Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Feelings Frontier: A Review Of No Feeling Is Final, Britta Jorgensen

RadioDoc Review

No Feeling is Final faces a two-fold “feelings frontier” in an age of extreme podcast intimacy and empathy: navigating (1) how to convey the kind of deeply personal “big feelings” that are still often seen as off-limits and (2) how to maintain a hyper-awareness about the listener’s feelings. Taking place almost entirely within her mind, No Feeling is Final is a six-part memoir show about host Honor Eastly’s experiences struggling with mental health and what one mental health professional diagnoses as “too many feelings – about four times as many as the average person”. The ongoing tension between creating resonance …

Understanding The Role Of Apoe Fragments In Alzheimer's Disease, Sonia Sanz Munoz, Brett Garner, Lezanne Ooi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most devastating neurodegenerative diseases. It has been known for decades that the APOE ɛ4 allele is the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset AD and yet its precise role in the disease remains unclear. The APOE gene encodes apolipoprotein E (apoE), a 35 kDa glycoprotein highly expressed in the brain. There are three different isoforms: apoE3 is the most common allele in the population, whilst apoE2 decreases, and apoE4 increases AD risk. ApoE has numerous functions that affect neuronal and non-neuronal cells, thus how it contributes to disease onset and progression is …

Synthesis Of Methotrexate-Loaded Tantalum Pentoxide-Poly(Acrylic Acid) Nanoparticles For Controlled Drug Release Applications, Kathrin Bogusz, Malgorzata Zuchora, Vitor Sencadas, Moeava Tehei, Michael L. F Lerch, Nathan Thorpe, Anatoly B. Rosenfeld, Shi Xue Dou, Hua-Kun Liu, Konstantin K. Konstantinov

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the use of multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer treatment. Of importance are systems that can deliver drugs at a sustained rate to target cancer cells, which can result in higher efficiency and reduced systemic toxicity. In this study, we present the route for the synthesis of tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅) NPs with a particle size of 27 nm that were individually coated with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with a different layer thickness of 2-8 nm by in-situ polymerization of the acrylic acid monomer. The capability of Ta_{2 …}

Association Of Camk2a Genetic Variants With Transition Time From Occasional To Regular Heroin Use In A Sample Of Heroin-Dependent Individuals, Antonia Eirich, Teresa Biermann, Christian Muller, Johannes Kornhuber, Beben Benyamin, Gary K. Hulse, Dieter B. Wildenauer, Sibylle G. Schwab

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Objectives: Susceptibility to heroin dependence is strongly influenced by genetic factors with heritability estimates as high as 0.7. A number of genes, as well as environmental factors, are likely to contribute to its etiology. Not all individuals who have ever tried heroin at some stage during their lifetime become dependent on heroin. It has been suggested that genetic factors might be more important in the transition stage to heroin dependence rather than in environmental exposures and experimenting with heroin. As the features of substance dependence and memory formation have been found to be strikingly similar, we have focused on …

Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure And Risk Perception: A Pilot Experimental Study, Berihun Zeleke, Chhavi Bhatt, Christopher Brzozek, Michael J. Abramson, Frederik Freudenstein, Rodney J. Croft, Peter M. Wiedemann, Geza P. Benke

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: Exposure to far-field radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) has raised public concerns in recent decades. However, it is not known if individuals' perception towards the health risks of RF-EMF is dependent on their knowledge of the objectively measured personal RF-EMF exposure levels.

Objectives: This pilot study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of objectively measuring personal RF-EMF exposure from mobile phone base stations (MPBS) and to determine if the risk perception of people to the potential health risk of exposure to RF-EMF from MPBS is dependent on their knowledge of personal RF-EMF exposure levels.

