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Unravelling the mystery of persistent wheeze in children: Study reveals crucial immune cell differencesThe study found the rare immune cells, known as plasmacytoid dendritic cells, showed clear signs of activation and virus defence in children with transient wheeze, whereas in children with persistent wheeze the same immune cells showed very limited activation without any signs of virus defence.
Meet the team at Phage WA, who are working to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through phage therapy.
News & Events
Respiratory researcher named joint winner of prestigious Premier’s Science AwardCongratulations to respiratory health researcher and clinician Dr Pam Laird, who was last night named joint winner of Early Career Scientist of the Year at the 2024 Premier’s Science Awards.
News & Events
Toxic, harmful chemicals found in popular Australian e-liquidsPerth researchers have found toxic and harmful chemicals in several dozen e-cigarette liquids readily available in Australia.
Research
The Safety of Alcohol Pharmacotherapies in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review of Human and Animal ResearchAlcohol pharmacotherapies pose unknown teratogenic risks in pregnancy and are therefore recommended to be avoided. This limits treatment options for pregnant individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD). The information on the safety of these medications during pregnancy is uncertain, prompting a scoping review. The objective of this review was to investigate available information on the safety of alcohol pharmacotherapies in pregnancy.
Research
Feto-placental vascular structure and in silico haemodynamics: Of mice, rats, and humanThe complex arborization of the feto-placental vasculature is crucial for optimal fetal nutrition, waste exchange and ultimately, development. Ethical and experimental limitations constrain research into the human placenta, hence experimental animal models such as mice and rats, are crucial to understand placental function. It is unclear how well the mouse and rat feto-placental vascular structure emulates human. Moreover, the implications of differences in vascular structure, especially in arborization, for placental function remain unclear.
Research
Predictive gene expression signature diagnoses neonatal sepsis before clinical presentationNeonatal sepsis is a deadly disease with non-specific clinical signs, delaying diagnosis and treatment. There remains a need for early biomarkers to facilitate timely intervention. Our objective was to identify neonatal sepsis gene expression biomarkers that could predict sepsis at birth, prior to clinical presentation.
Research
Delayed airway epithelial repair is correlated with airway obstruction in young adults born very pretermNasal epithelial cells from young adults with a history of very preterm birth show delayed closure following scratch-wounding. Repair correlated with lung function, suggesting epithelial barrier integrity may play a role in preterm-associated lung disease.
Research
No association between in utero exposure to emissions from a coalmine fire and post-natal lung functionStudies linking early life exposure to air pollution and subsequent impaired lung health have focused on chronic, low-level exposures in urban settings. We aimed to determine whether in utero exposure to an acute, high-intensity air pollution episode impaired lung function 7-years later.
Research
The effect of CFTR modulators on structural lung disease in cystic fibrosisNewly developed quantitative chest computed tomography (CT) outcomes designed specifically to assess structural abnormalities related to cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease are now available. CFTR modulators potentially can reduce some structural lung abnormalities. We aimed to investigate the effect of CFTR modulators on structural lung disease progression using different quantitative CT analysis methods specific for people with CF (PwCF).