Publications by authors named "J R Lever"

This study describes the training demands of highly trained male youth basketball players, based on training year, term and playing position. Data was collected from 41 male youth basketballers over two seasons from all on-court coach-led training sessions utilising an LPS. Linear mixed-models and pairwise comparisons were used to analyse by training year (Y1, Y2 and Y3), term (T1, T2, T3 and T4) and playing position (Backcourt, Frontcourt).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cigarette smoking is associated with COVID-19 prevalence and severity, but the mechanistic basis for how smoking alters SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis is unknown. A potential explanation is that smoking alters the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 cellular receptor and point of entry, angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2), and its cofactors including transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). We investigated the impact of cigarette smoking on the expression of ACE-2, TMPRSS2, and other known cofactors of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the resultant effects on infection severity in vitro.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: The distal bronchioles in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) exhibit histopathological abnormalities such as bronchiolization, peribronchiolar fibrosis and honeycomb cysts that contribute to the overall architectural remodeling of lung tissue seen in the disease. Here we describe an additional histopathologic finding of epithelial desquamation in patients with IPF, wherein epithelial cells detach from the basement membrane of the distal bronchioles. To understand the mechanism driving this pathology, we performed spatial transcriptomics of the epithelial cells and spatial proteomics of the basement membrane of the distal bronchioles from IPF patients and patients with no prior history of lung disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rationale: The role of MUC5B mucin expression in IPF pathogenesis is unknown. Bleomycin-exposed rodent models do not exhibit sustained fibrosis or airway remodeling. Unlike mice, ferrets have human-like distribution of MUC5B expressing cell types and natively express the risk-conferring variant that induces high MUC5B expression in humans.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The mucociliary transport apparatus plays a crucial role in lung health by using coordinated cilia movement to clear mucus and particles through a process called metachrony.
  • Researchers hypothesized that disruptions in calcium signaling would hinder metachrony and reduce mucociliary transport (MCT), and they tested this using imaging techniques on human and ferret tracheae.
  • Results showed that metachrony significantly enhances MCT by 48% in both species and that calcium signaling is essential for maintaining this coordinated movement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF