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Research

Multimodal brain features at 3 years of age and their relationship with pre-reading measures 1 year later

Pre-reading language skills develop rapidly in early childhood and are related to brain structure and functional architecture in young children prior to formal education. However, the early neurobiological development that supports these skills is not well understood.

Research

Airway smooth muscle thickness and contraction are enhanced by intra-amniotic lipopolysaccharide in an ovine model of premature birth

Abnormalities of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) layer in asthma may develop before birth. We hypothesize that antenatal inflammation causes physiological abnormalities of the ASM that predisposes asthma. This study determined the short-term effects of antenatal inflammation on the developing ASM.

Research

Caregiver-mediated interventions to support self-regulation among infants and young children (0-5 years): A protocol for a realist review

Self-regulation is a modifiable protective factor for lifespan mental and physical health outcomes. Early caregiver-mediated interventions to promote infant and child regulatory outcomes prevent long-term developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties and improve outcomes such as school readiness, educational achievement and economic success. To harness the population health promise of these programmes, there is a need for more nuanced understanding of the impact of these interventions.

Research

Use of parenteral nutrition in term and late preterm infants: An Australian and New Zealand Survey

There is limited information regarding the use of parenteral nutrition (PN) in term and late preterm infants. We conducted a survey to study the current clinical practices within Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). A 15-question online-survey was distributed to 232 neonatologists and 55 paediatric intensivists across ANZ between September and November 2019.

Research

International Pediatric COVID-19 Severity over the Course of the Pandemic

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged over the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications for COVID-19 severity in children worldwide are unclear. The objective was to determine whether the dominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) were associated with differences in COVID-19 severity among hospitalized children.

Research

Single cell transcriptomics reveals cell type specific features of developmentally regulated responses to lipopolysaccharide between birth and 5 years

Human perinatal life is characterized by a period of extraordinary change during which newborns encounter abundant environmental stimuli and exposure to potential pathogens. To meet such challenges, the neonatal immune system is equipped with unique functional characteristics that adapt to changing conditions as development progresses across the early years of life, but the molecular characteristics of such adaptations remain poorly understood.

Research

Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination to prevent febrile and respiratory illness in adults (BRACE): secondary outcomes of a randomised controlled phase 3 trial

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has off-target (non-specific) effects that are associated with protection against unrelated infections and decreased all-cause mortality in infants. We aimed to determine whether BCG vaccination prevents febrile and respiratory infections in adults.

Research

Wellbeing and academic achievement paper

In this report, we explore the relationship between student wellbeing, school engagement, and academic achievement.

Research

Child development at school entry and student wellbeing six years later

It has been well established that children's development at school entry is associated with their later academic achievement, but less is known about whether there is also an association with other measures of school success, such as students' social and emotional wellbeing.

Research

Maternal serum unmetabolized folic acid concentration following multivitamin and mineral supplementation with or without folic acid after 12 weeks gestation: A randomized controlled trial

Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid (FA) supplements before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy. Many women continue FA supplementation throughout pregnancy, and concerns have been raised about associations between excessive FA intake and adverse maternal and child health outcomes.