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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

The Use of Serious Gaming to Improve Sensorimotor Function and Motivation in People with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review was to review the evidence for serious gaming interventions in improving sensorimotor function in children and adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Seven databases were searched with terms related to serious gaming and CP.

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

“Coronavirus Changed the Rules on Everything”: Parent Perspectives on How the COVID‐19 Pandemic Influenced Family Routines, Relationships and Technology Use in Families with Infants

This study explores how the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic influenced family routines, relationships and technology use (smartphones and tablet computers) among families with infants. Infancy is known to be an important period for attachment security and future child development, and a time of being susceptible to changes within and outside of the family unit.

Research

Does a major change to a COVID-19 vaccine program alter vaccine intention? A qualitative investigation

On 8th April 2021, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) made the Pfizer-BioNtech (Comirnaty) vaccine the “preferred” vaccine for adults in Australia aged < 50 years due to a risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) following AstraZeneca vaccination. We sought to understand whether this impacted COVID-19 vaccine intentions.

Research

Caregiver Psychological Distress Predicts Temperament and Social-Emotional Outcomes in Infants with Autism Traits

Child temperament and caregiver psychological distress have been independently associated with social-emotional difficulties among individuals with autism. However, the interrelationship among these risk factors has rarely been investigated.

Research

Revaccination with Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is associated with an increased risk of abscess and lymphadenopathy

The reported frequency and types of adverse events following initial vaccination and revaccination with Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) varies worldwide. Using active surveillance in a randomised controlled trial of BCG vaccination (the BRACE trial), we determined the incidence and risk factors for the development of BCG injection site abscess and regional lymphadenopathy.

Research

Modelling temperature-driven changes in species associations across freshwater communities

Due to global climate change–induced shifts in species distributions, estimating changes in community composition through the use of Species Distribution Models has become a key management tool. Being able to determine how species associations change along environmental gradients is likely to be pivotal in exploring the magnitude of future changes in species’ distributions.

Research

Emulator-based Bayesian optimization for efficient multi-objective calibration of an individual-based model of malaria

Individual-based models have become important tools in the global battle against infectious diseases, yet model complexity can make calibration to biological and epidemiological data challenging. We propose using a Bayesian optimization framework employing Gaussian process or machine learning emulator functions to calibrate a complex malaria transmission simulator.

Impact: Paradigm Shift

On this Research Impact page, we showcase real game-changers - research that changes the very way other scientists around the world think and approach challenges. The far-reaching impact on children and families for all the stories shown on these pages is both exciting and significant.