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Research

Cytokines of the TGF-β superfamily control essential cell fate decisions via receptor regulated SMAD (R-SMAD) transcription factors. Ligand-induced R-SMAD phosphorylation in the cytosol triggers their activation and nuclear accumulation. We determine how R-SMADs are inactivated by dephosphorylation in the cell nucleus to counteract signaling by TGF-β superfamily ligands. 

Research

National policies are essential for countries to adapt to the negative health impacts of climate change. Children are disproportionately affected by these impacts and must be at the heart of adaptation policies to address their vulnerabilities. Adaptation commitments worldwide are integrated into national adaptation plans, nationally determined contributions, national communications, and other multisectoral policies. We aimed to evaluate how effectively national climate change policies worldwide plan to protect child health, considering a range of determinants for successful child-health adaptation.

Research

Biodiesel, a renewable diesel fuel that can be created from almost any natural fat or oil, is promoted as a greener and healthier alternative to commercial mineral diesel without the supporting experimental data to back these claims. The aim of this research was to assess the health effects of acute exposure to two types of biodiesel exhaust, or mineral diesel exhaust or air as a control in mice.

Research

Alcohol consumption in pregnancy can affect genome regulation in the developing offspring but results have been contradictory. We employed a physiologically relevant murine model of short-term moderate prenatal alcohol exposure resembling common patterns of alcohol consumption in pregnancy in humans. 

Research

The increasing occurrence of hospital-associated infections, particularly bacteremia, caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) carbapenemase-producing colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae highlights a critical requirement to discover new therapeutic alternatives. Bacteriophages having host-specific bacteriolytic effects are promising alternatives for combating these pathogens. 

Research

Children with wheeze and asthma present with airway epithelial vulnerabilities, such as impaired responses to viral infection. It is postulated that the in utero environment may contribute to the development of airway epithelial vulnerabilities.  

Research

Active nasal surveillance culture (ANSC) is recognized to enable rapid detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the intensive care unit (ICU), which can contribute to the prevention of Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of ANSC in assessing the development of VAP in ICU patients.

Research

Sputum induction is widely used in clinical settings for collection of biological samples from the lower airways. However, in recent years sputum induction has been associated with serious adverse events and even death. This position statement was commissioned by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand to address major adverse events of two deaths associated with sputum induction that have occurred in Australia in 2021, and outlines best practice for the safe use of sputum induction. 

Research

Structural lung disease and neutrophil-dominated airway inflammation is present from 3 months of age in children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after newborn screening. We hypothesised that azithromycin, given three times weekly to infants with cystic fibrosis from diagnosis until age 36 months, would reduce the extent of structural lung disease as captured on chest CT scans.

Research

We identified a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) bacteriophage appearing to belong to Herelleviridae, genus Kayvirus. The bacteriophage, Biyabeda-mokiny 1, was isolated from breast milk using a clinical isolate of Staphylococcus aureus.