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Personal network inference identifies children at risk of recurrent wheezing and asthma

Wheezing and asthma exacerbations are leading causes of pediatric hospital admissions. Predicting which children will experience persistent exacerbations remains challenging. Prior research has identified immune endotypes in the nasal epithelium of children with acute asthma and wheezing, characterized by varying balances of interferons and inflammatory markers. Notably, children exhibiting low interferon responses coupled with high inflammation are at an increased risk for recurrent respiratory exacerbations.

Strengthening Aboriginal family involvement in the paediatric ESCALATION system: A multi-methods study of Aboriginal families' experiences in raising concerns

To explore Aboriginal families' experiences of recognising clinical deterioration and raising their concerns within the Paediatric ESCALATION system to identify enablers and barriers to family involvement.

Regulating the Irregular: Phage Therapy and the Case for a Regulatory Sandbox Approach in Australia

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that selectively kill bacteria and offer a promising option to address the growing global pandemic of antimicrobial-resistant infections. However, phage therapy does not easily align with traditional regulatory pathways designed for fixed-composition chemical drugs or biologics with fixed non-evolving compositions.

Conservation of gene expression patterns between the amniotic and nasal epithelium at birth

Amniotic epithelial cells are fetal-derived stem cells, capable of differentiating into all three germ layers, including mature epithelial cell populations. Here, we hypothesised that the amniotic epithelium might serve as a surrogate tissue source for investigating transcriptional profiles in the respiratory epithelium of newborns.

Tapeworm infection incidence in rural Japan points to a common environmental source of infection

Dibothriocephalus nihonkaiensis is a zoonotic tapeworm transmitted to humans through consumption of raw or undercooked fish or wild meat. Between 2022 and 2023, Yamagata Prefecture reported an increase in cases compared with 2017-2021, when none were observed. We conducted a clinical and environmental investigation to clarify infection sources.

Intranasal phage therapy overcomes antibody neutralization challenges in pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections

Phage therapy is a promising approach against multidrug-resistant infections, yet systemic administration can lead to incomplete cures. We investigated the distribution, immune responses, and efficacy of the therapeutic phage KPP10 delivered via intranasal or intraperitoneal routes in murine Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection models.

The effects of e-cigarette use on asthma severity in adult BALB/c mice

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often perceived to be a less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Potentially due to this perception, they are used by people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, who otherwise would not smoke. Despite this, there are few studies exploring the health effects of e-cigarette use on pre-existing asthma.

A primary cell model of the very preterm epithelium reveals barrier defects at 1 year of age

Limited evidence suggests that airway epithelial structure and function is disrupted in very preterm infants; however, the epithelial morphology and physiology has not been well characterised following discharge from neonatal intensive care. This study aimed to characterise the nasal airway epithelium from 1-year-old survivors of very preterm birth.

Complete genome sequence of Burkholderia cenocepacia bacteriophage Karil-mokiny-1

Burkholderia cepacia complex causes life-threatening respiratory infections. Here, a bacteriophage with activity against B. cenocepacia was isolated from wastewater. It has a genome size of 70,144 bp and has the taxonomic classification Irusalimvirus. It has no genes associated with lysogeny, bacterial resistance, or virulence. 

Pulmonary bacteriophage and cystic fibrosis airway mucus: friends or foes?

For those born with cystic fibrosis (CF), hyper-concentrated mucus with a dysfunctional structure significantly impacts CF airways, providing a perfect environment for bacterial colonization and subsequent chronic infection. Early treatment with antibiotics limits the prevalence of bacterial pathogens but permanently alters the CF airway microenvironment, resulting in antibiotic resistance and other long-term consequences.