Helen Butler | Park University (original) (raw)

Papers by Helen Butler

Human Molecular Genetics, 2005

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis, are chronic ... more The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory disorders of the digestive tract. The pathogenesis of IBD is complicated, and it is widely accepted that immunologic, environmental and genetic components contribute to its etiology. To identify genetic susceptibility factors in CD, we performed a genome-wide association study in Japanese patients and controls using nearly 80 000 gene-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and investigated the haplotype structure of the candidate locus in Japanese and European patients. We identified highly significant associations (P 5 1.71 3 10 214 with odds ratio of 2.17) of SNPs and haplotypes within the TNFSF15 (the gene encoding tumor necrosis factor superfamily, member 15) genes in Japanese CD patients. The association was confirmed in the study of two European IBD cohorts. Interestingly, a core TNFSF15 haplotype showing association with increased risk to the disease was common in the two ethnic groups. Our results suggest that the genetic variations in the TNFSF15 gene contribute to the susceptibility to IBD in the Japanese and European populations.

Gastroenterology, 2006

Abbreviations used in this paper: CI, confidence interval; NF-B, nuclear factor B; OR, odds ratio... more Abbreviations used in this paper: CI, confidence interval; NF-B, nuclear factor B; OR, odds ratio; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism.

Neuroscience Letters, 2010

Associations have been reported of aromatase polymorphisms with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We stud... more Associations have been reported of aromatase polymorphisms with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied nine polymorphisms in 207 cases of AD, 23 cases of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 233 controls, all from the OPTIMA cohort. We replicated two reported associations and found others. Our findings were consistent between AD and MCI. Further, our results were sex-specific, i.e. there were significant interactions between certain polymorphisms and gender, and the associations with AD were almost entirely in women. Aromatase catalyses the conversion of androgens to estrogens. It is expressed in the human brain. In the hippocampus, it is upregulated in postmenopausal women and is lowered in AD. These sex-specific results are therefore plausible. However, our results now need to be replicated in a larger dataset.

Nucleic Acids Research, 2007

Array-based technologies have been used to detect chromosomal copy number changes (aneuploidies) ... more Array-based technologies have been used to detect chromosomal copy number changes (aneuploidies) in the human genome. Recent studies identified numerous copy number variants (CNV ) and some are common polymorphisms that may contribute to disease susceptibility. We developed, and experimentally validated, a novel computational framework (QuantiSNP) for detecting regions of copy number variation from BeadArray TM SNP genotyping data using an Objective Bayes Hidden-Markov Model (OB-HMM). Objective Bayes measures are used to set certain hyperparameters in the priors using a novel re-sampling framework to calibrate the model to a fixed Type I (false positive) error rate. Other parameters are set via maximum marginal likelihood to prior training data of known structure. QuantiSNP provides probabilistic quantification of state classifications and significantly improves the accuracy of segmental aneuploidy identification and mapping, relative to existing analytical tools (Beadstudio, Illumina), as demonstrated by validation of breakpoint boundaries. QuantiSNP identified both novel and validated CNVs. QuantiSNP was developed using BeadArray TM SNP data but it can be adapted to other platforms and we believe that the OB-HMM framework has widespread applicability in genomic research. In conclusion, QuantiSNP is a novel algorithm for high-resolution CNV/aneuploidy detection with application to clinical genetics, cancer and disease association studies.

Health Promotion Practice, 2010

Schools and school systems are increasingly asked to use evidence-based strategies to promote the... more Schools and school systems are increasingly asked to use evidence-based strategies to promote the health and well-being of students. The dissemination of school-based health promotion research, however, offers particular challenges to conventional approaches to dissemination. Schools and education systems are multifaceted organizations that sit within constantly shifting broader contexts. This article argues that health promotion dissemination needs to be rethought for school communities as complex systems and that this requires understanding and harnessing the dynamic ecology of the sociopolitical context. In developing this argument, the authors draw on their experience of the dissemination process of a multilevel school-based intervention in a complex educational context. Building on this experience, they argue for the need to move beyond conventional dissemination strategies to a focus on active partnerships between developers and users of school-based intervention research and offer a conceptual tool for planning dissemination.

