Dr Alexis Hure receives $25,000 to investigate low birth weight risk factors

At its 16^th annual awards ceremony held tonight in the HMRI Building, the Hunter Children’s Research Foundation distributed $50,000 in grants and celebrated the achievements of its C.A.R.E recipients.

Dr Adam Collison, a member of the University of Newcastle’s Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, and Public Health researcher Dr Alexis Hure each received $25,000 grants from the Foundation.

Dr Collison will be investigating the prediction of egg allergy severity in children by non-invasive exhaled nitric oxide measurement. Reports indicate that up to 10 per cent of Australian infants have a food allergy – egg is the most common, followed by peanut.

Dr Hure is leading a team that will identify maternal health factors which represent risk factors for low birth weight. The study will also look at the factors that put women most at risk and assess the impact of cumulative and long-term risk factors.

In the C.A.R.E  awards, the Research Mentor of the Year honour went to Professor Diana Keatinge for her role in encouraging nurse clinicians to use research in their clinical practice and to undertake research relevant to nursing practice.

Paediatric Oncologist Dr Frank Alvaro received the Achievement in Research  award, while the Encouragement for Research award went to Luke Hatchwell and Elizabeth Kepteores, with the Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery presenting.

Finally, Margaret Allwood was honoured with the Achievement in Quality Improvement Award for her work with RESUS4KIDS resuscitation program.

The event was attended by more than 70 supporters, clinical staff and researchers.

The 2013 HMRI Art Series was proudly unveiled this morning at a supporter breakfast in the HMRI Building.

Created by Newcastle artist Rod Bathgate, the work titled “WELL” was inspired by internationally recognised epidemiologist Professor John Attia, the current Sparke Helmore NBN Triathlon Festival Researcher of the Year.

Professor Attia crosses the boundaries between asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental health, public health, stroke and other areas of health research. The variety is reflected in the artwork, as Rod Bathgate explains:

“The artwork represents a maze – the puzzle of data and flow of information to find your way through. In the upper third of the image is the word ‘WELL’ spelled in the water .

“The use of this word is a play on words, as WELL has many meanings. All meanings lead to a source the same way the ‘canals’ all lead through the maze to the WELL and flow both ways.

“WELL! as an exclamation has a sense of inquiring surprise, the way one would with something unexpected.

“Finally WELL ultimately means good health as an outcome of a combination of patient history input and the diligent research and communication of the results – the outcome being to develop the best language for patients’ treatment, cures and well-being.”

The 2013 HMRI Art Series is supported by Chris and Shirley Piggott, Rod Bathgate, Classic Framing and Memorabilia, and NCP.

The word WELL is written in the canals

Singing to your baby can have long-term health benefits

With music playing a powerful role in a child’s emotional, physical and intellectual wellbeing, Newcastle conductor and composer David Banney is launching a new CD of educational music on Sunday (May 19) at the HMRI Building.

Called Tigers & Teapots, the CD is a compilation of 40 traditional songs that can enrich a child’s imagination and enhance their musical appreciation. Included are a beautiful Aboriginal lullaby along with translations of songs from Wales (Suo Gan), France (Sleep, Sleep), Russia (The Birch Tree), Hungary (Little Mouse Be Careful) and Finland (The Witch Song).

“Many of the songs are associated with games and dances that add to the enjoyment of the music,” Dr Banney said. “Using traditional words and music means we can be sure that children are singing songs that have stood the test of time.”

Dr Banney is encouraging family members, friends and teachers to help make singing an everyday part of children’s lives.

“Young children love to hear mum and dad sing,” he said. “Sometimes parents are held back by not knowing what to sing, so hopefully this collection will provide the inspiration for further exploration and enjoyment.”

Professor Roger Smith, Director of HMRI’s Mothers and Babies Research Centre, has endorsed the CD, saying that it resonates with his own research work.

“As individuals we’re a product of our culture, and growing up with a good understanding of music places a child in his or her cultural context,” Professor Smith said.

“Health isn’t just the absence of disease but the ability to fully enjoy your life, and mothers have a vital role in this respect, imparting vital aspects of the culture. The arts, which include music, are part of what make us human.”

Professor Smith and Dr Banney are now collaborating on research project that will further explore the symmetry between music and health outcomes of children.

