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Current understanding of the neutrophil transcriptome in health and diseaseNeutrophils are key cells of the innate immune system. It is now understood that this leukocyte population is diverse in both the basal composition and functional plasticity. Underlying this plasticity is a post-translational framework for rapidly achieving early activation states, but also a transcriptional capacity that is becoming increasingly recognized by immunologists.
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Effect of Preemptive Intervention on Developmental Outcomes Among Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Outcomes to DiagnosisIntervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically commences after diagnosis. No trial of an intervention administered to infants before diagnosis has shown an effect on diagnostic outcomes to date.
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Occurrence of psychosis and bipolar disorder in adults with autism: A systematic review and meta-analysisEvidence suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder have increased rates of co-occurring psychosis and/or bipolar disorder. Considering the peak age of onset for psychosis and bipolar disorder occurs in adulthood, we investigated the co-occurrence of these disorders in adults with autism.
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Use of administrative record linkage to examine patterns of universal early childhood health and education service use from birth to Kindergarten (age 4 years) and developmental vulnerability in the Preparatory Year (age 5 years) in Tasmania, AustraliaIn Australia, the health and education sectors provide universal early childhood services for the same population of children. Therefore, there is a strong imperative to view service use and outcomes through a cross-sectoral lens to better understand and address the service needs of young children and their families.
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Pertussis Disease and Antenatal Vaccine Effectiveness in Australian ChildrenPopulation-level studies of severe pertussis extending beyond infancy are sparse, and none in the context of antenatal vaccination. We compared hospitalized pertussis cases from birth to 15 years of age before and after introduction of antenatal immunization.
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A novel mobile health app to educate and empower young people with type 1 diabetes to exercise safely: Prospective single-arm mixed methods pilot studyEmpowering young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to manage their blood glucose levels during exercise is a complex challenge faced by health care professionals due to the unpredictable nature of exercise and its effect on blood glucose levels. Mobile health (mHealth) apps would be useful as a decision-support aid to effectively contextualize a blood glucose result and take appropriate action to optimize glucose levels during and after exercise.
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A common genetic variant of a mitochondrial RNA processing enzyme predisposes to insulin resistanceMitochondrial energy metabolism plays an important role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance. Recently, a missense N437S variant was identified in the MRPP3 gene, which encodes a mitochondrial RNA processing enzyme within the RNase P complex, with predicted impact on metabolism. We used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to introduce this variant into the mouse Mrpp3 gene and show that the variant causes insulin resistance on a high-fat diet.
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Identifying young adults at high risk of cardiometabolic disease using cluster analysis and the Framingham 30-yr risk scoreCurrent strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young adults are largely limited to those at extremes of risk. In cohort studies we have shown cluster analysis identified a large sub-group of adolescents with multiple risk factors.
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Study protocol for Healthy Conversations @ Playgroup: a multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial of an intervention to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours in young children attending community playgroupsEarly childhood is a critical window for preventing obesity and chronic disease. Yet, 1 in 4 Australian children aged 5 years and under are affected by overweight or obesity; and significant proportions of children under 5 years fail to meet guidelines for diet quality, physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep.
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Association between food-outlet availability near secondary schools and junk-food purchasing among Australian adolescentsWe sought to investigate the association between food-outlet availability near Australian secondary schools and frequency of Australian students’ discretionary food purchases.