Adelaide Research & Scholarship
Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) is the University of Adelaide’s digital repository. AR&S provides a platform for the collection, organisation, access and preservation of the research and scholarly outputs of the University community in digital formats, as well as digital management of information in physical formats.
University of Adelaide higher degree by research theses are deposited into the AR&S Theses community as part of the final thesis lodgement process.
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Recent Submissions
A Review of the Impact of Microfluidics Technology on Sperm Selection Technique
(Cureus, Inc., 2022) Olatunji, O.; More, A.
Sperm sorting procedures depend on centrifugation processes. These processes produce oxidative stress and cell damage that are undesirable for in-vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes because they affect fertilization and implantation chances. The microfluidic sperm selection technique has shown promise in this area. It can create a platform for isolating and manipulating goodquality sperm cells using diverse triggers such as mechanical factors, chemical agents, and temperature gradients. Furthermore, microfluidic platforms can direct sperm cells for IVF or sperm sorting by utilizing an approach that is passive or active. In this review, we explain the use of microfluidics technologies for sorting and arranging sperm cells for different purposes. We also discuss the use of microfluidics technology in selecting and assessing sperm parameters and how it affects male infertility.
Utility of advanced training skills among GPs: a systematic review
(James Cook University, 2025) Mason, H.M.; Seidu, A.A.; Albert, F.A.; Anderson, E.; Alele, F.O.; McArthur, L.; Hollins, A.; Heggarty, P.; Gupta, T.S.; Hays, R.; Malau-Aduli, B.S.
Introduction: Advanced Skills Training (AST) is designed toprovide GPs with an opportunity to enhance their clinical practicein a narrower speciality. This is valuable particularly for rural andremote communities that cannot justify narrower specialist servicesin the local community. ASTs require additional focused training,usually for 12 months, in a selected procedural or non-proceduralskill such as anaesthetics, obstetrics, surgery, emergency medicine,paediatrics, adult internal medicine, mental health, Indigenoushealth or palliative care. Ideally, several practitioners withcomplementary AST experiences work together to provide a widerrange of extended scope practice according to community need.However, experience so far suggests that this goal is notnecessarily achieved. Thus, this systematic review aimed to assessthe value and fitness for purpose of AST and ensure that it ismeeting the growing demand for coordinated care in ruralcommunities. This review addressed three questions: What is theeffectiveness of AST programs in improving GPs’ knowledge,attitudes and competence regarding rural clinical practice? How dostakeholders – including trainees, patients, management and thecommunity – perceive the impact (value and fitness for purpose) ofthe AST program in rural clinical practice? To what extent areadvanced skills training programs aligned with the needs of thecommunity served? Methods: This systematic review was conducted following thePreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy wasimplemented across six electronic databases (Medline Ovid,CINAHL, Emcare, Scopus, Web of Science and Informit) inDecember 2024. The quality of the studies was appraised using theQuality Assessment for Diverse Studies tool. Across all thereviewed articles, data on the effectiveness of AST, stakeholderperceptions of its value and extent of alignment of AST withcommunity needs in rural clinical practice were extracted andsynthesised using a data extraction template. Results : Sixteen peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria.Of these, 11 employed qualitative study designs ( n=11, 68.8%) andfive were quantitative ( n=5, 31.3%). The majority were conductedin Canada ( n=5, 31.3%) and Australia ( n=5, 31.3%), followed by theUS ( n=4, 25.0%) and England ( n=2, 12.5%). The findings revealedthat the definition and scope of AST varied across the literature.Some defined it as advanced training that involves 12 months full-time equivalent in an accredited training post while others definedit as ‘tracks’, certificates, extended fellowships, residency programsor placements. Across the literature, participants notedimprovements in their knowledge, attitudes and competenceregarding their clinical practice. The value and fitness for purposeof the AST program was demonstrated by registrars’ continued useof skills after AST training, soft skills development and communityengagement opportunities, and rural workforce retention. Thechallenges reported for those undertaking AST programs werebarriers to inclusion on remote visits (eg transportation space,training space), time efficiency and management, workloadfluctuation, gaps between training and use of skills, peeracknowledgement, and differences between the hospital settingsin which training occurred and the rural contexts in which the skillswould be applied. Conclusion: Overall, this review provided evidence on the utility ofAST for GPs. Despite the value of AST in GP clinical practice, somebottlenecks may be limiting its effectiveness. Current ASTopportunities (both training and final practice location) and careerpathways are not always aligned, potentially limiting the success ofthe AST strategy in bridging the gap between urban and ruralhealth service status. Concerted efforts are required to improvealignment of career advice, community needs, training pathways,AST opportunities and final practice location in order to achievethe intended purpose. Further research is required on the impactof AST programs on community health outcomes.
