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Emerging issues in the Pacific Basin

This review provides a snapshot of some key environmental health issues that will provide ongoing challenges for the Pacific Basin region in the coming decades

No role for neutrophil elastase in influenza-induced cellular recruitment, cytokine production or airway hyperresponsiveness in mice

Previous studies have suggested that in vitro modulation of neutrophil chemokines and inflammatory cytokines by neutrophil elastase (NE) does not translate to t

Respiratory Environmental Health

The Respiratory Environmental Health team conducts research in early life determinants of lung growth and development, respiratory environmental health, and mechanisms of airway dysfunction in asthma and other respiratory disease.

The respiratory health effects of acute in vivo diesel and biodiesel exhaust in a mouse model

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.

National E-cigarette Monitoring and Evidence Consortium: Supporting informed research, policy and practice in Australia

Alexander Larcombe BScEnv (Hons) PhD Honorary Research Fellow Honorary Research Fellow Associate Professor Alexander Larcombe began work at The Kids

Early moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal diet impact offspring DNA methylation across species

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. 

Genome Sequence of a Lytic Staphylococcus aureus Bacteriophage Isolated from Breast Milk

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.

Intrauterine growth restriction promotes hypothalamic circadian dysregulation in adult mouse offspring

Adverse prenatal conditions can induce intrauterine growth restriction and increase the risk of adulthood metabolic disease. Mechanisms underlying developmentally programmed metabolic disease remain unclear but may involve disrupted postnatal circadian rhythms and kisspeptin signalling. 

The Use of Alcohol Pharmacotherapies and Prescription Contraceptives among Females of Reproductive Age in Australia

There is no clear clinical guidance on the use of alcohol pharmacotherapies in pregnancy due to insufficient safety information. Contraception should therefore be considered for reproductive-aged females receiving alcohol pharmacotherapies not wishing to become pregnant. This study evaluated the concurrent use of alcohol pharmacotherapies with prescription contraception and other medications in Australian females of reproductive age compared to those not receiving an alcohol pharmacotherapy.

Partial amelioration of a chronic cigarette-smoke-induced phenotype in mice by switching to electronic cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes") are often marketed as smoking cessation tools and are used by smokers to reduce/quit cigarette smoking. The objective of this study was to assess the health effects of switching to e-cigarettes after long-term smoking in a mouse model and compare these effects with continued smoking, or quitting entirely.