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Research

SLC6A14 Impacts Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease Severity via mTOR and Epithelial Repair Modulation

Cystic fibrosis (CF), due to pathogenic variants in CFTR gene, is associated with chronic infection/inflammation responsible for airway epithelium alteration and lung function decline. Modifier genes induce phenotype variability between people with CF (pwCF) carrying the same CFTR variants. Among these, the gene encoding for the amino acid transporter SLC6A14 has been associated with lung disease severity and age of primary airway infection by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Research

Quality of life in paediatric burn patients with non-severe burns

Burns are common worldwide, and the vast majority are non-severe burns of less than 20% of the total body surface area (TBSA). In Australia, paediatric burns account for a third of all burn admissions, thus understanding the quality-of-life outcomes after a non-severe burn in children is important.

Research

Validation of a rapid, saliva-based, and ultra-sensitive SARS-CoV-2 screening system for pandemic-scale infection surveillance

Without any realistic prospect of comprehensive global vaccine coverage and lasting immunity, control of pandemics such as COVID-19 will require implementation of large-scale, rapid identification and isolation of infectious individuals to limit further transmission. Here, we describe an automated, high-throughput integrated screening platform, incorporating saliva-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology, that is designed for population-scale sensitive detection of infectious carriers of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Research

No effects of acute tryptophan depletion on anxiety or mood in weight-recovered female patients with anorexia nervosa

Previous studies have suggested that individuals recovered from anorexia nervosa (AN) are characterized by increased serotonergic (5-HT) activity that might be related to elevated levels of anxiety. Assuming these traits to be also present in individuals at risk for AN, it was further hypothesized that restricting food intake might be a means to temporarily alleviate dysphoric affective states by reducing central nervous availability of tryptophan (TRP), the sole precursor of 5-HT.

Research

Botrytis cinerea Loss and Restoration of Virulence during In Vitro Culture Follows Flux in Global DNA Methylation

Pathogenic fungi can lose virulence after protracted periods of culture, but little is known of the underlying mechanisms. Here, we present the first analysis of DNA methylation flux at a single-base resolution for the plant pathogen B. cinerea and identify differentially methylated genes/genomic regions associated with virulence erosion during in vitro culture.

Research

Pineal morphology of the clinical high-risk state for psychosis and different psychotic disorders

Pineal volume reductions have been reported in schizophrenia and clinical high-risk states for the development of psychosis, supporting the role of melatonin dysregulation in the pathophysiology of psychosis.

Research

Exacerbation of chronic cigarette-smoke induced lung disease by rhinovirus in mice

A significant proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations are strongly associated with rhinovirus infection (HRV). In this study, we combined long-term cigarette smoke exposure with HRV infection in a mouse model.

Research

Preferred health outcome states following treatment for pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis

Treatment for pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis (CF) can produce a range of positive and negative outcomes. Understanding which of these outcomes are achievable and desirable to people affected by disease is critical to agreeing to goals of therapy and determining endpoints for trials.

Research

Strengths and challenging behaviors in children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome: Two sides to the coin

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder associated with emotional/behavioral disturbances. These difficulties are well documented in the literature, but the positive attributes of these individuals are not described.

Research

Anxiety Trajectories in Adolescents and the Impact of Social Support and Peer Victimization

This paper examines whether adolescents can be reliably categorized into subgroups based on their patterns of anxiety levels over time and whether low levels of social support from parents, peers, and their school, and high levels of peer victimization, predict a pattern of increasing anxiety.