Kate Fitzpatrick

Publications (4)9.03 Total impact

• Article: Developing tools to predict outcomes following cardiovascular surgery.

  Maggi Boult, Kate Fitzpatrick, Mary Barnes, Guy Maddern, Robert Fitridge
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  ABSTRACT: Surgical decision-making tools may help surgeons achieve better outcomes by providing more personally relevant information to patients. This paper describes approaches to developing statistical tools capable of estimating the probability of morbidity and mortality after cardiovascular surgery. Our aim is to inform surgeons about the important stages that contribute to the development of decision tools. The key elements described include study design (data quality, cohort size, etc.) and statistical methodology for developing and testing decision tools. Mention is made of the delivery of decision tools, simplicity of use, ease of interpretation of results and accessibility. Information specific to cardiac and vascular surgery is included. Development of useful and effective decision tools is dependent on robust and reliable data, unambiguous outcome requirements and considerable statistical expertise. Decision tools must also be extensively tested for validity and reliability, both internally and with external data. Understanding the development and assumptions that underlie surgical decision tool development will help cardiovascular surgeons appreciate the value of applying such techniques at a clinical level.
  ANZ Journal of Surgery 11/2011; 81(11):768-73. · 1.25 Impact Factor
• Article: A guide to multi-centre ethics for surgical research in Australia and New Zealand.

  Maggi Boult, Kate Fitzpatrick, Guy Maddern, Robert Fitridge
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  ABSTRACT: This paper describes existing inconsistencies as well as the disparate processes and logistics required when obtaining ethics approval in Australia and New Zealand in order to initiate a multi-centre bi-national surgical trial. The endovascular aortic aneurysm repair trial is a large multi-centre trial that aims to obtain pre- and post-operative data from patients in hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. As the trial was research based, ethics applications were submitted to all hospitals where surgeons wished to be involved in the trial. Few ethics committees have embraced attempts to simplify the application process for multi-centre trials. There was limited mutual review between Human Research Ethics Committees necessitating the submission of multiple applications. Though the use of the National Ethics Application Form in ethical review is increasing, some Human Research Ethics Committees do not accept it in its entirety; many require site-specific applications or sections of the Common Application Form modules. Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand were the easiest systems to prepare, submit and lodge ethics applications because of their understanding and accommodation of reviewing multi-centred trials. The time, expense and complexity of obtaining ethics approval for multi-centre research projects are impediments to their establishment and reduce the time available for research. Australia is working to implement a system named the Harmonisation of Multi-centre Ethical Review to ease the process of obtaining multi-centre ethics clearance. Our experience suggests there will be some teething problems with implementation and acceptance.
  ANZ Journal of Surgery 03/2011; 81(3):132-6. · 1.25 Impact Factor
• Article: Influence of leaf tolerance mechanisms and rain on boron toxicity in barley and wheat.

  Rob Reid, Kate Fitzpatrick
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  ABSTRACT: Boron (B) toxicity is common in many areas of the world. Plant tolerance to high B varies widely and has previously been attributed to reduced uptake of B, most commonly as a result of B efflux from roots. In this study, it is shown that the expression of genes encoding B efflux transporters in leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) is associated with an ability of leaf tissues to withstand higher concentrations of B. In tolerant cultivars, necrosis in leaves occurred at B concentrations more than 2-fold higher than in sensitive cultivars. It is hypothesized that this leaf tolerance is achieved via redistribution of B by efflux transporters from sensitive symplastic compartments into the leaf apoplast. Measurements of B concentrations in leaf protoplasts, and of B released following infiltration of leaves, support this hypothesis. It was also shown that under B-toxic conditions, leaching of B from leaves by rain had a strong positive effect on growth of both roots and shoots. Measurements of rates of guttation and the concentration of B in guttation droplets indicated that the impact of guttation on the alleviation of B toxicity would be small.
  Plant physiology 08/2009; 151(1):413-20. · 6.53 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: washington.edu

  Article: The effect of instrumental music participation and socioeconomic status on the Ohio fourth, sixth, and ninth grade proficiency tests /

  Striff, Kate Fitzpatrick
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  ABSTRACT: Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2004. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-41). Advisor: Patricia J. Flowers, School of Music.