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Directing immune development to curb sky-rocketing diseaseOnce upon a time it was infectious diseases like polio, measles or tuberculosis that most worried parents. With these threats now largely under control, parents face a new challenge – sky-rocketing rates of non-infectious diseases such as asthma, allergies and autism.
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Chemical analysis of new and “aged” e-liquids: Development of a rapid toxicological screening approachAlexander Larcombe BScEnv (Hons) PhD Head, Respiratory Environmental Health Team Leader, Respiratory Environmental Health Associate Professor
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No role for neutrophil elastase in influenza-induced cellular recruitment, cytokine production or airway hyperresponsiveness in micePrevious studies have suggested that in vitro modulation of neutrophil chemokines and inflammatory cytokines by neutrophil elastase (NE) does not translate to t
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Azithromycin inhibits mucin secretion, mucous metaplasia, airway inflammation, and airways hyperresponsiveness in mice exposed to house dust mite extractExcessive production, secretion, and retention of abnormal mucus is a pathological feature of many obstructive airways diseases including asthma. Azithromycin is an antibiotic that also possesses immunomodulatory and mucoregulatory activities, which may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of azithromycin in asthma.
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From Beneath the Skin to the Airway Wall: Understanding the Pathological Role of Adipose Tissue in Comorbid Asthma-ObesityThis article provides a contemporary report on the role of adipose tissue in respiratory dysfunction. Adipose tissue is distributed throughout the body, accumulating beneath the skin (subcutaneous), around organs (visceral), and importantly in the context of respiratory disease, has recently been shown to accumulate within the airway wall: "airway-associated adipose tissue." Excessive adipose tissue deposition compromises respiratory function and increases the severity of diseases such as asthma.
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Biodiesel feedstock determines exhaust toxicity in 20% biodiesel: 80% mineral diesel blendsTo address climate change concerns, and reduce the carbon footprint caused by fossil fuel use, it is likely that blend ratios of renewable biodiesel with commercial mineral diesel fuel will steadily increase, resulting in biodiesel use becoming more widespread.
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Exacerbation of chronic cigarette-smoke induced lung disease by rhinovirus in miceA 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.
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Respiratory Health Effects of In Vivo Sub-Chronic Diesel and Biodiesel Exhaust ExposureBiodiesel, which can be made from a variety of natural oils, is currently promoted as a sustainable, healthier replacement for commercial mineral diesel despite little experimental data supporting this. The aim of our research was to investigate the health impacts of exposure to exhaust generated by the combustion of diesel and two different biodiesels.
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Electronic Cigarette Usage Patterns and Perceptions in Adult AustraliansDespite their increasing popularity, and Australia's unique regulatory environment, how and why Australian adults use e-cigarettes and their perceptions of their safety, efficacy and regulation have not been extensively reported before. In this study, we screened 2217 adult Australians with the aim of assessing these questions in a sample of current or former e-cigarette users.
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Distribution, composition, and activity of airway-associated adipose tissue in the porcine lungPatients with comorbid asthma-obesity experience greater disease severity and are less responsive to therapy. We have previously reported adipose tissue within the airway wall that positively correlated with body mass index. Accumulation of biologically active adipose tissue may result in the local release of adipokines and disrupt large and small airway function depending on its anatomical distribution. This study therefore characterized airway-associated adipose tissue distribution, lipid composition, and adipokine activity in a porcine model.