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Cocoa flavanols have been associated with several health benefits including cardiovascular and cognitive functions. Cocoa flavanols increase the formation of endothelial nitric oxide, responsible for the increased blood flow and improved cardiovascular and vascular function. A small number of studies have tested the acute effect of cocoa on cognitive function, demonstrating benefits on alertness, fatigue, and mood using a cognitively demanding test in a population of young students. While early studies used high-flavanol cocoa powder compared with low-flavanol powder as control, a truly double-blind design using cocoa versus non-flavanol containing placebo tablets have been tested in a previous study undertaken by this team, eliminating potential confounding of low-dose flavanol products. While the team's previous study tested a population of young students (mean age = 23 years), the proposed project aims to explore an older population (mean age = 60 years) using the Swinburne University Computerised Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB) test, assessing speed and accuracy, which has been shown to correlate to cognitive decline through ageing. the study will test the hypothesis whether an acute dose of cocoa improves cognitive function in a middle aged population.

General activity level in patients being considered for spinal stimulation and the improvement in activity levels after stimulator insertion have not been documented and both are unknown. In this study physical activity measurements, as measured by the Garmin Vivofit device, will be compared to usual questionnaires that you complete for assessment of pain, pain relief and functional improvement before and after the insertion of spinal cord stimulator leads. This study involves wearing a wrist band (Vivofit, Garmin Ltd) for 2 weeks before and 1-2 weeks after the insertion of the spinal cord stimulator lead. The primary endpoint will be comparing Vivofit baseline (pre institution of neurostimulation therapy) total step count for 1 week prior to lead insertion to weekly total step count in the last week of the trial of stimulation. Secondary endpoints will compare Vivofit baseline step counts to self-report questionnaires (BPI, Dass21, ESS, PCS, PSEQ, SF36, OSW), TUG, 6MWT, in addition to medication usage at the same time points.

The primary purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy of a neurocognitive training program for improving executive function and arousal state modulation in adults with traumatic brain injury. It is expected that compared to a waitlist control, those who complete the training will show improvements on a rang of cognitive and behavioural measures of executive function, as well as improvement in their ability to regulate arousal state of the brain (brain activity measured by EEG).

Depression in pregnancy is common and also associated with detrimental consequences to both mother and child. Current treatments are limited in that they are not universally effective and also many pregnant women are reluctant to take anti-depressant medications during pregnancy, due to fear of negative foetal effects. Acupuncture may offer a safe alternative as preliminary evidence is suggestive that it is effective in reducing depressive symptoms both during pregnancy and also into the postnatal period. In order to strengthen this evidence base further research is required. How acupuncture may achieve this effect is also unknown and in order to investigate this further, this study aims to assess whether acupuncture positively influences a hormone that is involved in stress buffering, mood stabilisation and maternal / infant bonding.

Aim To determine whether the administration of an intravenous and oral antibiotic regimen is more effective than a placebo for reducing length of hospital stay, pain and symptoms of uncomplicated AD. Hypothesis That patients given the placebo will have a similar resolution of symptoms (as measured by patient reported scores) as those treated with antibiotics without an increase in recurrence or complications. Primary Objective To determine whether antibiotic administration results in a difference in length of hospital stay when compared to a placebo. Secondary Objectives To determine whether antibiotic administration results in a difference in; patient-reported symptom scores, length of stay, occurrence of complications, readmission within 30 days, symptoms of AD, and serum markers of inflammation when compared with patients receiving placebo.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a brief, individually-tailored web-based parenting program on parenting behaviours associated with adolescent depression and anxiety disorders. The program is designed to provide parents with personalised feedback about their current parenting, including what they are doing well and areas that they can improve in order to reduce their teenager’s risk of depression and anxiety. We aim to find out whether this program can help improve parenting behaviours associated with adolescent depression and anxiety, and in turn reduce risk of depression and anxiety in teenagers.

There is an increased awareness in the medical community about the role of diet to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. This study will examine two different eating patterns and assess their effect on risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. The study comprises a 4-week dietary intervention, with data collection occurring at the beginning and again at the end of the 4-week period. We will be comparing the differences in results between the two dietary patterns. This will help us formulate the best dietary pattern to use for future studies, and also to assist the wider community in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

This study aims to investigate the development of preterm breastfeeding skills and the impact of bottle-feeding teats, nipple shields and degree of breast fullness on the achievement of full oral feeding. As mothers are unable to be in the neonatal nursery for all of their infant’s suck feeds, bottle feeds are required occasionally. There is evidence that an intraoral vacuum-triggered teat (Calmita, Medela AG) encourages a sucking action similar to breastfeeding and reduces the length of hospital stay and formula use at discharge compared to a conventional teat. We wish to examine the effects of different teats and breastfeeding support on feeding outcomes. Objectives: 1. To track over time the maturation of intraoral vacuum, coordination of sucking, swallowing and breathing, and maintenance of a normal heart rate and oxygen saturation during feeding, and to determine if this is related to increased breastfeeding effectiveness and efficiency. 2. To explore the effect of the amount of milk available in the breast on the volume of milk transferred during breastfeeding at 34 weeks corrected gestational age (CGA). 3. To explore the use of a nipple shield on the volume of milk transferred at 35 weeks CGA. 4. To compare suck-swallow-breathe coordination during breastfeeding with that during bottle feeding with Calmita, and bottle-feeding with a conventional teat. 5. To determine the effect of a vacuum triggered teat on timing of achievement of full breastfeeding and on breastfeeding duration

This study will examine the links between melanoma risk and the genetics controlling skin, hair and eye colour and mole type and distribution. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are a resident of southeast Queensland or northern NSW who is able to attend an appointment at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and who has had a melanoma (group 1) or who has not had a melanoma (group 2). People of any age are eligible. Study details All participants in this study will attend a one-off appointment where they will fill out a questionnaire about their sun exposure and medical history and give a saliva sample for DNA testing. A research assistant will record the participant's skin, hair and eye colour, weight and height and take full body images of the participant in their underwear as well as dermoscopic (close-up) images of moles larger than 5mm in diameter. This usually takes between 1 and 2 hours. We hope that this research will contribute to better melanoma screening procedures and identify people who would benefit from more frequent skin checks.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a major public health concern affecting one in five young Australian women and costs the country $800 million/y. It has significant metabolic [diabetes (T2DM) and adverse cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF)] and reproductive [sub-fertility and menstrual disturbance] consequences that are underpinned by insulin resistance (IR) and exacerbated by obesity. Despite the successful work of our group and others, gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms of IR in PCOS and in determining optimal therapies – including exercise interventions. We will advance understanding of the biological origins of PCOS, and of optimal therapies. Using gold-standard measures of insulin sensitivity and advanced molecular techniques we will significantly advance knowledge on mechanisms of IR in PCOS including ectopic lipid accumulation, tissue fibrosis, and epigenetics and the impact of exercise in a randomised control trial. We will recruit 60 over weight women with PCOS and compare the benefits and impact of high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT), with standard exercise recommendations or lifestyle advice. The impact of HIIT on these mechanisms will be elucidated, clarifying its value as an effective lifestyle intervention. This work will reveal mechanisms of IR and impact of exercise in PCOS, uncover potential therapeutic targets for IR in PCOS and obesity and inform optimal exercise prescription for lifestyle therapy.