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Feto-placental vascular structure and in silico haemodynamics: Of mice, rats, and human

The 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. 

Alcohol pharmacotherapy dispensing trends in Australia between 2006 and 2023

This study aimed to investigate acamprosate and naltrexone dispensing patterns in Australia.

Exposure to biodiesel exhaust is less harmful than exposure to mineral diesel exhaust on blood-brain barrier integrity in a murine model

Emerging data suggest that air pollution is a persistent source of neuroinflammation, reactive oxygen species, and neuropathology that contributes to central nervous system disorders. Previous research using animal models has shown that exposure to diesel exhaust causes considerable disruption of the blood-brain barrier, leading to marked neuroinflammation. 

An infant mouse model of influenza-driven nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization and acute otitis media suitable for preclinical testing of novel therapies

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major otitis media (OM) pathogen, with colonization a prerequisite for disease development. Most acute OM is in children <5 years old, with recurrent and chronic OM impacting hearing and learning. Therapies to prevent NTHi colonization and/or disease are needed, especially for young children. Respiratory viruses are implicated in driving the development of bacterial OM in children.

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS IIIA) mice have increased lung compliance and airway resistance, decreased diaphragm strength, and no change in alveolar structure

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA) is characterized by neurological and skeletal pathologies caused by reduced activity of the lysosomal hydrolase, sulfamidase, and the subsequent primary accumulation of undegraded heparan sulfate (HS). Respiratory pathology is considered secondary in MPS IIIA and the mechanisms are not well understood. 

Stiffness Mediated-Mechanosensation of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells on Linear Stiffness Gradient Hydrogels

In obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein amount and composition of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) is often remodelled, likely altering tissue stiffness. The underlying mechanism of how human ASM cell (hASMC) mechanosenses the aberrant microenvironment is not well understood.

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.

Inclusion of genital, sexual, and gender diversity in human reproductive teaching: impact on student experience and recommendations for tertiary educators

Western societal norms have long been constrained by binary and exclusionary perspectives on matters such as infertility, contraception, sexual health, sexuality, and gender. These viewpoints have shaped research and knowledge frameworks for decades and led to an inaccurate and incomplete reproductive biology curriculum. To combat these deficiencies in reproductive systems-related education, our teaching team undertook a gradual transformation of unit content from 2018 to 2023, aiming to better reflect real diversity in human reproductive biology.

Prenatal Origins of Obstructive Airway Disease: Starting on the Wrong Trajectory?

From the results of well-performed population health studies, we now have excellent data demonstrating that deficits in adult lung function may be present early in life, possibly as a result of developmental disorders, incurring a lifelong risk of obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.