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Research
Protection against neonatal respiratory viral infection via maternal treatment during pregnancy with the benign immune training agent OM-85Incomplete maturation of immune regulatory functions at birth is antecedent to the heightened risk for severe respiratory infections during infancy. Our forerunner animal model studies demonstrated that maternal treatment with the microbial-derived immune training agent OM-85 during pregnancy promotes accelerated postnatal maturation of mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes in the offspring airways.
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Fidelity and coordination of mitochondrial protein synthesis in health and diseaseThe evolutionary acquisition of mitochondria has given rise to the diversity of eukaryotic life. Mitochondria have retained their ancestral α-proteobacterial traits through the maintenance of double membranes and their own circular genome. Their genome varies in size from very large in plants to the smallest in animals and their parasites. The mitochondrial genome encodes essential genes for protein synthesis and has to coordinate its expression with the nuclear genome from which it sources most of the proteins required for mitochondrial biogenesis and function.
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Clinical utilisation of the Infant Monitor of vocal Production (IMP) for early identification of communication impairment in young infants at-risk of cerebral palsy: a prospective cohort studyAim: To report prospective longitudinal data of early vocaliszations of infants identified “at-risk” of cerebral palsy (CP) for early identification of communication impairment. This case-control longitudinal prospective cohort study reports on the assessment of 36 infants.
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Evaluation of an Australian neurological nurse-led model of postdischarge careNeurological disorders are a leading cause of disease burden worldwide, placing a heavy demand on health systems. This study evaluated the impacts and cost savings of a community-based nursing service providing supported discharge for neurological patients deemed high-risk for unplanned emergency department presentations and/or hospital readmissions. It focused on adult patients with stroke, epilepsy, migraine/headache or functional neurological disorders discharged from a Western Australian tertiary hospital.
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Allergen shedding in human milk: Could it be key for immune system education and allergy prevention?In addition to being a source of nutrients for the developing newborn, human milk contains thousands of bioactive compounds, which influence infant health in the short-term as exemplified by its major benefits on infectious disease prevention. Many of the human milk compounds also have the required characteristics to instruct immune development and guide long-term health.
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Supporting the Social-Emotional Well-Being of Elementary School Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Pilot StudyChildren who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, their parents, Teachers of the Deaf, and other community stakeholders were involved in co-designing a web-based resource to support students' social-emotional well-being.
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Perceptions of a family-based lifestyle intervention for children with overweight and obesity: a qualitative study on sustainability, self-regulation, and program optimizationFamily-based lifestyle interventions (FBLIs) are an important method for treating childhood weight problems. Despite being recognized as an effective intervention method, the optimal structure of these interventions for children’s overweight and obesity has yet to be determined.
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The Nutritional Quality of Kids’ Menus from Cafés and Restaurants: An Australian Cross‐Sectional StudyAustralian families increasingly rely on eating foods from outside the home, which in-creases intake of energy‐dense nutrient‐poor foods. ‘Kids’ Menus’ are designed to appeal to families and typically lack healthy options. However, the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus from cafes and full‐service restaurants (as opposed to fast‐food outlets) has not been investigated in Australia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of Kids’ Menus in restaurants and cafés in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia.
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The Social and Emotional Well-being of Indigenous Peoples Living With Diabetes: A Systematic Review ProtocolGlobally, Indigenous people have a greater incidence and earlier onset of diabetes than the general population and have higher documented rates of emotional distress and mental illness. This systematic review will provide a synthesis and critical appraisal of the evidence focused on the social and emotional well-being of Indigenous peoples living with diabetes, including prevalence, impact, moderators, and the efficacy of interventions.
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Cancer chemotherapy: insights into cellular and tumor microenvironmental mechanisms of actionChemotherapy has historically been the mainstay of cancer treatment, but our understanding of what drives a successful therapeutic response remains limited.