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Research

It is well established that maternal mental illness is associated with an increased risk of poor development for children. However, inconsistencies in findings regarding the nature of the difficulties children experience may be explained by methodological or geographical differences.

Research

Childhood is a critical period of immune development. During this time, naïve CD4 T cells undergo programmed cell differentiation, mediated by epigenetic changes, in response to external stimuli leading to a baseline homeostatic state that may determine lifelong disease risk. However, the ontogeny of epigenetic signatures associated with CD4 T cell activation during key developmental periods are yet to be described.

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This pre-registered systematic review synthesised and evaluated the existing literature on self-reported mental health and wellbeing of siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions.

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Bullying in schools has been associated with poor academic and mental health outcomes in students. While students are often encouraged to report bullying incidents to school staff, some students avoid reporting incidents as they lack faith in staff members ability to intervene.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly 2020-2021, young adults were often significant transmitters of the virus. Prior to the availability of vaccines for young adults, we sought to understand what would contribute to their uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine and how government policy might intervene. We undertook qualitative interviews between February and April 2021 with 19 participants (aged 18-29) in Perth, Western Australia.

Research

Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A Streptococcus , Strep A) is an obligate human pathogen with significant global morbidity and mortality. Transmission is believed to occur primarily between individuals via respiratory droplets, but knowledge about other potential sources of transmission via aerosols or the environment is limited. Such knowledge is required to design optimal interventions to control transmission, particularly in endemic settings.

Research

Two lytic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) bacteriophages, belonging to the family Herelleviridae, were isolated from wastewater in Western Australia. Biyabeda-mokiny 2 appears to belong to the genus Kayvirus, and Koomba-kaat 1 to Silviavirus.

Research

In this chapter we present the research questions motivating the book and outline key themes and issues guiding the chapters. We provide a broad overview of the Australian social, political and economic context to give readers an understanding of some of the key features of Australian society.

Research

Despite the teratogenic effects of alcohol, little is known about the safety of pharmacotherapies such as acamprosate for the treatment of alcohol use disorders in pregnancy. The aims of this study were to investigate, in a mouse model, the effects of maternally administered acamprosate on maternal and neonatal health, offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour, as well as examine whether acamprosate reduces the neurological harm associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy.

Research

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.