The CD launch is open to the public and will include songs and games for children, featuring the Waratah Girls’ Choir and some of Newcastle’s best young string players. A sausage sizzle will follow the launch.

TIME: 3-4pm, Sunday May 19 | PLACE: HMRI Building (behind John Hunter Hospital)

CONTACT: (02) 4042 0580 or peree.watson@hmri.com.au

More event details HERE.

HMRI is a partnership between Hunter New England Health, the University of Newcastle and the community.

The recipe for family health will start with a new weight management program.

Parents with a passion for healthy lifestyles can have their say in the design of a new weight management program being developed by University of Newcastle researchers.

To meet the needs of families, researcher Dr Tracy Burrows* plans to use innovative technologies such as the internet and smartphones to deliver support and advice.

“Families today are busy. If a family member is concerned about their child’s weight or their eating habits it’s hard to take time off work to visit health professionals or even know who to consult to get the right advice,” Dr Burrows said.

“As the program will be designed specifically for families, we need to do our groundwork first and explore families’ expectations.

“We want to know what parents think about this new approach and gauge their interest; and what they’re currently doing to manage their child’s weight so that we can deliver the most effective program.”

The researchers are asking families with a child aged 4-18 years to complete a brief online survey about their weight control practices, and expectations of a weight management program for families.

Survey participants will go into the draw to win one of five $50 vouchers to Coles/Big W.

For further information or to participate, see www.surveymonkey.com/s/FS76NPQ

 * Dr Tracy Burrows is a senior lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle and a member of the Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

Mum’s are needed for survey on pregnancy and post-birth experiences.

University of Newcastle researchers are asking new mums to reflect on their pregnancy and post-birth experience to help researchers design a healthy lifestyle program for other mothers-to-be.

Dr Lesley MacDonald-Wicks* said the University of Newcastle is calling for women who have given birth in the last five years to tell them what they think about the need for advice on nutrition, lifestyle behaviours and weight change during pregnancy and once their baby is born.

“We know that it’s very common for women to gain weight during the years when they’re having children and raising a family. While they’re also very short on time, many do use the internet to seek advice on a range of things. However, we don’t know how they feel about this weight gain or whether they received enough advice and support,” said Dr MacDonald-Wicks.

“With Mother’s Day this Sunday, we would love for mums to pause and think about their experiences, so they can help us develop an online program that will provide women with what they need to achieve a healthy lifestyle during these important years,” she said.

“Mums know best and we want to find out what advice new mothers have received and what advice they wish they had received on healthy weight gain during pregnancy, as well as ways to assist with losing weight once the baby is born.

“The results of this survey will help our researchers develop a healthy lifestyle program for new mothers. This builds on the leading research the University of Newcastle has done in nutrition and dietetics that has led it to receiving a ‘5’ rating of ‘well above world standard in the 2012 Excellence in Research for Australia.”

Women aged 18 to 40 years who have given birth in the past five years interested in participating, can find out more information at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/whatwomenwant100

Participants will go in the draw to win one of 10 gift vouchers to the value of $50 for Big W/Woolworths to spend on a product of their choice. The survey closes on 12June 2013.

*Dr Lesley MacDonald-Wicks is a Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics and member of the University of Newcastle’s Priority Research Centres in Physical Activity and Nutrition and Gender Health and Ageing. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

Volunteers wear a headset to measure blood flow while performing cognitive tests.

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Type 2 diabetes sufferers are being recruited for a new clinical study investigating the relationship between restricted blood flow and cognitive impairments that can impact memory.

Participants will be asked to perform simple psychological tests on a computer while wearing an ultrasound headset that measures blood flow in the brain, as well as undergoing a blood test.

“Nobody has given much thought to the brain and how early limitations of regional blood flow might adversely affect cognitive function,” project supervisor Professor Peter Howe*, from the University of Newcastle, said.

“We now have a simple non-invasive technique to look at the circulation in the brain and the way it responds to cognitive stimuli. We believe that impairments in the brain’s ability to increase blood flow on demand can be detected and possibly linked to cognitive decline in diabetes sufferers.”

Professor Howe is seeking volunteers aged 50-80 years with type 2 diabetes which is reasonably well managed. He will also enrol a cohort of healthy volunteers of similar age and gender balance.

