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Bile acids in the lower airways is associated with airway microbiota changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an observational studyChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disorder with a high degree of interindividual variability. Gastrointestinal dysfunction is common in patients with COPD and has been proposed to influence the clinical progression of the disease. Using the presence of bile acid(s) (BA) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid as a marker of gastric aspiration, we evaluated the relationships between BAs, clinical outcomes and bacterial lung colonisation.
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Hidden in plain sight: how vaping manufacturers exploit legislative loopholesAlexander Larcombe BScEnv (Hons) PhD Honorary Research Fellow Honorary Research Fellow Associate Professor Alexander Larcombe began work at The Kids
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Delayed airway epithelial repair is correlated with airway obstruction in young adults born very pretermNasal epithelial cells from young adults with a history of very preterm birth show delayed closure following scratch-wounding. Repair correlated with lung function, suggesting epithelial barrier integrity may play a role in preterm-associated lung disease.
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No association between in utero exposure to emissions from a coalmine fire and post-natal lung functionStudies linking early life exposure to air pollution and subsequent impaired lung health have focused on chronic, low-level exposures in urban settings. We aimed to determine whether in utero exposure to an acute, high-intensity air pollution episode impaired lung function 7-years later.
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The effect of CFTR modulators on structural lung disease in cystic fibrosisNewly developed quantitative chest computed tomography (CT) outcomes designed specifically to assess structural abnormalities related to cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease are now available. CFTR modulators potentially can reduce some structural lung abnormalities. We aimed to investigate the effect of CFTR modulators on structural lung disease progression using different quantitative CT analysis methods specific for people with CF (PwCF).
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Treatment with inhaled aerosolised ethanol reduces viral load and potentiates macrophage responses in an established influenza mouse modelTreatment options for viral lung infections are currently limited. We aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of inhaled ethanol in an influenza-infection mouse model.