Background and aimsOver seven million women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually. While... more Background and aimsOver seven million women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually. While lifestyle modification is recommended for CVD prevention, there are no systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness of interventions targeted to women. The primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the efficacy of primary and secondary CVD prevention interventions targeting lifestyle risk factors in women.MethodsSix electronic databases were searched up to January 2022. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials of primary or secondary CVD prevention interventions targeting CVD lifestyle risk factors (diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol, sleep, and weight management) in women (≥18 years) that reported CVD risk markers or lifestyle risk factors. Meta-analyses were conducted on CVD risk markers and body mass index (BMI), and the level of evidence was applied to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation...
Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of dec... more Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of deceased persons. These standardized scales are assumed to convey unambiguous expert opinions and facilitate communication between forensic odontologists and end users. However, to date no studies have investigated how the experts interpret and use these scales. Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of deceased persons. These standardized scales are assumed to convey unambiguous expert opinions and facilitate communication between forensic odontologists and end users. However, to date no studies have investigated how the experts interpret and use these scales. This paper aims to examine the interpretation of the DVISYS forensic identification scale and choices of the levels in the scale subsequent to, and derived from, comparison of pairs of dental radiographs by extending the analysis of the data collected in the study by Page and Lain et. al. 2017. The studied variables: self-reported confidence, forced binary decision of match and non-match, choice of level in the DVISYS scale (Identified, Probable, Possible, Insufficient and Exclude) were further analysed in this study using mixed models for relationships between the choices of level in the identification scale and the fundamental beliefs of likelihood of identification. The results of this further analysis showed that the reported confidence of the decisions was correlated to the difficulty of cases, and as confidence decreased the use of less definitive terms ('Probable', 'Possible' and 'Insufficient') increased. 'Probable' and 'Possible' were used mainly in underlying beliefs below that of 'Identified' whereas 'Insufficient' was used mainly to convey a sublevel of 'Exclude'. The use of 'Insufficient' in this study was not consistent with the prescribed definition of the term. The participants of the original study were not aware of the difficulty grading of the cases nor were required to grade them, however the reported confidence was systematically correlated to difficulty. Furthermore, indicated confidence level was correlated with choice of level on the scale in general, but the interpretation of the definition and application of the terms varied. The findings reported here contribute to the foundational knowledge of factors governing the interpretation and application of the DVISYS forensic odontology identification scale and suggest that this scale may need to be modified.
Amphibians are becoming increasingly reliant on captive breeding programs for continued survival.... more Amphibians are becoming increasingly reliant on captive breeding programs for continued survival. Assisted reproductive technologies including gamete cryopreservation and IVF can help reduce costs of breeding programs, provide insurance against extinction and assist genetic rescue in wild populations. However, the use of these technologies to produce reproductively mature offspring has only been demonstrated in a few non-model species. We aimed to optimise sperm cryopreservation in the threatened frog Litoria aurea and generate mature offspring from frozen–thawed spermatozoa by IVF. We tested three concentrations (1.4, 2.1 and 2.8 M) of the cryoprotectants dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and glycerol with 0.3 M sucrose. Using DMSO was more likely to result in recovery of sperm motility, vitality and acrosome integrity than glycerol, regardless of concentration, with forward progressive motility being most sensitive to damage. The lowest concentrations of 1.4 and 2.1 M provided the best pro...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Introduction: People with a mental health condition experience disproportionate morbidity and mor... more Introduction: People with a mental health condition experience disproportionate morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. This inequity has been largely attributed to a higher prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours including smoking, poor nutrition, harmful alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity (‘SNAP risks’). Suboptimal sleep is highly prevalent among people with a mental health condition and, as an identified risk behaviour for several chronic diseases, has been implicated as an additional contributor to this health inequity. Research involving people without a mental health condition suggests associations between poor sleep and each SNAP risk; however, interactions with mental health status have not been reported in an Australian population. This study explored associations between suboptimal sleep and all four SNAP risks, and assessed whether they vary by mental health status. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study (n = 1265) was under...
Supplemental material, Supplementary_tables for Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventiv... more Supplemental material, Supplementary_tables for Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventive care clinician in a community mental health service in increasing preventive care provision: A randomised controlled trial by Caitlin MC Fehily, Kate M Bartlem, John H Wiggers, Paula M Wye, Richard V Clancy, David J Castle, Andrew Wilson, Chris E Rissel, Sonia Wutzke, Rebecca K Hodder, Kim Colyvas, Fionna Murphy and Jenny A Bowman in Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Soil carbon sequestration has been recognized as a potential “direct action” tool in mitigating c... more Soil carbon sequestration has been recognized as a potential “direct action” tool in mitigating climate change. Organic matter rich biosolids from wastewater industry has been applied to soils as one of the strategies to the carbon sequestration. However, most of the shortand long-term studies as influenced by land application of biosolids have been showed quite inconsistent results in carbon increments in soils. Therefore, soil carbon sequestration resulted by biosolids application is yet to be needed further studies to elucidate. This study presents a comprehensive MetaAnalysis (MA) on soil carbon sequestration as influenced by biosolids application. Datasets comprised with 175 independent paired-treatments across 25 countries were fed in to Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (version 3) programme and modelled. The MA compared Soil Organic Carbon (SOC as g/kg) changes as the functions of time after biosolids application and its rate over twelve groups under two categories: application ag...