Design: An experimental study was conducted …

Tissue Equivalence Of Diamond For Heavy Charged Particles, Jeremy A. Davis, Peter Lazarakis, James Vohradsky, Michael L. F Lerch, Marco Petasecca, Susanna Guatelli, Anatoly B. Rosenfeld

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

A dedicated Geant4 study was developed to determine a correction factor (C) to convert the energy deposition response in diamond to water for heavy charged ions, with atomic number (Z) greater than 2 with energies typical of Galactic Cosmic Rays. The energy deposition response within an ideal diamond based microdosimeter was modelled and converted into a microdosimetric spectrum. The simulation was then repeated, substituting diamond with water. It was shown that by applying the correction factor, the energy deposition and microdosimetric response in diamond could be matched to that of water. The correction factor was determined to be C = …

Comparative Studies Of Catalytic Pathways For Streptococcus Pneumoniae Sialidases Nana, Nanb And Nanc, Kela Xiao, Xingyong Wang, Haibo Yu

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a leading human pathogen, which takes large responsibility for severe otitis media, acute meningitis and septicaemia. It encodes up to three distinct sialidases: NanA, NanB and NanC, which are promising drug targets. Recent experimental studies have shown that these three sialidases might work together up to the ultimate step, where NanA and NanB produce N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac following the functions of sialidase and intramolecular trans-sialidase, whilst NanC carries on a ping-pong mechanism that produces or removes 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro-Neu5AC. It is intriguing that these sialidases have similar active sites but operate via three distinct reaction …

Risk Versus Regulation: An Update On The State Of E-Cigarette Control In Australia, Jody Morgan, Andreas K. Breitbarth, Alison L. Jones

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

E-cigarettes are increasingly common around the world, particularly among youth. Ingestion of nicotine-containing e-liquid, while relatively rare, is the major toxicological risk associated with their use. Current Australian regulation has nicotine for use in e-cigarettes listed as a dangerous poison in Schedule 7, with its supply or sale illegal in all states and territories, while regulation on the sale of e-cigarettes and accessories varies by state. However, with increasing evidence that e-cigarettes produce far fewer toxic by-products than their combustible counterparts perhaps it is time to review this regulation.

Early Antipsychotic Exposure Affects Nmda And Gabaa Receptor Binding In The Brains Of Juvenile Rats, Jiamei Lian, Chao Deng

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Antipsychotics were developed to treat schizophrenia in adults; however they have been increasingly prescribed in children and adolescents. The NMDA and GABAA receptors are involved in neurodevelopment and the pathophysiology of various mental disorders in children and adolescents. Male and female juvenile rats were treated orally with risperidone (0.3 mg/kg, 3 times/day), aripiprazole (1 mg/kg), olanzapine (1 mg/kg) or vehicle (control), starting from postnatal day (PD) 23 (±1 day) for 3 weeks (corresponding to the childhood-adolescent period in humans). Quantitative autoradiography was used to detect the binding density of [³H]MK-801 (an NMDA receptor antagonist) and [³H]muscimol …

Perspective: The Evidence-Based Framework In Nutrition And Dietetics: Implementation, Challenges, And Future Directions, Elizabeth Neale, Linda C. Tapsell

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Decision making in nutrition is based on current available scientific evidence. However, we are currently living in a time of highly accessible information, and with the increase in accessibility has come a concomitant increase in misinformation and pseudoscience relating to nutrition. This presents a challenge to the nutrition research community, practitioners, and consumers, and highlights a need to critically examine the current evidence-based framework in nutrition, and identify strategies for future improvements. This narrative review outlines the current evidence-based framework and approaches to evidence-based practice in the nutrition field, focusing on policy and guideline development. Within the framework, systematic reviews …

Illawarra Born Cross-Generational Health Study: Feasibility Of A Multi-Generational Birth Cohort Study, Michelle L. Townsend, Megan A. Kelly, Judith A. Pickard, Theresa A. Larkin, Victoria M. Flood, Peter Caputi, Ian M. R Wright, Alison L. Jones, Brin F. S Grenyer

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: There is a strong interest in the concept of developmental origins of health and disease and their influence on various factors "from cradle to grave". Despite the increasing appreciation of this lifelong legacy across the human life course, many gaps remain in the scientific understanding of mechanisms influencing these formative phases. Cross-generational susceptibility to health problems is emerging as a focus of research in the context of birth cohort studies. The primary aim of the Illawarra Born study is to make scientific discoveries associated with improving health and wellbeing across the lifespan, with a particular focus on preventable …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of A Post-Hospital Discharge Transitional Aged Care Service On Frailty, Malnutrition And Functional Ability, Rebecca Vearing, Shelly Casey, Carly Zaremba, Steven Bowden, Allison Ferguson, Christie Goodisson, Jan M. Potter, Narelle Evry, Karen E. Charlton