A free blood test will be offered at any of the Hunter Area Pathology collection centres to confirm and measure the participant’s diabetic status.

“We are reaching out to the community because we want to make the findings relevant,” Professor Howe said. “Declining cognitive function is accelerated in people with Type 2 diabetes compared to age-matched healthy people, so we expect to have a sound basis for proposing dietary and lifestyle interventions that can help.”

The study expands on research activities that Professor Howe has been conducting at the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre in Adelaide.

To enrol in the trial, volunteers can phone Lyanne Jansen on 4042 0724, 0402 544 104, or email lyanne.jansen@newcastle.edu.au

* Professor Howe is Director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre at the University of Newcastle and a member of HMRI’s Brain and Mental Health Program. HMRI is a partnership between Hunter New England Health, the University of Newcastle and the community.

Research assistant Lyanne Jansen will assist with the test

Live ultrasound results are recorded on a computer.

Researcher Bronwyn Berthon has found a new link between low-fibre diets and asthma.

Marking World Asthma Day today, a study by HMRI respiratory researcher Bronwyn Berthon has pointed to a link between the dietary fibre intake of asthmatics and their lung function and airway inflammation.

“It was a cross-sectional study that showed associations between dietary intake and asthma outcomes, and was the first study in humans to show that people with severe asthma consumed less fibre and more fat than healthy controls. We also found that higher fibre intake is related better lung function and less airway inflammation ” Ms Berthon, a PhD student with HMRI’s VIVA program, said.

“Australians generally don’t eat enough fibre which is important to keep your digestive system healthy. This study however points to a new role for fibre, and has shown that eating a higher fibre diet may be more important for people with asthma.”

The study results have just been published in Respirology, the official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology. Co-authors were Dr Lesley MacDonald-Wicks, Professor Peter Gibson and Dr Lisa Wood.

The cohort comprised 137 asthma sufferers and 65 health control participants, within a range of body weights.

“We now need to follow up with a randomised controlled trial to say definitively that if we change their diet it will improve asthma symptoms,” Ms Berthon said.

Good sources of fibre include wholegrain and wholemeal foods, fruit, vegetables and legumes.

The Editor of Respirology, Dr Anne Dixon from the University of Vermont, referenced the Newcastle study in her editorial, noting that changes in diet are likely to be important in the development and progression of airway disease.

“The recent publication by Berthon et al. provides an important perspective on diet and asthma, and points to a way forward for future investigations,” Dr Dixon wrote. “Interventional studies of diet in asthma will be of the utmost importance and dietary composition may be an important factor contributing to poor asthma control.”

* Brownyn Berthon is a clinical trial researcher with HMRI’s Virus, Infections/immunity, Vaccines and Asthma (VIVA) Program. HMRI is a partnership between Hunter New England Health, the University of Newcastle and the community.

Men don’t wilt as easily as believed when they have the flu

Men are popularly maligned for wilting like cheap supermarket flowers at the first winter sniffle, however data from Flutracking.net, Australia’s online influenza-like illness surveillance system, raises questions about the Manflu myth.

An analysis of the 2012 weekly surveillance data of more than 16,000 Flutracking.net participants found that there was very little difference between the average duration of illness of men and women responding to the surveys. Women took an average of 3 days off normal duties with cough and fever, whereas men took an average of 2.8 days off. Among those ill enough to visit an emergency department, women took an average of 4 days off, whereas men took 3.5 days off.

The Flutracking analysis team was split over the implications of the findings – mostly along gender lines. Men may have taken the same amount of time off as women but with less severe illness, or it may be that they really don’t wilt as easily as believed. The decreased duration of illness among males with cough and fever visiting an emergency department could represent stoicism or perhaps that they were more likely to present to an emergency department with milder illness.

Where males and females do differ is in the timing of their illness throughout the influenza season. Females tended to get ill earlier in the season than males and then again just after the peak of influenza activity in mid-July. This may be explained by females providing more care of ill family members.

Dr Craig Dalton, the director of the Flutracking.net system said there were many reasons why two people with the same viral infection might have different severity of disease including past immunity, genetics, and the dose of virus exposure.

