs that might warn health professionals and parents of language impairment so that such problems can be detected much earlier. Early identification will mean that help is available at an earlier age to children who currently go on to have persisting and extremely disabling language impairment.Read moreRead less
Integrating Health Technology Assessment And Service Delivery And Organisation To Maximise Health Gains
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$258,538.00
Summary
The public heath care system in Australia faces ever greater issues around demand (e.g. aging population) and supply (e.g. expensive new interventions). It is becoming ever more important to ensure that the money we spend on health is used efficiently. This study is a unique application that aims to improve the efficiency of the health service by assessing how scarce services can be best organised to maximise health benefits.
The Role Of Transcription Factors In Regulating The First Round Of Gene Expression In The Early Embryo.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,931.00
Summary
Assisted reproductive technologies result in a high incidence of multiple births. This is and adverse outcome that requires correction. It stems from the common transfer of several embryos due to the low chance of an individual embryo made by IVF resulting in a baby. This project will determine the normal pattern of gene expression in the embryo and define: (1) how it is adversely changed as a consequence of IVF; and (2) the extent that these changes are a cause of the low embryo viability.
Mechanisms Of P53 Induced Embryopathy After In Vitro Fertilisation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$483,737.00
Summary
Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) cause many embryos not to survive to birth. We have shown that IVF causes increased expression of protein normally involved in stopping cells from dividing. This is a major cause of embryo death after IVF. This project will determine how this protein acts to cause embryonic death and assess strategies to prevent it.
C-JUN TARGETING STRATEGIES AS NOVEL CARDIOPROTECTIVE AGENTS IN ISCHAEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$361,148.00
Summary
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its sequelae are an increasing problem in terms of morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs in Australia and the industrialised world; in the USA this is estimated annually at 900,000 and 225,000 patients and US$60 billion, respectively. Current treatment for AMI includes mechanical (percutaneous coronary intervention) or thrombolytic therapy; however, these approaches are directed primarily at epicardial arteries rather than the myocardium and are, therefo ....Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its sequelae are an increasing problem in terms of morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs in Australia and the industrialised world; in the USA this is estimated annually at 900,000 and 225,000 patients and US$60 billion, respectively. Current treatment for AMI includes mechanical (percutaneous coronary intervention) or thrombolytic therapy; however, these approaches are directed primarily at epicardial arteries rather than the myocardium and are, therefore, suboptimal. Strategies aimed at directly protecting cardiomyocytes from ischaemia-reperfusion injury, reducing leukocyte recruitment and myocardial cell death, would complement current approaches restoring epicardial artery flow and are keenly sought. This project will demonstrate the capacity of two separate gene-silencing strategies (DNAzymes and siRNA to suppress the expression of the immediate-early gene, c-Jun in cardiomyocytes and reduce infarct size, left ventricular dysfunction, apoptosis, inflammation, production of reactive oxygen species, angiogenesis and fibrosis in the injured rat myocardium. It will also shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying c-Jun-mediated myocardial inflammation. As such, these studies will provide important proof of principle evidence for these small molecule nucleic acid agents as potential therapeutic tools as cardioprotective agents in ischaemia-reperfusion injury.Read moreRead less
In recent years it has become clear that certain white blood cells called CD8+ T lymphocytes or killer T cells are required to protect people against HIV. Unfortunately, current vaccines that produce or anti-HIV CD8 T cells only produce effective T cells for a short period. In this project we intend to test a novel vaccine vector called a Kunjin replicon, which promises to persistently produce or maintain effective T cells because the vaccine itself persists and continually immunises for extende ....In recent years it has become clear that certain white blood cells called CD8+ T lymphocytes or killer T cells are required to protect people against HIV. Unfortunately, current vaccines that produce or anti-HIV CD8 T cells only produce effective T cells for a short period. In this project we intend to test a novel vaccine vector called a Kunjin replicon, which promises to persistently produce or maintain effective T cells because the vaccine itself persists and continually immunises for extended periods. We intend to test the ability of this vaccine to persist and persistently produce effective CD8 T cells not only systemically in the blood system but also at mucosal surfaces, where HIV usually gains entry during sexual intercourse.Read moreRead less