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Aim: To investigate the relationship between nutritional status, functional ability and frailty in older adults participating in a 12-week Transitional Aged Care Service program.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of a clinical cohort of older adults aged 65+ years after hospital discharge. At entry into the program and at completion, nutritional status was measured using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), frailty status was measured using the Groningen Frailty Indicator and functional ability was measured using the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Demographic data were obtained from electronic medical records.

Results: Baseline data were available for 115 participants (mean age …

Spatial And Temporal Organization Of Reca In The Escherichia Coli Dna-Damage Response, Harshad Ghodke, Bishnu Paudel, Jacob S. Lewis, Slobodan Jergic, Kamya Gopal, Zachary Romero, Elizabeth A. Wood, Roger Woodgate, Michael M. Cox, Antoine M. Van Oijen

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

The RecA protein orchestrates the cellular response to DNA damage via its multiple roles in the bacterial SOS response. Lack of tools that provide unambiguous access to the various RecA states within the cell have prevented understanding of the spatial and temporal changes in RecA structure/function that underlie control of the damage response. Here, we develop a monomeric C-terminal fragment of the λ repressor as a novel fluorescent probe that specifically interacts with RecA filaments on single-stranded DNA (RecA*). Single-molecule imaging techniques in live cells demonstrate that RecA is largely sequestered in storage structures during normal metabolism. Upon DNA damage, …

A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomised Trial Of A Cognitive Remediation Intervention In Alcohol And Other Drug (Aod) Residential Treatment Services, Jamie Berry, Isabella Jacomb, Jo Lunn, Antoinette Sedwell, Anthony Shakeshaft, Peter James Kelly, Pooria Sarrami, Megan James, Skye Russell, Talia Nardo, Daniel Barker, Jennifer Holmes

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: Executive functioning impairment is common in substance use disorder and is a major risk factor for poor treatment outcomes, including treatment drop-out and relapse. Cognitive remediation interventions seek to improve executive functioning and offer a promising approach to increase the efficacy of alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatments and improve long-term therapeutic outcomes. This protocol describes a study funded by the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation that assesses the effectiveness of delivering a six-week group-based intervention of cognitive remediation in an ecologically valid sample of people attending residential AOD treatment services. We primarily aim to investigate whether cognitive …

A Transdiagnostic Dimensional Approach Towards A Neuropsychological Assessment For Addiction: An International Delphi Consensus Study, Murat Yucel, Erin Oldenhof, Serge Ahmed, David Belin, Joel Billieux, Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Adrian Carter, Samuel Chamberlain, Luke Clark, Jason Connor, Mark Daglish, Geert Dom, Pinhas Dannon, Theodora Duka, Maria Fernandez-Serrano, Matt Field, Ingmar Franken, Rita Goldstein, Raul Gonzalez, Anna Goudriaan, Jon Grant, Matthew Gullo, Robert Hester, David Hodgins, Bernard Le Foll, Rico Lee, Anne Lingford-Hughes, Valentina Lorenzetti, Scott Moeller, Marcus Munafo, Brian Odlaug, Marc Potenza, Rebecca A. Segrave, Zsuzsika Sjoerds, Nadia Solowij, Wim Van Den Brink, Ruth Van Holst, Valerie Voon, Reinout Wiers, Leonardo Fontenelle, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: The US National Institutes of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) seek to stimulate research into biologically validated neuropsychological dimensions across mental illness symptoms and diagnoses. The RDoC framework comprises 39 functional constructs designed to be revised and refined, with the overall goal of improving diagnostic validity and treatments. This study aimed to reach a consensus among experts in the addiction field on the 'primary' RDoC constructs most relevant to substance and behavioural addictions.

