The University of Western Australia

Design considerations and validation strategies for droplet digital PCR assays targeting exon junctions and rare splice-variant transcripts

Droplet digital PCR is widely recognised for its sensitivity, reproducibility and precision in quantifying target nucleic acid fragments. This technology is crucial in validating gene expression changes across various experimental settings. In particular, droplet digital PCR is h...

Counterfactual Identification of Institutional Rupture: Evidence From Constitutional Transformation in Venezuela

How can institutional rupture be identified in settings where the treated unit is singular, interventions are composite, and institutional deterioration unfolds through mutually reinforcing constitutional, political, and legal transformations? We develop a counterfactual framewor...

Prediagnostic circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and prostate cancer-specific survival: a collaborative pooled analysis of 13 prospective studies

Abstract Background Previous research suggests higher risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in men with high vitamin D serology, but there are limited data related to prostate cancer survival. In this study, we examine the associations between prediagnostic circulating levels of 25-h...

Labile carbon input suppresses Q10 of soil organic carbon decomposition by dynamically lowering microbial activation energy mediated by a shift in microbial metabolic strategy

Understanding the temperature sensitivity (Q 10 ) of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, as constrained by the activation energy (E a ) of microbial metabolism, is critical for predicting climate-carbon feedbacks. This study examined how exogenous glucose influences Q 10 in...

Wildfire responses of a burrowing mammal were concentrated at burrows rather than nearby habitat

Abstract Background Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of wildfires globally. Despite this, the effects of extreme wildfire events on animal species remain poorly understood. Animal responses to wildfire may be concentrated at fine-scale refuge features and...

A compilation of global bio-optical in situ data for ocean-colour satellite applications – version four

Abstract. A global in situ dataset for validation of satellite products from the ESA Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative (OC-CCI) is presented. This version of the compilation, with data starting in 1996, extends to 2025, which is important for the validation of recent algorit...

Higher growth temperatures compound heatwave recovery of photosynthesis in different populations of Corymbia calophylla

Global temperature rise is leading to increased stress and mortality in forests globally and is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves; however, the interaction between growth temperatures and heatwave events on tree populations remains poorly understood. We aimed to determi...

Modeling the Subglacial Sediment System of the Finnish Lake District Ice Lobe During Deglaciation

Abstract. The systematic connection of glacial conditions in ice models with subglacial geomorphological observations has been limited by an inability to model subglacial sediment processes. The Finnish Lake District Ice Lobe (FLDIL) presents an opportunity to apply new model app...

Does Test Duration Matter? Comparing 1‐s and 5‐s Isometric Mid‐Thigh Pull Protocols for Performance Diagnostics in Basketball Players

ABSTRACT To compare kinetic characteristics of a 1‐s isometric mid‐thigh pull (IMTP) protocol with the traditional 5‐s protocol and examine their associations with basketball‐specific performance. Twenty‐five Tier 3 male basketball players performed standardized 1‐s and 5‐s IMTP...

Does increased staging complexity influence expert agreement in dental age estimation?

Dental age estimation (DAE) is a well-established procedure in current practice, and it is frequently required in forensic and legal investigations. This study aimed to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer reliability of dental development staging among forensic practitioners u...

Compositional Neural-Cyber-Physical System Verification in the Interactive Theorem Prover of Your Choice

Formal verification of neuro-symbolic cyber-physical systems, such as drones, medical devices and robots, is complicated. Neural components must be trained to be optimal with respect to the available data as well as the safety specifications, and then verified using specialised s...

Following the rules: which type 1 diabetes guidelines, protocols and recommendations are tertiary clinics in Australia following? A quantitative study

OBJECTIVES: This study characterises the use of type 1 diabetes (T1D) guidelines and protocols in Australian T1D clinics working with paediatric patients, and determines if management practices align with T1D-specific guidelines. METHODS: T1D clinic service leaders responded to a...

Genome-Wide Association Study of Corneal Dystrophy Uncovers Novel Risk Loci and Enables Improved Polygenic Prediction of Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

Abstract Objective To identify risk loci for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) and improve a genetic risk prediction model. Design Genome–wide association study (GWAS), polygenic risk score (PRS) construction, and TCF4 CTG18.1 short tandem repeat (STR) length inference....

Long term outcome following pulmonary TB or lower respiratory tract illness in children: a prospective South African study

Background Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) are common in children in low- and middle-income countries. While the long-term impairment following PTB is well recognised in adults, there is limited data in children. Additionally, there is a...

An Isolated Hyposaline River Occurrence of Birsteiniolla (Foraminifera) From Western Australia, Previously Known From Central Asian Lakes and Interior Seas

A low diversity foraminiferal assemblage inhabits a hyposaline stretch of the Jerdacuttup River, which flows into Jerdacuttup Lakes near Hopetoun, south coast Western Australia, but is not connected, at least by any surface flows, to the open Southern Ocean. Among the six species...

Effect of Testosterone Treatment on Leucocyte Telomere Length in Men: Results From a Randomised Placebo‐Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Lower testosterone concentrations in older men are associated with poorer health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether, on a background of lifestyle intervention, testosterone treatment modulates leucocyte telomere length, a postulated marker of biological ageing,...

Observation of lunge-feeding by pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) in the Wetar Strait of Timor-Leste

An aerial observation of of pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) sub-surface feeding in the Wetar Straight of Timor-Leste. Based on current understanding of their foraging ecology, these whales were probably feeding opportunistically on krill-like zooplankton.

Two new species of Princaxelia (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Pardaliscidae) from hadal depths of the Tonga and Mariana trenches (Pacific Ocean)

Princaxelia Dahl, 1959, is a genus containing predatory pardaliscid amphipods, typically captured in small numbers from hadal trenches (> 6,000 m ocean depth). Here, two new species, Princaxelia malohi Duffy & Wainwright, sp. nov . and Princaxelia kahat Duffy & Wai...

Early Exclusive Enteral Feeding in Preterm Infants: A Meta-Analysis

CONTEXT Early exclusive enteral feeding (EEF) in preterm infants may provide advantages such as improved nutritional delivery, reduced need for intravenous fluids (IVF), and lower health care costs. However, concerns persist regarding adverse outcomes, particularly necrotizing en...

Bioactive PdPt nanosheets for hypoxia modulation-enhanced radiotherapy

With the global rise in cancer incidence, the development of effective and safe therapeutic strategies remains an urgent priority. Although radiotherapy (RT) is widely used in clinical oncology, its therapeutic efficacy is often compromised by the hypoxic tumor microenvironment,...