Integration and Analysis of Heterogeneous Colorectal Cancer Data for Translational Research.

Cancer is the number one cause of death in Australia with colorectal cancer being the second most common cancer type. The translation of cancer research into clinical practice is hindered by the lack of integration of heterogeneous and autonomous data from various data sources. Integration of heterogeneous data can offer researchers a comprehensive source for biospecimen identification, hypothesis formulation, hypothesis validation, cohort discovery and biomarker discovery. Alongside the increasing prominence of big data, various translational research tools such as tranSMART have emerged that can converge and analyse different types of data. In this study, we show the integration of different data types from a significant Australian colorectal cancer cohort. Additionally, colorectal cancer datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas were also integrated for comparison. These integrated data are accessible via http://www.tcrn.unsw.edu.au/transmart. The use of translational research tools for data integration can provide a cost-effective and rapid approach to translational cancer research.

Resolution of vitamin A cis/trans isomers resolves proficiency test assessments.

Proficiency tests run by FAPAS for vitamin A analysis in cod liver oil were observed to give rise to multi-modal distributions of data. For this reason, setting the assigned value for the tests was difficult or even impossible, without too high uncertainty values. The methods used by participants could broadly be categorised into normal phase or reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. In a recent test, participants were asked if their method could separate the cis and trans isomers of vitamin A. Results from participants who could separate the isomers gave rise to a unimodal distribution of data. This was synonymous with participants using the normal phase chromatography method. Conversely, results from participants who were unable to separate the isomers, or who were using reversed-phase chromatography, gave rise to multi-modal distributions of data. The recommendation for future tests is to set the assigned value on the basis of the ability to separate the isomers.

Proficiency testing has improved the quality of data of total vitamin B2 analysis in liquid dietary supplement.

A previously reported proficiency test for the analysis of vitamin B(2) in liquid dietary supplement demonstrated bimodality. The same trend has now been observed in four subsequent tests of this type. The trend would not so easily have been observed without applying a fit-for-purpose standard deviation that is more generous than that predicted by the Horwitz equation. Since originally reporting the bimodal problem and hypothesising its cause by incomplete enzymic digestion of riboflavin-5-phosphate, there has been a general improvement in the reporting of the higher mode. This is thought to correspond to free riboflavin following complete digestion of the sample. Several individual participants appear to have learned from the experience and have changed their reporting of the lower mode to the higher mode.

Adherence, adaptation and acceptance of elderly chronic heart failure patients to receiving healthcare via telephone-monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Although the potential to reduce hospitalisation and mortality in chronic heart failure (CHF) is well reported, the feasibility of receiving healthcare by structured telephone support or telemonitoring is not. AIMS: To determine; adherence, adaptation and acceptability to a national nurse-coordinated telephone-monitoring CHF management strategy. The Chronic Heart Failure Assistance by Telephone Study (CHAT). METHODS: Triangulation of descriptive statistics, feedback surveys and qualitative analysis of clinical notes. Cohort comprised of standard care plus intervention (SC+I) participants who completed the first year of the study. RESULTS: 30 GPs (70% rural) randomised to SC+I recruited 79 eligible participants, of whom 60 (76%) completed the full 12 month follow-up period. During this time 3619 calls were made into the CHAT system (mean 45.81 SD+/-79.26, range 0-369), Overall there was an adherence to the study protocol of 65.8% (95% CI 0.54-0.75; p=0.001) however, of the 60 participants who completed the 12 month follow-up period the adherence was significantly higher at 92.3% (95% CI 0.82-0.97, p

Primary health care research--essential but disadvantaged.

Primary health care is the foundation of effective, sustainable population health and is associated with higher patient satisfaction and reduced aggregate health spending. Although improving patient care requires a sound evidence base, rigorously designed studies remain under-represented in primary care research. The pace of research activity in general practice and the rate and quality of publications do not match the pace of structural change or the level of funding provided. Recruitment difficulties are a major impediment, fuelled by general practitioners' time constraints, lack of remuneration, non-recognition, and workforce shortages. Radical reform is required to redress imbalances in funding allocation, including: funding of GP Research Network infrastructure costs; formalising relationships between primary care researchers and academic departments of general practice and rural health; and mandating that research funding bodies consider only proposals that include in the budget nominal payments for GP participation and salaries for dedicated research nurses.