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This project will evaluate the efficacy of the Take a Breath Parent Program, which targets parents from three months following a traumatic event (their child's diagnosis of a serious childhood illness/injury). The overall aim is to assess if the Take a Breath Parent program leads to improvements in psychosocial distress for parents exhibiting early signs of posttraumatic stress. Specifically the trial will assess if participation results in: improvements in parental psychological flexibility, committed actions, valued living and quality of life and reductions in parental posttraumatic stress symptoms, experience of the illness/injury as distressing, and referrals to additional supports (e.g., mental health/counselling). Secondly improvements in child quality of life and child behaviour, family functioning and postive outcomes of the illness/injury will be assessed.

Disturbing numbers of children in Australia are overweight, bullied or have poor mental health – problems that are often inter-related. Recent decreases in outdoor play may be partly responsible. Outdoor play “pulls for” social interaction and physical activity; indoor play is often sedentary and solitary. Most young children love active outdoor play but parents and teachers fear injury. This project is a school-based intervention to increase outdoor play by: (1) adding 'loose part' materials to the playground and (2) helping adults change their views of risk associated with active play. We expect to demonstrate a significant effect on children’s activity levels, coping and social skills through strategies that are replicable in every school playground in the nation and to contribute to policy regarding play, health, and education.

People with cardiac disease who have type 2 diabetes have higher readmission rates (22%) than those without diabetes (6%) (Wu & Chang, 2008). Although self-management is an effective approach to achieve better health outcomes, there are no such programs specifically designed for patients with both conditions. Such programs need to be enhanced by user-friendly technology and supported by patient peers. This project aims to extend the development of a peer support based Cardiac-Diabetes Self-Management Program (CDSMP) by preparing a DVD to support persons' engagement in follow-up study.

In patients between 60-80 years with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the current standard treatment is R-CHOP chemotherapy (consisting of the drugs Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, and Prednisone). However the probability of being alive and free of lymphoma 5 years after diagnosis is only 54%. Lenalidomide is an immune system modulating drug that has anti-lymphoma properties demonstrated in smaller studies of patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Given the high risk of relapsed DLBCL in this older patient population this study is aimed at determining whether Lenalidomide maintenance taken orally for 21 days every 4 weeks can safely reduce the risk of progression/relapse of DLBCL. Who is it for? This study is open to patients aged between 60 and 80 years and currently underoing R-CHOP combination therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Trial details Participants will be randomised into one of two arms, (1) 25mg daily lenalidomide for 21 days of a 28 day cycle of maintenenace therapy for up to 26 cycles, or (2) a placebo instead of the active drug over the same period. The aim of the study is to reduce the risk of progression/relapse of DLBCL

Binocular rivalry occurs when different stimuli are presented to the left and right eye simultaneously. Under these conditions the observer will consciously perceive only one of the two images at a time, with the respective dominance of the two images alternating every few seconds. A similar phenomenon is also observed in hearing. Previous studies have shown that the rate of alternation is affected by certain medications that affect the serotonin system. We will administer two such medications to healthy individuals to further investigate how the serotonin system is involved in perceptual rivalry. The main implications of this study relate to pure research and understanding the neural mechanisms underlying perception. There is currently no clinical aim for this study.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive disorder which affects muscle strength in boys and results in the loss of the ability to walk between 9 and 13 years of age. Along with muscle weakness the boys often also experience muscle tightness, particularly in their calf muscles. This in turn causes them to walk on their toes, which makes standing and walking balance more precarious. Boys with DMD undertake physiotherapy prescribed stretching programs and use night splinting to address this muscle tightness but commonly these are not sufficient to overcome the muscle shortening. Surgical lengthening has been shown to have a beneficial effect on ankle contracture in boys with DMD. This is very invasive and has not been shown to be associated with any improvement in strength or function. Below knee serial casting is used in some overseas centres as a treatment option for calf shortening. This project aims to assess the effectiveness of below knee serial casting on the length of calf muscles and walking ability in boys with DMD. We hope to assess whether short periods of serial casting will maintain calf muscle length, improve gait, and maintain or improve motor function. The boy’s gait, muscle length and motor function will be assessed before and after serial casting and then at 3 monthly intervals for a twelve month period.

This is a one year study to identify the effect of Zoledronate on marrow fat in patients who have suffered a minimal trauma fracture. Changes in marrow fat in femur and vertebrae will be quantified using CT and MRI images analised using an image analysis software (Tomovision).

ManUp is a physical activity and healthy eating project for men and is conducted in the Gladstone region. In this project we will use the Internet to help men to achieve their physical activity and healthy eating goals and challenges.

This study aims to determine whether vitamin B supplementation can reduce the incidence of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) in patients diagnosed with cancer. Who is it for? You can join this study if you have been recently diagnosed with cancer for which you have been prescribed chemotherapy treatment with the drug paclitaxel, vincristine or oxaliplatin. Trial details Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group will take 2 capsules of vitamin B complex daily 1 week before chemotherapy treatment for 9 months. The other group will be given 2 capsules of a placebo (sugar capsule) to take daily for 9 months. Patients will be assessed at three timepoints over the study duration to evaluate neuropathy, quality of life, pain, and levels of vitamin B in the blood.

This study is designed to compare the safety and efficacy of the investigational drug MT10109, a new formulation of Clostridium Botulinum Toxin Type A compared to Botox (Registered trademark). Subjects will have a single injection of MT10109 injected into the Extensor Digitorum Brevis (EDB) muscle of one foot and an equivalent dosage of Botox injected into the other foot.