Highlights • People with a mental health condition (MHC) benefit from telephone coaching support.... more Highlights • People with a mental health condition (MHC) benefit from telephone coaching support.• Program completion leads to significant improvement in a number of health risks.• Engagement and health changes are similar for people with and without an MHC.
To evaluate whether a child-centered physical activity program, combined with a parent-centered d... more To evaluate whether a child-centered physical activity program, combined with a parent-centered dietary program, was more efficacious than each treatment alone, in preventing unhealthy weight-gain in overweight children. An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 165 overweight/obese 5.5- to 9.9- year-old children. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions: a parent-centered dietary program (Diet); a child-centered physical activity program (Activity); or a combination of both (Diet+Activity). All groups received 10 weekly face-to-face sessions followed by 3 monthly relapse-prevention phone calls. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome was change in body mass index z-score at 6 and 12 months (n=114 and 106, respectively). Body mass index z-scores were reduced at 12-months in all groups, with the Diet (mean [95% confidence interval]) (-0.39 [-0.51 to 0.27]) and Diet + Activity (-0.32, [-0.36, -0.23]) groups showing a greater reduction than the Activity group (-0.17 [-0.28, -0.06]) (P=.02). Changes in other outcomes (waist circumference and metabolic profile) were not statistically significant among groups. Relative body weight decreased at 6 months and was sustained at 12 months through treatment with a child-centered physical activity program, a parent-centered dietary program, or both. The greatest effect was achieved when a parent-centered dietary component was included.
Background Clinical practice guidelines and policies direct community mental health services to p... more Background Clinical practice guidelines and policies direct community mental health services to provide preventive care to address chronic disease risks, however, such care is infrequently provided in routine consultations. An alternative model of care is to appoint a clinician to the dedicated role of offering and providing preventive care in an additional consultation: the ‘specialist clinician’ model. Economic evaluations of models of care are needed to determine the cost of adhering to guidelines and policies, and to inform pragmatic service delivery decisions. This study is an economic evaluation of the specialist clinician model; designed to achieve policy concordant preventive care delivery. Methods A retrospective analysis of the incremental costs, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of a ‘specialist preventive care clinician’ (an occupational therapist) was conducted in a randomised controlled trial, where participants were randomised to receive usual care; or usual care ...
Background and aimsOver seven million women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually. While... more Background and aimsOver seven million women die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) annually. While lifestyle modification is recommended for CVD prevention, there are no systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness of interventions targeted to women. The primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the efficacy of primary and secondary CVD prevention interventions targeting lifestyle risk factors in women.MethodsSix electronic databases were searched up to January 2022. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials of primary or secondary CVD prevention interventions targeting CVD lifestyle risk factors (diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol, sleep, and weight management) in women (≥18 years) that reported CVD risk markers or lifestyle risk factors. Meta-analyses were conducted on CVD risk markers and body mass index (BMI), and the level of evidence was applied to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation...
Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of dec... more Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of deceased persons. These standardized scales are assumed to convey unambiguous expert opinions and facilitate communication between forensic odontologists and end users. However, to date no studies have investigated how the experts interpret and use these scales. Forensic odontology identification scales are used to express certainty of identifications of deceased persons. These standardized scales are assumed to convey unambiguous expert opinions and facilitate communication between forensic odontologists and end users. However, to date no studies have investigated how the experts interpret and use these scales. This paper aims to examine the interpretation of the DVISYS forensic identification scale and choices of the levels in the scale subsequent to, and derived from, comparison of pairs of dental radiographs by extending the analysis of the data collected in the study by Page and Lain et. al. 2017. The studied variables: self-reported confidence, forced binary decision of match and non-match, choice of level in the DVISYS scale (Identified, Probable, Possible, Insufficient and Exclude) were further analysed in this study using mixed models for relationships between the choices of level in the identification scale and the fundamental beliefs of likelihood of identification. The results of this further analysis showed that the reported confidence of the decisions was correlated to the difficulty of cases, and as confidence decreased the use of less definitive terms ('Probable', 'Possible' and 'Insufficient') increased. 'Probable' and 'Possible' were used mainly in underlying beliefs below that of 'Identified' whereas 'Insufficient' was used mainly to convey a sublevel of 'Exclude'. The use of 'Insufficient' in this study was not consistent with the prescribed definition of the term. The participants of the original study were not aware of the difficulty grading of the cases nor were required to grade them, however the reported confidence was systematically correlated to difficulty. Furthermore, indicated confidence level was correlated with choice of level on the scale in general, but the interpretation of the definition and application of the terms varied. The findings reported here contribute to the foundational knowledge of factors governing the interpretation and application of the DVISYS forensic odontology identification scale and suggest that this scale may need to be modified.
