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Moraxella catarrhalis Restriction-Modification Systems Are Associated with Phylogenetic Lineage and DiseaseWe observed an association between Type III DNA methyltransferase presence and Otitis Media-associated middle ear isolates
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Rheumatic Heart Disease Worldwide: JACC Scientific Expert PanelThe authors present a variety of pressing clinical research questions on optimal RHD prevention and advanced care
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Increased prevalence of expiratory flow limitation during exercise in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasiaExpiratory flow limitation is more prevalent in children born preterm with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and is associated with airway obstruction
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Persistent and progressive long-term lung disease in survivors of preterm birthThis review aims to summarise what is known about the long-term pulmonary outcomes of contemporary preterm birth
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Worldwide variation in human milk metabolome: Indicators of breast physiology and maternal lifestyle?This study investigates the variation of human milk metabolites in human milk between five different countries
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Health and climate change MJA–Lancet Countdown report: Australia gets another failing grade in 2020 but shows signs of progressAt the end of 2019 and into 2020, catastrophic fires in Australia consumed homes, lives, wildlife, and land. Just as the fires subsided, Australia, like the rest of the world, faced another emergency—the COVID-19 pandemic. It is instructive to reflect on lessons from the health disasters of the past year. Following publication of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA)–Lancet Australian Countdown was published in December, 2020. This annual report on health and climate change in Australia is in its third year and comprises the efforts of five Australian institutions, in collaboration with University College London, UK, facilitated by a partnership between The Lancet and the MJA.
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ACE2 expression is elevated in airway epithelial cells from older and male healthy individuals but reduced in asthmaCOVID-19 is complicated by acute lung injury, and death in some individuals. It is caused by SARS-CoV-2 that requires the ACE2 receptor and serine proteases to enter AEC. We determined what factors are associated with ACE2 expression particularly in patients with asthma and COPD. We obtained lower AEC from 145 people from two independent cohorts, aged 2-89 years, Newcastle (n = 115) and Perth (n = 30), Australia. The Newcastle cohort was enriched with people with asthma (n = 37) and COPD (n = 38). Gene expression for ACE2 and other genes potentially associated with SARS-CoV-2 cell entry was assessed by qPCR, and protein expression was confirmed with immunohistochemistry on endobronchial biopsies and cultured AEC.
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Healing Anthropocene Syndrome: Planetary Health Requires Remediation of the Toxic Post-Truth EnvironmentThe term “Anthropocene Syndrome” describes the wicked interrelated challenges of our time. We expand the discourse on positive social contagion and argue that empowerment through education can help lead to an information transformation with the aim of flourishing along every link in the person, place and planet continuum.
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The impact of maternal prenatal mental health disorders on stillbirth and infant mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysisEvidence about the association between maternal mental health disorders and stillbirth and infant mortality is limited and conflicting. We aimed to examine whether maternal prenatal mental health disorders are associated with stillbirth and/or infant mortality. MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the association of any maternal prenatal (occurring before or during pregnancy) mental health disorder(s) and stillbirth or infant mortality. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The between-study heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity.
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Adiposity associated DNA methylation signatures in adolescents are related to leptin and perinatal factorsEpigenetics links perinatal influences with later obesity. We identifed differentially methylated CpG (dmCpG) loci measured at 17 years associated with concurrent adiposity measures and examined whether these were associated with hsCRP, adipokines, and early life environmental factors. Genome-wide DNA methylation from 1192 Raine Study participants at 17 years, identified 29 dmCpGs associated with body mass index, 10 with waist circumference and 9 with subcutaneous fat thickness.