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Research

Zika Virus Changes Methylation of Genes Involved in Immune Response and Neural Development in Brazilian Babies Born With Congenital Microcephaly

The recent increase in babies born with brain and eye malformations in Brazil is associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in utero. ZIKV alters host DNA methylation in vitro. Using genome-wide DNA methylation profiling we compared 18 babies born with congenital ZIKV microcephaly with 20 controls. We found ZIKV-associated alteration of host methylation patterns, notably at RABGAP1L which is important in brain development, at viral host immunity genes MX1 and ISG15, and in an epigenetic module containing the causal microcephaly gene MCPH1. Our data support the hypothesis that clinical signs of congenital ZIKV are associated with changes in DNA methylation.

Research

Pets Are Associated with Fewer Peer Problems and Emotional Symptoms, and Better Prosocial Behavior: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

Pets may protect children from developing social-emotional problems and should be taken into account when assessing child development and school readiness

Research

Complicated skin and soft tissue infections in remote indigenous communities

The burden and consequences of skin infections for remote living indigenous people are high

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Measuring early child development in low and middle income countries: Investigating the validity of the early Human Capability Index

Inclusion of early child development in the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda raises issues of how this goal should be monitored, particularly in low resource settings. The aim of this paper was to explore the validity of the early Human Capability Index (eHCI); a population measure designed to capture the holistic development of children aged 3-5 years. Convergent, divergent, discriminant and concurrent validity were examined by exploring the associations between eHCI domains and child (sex, age, stunting status, preschool attendance) and family (maternal education, home learning environment) characteristics. Analyses were repeated using data from seven low and middle income countries.

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Azithromycin Partially Mitigates Dysregulated Repair of Lung Allograft Small Airway Epithelium

Chronic airway injury and dysregulated repair programs are evident in airway epithelium obtained from patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome

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Hospital admissions in children with developmental disabilities from ethnic minority backgrounds

Children with CP and intellectual disability, particularly from minority backgrounds, were at higher risk of being admitted to hospital after the first year of life

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Challenges posed by COVID-19 to children with cancer

Development of standardised guidance by national and regional authorities for reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to children with cancer

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How outreach facilitates family engagement with universal early childhood health and education services in Tasmania, Australia: An ethnographic study

This paper presents qualitative findings focusing on the scope and role of outreach in supporting family engagement in the Tasmanian early childhood services

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Validity of the Middle Years Development Instrument for Population Monitoring of Student Wellbeing in Australian School Children

This paper reports on a five-year project to measure student wellbeing across an education system using the Middle Years Development Instrument