Methods: Forty-four addiction experts were recruited from Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Delphi technique was used to determine a consensus as …

Novel Dual-Action Prodrug Triggers Apoptosis In Glioblastoma Cells By Releasing A Glutathione Quencher And Lysine-Specific Histone Demethylase 1a Inhibitor, Martin Engel, Yi Sing Gee, Dale Cross, Alan T. Maccarone, Benjamin Heng, Amy Hulme, Grady Smith, Gilles Guillemin, Brett Stringer, Christopher J. T Hyland, Lezanne Ooi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Targeting epigenetic mechanisms has shown promise against several cancers but has so far been unsuccessful against glioblastoma (GBM). Altered histone 3 lysine 4 methylation and increased lysine‐specific histone demethylase 1A (LSD1) expression in GBM tumours nonetheless suggest that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in GBM. We engineered a dual‐action prodrug, which is activated by the high hydrogen peroxide levels associated with GBM cells. This quinone methide phenylaminecyclopropane prodrug releases the LSD1 inhibitor 2‐phenylcyclopropylamine with the glutathione scavenger para‐quinone methide to trigger apoptosis in GBM cells. Quinone methide phenylaminocyclopropane impaired GBM cell behaviours in two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional assays, and triggered cell apoptosis …

What Do Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder Want From Treatment? A Study Of Self-Generated Treatment And Recovery Goals, Fiona Y. Ng, Phoebe Carter, Marianne E. Bourke, Brin F. S Grenyer

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Outcome measurement has progressed in the field of personality disorders. While the majority of trials have evaluated outcomes on the basis of symptom and diagnostic indices, what is considered a meaningful and valued outcome to individuals has seldom been investigated. Self-generated treatment goals were collected from 102 individuals seeking treatment for borderline personality disorder and independently coded by 2 raters. Responses were content-analyzed to determine the categories of goals people want for treatment. A total of 464 individual goal units across 4 main goal types emerged in the content analysis: reducing symptoms, improved well-being, better interpersonal relationships, and having a …

The Endocannabinoid System And Cannabidiol's Promise For The Treatment Of Substance Use Disorder, Yann Chye, Erynn Christensen, Nadia Solowij, Murat Yucel

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Substance use disorder is characterized by repeated use of a substance, leading to clinically significant distress, making it a serious public health concern. The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in common neurobiological processes underlying substance use disorder, in particular by mediating the rewarding and motivational effects of substances and substance-related cues. In turn, a number of cannabinoid drugs (e.g., rimonabant, nabiximols) have been suggested for potential pharmacological treatment for substance dependence. Recently, cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, has also been proposed as a potentially effective treatment for the management of substance use disorder. Animal …

Whole Grain, Bran And Cereal Fibre Consumption And Cvd: A Systematic Review, Eden Barrett, Marijka Batterham, Sumantra Ray, Eleanor J. Beck

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Whole grain intake is associated with lower CVD risk in epidemiological studies. It is unclear to what extent cereal fibre, located primarily within the bran, is responsible. This review aimed to evaluate association between intake of whole grain, cereal fibre and bran and CVD risk. Academic databases were searched for human studies published before March 2018. Observational studies reporting whole grain and cereal fibre or bran intake in association with any CVD-related outcome were included. Studies were separated into those defining whole grain using a recognised definition (containing the bran, germ and endosperm in their natural proportions) (three studies, seven …

Non-Dietary Factors Associated With N-3 Long Chain Pufa Levels In Humans - A Systematic Literature Review, Renate H. M De Groot, Rebecca Emmett, Barbara J. Meyer

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Numerous health benefits are attributed to the n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA); EPA and DHA. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate factors, other than diet, that are associated with the n-3 LCPUFA levels. The inclusion criteria were papers written in English, carried out in adult non-pregnant humans, n-3 LCPUFA measured in blood or tissue, data from cross-sectional studies, or baseline data from intervention studies. The search revealed 5076 unique articles of which seventy were included in the qualitative synthesis. Three main groups of factors potentially associated with n-3 LCPUFA levels were identified: (1) unmodifiable factors (sex, genetics, age), …

