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Biological sex estimation using ancient DNA in Classic Maya contexts: some findings from Naachtun (Guatemala)

Recent advances in paleogenomics have opened up new prospects for the study of ancient burial customs and social structures. In this note, we report on the first results of a program now under way in a small residential compound in Naachtun, Guatemala.

Benchmarking Imputed Low Coverage Genomes in a Human Population Genetics Context

Ongoing advances in population genomic methodologies have recently enabled the study of millions of loci across hundreds of genomes at a relatively low cost, by leveraging a combination of low-coverage shotgun sequencing and innovative genotype imputation methods. This approach has the potential to provide abundant genotype information at low costs comparable to another widely used cost-effective genotyping approach-that is, SNP panels-while avoiding potential issues related to loci being ascertained in distantly related populations.

Retrospective Examination of Peripubertal Return for Patients of Western Australia's Gender Diversity Service

Children far in advance of pubertal development may be deferred from further assessment for gender-affirming medical treatment until nearer puberty. It is vital that returning peripubertal patients are seen promptly to ensure time-sensitive assessment and provision of puberty suppression treatment where appropriate.

Symbiotic symphony: Understanding host-microbiota dialogues in a spatial context

Modern precision sequencing techniques have established humans as a holobiont that live in symbiosis with the microbiome. Microbes play an active role throughout the life of a human ranging from metabolism and immunity to disease tolerance. Hence, it is of utmost significance to study the eukaryotic host in conjunction with the microbial antigens to obtain a complete picture of the host-microbiome crosstalk. 

Biases in Routine Influenza Surveillance Indicators Used to Monitor Infection Incidence and Recommendations for Improvement

Monitoring how the incidence of influenza infections changes over time is important for quantifying the transmission dynamics and clinical severity of influenza. Infection incidence is difficult to measure directly, and hence, other quantities which are more amenable to surveillance are used to monitor trends in infection levels, with the implicit assumption that they correlate with infection incidence.

A modular approach to forecasting COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy

Monitoring the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital beds was a critical component of Australia's real-time surveillance strategy for the disease. From 2021 to 2023, we produced short-term forecasts of bed occupancy to support public health decision-making. 

A phase I clinical trial assessing the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of inhaled ethanol in humans as a potential treatment for respiratory tract infections

Current treatments for respiratory infections are severely limited. Ethanol's unique properties including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and surfactant-like activity make it a promising candidate treatment for respiratory infections if it can be delivered safely to the airway by inhalation. Here, we explore the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of inhaled ethanol in a phase I clinical trial.

Engaging longitudinal cohort participants in a research priority setting process for the Raine Study

The Raine Study is a long-running study looking at the health and well-being of a group of Western Australian families for over 35 years. Participants are at the heart of the study, shaping its research direction and communication. While participants have previously contributed to research grant development, they had not been directly involved in setting the Raine Study’s overall research agenda.

Progesterone receptor mediates ovulatory transcription through RUNX transcription factor interactions and chromatin remodelling

Progesterone receptor (PGR) plays diverse roles in reproductive tissues and thus coordinates mammalian fertility. In the ovary, rapid acute induction of PGR is the key determinant of ovulation through transcriptional control of a unique set of genes that culminates in follicle rupture. However, the molecular mechanisms for this specialized PGR function in ovulation is poorly understood.

Deciphering IGH rearrangement complexity and detection strategies in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a highly heterogeneous malignancy characterised by various genomic alterations that influence disease progression and therapeutic outcomes. Gene fusions involving the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene represent a complex and diverse category.