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Research
Is the search for cerebral palsy 'cures' a reasonable and appropriate goal in the 2020s?In the field of disability research and advocacy, the notion of 'cures' is contentious. Cerebral palsy (CP) is no exception. In this narrative review, we combine perspectives gained during community consultation undertaken for the Australian and New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Strategy, 2020 with those published in the scientific and grey literature to understand whether 'cures for CP' is a reasonable and appropriate goal.
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Early surveillance of infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosisSensitive and non-invasive surveillance tools are needed for the clinical management of infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosis (CF). The lung clearance index from the multiple breath washout and functional and morphological outcomes from magnetic resonance imaging provide promising alternatives to current gold standard techniques. Early detection and treatment of lung disease during this important period offers the opportunity to improve the quality of life for individuals with CF.
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The longitudinal relationship between BOLD signal variability changes and white matter maturation during early childhoodIntra-individual transient temporal fluctuations in brain signal, as measured by fMRI blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) variability, is increasingly considered an important signal rather than measurement noise.
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Whole-cell pertussis vaccine in early infancy for the prevention of allergy in childrenAtopic diseases are the most common chronic conditions of childhood. The apparent rise in food anaphylaxis in young children over the past three decades is of particular concern, owing to the lack of proven prevention strategies other than the timely introduction of peanut and egg.
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Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trialsConvalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19.
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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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Wise Ancestors, Good Ancestors: Why Mindfulness Matters in the Promotion of Planetary HealthThe concept of planetary health blurs the artificial lines between health at scales of person, place, and planet. It emphasizes the interconnected grand challenges of our time, and underscores the need for integration of biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of health in the modern environment. Here, in our Viewpoint article, we revisit vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk’s contention that wisdom is central to the concept of planetary health.
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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.
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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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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.