"Quitlink"- A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Peer Worker Facilitated Quitline Support For Smokers Receiving Mental Health Services: Study Protocol, Amanda Baker, Ron Borland, Billie Bonevski, Catherine Segan, Alyna Turner, Lisa Brophy, Kristen Mccarter, Peter James Kelly, Jill Williams, Donita Baird, John R. Attia, Rohan Sweeney, Sarah L. White, Sacha Filial, David J. Castle

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Introduction: Although smokers with severe mental illnesses (SSMI) make quit attempts at comparable levels to other smokers, fewer are successful in achieving smoking cessation. Specialized smoking cessation treatments targeting their needs can be effective but have not been widely disseminated. Telephone delivered interventions, including by quitlines, show promise. However, few SSMI contact quitlines and few are referred to them by health professionals. Mental health peer workers can potentially play an important role in supporting smoking cessation. This study will apply a pragmatic model using peer workers to engage SSMI with a customized quitline service, forming the "Quitlink" intervention.

Methods …

The Metastability Of The Proteome Of Spinal Motor Neurons Underlies Their Selective Vulnerability In Als, Justin J. Yerbury, Lezanne Ooi, Ian P. Blair, Prajwal Ciryam, Christopher M. Dobson, Michele Vendruscolo

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a heterogeneous motor neuron disease with familial forms linked to numerous mutations in a range of genes. The resulting variant proteins, including SOD1, TDP-43, and FUS, disturb protein homeostasis in a variety of ways and lead to the formation of intracellular inclusion bodies that are characteristic of different neuropathological subtypes of the disease. These inclusions are made up of scores of proteins that do not appear at first to share obvious characteristics other than coaggregation. Recent evidence, however, suggests that these aggregating proteins can be characterized as being supersaturated in spinal motor neurons, as they …

Human Pregnancy Zone Protein Stabilizes Misfolded Proteins Including Preeclampsia- And Alzheimer's- Associated Amyloid Beta Peptide, Jordan Cater, Janet R. Kumita, Rafaa Abdallah, Guomao Zhao, Ana Bernardo-Gancedo, Amanda Henry, Wendy Winata, Mengna Chi, Brin F. S Grenyer, Michelle L. Townsend, Marie Ranson, Catalin Buhimschi, D Charnock-Jones, Christopher M. Dobson, Mark R. Wilson, Irina Buhimschi, Amy R. Wyatt

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Protein misfolding underlies the pathology of a large number of human disorders, many of which are age-related. An exception to this is preeclampsia, a leading cause of pregnancy-associated morbidity and mortality in which misfolded proteins accumulate in body fluids and the placenta. We demonstrate that pregnancy zone protein (PZP), which is dramatically elevated in maternal plasma during pregnancy, efficiently inhibits in vitro the aggregation of misfolded proteins, including the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) that is implicated in preeclampsia as well as with Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism by which this inhibition occurs involves the formation of stable complexes between PZP and …

The United Chemicals Of Cannabis: Beneficial Effects Of Cannabis Phytochemicals On The Brain And Cognition, Katrina Weston-Green

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

‘Medicinal cannabis’ can be defined as pharmaceutical grade cannabis-based products used for the treatment of illness. Beneficial treatment effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-intoxicating compound isolated from the cannabis plant, have been shown in multiple states of cognitive impairment, including neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease), neuroinflammatory (sepsis-induced encephalopathy) and neurological disorders (ischemic brain injury). CBD can also treat some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, including cognitive deficits (impairments in learning and memory), which is a major symptom domain of the illness that is largely resistant to existing antipsychotic medications. However, empirical evidence suggests the presence of an ‘entourage …

2d Monolithic Silicon-Diode Array Detectors In Megavoltage Photon Beams: Does The Fabrication Technology Matter? A Medical Physicist's Perspective, Nauljun Stansook, Giordano Biasi, Kananan Utitsarn, Marco Petasecca, Peter E. Metcalfe, Martin G. Carolan, Michael L. F Lerch, Vladimir Perevertaylo, Tomas Kron, Anatoly B. Rosenfeld