The Flutracking.net system has been able to track the severity of influenza around the country since 2008. It demonstrated that the 2009 pandemic influenza strain, while severe in some people, mostly led to low attack rates across the community. The 2012 influenza season was a relatively moderate influenza season but the most severe since the 2009 pandemic.

Flutracking.net is a joint project of the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Local Health District and is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging. The weekly Flutracking survey takes less than 10 seconds per week, to join this crowd sourced influenza surveillance system go to Flutracking.net

* Dr Dalton is a Public Health Physician and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer in the University’s Faculty of Health, and is supported by the Hunter Medical Research Institute. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

Andrew Searles is doing an economic evaluation of Indigenous health programs in Cape York.

HMRI research economist Andrew Searles* will be visiting remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York over the next four weeks, helping to evaluate the costs and benefits of health and wellbeing projects currently operating in the region.

With health-adjusted life expectancy figures being around 18 years below that of Queensland’s overall rate, Associate Professor Searles is also investigating economic frameworks to identify indigenous health priorities.

It is part of a Visiting Scholar fellowship that commenced yesterday with the Cairns Institute at James Cook University (JCU).

“Incident rates for cardiovascular, diabetes and respiratory illnesses are a major concern among the communities and I also have meetings scheduled with the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services and Royal Flying Doctors Service regarding the delivery of a mental illness and wellbeing intervention known as the Family Wellbeing Program,” Associate Professor Searles said.

“We are introducing wellbeing measures into the economic evaluation because they incorporate concepts such as control and empowerment which are important to Indigenous people. Wellbeing has also been associated with the decisions people make about diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking, which potentially exacerbate the high disease burden.”

The work is an extension of pilot projects HMRI and the Hunter Valley Research Foundation have done in collaboration with James Cook University, Queensland Health and Cape York Hospital and Service District, using economic modelling to evaluate the efficacy of existing programs.

“There was some criticism in the media last year about the lack of program evaluation. For all the money that is being spent, economic evaluations are needed to determine whether programs work and whether they represent value for money,” Associate Professor Searles added.

Supporting research work done by HMRI’s Mothers and Babies group with NSW indigenous communities, the North Queensland research will also look at improving long-term health outlooks by engaging Aboriginal mothers during the critical stages of their pregnancy and in early motherhood.

“That isn’t something we can solve in a month but will factor into the long-term framework,” he said.

* Associate Professor Andrew Searles works with the Hunter Medical Research Institute and Hunter Valley Research Foundation. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.

Doctors Orchestra members Ian Wright, Stanley Chen and Judy Chen perform for NBN News

Classical music will be “just what the doctor ordered” when more than 70 medicos from around Australia (including seven from the Hunter) swap stethoscopes for instruments for the Australian Doctors Orchestra’s first ever concert in Newcastle on Sunday APRIL 28.

The Australian Doctors Orchestra (ADO) is a national fellowship of medical professionals who are also classically trained musicians. Since its first concert 20 years ago, the orchestra has played a concert every year in every state and used each occasion to raise funds for charity.

The Newcastle concert, to be held in the Harold Lobb Hall of the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, will feature pianist Ian Munro performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto, to be followed by Beethoven’s magnificent 5th Symphony, conducted by Warwick Stengards.

Participants from John Hunter Hospital are Ian Wright (neonatal medicine), Murray Webber (paediatrics), Judy Kermode (paediatric anaesthesia), Jodie Williams (advanced surgical trainee), and Stanley Chen (surgery). Also playing will be general practitioner Carolyn Hackworthy and several Newcastle medical students.

All participants do this at their own expense, while all proceeds are going to the Hunter Children’s Research Foundation.

PROGRAM:

Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto – from Norway’s most famous composer, one of the most popular and tuneful concerti in the repertoire, featuring internationally renowned pianist Newcastle’s own IAN MUNRO

Dulcie Holland’s “Summer’s End” – first performance outside Sydney of a lovely and still unpublished piece by this Australian composer whose 100^th anniversary is being celebrated this year

Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony – There would be hardly a soul who doesn’t know the first 4 notes of this mighty work! Beethoven himself is reputed to have referred to it as “fate knocking on the door”.

Sunday 28th April, 2pm
Newcastle Conservatorium of Music (Cnr Auckland and Laman Streets, Newcastle)

Tickets available at the door or click HERE
Adults: $50 | Concession: $30