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Could Perth lakes hold the secret to fighting antibiotic-resistant superbugs?Perth researchers have discovered a predatory virus living in the city’s lakes and rivers that can fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs in children.
News & Events
WA Cystic Fibrosis Research Collaborative Program GrantsNew hope is on the horizon for people living with cystic fibrosis.
Research
Exercise training to address lifelong consequences of preterm birth: a survey of perceived needsThe identification of a COPD etiotype associated with preterm birth (COPD-developmental) has expedited calls for intervention strategies that may improve health outcomes for survivors of preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation). Pulmonary-rehabilitation style training interventions achieve physiological and symptom improvement in older people with COPD, but whether similar training interventions are suitable for young people is unclear. We sought to understand the perceived need and requirements of an exercise training intervention for children, adolescents and adults born preterm.
Research
Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) Guidance for the Management of Electronic Cigarette Use (Vaping) in Adolescents and AdultsElectronic cigarette use, especially among younger members of society, has grown to concerning levels in many countries, including Australia and New Zealand. Uptake in the general population, driven by technological and pharmacological innovations, and accelerated by aggressive tobacco/vaping industry marketing, has outpaced medical research.
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
Living with lung disease: experimental models to assess the long-term effects of prematurityLaboratory models provide an important tool in helping to understand the cellular and molecular drivers of respiratory disease. Many animal models exist that model the neonatal outcomes of preterm birth.
Research
The SPEC score—A quantifiable CT scoring system for primary ciliary dyskinesiaStructural lung changes seen on computed tomography scans in persons with primary ciliary dyskinesia are currently described using cystic fibrosis derived scoring systems. Recent work has shown structural changes and frequencies that are unique to PCD, indicating the need for a unique PCD-derived scoring system.
Research
A rapid semi-quantitative screening method to assess chemicals present in heated e-liquids and e-cigarette aerosolsElectronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) lack regulatory status as therapeutic products in all jurisdictions worldwide. They are potentially unsafe consumer products, with significant evidence they pose a risk to human health. Therefore, developing rapid, economical test methods to assess the chemical composition of e-liquids in heated and unheated forms and the aerosols produced by e-cigarettes is crucial.