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Maternal diet modulates the infant microbiome and intestinal Flt3L necessary for dendritic cell development and immunity to respiratory infectionPoor maternal diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for severe lower respiratory infections in the offspring, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that in mice a maternal low-fiber diet led to enhanced LRI severity in infants because of delayed plasmacytoid dendritic cell recruitment and perturbation of regulatory T cell expansion in the lungs.
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Copy number variation in tRNA isodecoder genes impairs mammalian development and balanced translationThe number of tRNA isodecoders has increased dramatically in mammals, but the specific molecular and physiological reasons for this expansion remain elusive. To address this fundamental question we used CRISPR editing to knockout the seven-membered phenylalanine tRNA gene family in mice, both individually and combinatorially.
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Gene filtering strategies for machine learning guided biomarker discovery using neonatal sepsis RNA-seq dataMachine learning (ML) algorithms are powerful tools that are increasingly being used for sepsis biomarker discovery in RNA-Seq data. RNA-Seq datasets contain multiple sources and types of noise (operator, technical and non-systematic) that may bias ML classification. Normalisation and independent gene filtering approaches described in RNA-Seq workflows account for some of this variability and are typically only targeted at differential expression analysis rather than ML applications.
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Evaluating COVID-19-Related Disruptions to Effective Malaria Case Management in 2020–2021 and Its Potential Effects on Malaria Burden in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to far-reaching disruptions to health systems, including preventative and curative services for malaria. The aim of this study was to estimate the magnitude of disruptions in malaria case management in sub-Saharan Africa and their impact on malaria burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used survey data collected by the World Health Organization, in which individual country stakeholders reported on the extent of disruptions to malaria diagnosis and treatment.
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Culturally supported health promotion to See, Treat, Prevent (SToP) skin infections in Aboriginal children living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia: a qualitative analysisWhile there are many skin infections, reducing the burden of scabies and impetigo for remote living Aboriginal people, particularly children remains challenging. Aboriginal children living in remote communities have experienced the highest reported rate of impetigo in the world and are 15 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with a skin infection compared to non-Aboriginal children.
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Identification of subgroups of children in the Australian Autism Biobank using latent class analysisThe identification of reproducible subtypes within autistic populations is a priority research area in the context of neurodevelopment, to pave the way for identification of biomarkers and targeted treatment recommendations. Few previous studies have considered medical comorbidity alongside behavioural, cognitive, and psychiatric data in subgrouping analyses.
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Clinical Trials in the Brain Tumour Population: Challenges and Strategies for the FutureThis review identifies challenges and barriers to successful development of drugs in neuro-oncology trials at the preclinical, clinical and translational stages that we believe has contributed to poor outcomes for patients over the last 30 years.
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Individual-Level Risk and Resilience Factors Associated with Mental Health in Siblings of Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions: A Network AnalysisSiblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) are exposed to unique family environments and experience a range of psychosocial risk and resilience factors.
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Harnessing neuroplasticity to improve motor performance in infants with cerebral palsy: A study protocol for the GAME randomised controlled trialCerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability of childhood worldwide. Historically the diagnosis was made between 12 and 24 months, meaning data about effective early interventions to improve motor outcomes are scant. In high-income countries, two in three children will walk. This evaluator-blinded randomised controlled trial will investigate the efficacy of an early and sustained Goals-Activity-Motor Enrichment approach to improve motor and cognitive skills in infants with suspected or confirmed CP.
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Young children's use of blue spaces and the impact on their health, development and environmental awareness: A qualitative study from parents' perspectivesThis study examined how families with young children access and use different types of blue spaces and the health and development benefits, and potential negative effects.