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

A family of prototype 2D monolithic silicon-diode array detectors (MP512, Duo, Octa) has been proposed by the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong (Australia) for relative dosimetry in small megavoltage photon beams. These detectors, which differ in the topology of their 512 sensitive volumes, were originally fabricated on bulk p-type substrates. More recently, they have also been fabricated on epitaxial p-type substrates. In the literature, their performance has been individually characterized for quality assurance (QA) applications. The present study directly assessed and compared that of a MP512-bulk and that of a MP512-epitaxial in terms of radiation hardness, long-term …

Dynamic Interplay Between H-Current And M-Current Controls Motoneuron Hyperexcitability In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Yossi Buskila, Orsolya S. Kekesi, Alba Bellot-Saez, Wei Lin Seah, Tracey Berg, Michael Trpceski, Justin J. Yerbury, Lezanne Ooi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a type of motor neuron disease (MND) in which humans lose motor functions due to progressive loss of motoneurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. In patients and in animal models of MND it has been observed that there is a change in the properties of motoneurons, termed neuronal hyperexcitability, which is an exaggerated response of the neurons to a stimulus. Previous studies suggested neuronal excitability is one of the leading causes for neuronal loss, however the factors that instigate excitability in neurons over the course of disease onset and progression are not well …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Group Psychoeducation For Carers Of Persons With Borderline Personality Disorder, Brin F. S Grenyer, Rachel C. Bailey, Kate L. Lewis, Michael Matthias, Toni Garretty, Annemaree Bickerton

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Carers of persons with borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience high burden. Treatment guidelines advocate involving carers in comprehensive therapy approaches. This study is a randomized controlled trial of group psychoeducation, compared to waitlist. Group psychoeducation involved 6-8 carers per group and focused on improving relationship patterns between carers and relatives with BPD, psychoeducation about the disorder, peer support and self-care, and skills to reduce burden. Carers were randomized into intervention (N = 33) or waitlist (N = 35). After 10 weeks, those in the intervention reported improvements in dyadic adjustment with their relative, greater family empowerment, and reduced expressed emotion, …

Effect Of Cannabidiol On Muscarinic Neurotransmission In The Pre-Frontal Cortex And Hippocampus Of The Poly I:C Rat Model Of Schizophrenia, Carlos Jimenez Naranjo, Ashleigh L. Osborne, Katrina Weston-Green

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Cognitive impairment is a core symptom of schizophrenia; however, current antipsychotic drugs have limited efficacy to treat these symptoms and can cause serious side-effects, highlighting a need for novel therapeutics. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated pro-cognitive effects in multiple disease states, including a maternal immune activation (poly I:C) model of schizophrenia, but the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of CBD require investigation. Muscarinic neurotransmission is highly implicated in the cognitive impairments of schizophrenia; however, the effect of CBD on this system is unknown. We examined alterations in markers of muscarinic neurotransmission in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) and …

Generation Of Vestibular Tissue-Like Organoids From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Using The Rotary Cell Culture System, Cristiana Mattei, Rebecca Lim, Hannah Drury, Babak Nasr, Zihui Li, Melissa Tadros, Giovanna M. D'Abaco, Kathryn Stok, Bryony A. Nayagam, Mirella Dottori

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Hair cells are specialized mechanosensitive cells responsible for mediating balance and hearing within the inner ear. In mammals, hair cells are limited in number and do not regenerate. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide a valuable source for deriving human hair cells to study their development and design therapies to treat and/or prevent their degeneration. In this study we used a dynamic 3D Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS) for deriving inner ear organoids from hPSCs. We show RCCS-derived organoids recapitulate stages of inner ear development and give rise to an enriched population of hair cells displaying vestibular-like morphological and physiological …

Dietary Sources Of Salt In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review, Elias Menyanu, Joanna Russell, Karen E. Charlton

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Rapid urbanization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is transforming dietary patterns from reliance on traditional staples to increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugars, and salt. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine major food sources of salt in LMICs that could be targeted in strategies to lower population salt intake. Articles were sourced using Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature. Inclusion criteria were: reported dietary intake of Na/salt using dietary assessment methods and food composition tables and/or laboratory analysis of salt content of specific foods in populations in countries defined …