Amphibians are becoming increasingly reliant on captive breeding programs for continued survival.... more Amphibians are becoming increasingly reliant on captive breeding programs for continued survival. Assisted reproductive technologies including gamete cryopreservation and IVF can help reduce costs of breeding programs, provide insurance against extinction and assist genetic rescue in wild populations. However, the use of these technologies to produce reproductively mature offspring has only been demonstrated in a few non-model species. We aimed to optimise sperm cryopreservation in the threatened frog Litoria aurea and generate mature offspring from frozen–thawed spermatozoa by IVF. We tested three concentrations (1.4, 2.1 and 2.8 M) of the cryoprotectants dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and glycerol with 0.3 M sucrose. Using DMSO was more likely to result in recovery of sperm motility, vitality and acrosome integrity than glycerol, regardless of concentration, with forward progressive motility being most sensitive to damage. The lowest concentrations of 1.4 and 2.1 M provided the best pro...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Introduction: People with a mental health condition experience disproportionate morbidity and mor... more Introduction: People with a mental health condition experience disproportionate morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. This inequity has been largely attributed to a higher prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours including smoking, poor nutrition, harmful alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity (‘SNAP risks’). Suboptimal sleep is highly prevalent among people with a mental health condition and, as an identified risk behaviour for several chronic diseases, has been implicated as an additional contributor to this health inequity. Research involving people without a mental health condition suggests associations between poor sleep and each SNAP risk; however, interactions with mental health status have not been reported in an Australian population. This study explored associations between suboptimal sleep and all four SNAP risks, and assessed whether they vary by mental health status. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study (n = 1265) was under...
Supplemental material, Supplementary_tables for Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventiv... more Supplemental material, Supplementary_tables for Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventive care clinician in a community mental health service in increasing preventive care provision: A randomised controlled trial by Caitlin MC Fehily, Kate M Bartlem, John H Wiggers, Paula M Wye, Richard V Clancy, David J Castle, Andrew Wilson, Chris E Rissel, Sonia Wutzke, Rebecca K Hodder, Kim Colyvas, Fionna Murphy and Jenny A Bowman in Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Soil carbon sequestration has been recognized as a potential “direct action” tool in mitigating c... more Soil carbon sequestration has been recognized as a potential “direct action” tool in mitigating climate change. Organic matter rich biosolids from wastewater industry has been applied to soils as one of the strategies to the carbon sequestration. However, most of the shortand long-term studies as influenced by land application of biosolids have been showed quite inconsistent results in carbon increments in soils. Therefore, soil carbon sequestration resulted by biosolids application is yet to be needed further studies to elucidate. This study presents a comprehensive MetaAnalysis (MA) on soil carbon sequestration as influenced by biosolids application. Datasets comprised with 175 independent paired-treatments across 25 countries were fed in to Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (version 3) programme and modelled. The MA compared Soil Organic Carbon (SOC as g/kg) changes as the functions of time after biosolids application and its rate over twelve groups under two categories: application ag...
Highlights • People with a mental health condition (MHC) benefit from telephone coaching support.... more Highlights • People with a mental health condition (MHC) benefit from telephone coaching support.• Program completion leads to significant improvement in a number of health risks.• Engagement and health changes are similar for people with and without an MHC.
To evaluate whether a child-centered physical activity program, combined with a parent-centered d... more To evaluate whether a child-centered physical activity program, combined with a parent-centered dietary program, was more efficacious than each treatment alone, in preventing unhealthy weight-gain in overweight children. An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 165 overweight/obese 5.5- to 9.9- year-old children. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions: a parent-centered dietary program (Diet); a child-centered physical activity program (Activity); or a combination of both (Diet+Activity). All groups received 10 weekly face-to-face sessions followed by 3 monthly relapse-prevention phone calls. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome was change in body mass index z-score at 6 and 12 months (n=114 and 106, respectively). Body mass index z-scores were reduced at 12-months in all groups, with the Diet (mean [95% confidence interval]) (-0.39 [-0.51 to 0.27]) and Diet + Activity (-0.32, [-0.36, -0.23]) groups showing a greater reduction than the Activity group (-0.17 [-0.28, -0.06]) (P=.02). Changes in other outcomes (waist circumference and metabolic profile) were not statistically significant among groups. Relative body weight decreased at 6 months and was sustained at 12 months through treatment with a child-centered physical activity program, a parent-centered dietary program, or both. The greatest effect was achieved when a parent-centered dietary component was included.
Background Clinical practice guidelines and policies direct community mental health services to p... more Background Clinical practice guidelines and policies direct community mental health services to provide preventive care to address chronic disease risks, however, such care is infrequently provided in routine consultations. An alternative model of care is to appoint a clinician to the dedicated role of offering and providing preventive care in an additional consultation: the ‘specialist clinician’ model. Economic evaluations of models of care are needed to determine the cost of adhering to guidelines and policies, and to inform pragmatic service delivery decisions. This study is an economic evaluation of the specialist clinician model; designed to achieve policy concordant preventive care delivery. Methods A retrospective analysis of the incremental costs, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of a ‘specialist preventive care clinician’ (an occupational therapist) was conducted in a randomised controlled trial, where participants were randomised to receive usual care; or usual care ...
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Papers by Kim Colyvas