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Research

Prenatal Exposure to General Anesthesia and Childhood Behavioral Deficit

Exposure to surgery and anesthesia in early childhood has been found to be associated with an increased risk of behavioral deficits. While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against prenatal exposure to anesthetic drugs, little clinical evidence exists to support this recommendation. This study evaluates the association between prenatal exposure to general anesthesia due to maternal procedures during pregnancy and neuropsychological and behavioral outcome scores at age 10.

Research

PPARalpha and PPARgamma activation is associated with pleural mesothelioma invasion but therapeutic inhibition is ineffective

Mesothelioma is a cancer that typically originates in the pleura of the lungs. It rapidly invades the surrounding tissues, causing pain and shortness of breath. We compared cell lines injected either subcutaneously or intrapleurally and found that only the latter resulted in invasive and rapid growth.

Research

Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk in 7000 Youth With Type 1 Diabetes in the Australasian Diabetes Data Network

Cardiovascular disease occurs prematurely in type 1 diabetes. The additional risk of overweight is not well characterized. The primary aim was to measure the impact of body mass index (BMI) in youth with type 1 diabetes on cardiovascular risk factors. The secondary aim was to identify other determinants of cardiovascular risk.

Research

Risk factors for COVID-19 infection, disease severity and related deaths in Africa: A systematic review

The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive evidence on risk factors for transmission, disease severity and COVID-19 related deaths in Africa. A systematic review has been conducted to synthesise existing evidence on risk factors affecting COVID-19 outcomes across Africa.

Research

Associations of maternal and paternal mental health problems with offspring anxiety at age 20 years: Findings from a population-based prospective cohort study

Epidemiological studies indicate that children of parents with mental health problems are at an increased risk of developing anxiety disorders. Few studies have investigated this relationship in young adults. Participants were from the Raine Study, which is a multi-generational birth cohort study in Australia. Maternal anxiety and depression in late childhood were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42), and paternal lifetime mental health problems were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire.

Research

Experiences of Parents of Specialist Peer Mentored Autistic University Students

Parents continue to support to autistic university students, and consequently, experience considerable stress. The aim was to explore the experiences of parents of specialist peer mentored university students and to examine these using the ICF as a theoretical framework.

Research

Modifiable child and caregiver factors that influence community participation among children with Down syndrome

To investigate modifiable child and caregiver factors influencing community participation among children with Down syndrome.

Research

Penicillin G concentrations required for prophylaxis against Group A Streptococcus infection evaluated using a hollow fibre model and mathematical modelling

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF), an autoimmune reaction to Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes; Strep A) infection, can cause rheumatic heart disease (RHD). New formulations of long-acting penicillins are being developed for secondary prophylaxis of ARF and RHD.

Research

Systematic In Vitro Evaluation of a Library of Approved and Pharmacologically Active Compounds for the Identification of Novel Candidate Drugs for KMT2A-Rearranged Leukemia

Patients whose leukemias harbor a rearrangement of the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL/KMT2A) gene have a poor prognosis, especially when the disease strikes in infants. The poor clinical outcome linked to this aggressive disease and the detrimental treatment side-effects, particularly in children, warrant the urgent development of more effective and cancer-selective therapeutics.

Research

Eye Gaze in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Neural Evidence for the Eye Avoidance Hypothesis

Reduced eye contact early in life may play a role in the developmental pathways that culminate in a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. However, there are contradictory theories regarding the neural mechanisms involved. According to the amygdala theory of autism, reduced eye contact results from a hypoactive amygdala that fails to flag eyes as salient. However, the eye avoidance hypothesis proposes the opposite-that amygdala hyperactivity causes eye avoidance. This review evaluated studies that measured the relationship between eye gaze and activity in the 'social brain' when viewing facial stimuli.