Inter-rater Reliability And Predictive Validity Of A New Functional Capacity Evaluation For Chronic Back Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$105,794.00
Summary
Back pain costs the Australian community tens of billions of dollars. Back pain is one of the main causes of work injury and lost time from work. The longer a person is off work, the harder it is to get them back to work. Workers' compensation systems around Australia aim at getting the injured worker with back pain back to work as soon as possible. One of the difficulties in this process is determining what the person with back pain can physically do in the workplace. An evaluation technique, c ....Back pain costs the Australian community tens of billions of dollars. Back pain is one of the main causes of work injury and lost time from work. The longer a person is off work, the harder it is to get them back to work. Workers' compensation systems around Australia aim at getting the injured worker with back pain back to work as soon as possible. One of the difficulties in this process is determining what the person with back pain can physically do in the workplace. An evaluation technique, called functional capacity evaluation (known as FCE), is one method used to find out what the person with back pain physically can and cannot do. In a FCE, a trained health professional such as an occupational therapist, observes the person performing a range of physical activities like the ones he or she may have to perform in a job. The therapist closely observes the person performing activities such as lifting, carrying, kneeling, crouching, balancing, and walking and notes any limitations in the person's ability to complete the activities. The therapist makes comments about what difficulties the person may have on the job and recommendations about how these could be reduced or eliminated. The information gained from these evaluations can be valuable for the treating doctor in deciding whether the person is ready to go back to work and what duties the person can and cannot do on the job. Because of such value they provide, FCE is commonly used in rehabilitation programs endorsed by workers' compensation systems around Australia. This widespread use and endorsement of FCE occurs despite limited research on the soundness of the ratings made from these evaluations. There is a need to see whether recommendations made from FCEs are consistent between therapists (i.e. reliable) and to see if the FCE accurately predicts the person's physical capacity for work. This research will examine these issues with injured workers with back pain.Read moreRead less
Pesonalised Risk Prediction For Severe Treatment-related Gastrointestinal Toxicity In Paediatric Cancer Patients Using Pre-treatment Gut Microbiome Analysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
The gut is home to trillions of good and bad bacteria, critical to human health. Each person has a different balance of bacteria, unique to their gut, which shapes their immune system and susceptibility to disease. I will investigate how the unique gut bacteria, in children with blood cancer, can be used to predict which children will develop severe gut side effects (diarrhoea) from their chemotherapy. This will identify high-risk children, enable personalised treatment and improve survival.
Aquaculture Nutrition Subprogram: Evaluation Of Value-added Grain Protein Products For Atlantic Salmon And Black Tiger Prawns
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$347,378.00
Summary
The need to reduce reliance of aquaculture industries on fish based protein resources has long been recognized as an important issue. Notably the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation have given this issue such importance it is rated among their 9 key challenges to address in the 2000 – 2005 Research and Development Plan. Substantial work has already been undertaken to address this challenge over the past 10 years. Notably, recent developments have seen the increased adoption of some gr ....The need to reduce reliance of aquaculture industries on fish based protein resources has long been recognized as an important issue. Notably the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation have given this issue such importance it is rated among their 9 key challenges to address in the 2000 – 2005 Research and Development Plan. Substantial work has already been undertaken to address this challenge over the past 10 years. Notably, recent developments have seen the increased adoption of some grain based alternatives being used by the aquaculture feed manufacturing industries. Lupin kernel meal use by this sector in particular is a prominent success story.
As the aquaculture feed industries begin to increase their use of alternative protein resources, such as lupin kernel meals, it becomes increasingly important to develop quality assurance (QA) assessment criteria for specific feed ingredients. The nature of these criteria will vary depending on the end use of the product. An improved understanding of the nutritional value and functional properties of the ingredients is also required to maximize the use of these ingredients by these industries and to begin the QA criteria development process.
Presently the extruded fin-fish feed sector (primarily salmonid feeds) is the largest aquaculture user of value-added grain products in Australia. However, it is apparent that further development of market confidence, through resolution of some of the nutritional value assessment and processing issues, is required for some additional aquaculture sectors (e.g. prawns) to encourage routine use of these products and work addressing these issues is planned in this proposal.
Furthermore, exploration of new product possibilities has already begun in the GRDC project with the development of a series of very promising lupin protein concentrates. However, further evaluation of the potential and constraints for the use of these new and innovative products within aquaculture feeds is needed and additional evaluation in Atlantic salmon and prawns is required.
Objectives: 1. To determine the nutritional value of selected grain products, developed as part of the linked CLIMA-GRDC project, when included in feeds for Black tiger prawns and Atlantic salmon. 2. To evaluate any potential nutritional limitations of the grain products in aquaculture feeds. 3. To provide grain producers, grain processors, aquaculture feed manufacturers and the prawn and salmon aquaculture industries with information about the nutritional characteristics and quality assurance criteria of grain products so that they can be marketed and used with confidence in aquaculture feed formulations. Read moreRead less
Identification And Molecular Characterisation Of High-risk Premalignant Breast Lesions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$560,382.00
Summary
Understanding the full repertoire of genetic events that underlie the development of breast cancer may allow development of prevention strategies. This study will analyse genetic data of benign breast lesions that may be non-obligate precursors of breast cancer. Importantly, clinical management of these lesions is difficult. A reliable method of predicting the risk of progression to cancer would be a significant advance, with benefits to individual patients and also the health system.
Personalising Care In Operable Pancreas Cancer. GAP-T: A Study Of Imaging And Molecular Biomarkers To Guide Treatment Of Patients Receiving Preoperative Chemotherapy Followed By Surgery.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,345.00
Summary
We are studying ways to improve how we treat patients with pancreatic cancer. We will use a novel imaging tool, the PET scanner, to show where active cancer is and how quickly and how well a new drug combination (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel) is affecting the cancer. We will also study if measuring the expression of specific proteins (SPARC and hENT1) in the cancer affects the outcome and will allow us to determine ahead of time which patients will benefit most from the drugs.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101577
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,057.00
Summary
Retail price promotions in Australia: are consumers really better off? The number and variety of retail price promotions can confuse consumers, leading to poor purchase decisions. This project will explore how promotions affect consumer choices, with a view to improving consumers' understanding and the use of retail promotions to their advantage.
Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) - Marine Oils From Australian Fish: Characterisation And Value Added Products
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$5,981.05
Summary
Objectives: 1. To assist Australian industry develop new marine oil based, value-added products from existing or new fisheries including the bycatch and waste generated by the fishing and related industries (See Attachment to B4)
Objectives: 1. Attract participants from Australian and overseas from industry, government, and the research community 2. Provide a basis for the Australian seafood industry to move from being a commodity supplier to a producer of value added products by making available the most advanced technology from around the world 3. Enable researchers, producers and regulators to meet and make personal contact with their peers from overseas countries