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Research

Delivering cancer control at scale for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national priority that requires Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and codesign, as well as significant involvement of the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector. The unique genomic variation observed among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have implications for standard and precision medicine.

Research

Early life is a key period that determines long-term health. Lung development in childhood predicts lung function attained in adulthood and morbidity and mortality across the life course. We aimed to assess the effect of early-life lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and associated risk factors on lung development from birth to school age in a South African birth cohort.

Research

We investigated how syndromic versus nonsyndromic forms of micrognathia impacted difficult intubation outcomes in children. Primary outcome was the first-attempt success rate of tracheal intubation, secondary outcomes were number of intubation attempts and complications. We hypothesized that syndromic micrognathia would be associated with lower first-attempt success rate.

Research

Having a walkable built environment is important to encourage active school transport. The aim of this study was to measure the walkability of all Perth, Western Australian schools and investigate whether differences in walkability exist by school type, socioeconomic status and/or subregion. 

Research

Modern precision sequencing techniques have established humans as a holobiont that live in symbiosis with the microbiome. Microbes play an active role throughout the life of a human ranging from metabolism and immunity to disease tolerance. Hence, it is of utmost significance to study the eukaryotic host in conjunction with the microbial antigens to obtain a complete picture of the host-microbiome crosstalk. 

Research

Multiple-breath washout (MBW) is an established technique to assess functional residual capacity (FRC) and ventilation inhomogeneity in the lung. Indirect calculation of nitrogen concentration requires accurate measurement of gas concentrations.

Research

Children are more vulnerable than adults to climate-related health threats, but reviews examining how climate change affects human health have been mainly descriptive and lack an assessment of the magnitude of health effects children face. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis that identifies which climate-health relationships pose the greatest threats to children.

Research

Pregnancy and early infancy are increased risk periods for severe adverse effects of respiratory infections. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (respectfully referred to as First Nations) women and children in Australia bear a disproportionately higher burden of respiratory diseases compared to non-Indigenous women and infants. Influenza vaccines and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines are recommended and free in every Australian pregnancy to combat these infections.

Research

Prior to the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic, the germicidal effects of visible light were well known. This review provides an overview of new findings that suggest there are direct inactivating effects of visible light - particularly blue wavelengths on exposed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virions, and inhibitory effects on viral replication in infected cells. These findings complement emerging evidence that there may be clinical benefits of orally administered blue light for limiting the severity of COVID-19.

Research

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often perceived to be safer than smoking, which has led to some women switching to e-cigarettes during pregnancy. However, the effects of switching from smoking to e-cigarettes on both pregnancy outcomes and the foetus are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of switching from tobacco smoking to e-cigarette use in very early pregnancy on birth outcomes, neurodevelopment and behaviour of the offspring.