MTHFR Gene-Polymorphism and Infertile Men in Indian Population: A Systematic Literature Review
(Cureus, Inc., 2022) More, A.; Gajbe, U.; Olatunji, O.; Singh, B.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genetic makeup of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR C677-T, A1298-C, and G1793-A) alongside environmental and lifestyle component has shown some links as a potential factor responsible for male infertility across the globe posing huge genetic vulnerability to the gender. However, SNPs in the MTHFR gene implicated in male infertility are not without their own controversial results even within the same population. The goal of this study was to provide comprehensive insights into the controversial nature of MTHFR gene polymorphism on male infertility across all Indian populations as well as other ethnicities. The electronic PubMed database was utilized to conduct and select eligible studies for this systematic review (update to December 2021). Only high-quality studies with a link between MTHFR polymorphisms and male infertility were included based on our exclusion and inclusion criteria. The connection between the MTHFR gene polymorphism and male infertility in Indian population studies was evaluated using odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of five studies presenting 1,237 cases and 1,044 controls were assessed for this study. The collective results revealed that MTHFR C667-T and A1298-C gene polymorphism were significantly linked with an increased chance of male infertility both in south India and north India, however, with some conflicting results. Interestingly, no study has been carried out to investigate the impact of G1793-A polymorphism on infertile males in the Indian population at the time of our report. Results generated from the few case-control evaluated on MTHFR gene polymorphism in the Indian population are found to conflict with some extrinsic factors (such as nutritional status-folate metabolism, lifestyle, varying recruitment procedures, and epigenetic elements) identified to have played some critical roles. Therefore, broader studies across all regions in India addressing the grave impact of MTHFR gene polymorphism on male infertility are of utmost importance.
Physiological parameter changes during field anaesthesia of bandicoots
(Wiley, 2025) Bullen, A.F.; Macgregor, J.W.; Corbin, B.; Warren, K.
Introduction: Physiological responses to anaesthesia are described for the first time in eastern barred bandicoot (EBB; Perameles gunnii) and southern brown bandicoot (SBB; Isoodon obesulus). Method: Two hundred and six field anaesthetics were carried out on free-ranging bandicoots (82 EBB and 66 SBB) in North West Tasmania. Animals were induced and maintained under general anaesthesia using isoflurane administered via a face mask. Results: On average, animals required 3% isoflurane for anaesthesia maintenance and recovered within 2–3 min of isoflurane being discontinued. SBB had higher respiratory rates than EBB. Otherwise, we found no significant differences in anaesthetic parameters between the bandicoot species, between sexes or for females with pouch young. Hypothermia was the only anaesthetic-associated adverse event during this study, occurring in 26 anaesthetics (12.6%). At the start of anaesthesia, bandicoots had a mean body temperature of 35.0°C (SEM 0.8, SD 1.2), and 95% of animals lost temperature during anaesthesia. Bandicoots with an initial body temperature of less than 34.5°C had 20 times greater risk (odds ratio 20.52, 95% CI 5.58–77.19) of developing hypothermia (defined as Tb < 33°C). Heart rates ranged from 100 to >300 beats per minute, and respiratory rates ranged from 8 to 64 breaths per minute. Data support a heart rate reference interval of 140–285 (mean 208, SD 42.72) and a respiratory rate interval of 10–34 for SBB (mean 21, SD 8.89) and 8–20 for EBB (mean 12, SD 4.72) during maintenance of inhalant anaesthesia. Conclusions: With hypothermia the only anaesthesia-related adverse event during this study, results support the safety of this form of chemical restraint in the field and provide empirical data that may be used to guide anaesthesia for bandicoots. Results suggest that standard inhalational anaesthetic protocols are suitable for bandicoots irrespective of weight, sex and reproductive status.
Unlocking the power of semen analysis in primary health care - a path to men's health and lifestyle transformation.
(Springer Nature, 2025) Lyons, H.E.; Peel, A.; Gonzalez, M.; Deluao, J.; Olatunji, O.; Nikitaras, V.; McPherson, N.O.
Declining fertility, overlooked mental health, and reduced life expectancy underscore the urgent need for renewed attention to men’s health. A semen analysis, traditionally used to assess fertility, holds untapped potential as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes and preventing chronic diseases in men. Spermatogenesis is highly sensitive to environmental and lifestyle factors and can be an early indicator of overall health. Disruptions in this process can signal underlying systemic issues and predict long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. An increasing number of men seek to engage in preconception care, as fertility is closely tied to a man’s sense of masculinity, identity and aspirations for fatherhood. In this context, a semen analysis can be a powerful motivator to encourage healthy behaviours and proactive health management. By incorporating semen analysis into primary care, health care providers can leverage men’s desire for fatherhood as an entry point to discuss broader health concerns, such as mental well-being, nutrition and physical activity. This approach would address immediate reproductive health, and also promote long-term wellness, helping to reduce the burden of chronic disease in men.