Reports and Findings

Research

Steve Desiree Zubrick Silva FASSA, FAAMHS, MSc AM PhD MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD Honorary Emeritus Research Fellow Co-Head, ORIGINS 08 6319 1409 Stephen.zubrick@thekids.org.au Honorary Emeritus Research Fellow Co-Head, The ORIGINS Project Stephen

Research

Mesothelioma is a lethal cancer. Despite promising outcomes associated with immunotherapy, durable responses remain restricted to a minority of patients, highlighting the need for improved strategies that better predict outcome. Here, we described the development of a mesothelioma-specific gene signature that accurately predicts survival. 

Research

The 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

In cystic fibrosis, bacteria–bacteriophage interaction in the lower airways is poorly understood. We present the near-complete genome of the uncultured Siphovirus-like bacteriophage, Staphylococcus aureus phage COMBAT-CF_PAR1, isolated from the lower airways. The genome spans 41,510 bp with 33.45% guanine–cytosine content and contains 65 open reading frames.

Research

Ensitrelvir, a 3C-like protease inhibitor, received emergency approval in Japan in November 2022 for treating non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. However, confirmation of its real-world clinical effectiveness is limited.

Research

This manuscript sheds light on the impact of maternal breast milk antibodies on infant health. Milk antibodies prepare and protect the newborn against environmental exposure, guide and regulate the offspring's immune system, and promote transgenerational adaptation of the immune system to its environment.

Research

T cells engineered to express chimeric-antigen receptors (CAR-T cells) can effectively control relapsed and refractory haematological malignancies in the clinic. However, the successes of CAR-T cell therapy have not been recapitulated in solid tumours due to a range of barriers such as immunosuppression, poor infiltration, and tumour heterogeneity.

Research

Alcohol 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

Goal-directed training is an evidence-based occupational therapy intervention for children with cerebral palsy targeting motor performance and goal attainment. There is variability and limited description on goal-directed training delivery within the studies who found it a successful intervention. The aim of this study was to establish the who, what, why and how of goal directed training according to practicing occupational therapists.

Research

Cohort studies investigating respiratory disease pathogenesis aim to pair mechanistic investigations with longitudinal virus detection but are limited by the burden of methods tracking illness over time. In this study, we explored the utility of a purpose-built AERIAL TempTracker smartphone app to assess real-time data collection and adherence monitoring and overall burden to participants, while identifying symptomatic respiratory illnesses in two birth cohort studies.