Pressures Exerted On Upper Airway Walls By Surrounding Tissue Structures
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,500.00
Summary
The obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSA effects both men and women but is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occurring in 5% of men over the age of 45 years. In the proposed studies we will examine the effect of the pressure in the tissues surrounding the throat on the ability of the throat to stay open a ....The obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSA effects both men and women but is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occurring in 5% of men over the age of 45 years. In the proposed studies we will examine the effect of the pressure in the tissues surrounding the throat on the ability of the throat to stay open and allow breathing. The major outcome of the animal studies is increased knowledge concerning mechanisms whereby collapsing forces are applied to the upper airway. This will give insights into potential factors influencing upper airway collapse during sleep in OSA patients. Of particular importance will be our studies on the effects of jaw position on the pressure exerted on the walls of the throat since the use of an intra-oral device to hold the jaw forward during sleep is one of the treatments used to prevent throat blockage during sleep. The studies in humans will examine, for the first time, the notion that the mass (weight) of the neck has a direct effect on the severity of sleep disordered breathing. If neck mass has a substantive influence on sleep disordered breathing then strategies aimed at reducing neck mass (fat) may provide a new therapeutic approach to the management of OSA patients.Read moreRead less
BioPolymer Fibres For Remodelling Mdx And Damaged Muscle
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,286.00
Summary
This project aims to generate new, smart polymers for use in re-building muscle that has degenerated due to disease and-or trauma damage. The merger of smart polymers with biologically based solutions and cells has great potential to improve outcomes of treatments of damaged muscle in diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy.
Hydrostatic Pressure Distributions In Peri-pharyngeal Tissues : Impact On Upper Airway Patency
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$508,935.00
Summary
The obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSAHS affects both men and women but is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occurring in ~4% of men over the age of 45 years. In the proposed studies we will develop a computer model of the function of the throat during breathing. A particular focus of our mo ....The obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) refers to a condition in which throat blockage occurs during sleep leading to breathing difficulties, including cessation of breathing for short periods of time. OSAHS affects both men and women but is amongst the commonest of chronic disorders of adult males, occurring in ~4% of men over the age of 45 years. In the proposed studies we will develop a computer model of the function of the throat during breathing. A particular focus of our model will be the influence of the properties of the tissue that form the walls of the throat. Our goal is to construct a computer model that will be useful in identifying specific features of throat function that make people susceptble to the development of OSAHS. In this manner we hope to provide a tool that can be used to develop new approaches to the treatment and prevention of OSAHS.Read moreRead less
Functional Contribution Of Fetal Microchimeric Cells In Transgenic Models Of Maternal Tissue Repair In And After Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$542,462.00
Summary
Fetal stem cells cross into the mother during pregnancy and persist lifelong in her tissues. To determine whether helpful or harmful, we will study how these cells contribute to healing both after acute injury and in chronic genetic models like brittle-bone disease and muscular dystrophy. This research will inform long-term consequences of pregnancy, important for women's health and longevity, and help develop a promising form of stem cell therapy.
A NOVEL MOUSE MODEL TO INVESTIGATE THE MECHANISMS OF VIRUS-INDUCED ARTHRITIS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,000.00
Summary
We have developed a novel animal model by which to study arthritic disease caused by insect-transmitted viruses known as arboviruses. The existence of this model and novel reagents provides an excellent opportunity to further explore the basic mechanisms of infectious disease in a complete functioning animal, rather than specific cultured cells. The study will use modern approaches in molecular and cellular biology to achieve this goal. The production by our immune systems of soluble mediators ( ....We have developed a novel animal model by which to study arthritic disease caused by insect-transmitted viruses known as arboviruses. The existence of this model and novel reagents provides an excellent opportunity to further explore the basic mechanisms of infectious disease in a complete functioning animal, rather than specific cultured cells. The study will use modern approaches in molecular and cellular biology to achieve this goal. The production by our immune systems of soluble mediators (cytokines-chemokines) and antibodies is an overwhelming positive aspect of our physiological response to infection by microbes. Protection from disease by these immune compounds can happen naturally, or the body's ability to produce these factors can be exploited to our benefit via the administration of vaccines. However, these factors can also be detrimental to the host contributing to severe disease. For instance, work performed almost 40 years ago showed for the first time that under particular conditions, antibodies against viruses can enhance infection, instead of inhibiting infection as normally seen. In the intervening years work by scientists all over the world has associated antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection to many types of viruses; ADE is even thought to be a risk factor to serious disease with dengue virus, and has been shown in vitro for the AIDS virus and Ebola virus. We have recently discovered a molecular mechanism which explains how antibody enhances viral infection in vitro. In studies on immune cells infected with Ross River Virus (RRV) we found that infection helped by antibody resulted in the specific disruption to the production of cellular chemicals which are toxic to viruses. Are these mechanisms of antibody-enhanced infection also found in animals? Will such mode of infection cause enhanced disease and tissue pathology (arthritis) in animals?Read moreRead less
Pharmacology Of Potential Anti-Tumour Agents: Iron Chelators Of The BpT Class
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,455.00
Summary
Pharmacology of Potential Anti-Tumour Agents: Iron Chelators of the BpT Class Cancer cells have a high iron requirement for DNA synthesis and many clinical trials showed Fe chelators are effective anti-cancer drugs. Their potential to act as anti-tumour agents has been confirmed by the entrance of Triapine into widespread NCI clinical trials. In this NHMRC Renewal, we will perform pharmacological and preclinical studies to promote the development of BpT chelators as novel anti-tumour agents.
Why Does Early Life Stress Aggravate Limbic Epileptogenesis?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,116.00
Summary
High rates of anxiety and depression occur in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the most common form of focal epilepsy in adults. Rats that have experienced early life stress show increased anxiety, decreased seizure thresholds and accelerated epilepsy as adults. We have important leads to mechanisms. The proposed study will better understand the mechanisms connecting early life stress and psychiatric disease to adult TLE, and to test interventions that may counteract these effects.
Role Of The Anaphase-Promoting Complex Activator Cdh1 In Oocyte Maturation And Meiotic Aneuploidy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$526,878.00
Summary
Eggs containing an incorrect number of chromosomes are described as aneuploid. This project sets out to examine the molecular causes of aneuploidy and why it increases with female age. We focus on the protective role of the protein Cdh1 in this process. The outcome would be to better understand the origins of aneuploidy so as to find methods of decreasing it as women age. This is highly significant given aneuploidy is the leading cause of early embryo loss and produces Down Syndrome babies.
Does Caffeine Affect The Development Of The Very Immature Brain: Dose Response Relationship?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$668,386.00
Summary
Premature birth is a major health problem worldwide. Preterm babies often develop apnoea of prematurity (AOP), which is commonly treated with caffeine. Trials indicate that preterm babies treated with low dose caffeine have less neurodevelopmental disabilities at 18 months. Higher doses of caffeine are often needed to reduce AOP but the risk of this is unknown. We will study the short and long-term effects of increasing doses of caffeine on the developing brain in a long-gestation species.
Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Mobile Preschool For Child Health And Development In Remote Aboriginal Communities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$456,369.00
Summary
This project is a retrospective study of the effectiveness of the NT Mobile Preschool Program using assessment data for children's emergent literacy, social and emotional competencies and health status. Effectiveness will be established by comparison with achievement and health status data for children not attending preschool and those in communities with no preschool service. The study will identify and describe the key factors influencing the health and learning outcomes of the three groups.