Journal of School Health, 2007

Background: Bullying occurs in all schools. Measuring bullying in schools is complicated because... more Background: Bullying occurs in all schools. Measuring bullying in schools is complicated because both definitions of bullying and methods for measuring bullying vary. This study compared a brief 12-item Gatehouse Bullying Scale (GBS) with items drawn from the Peer Relations Questionnaire (PRQ), a well-established bullying questionnaire to measure the concurrent validity of the GBS.Methods: Year 8 secondary school students (14 years of age) in metropolitan and regional Victoria, Australia, completed questionnaires assessing being teased, being deliberately left out, had rumors spread about oneself, and/or being physically threatened or hurt.Results: The prevalence of bullying using GBS and PRQ was 57% and 61%, respectively. Percent agreement between the 2 measures was high. Agreement adjusted for chance was moderate (kappa 0.5). The GBS had good to moderate test-retest reliability (rho 0.65).Conclusions: The GBS is a short, reliable tool measuring the occurrence of bullying in schools. As well as a global estimate of bullying, the GBS provides estimates of 2 covert and 2 overt types of bullying which can be useful for schools to better plan interventions dealing with school bullying.

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2000

The objective of this paper is to outline the conceptual background and strategy of intervention ... more The objective of this paper is to outline the conceptual background and strategy of intervention for a systematic and sustainable approach to mental health promotion in secondary schools. The conceptual origins of the Gatehouse Project are described in terms of the epidemiology of adolescent mental health problems, attachment theory, education reform research and health promotional theory and practice. The elements of health promotional work are described in terms of structural change and priority setting; implementation at multiple levels within the participating schools is described. The conceptual framework of the Gatehouse Project emphasises healthy attachments with peers and teachers through the promotion of a sense of security and trust, effective communication and a sense of positive self-regard based on participation in varied aspects of school and community life. A school social climate profile is derived from a questionnaire survey of students. An adolescent health team uses this information to set priorities for change within the school. Interventions may focus on the promotion of a positive social climate of the whole school or in the classroom. Curriculum-based health education is also used and based on materials that are relevant to the normal developmental experiences of teenagers. These are integrated into the mainstream curriculum and incorporate a strong component of teacher professional development. Lastly, the intervention promotes linkage between the school and broader community with a particular emphasis on the needs of young people at high risk of school drop-out. Educational environments are complex systems undergoing continuous and simultaneous changes. The Gatehouse Project will provide unique information on the relationship between the social environment and the emotional wellbeing of young people. More importantly it outlines a sustainable process for building the capacity of schools to promote the social and emotional development of young people.

Purpose: To examine associations between social relationships and school engagement in early seco... more Purpose: To examine associations between social relationships and school engagement in early secondary school and mental health, substance use, and educational achievement 2-4 years later. Methods: School-based longitudinal study of secondary school students, surveyed at school in Year 8 (13-14-years-old) and Year 10 (16-years-old), and 1-year post-secondary school. A total of 2678 Year 8 students (74%) participated in the first wave of data collection. For the school-based surveys, attrition was Ͻ10%. Seventy-one percent of the participating Year 8 students completed the post-secondary school survey. Results: Having both good school and social connectedness in Year 8 was associated with the best outcomes in later years. In contrast, participants with low school connectedness but good social connectedness were at elevated risk of anxiety/depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0, 1.76), regular smoking (OR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.9), drinking (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3, 2.2), and using marijuana (OR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.6, 2.5) in later years. The likelihood of completing school was reduced for those with either poor social connectedness, low school connectedness, or both. Conclusions: Overall, young people's experiences of early secondary school and their relationships with others may continue to affect their moods, their substance use in later years, and their likelihood of completing secondary school. Having both good school connectedness and good social connectedness is associated with the best outcomes. The challenge is how to promote both school and social connectedness to best achieve these health and learning outcomes.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2003

To describe the Gatehouse Project which addresses the social context of high school with an aim o... more To describe the Gatehouse Project which addresses the social context of high school with an aim of changing students' sense of school connection and in turn, health risk behavior and well-being.Distinguishing features of the project were its conceptual framework, implementation process, and evaluation design. The conceptual framework derived from attachment theory and focused on three aspects of the school social context: security, communication, and participation. Implementation was standardized around a survey of the school social environment, creation of a school-based action team, and the implementation of strategies matched to a school's profile of need. In addition, an early high school curriculum addressed the skills relevant to social functioning and emotional adjustment. The evaluation design was based on a cluster randomized trial involving 26 schools. It used follow-up of an individual cohort and repeat cross-sectional surveys to capture outcomes at an individual student and whole-school level.The Gatehouse Project drew on both health and education research to develop and coordinate a broad-based school health promotion intervention. It represents a promising new direction for school-based preventive work.

