Improving Quality Of Life In Late Stage Bipolar Disorder: RCT Of A Novel Psychological Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,083,620.00
Summary
Hundreds of thousands of Australians have bipolar disorder and receive minimal benefit from existing drug and psychological treatments. ORBIT 2.0 is a new low-intensity online treatment using mindfulness strategies to improve quality of life in this poorly served ‘late stage’ group. Pilot testing suggests ORBIT is effective. This project will refine the intervention and is expected to confirm its clinical and cost effectiveness prior to international roll-out.
We will seek to address an important clinical problem in orthpaedics, namely the bone loss that commonly occurs around joint replacement prostheses. Termed peri-prosthetic osteolysis (PO), this bone loss can result in the loosening and ultimate failure and need for revision of the artificial joint components. PO is thought to be caused by the body's reaction to wear particles generated from the articulating surface of the prosthesis. However, it has not previously been possible to accurately exp ....We will seek to address an important clinical problem in orthpaedics, namely the bone loss that commonly occurs around joint replacement prostheses. Termed peri-prosthetic osteolysis (PO), this bone loss can result in the loosening and ultimate failure and need for revision of the artificial joint components. PO is thought to be caused by the body's reaction to wear particles generated from the articulating surface of the prosthesis. However, it has not previously been possible to accurately explore the relationship between prothesis wear and PO, or the progression of PO, because of a lack of techniques to image and measure the volume of PO around metal prosthesis components. We have developed a means to accurately and reproducibly measure the volume of bone loss, using CT, and will do so longitudinally in joint replacement patients to obtain the first information about the progression of PO. New computer based methods will be used concurrently to relate prosthesis wear and migration parameters to PO. Patients who come to surgery for replacement of failed prostheses will be investigated further by analysis of the tissues involved in the bone loss around prostheses. Basic science experiments will seek to understand the underlying causes of PO and the findings will be important in interpreting the clinical results. An animal model will be used to seek approaches to inhibiting the pathological response to wear particles. The significance of these studies is that they will lead to improved outcomes for joint replacement patients, increasing the interval to revision surgery, which is both extremely costly and brings an attendant morbidity and mortality.Read moreRead less
Identifying Factors That Improve The Health Of Prisoners Who Inject Drugs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,658.00
Summary
Prisoners who inject drugs are highly marginalised with high rates of unresolved health and social issues and high rates of return to prison. Little is known, however, about how this group manages after release from prison. This qualitative project will allow ex-prisoners to tell their own stories of the challenges they have had and what strategies (formal and informal) they have used with the aim of informing responses in prisons and in the community setting.
Rates, Patterns And Determinants Of Alcohol’s Harm To Others: A Cross-national Comparative Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$305,856.00
Summary
Alcohol causes harms to drinkers, and others around them, including spouses, children, family, friends, workmates and strangers. Australian and New Zealand work on alcohol’s harm to others is being replicated by the WHO in 7 countries (Chile, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam). We aim to analyse datasets from nine countries and compare the magnitude and patterning of problems across and within cultures – identifying opportunities for reducing harm from others’ drinking.
Substance abuse is a significant social and economic burden upon Australian societies and on societies around the world. Treatment remains problematic due to the multi-layer nature of the disease, difficulties with treatment compliance and less than ideal treatment regimes. The present study aims to improve treatments for alcohol and drug abuse using pre-clinical models to identify and characterize a new brain system implicated in drug-seeking.
Improving Efficiency Of Surveillance Colonoscopy For Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$643,123.00
Summary
Greater awareness of bowel cancer screening has led to increased demand and waiting times for colonoscopy. National guidelines recognise the need for research to identify the best use of colonoscopy to ensure health funds are directed where they are needed. This study aims to identify how often colonoscopy is required for the best patient outcomes. Data about cancer and death will be linked to hospital and laboratory data to identify which patients need more or less surveillance colonoscopies.
Young Onset Colorectal Cancer: Genetics Pathology And Environment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,180.00
Summary
There has been a steady increase since 2002, in the age-standardised incidence of CRC in males under 45 years in Australia, contrasting with the stabilisation in incidence of CRC in males of age 45 years and over. Persons under 50 years are not routinely screened unless they have a significant family history of CRC. Young-onset rectal cancer is associated with late presentations and with a higher mortality. This proposal will address the possible risk factors for young-onset CRC.
Driving Change: Using Emergency Department Data To Reduce Alcohol-related Harm
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,468,026.00
Summary
The proposed project is a system change within partner emergency departments, providing them the information and tools to act on both risky alcohol consumption in individual patients and the sources of alcohol in the community which cause the harm they experience. Most importantly, the proposed public health interventions act as a tool for emergency departments to regularly raise awareness with the public and policymakers regarding the impact of alcohol on patients, clinicians and hospitals.
A new biophysical approach to understanding self-assembly of dairy proteins in real time in complex systems of industrial importance. The study seeks to understand the molecular basis of self-assembly (aggregation and gelation) of dairy proteins during thermal processing of dairy products. This will involve direct determination, in real time, of the extent, rate and degree of reversibility of the changes that take place. These include changes in the composition, structure and stability of the ca ....A new biophysical approach to understanding self-assembly of dairy proteins in real time in complex systems of industrial importance. The study seeks to understand the molecular basis of self-assembly (aggregation and gelation) of dairy proteins during thermal processing of dairy products. This will involve direct determination, in real time, of the extent, rate and degree of reversibility of the changes that take place. These include changes in the composition, structure and stability of the casein micelles, changes in properties such as pH and pCa and changes such as the denaturation of b-lactoglobulin and its binding to k -casein. The purpose of the study is to provide the scientific base for improving the consistency of manufactured dairy products and for developing new food ingredients with new functionalities thus opening up new opportunities for the dairy industry.Read moreRead less
A Randomised Trial Of A Clinical Prediction Tool For Targeting Depression Care (Target-D)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$944,774.00
Summary
The Target-D Study uses a novel clinical prediction tool to test a new approach to depression care in general practice based upon sub-grouping patients into low, medium and high risk of ongoing depression. Participants will be randomly allocated to targeted treatments based upon their risk profile or to usual general practice care. We will measure whether the new approach results in greater improvements in depressive symptoms, quality of life and functioning and whether there are cost benefits.