New Directions for Evaluation, 2009

Programs and policies invariably contain new knowledge. Theories about knowledge utilization, dif... more Programs and policies invariably contain new knowledge. Theories about knowledge utilization, diffusion, implementation, transfer, and knowledge translation theories illuminate some mechanisms of change processes. But more often than not, when it comes to understanding patterns about change processes, “the foreground” is privileged more than “the background.” The foreground is the knowledge or technology tied up with the product or program that prompted the evaluation. The background is the ongoing dynamics of the context into which the knowledge is inserted. Complex adaptive system thinking encourages greater attention to this context and the interactions and consequences that result from the intervention, making these the forefront of attention. For the evaluator, there are implications of this shift in thinking. Process evaluations should be designed to capture the fluidity of the change process. Impact and outcome evaluations will require long time frames. Complex adaptive system thinking also encourages multilevel measures, a focus on structures, and capacity to assess the possibility of whole system transformation (whole school, whole organization) as a result of the newly introduced program or policy. For the people involved in the innovation, there is a corresponding shift from a focus on their knowledge (and competence) to assessment of their learning (and system-level capability). New ways to interpret fidelity in these situations should therefore be developed. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.

Journal of School Health, 2004

ABSTRACT: This study examined the impact of a school-based preventive intervention on cannabis us... more ABSTRACT: This study examined the impact of a school-based preventive intervention on cannabis use in adolescence, using a cluster-randomized trial of a multilevel intervention aimed at improving social relationships within schools by promoting change in school environment. Four waves of data were collected at baseline (1997, Year 8: mean age 13 years) and six, 18, and 30 months later (1999, Year 10: mean age 16 years). Self-reported substance use, school engagement, and sociodemographic data were collected using computer-administered questionnaires. Some 2,678 (74%) Year 8 students participated (wave 1) with minimal attrition (10% by wave 4). Adjusting for baseline use, weak evidence existed for an intervention effect on the prevalence of any use at Year 10 (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.54, 1.05) and incident weekly use (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.39, 1.33). These effects were reduced after adjusting for confounders. Moderate evidence suggested an interaction effect between intervention group and tobacco use (p = 0.04), suggesting the intervention was more effective for non-smokers at baseline (Adj. OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26, 0.98). This study indicates that a multi-level school-based program may provide an innovative direction for sustainable school interventions with the potential to reduce substance use.

Preventive health interventions have increasingly addressed settings rather than individuals. Sch... more Preventive health interventions have increasingly addressed settings rather than individuals. School based health interventions have lagged in that with a few notable exceptions most of the focus has remained on health education with few programs having more than a short-term effect. The Gatehouse Project, developed to promote a positive social environment within schools, is described.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 2007

Health Education & Behavior, 2001

The Gatehouse Project is an innovative, comprehensive approach to mental health promotion in seco... more The Gatehouse Project is an innovative, comprehensive approach to mental health promotion in secondary schools. It sets out to promote student engagement and school connectedness as the way to improve emotional well-being and learning outcomes. The key elements of the whole-school intervention are the establishment and support of a school-based adolescent health team; the identification of risk and protective factors in each school's social and leaning environment from student surveys; and, through the use of these data, the identification and implementation of effective strategies to address these issues. The project evaluation used a cluster-randomized controlled trial design involving 26 schools with initial results demonstrating considerable success in reducing smoking rates among Year 8 children. This article describes and accounts for how system-level changes have been made in schools through a process of capacity building. This encourages teachers, parents, and students to view the core business of education differently.

Implementation of effective school-level mental health promotion initiatives is challenging. This... more Implementation of effective school-level mental health promotion initiatives is challenging. This paper presents findings from the beyondblue schools research initiative, a cluster randomised trial which aimed to promote student mental health. It sought to implement emotional skills through curriculum, greater community linkages and whole-school environment change in 25 schools in three states of Australia. Using qualitative process evaluation data collected during the three years of the project, we describe key features of the intervention that, according to the project facilitators, influenced its implementation. Project design flexibility to meet individual school needs and provision of sufficient resources appeared to be crucial for successful implementation.