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Predictive gene expression signature diagnoses neonatal sepsis before clinical presentationNeonatal sepsis is a deadly disease with non-specific clinical signs, delaying diagnosis and treatment. There remains a need for early biomarkers to facilitate timely intervention. Our objective was to identify neonatal sepsis gene expression biomarkers that could predict sepsis at birth, prior to clinical presentation.
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Cohort Profile: The ORIGINS pregnancy and birth cohortDesiree Dr Jackie Susan Lisa Zenobia Silva Davis Prescott Gibson Talati MBBS, FRACP, MPH, PhD BSc (Hons) MBBS BMedSci PhD FRACP BA (Hons), MPsych,
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The Safety of Alcohol Pharmacotherapies in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review of Human and Animal ResearchAlcohol pharmacotherapies pose unknown teratogenic risks in pregnancy and are therefore recommended to be avoided. This limits treatment options for pregnant individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD). The information on the safety of these medications during pregnancy is uncertain, prompting a scoping review. The objective of this review was to investigate available information on the safety of alcohol pharmacotherapies in pregnancy.
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Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) longitudinal prospective pregnancy to childhood cohort study of Australian children at risk of type 1 diabetes: parental demographics and birth informationThe Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity Study is an ongoing Australian prospective cohort study investigating how modifiable prenatal and early-life exposures drive the development of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes in children. In this profile, we describe the cohort's parental demographics, maternal and neonatal outcomes and human leukocyte antigen genotypes.
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Association between Congenital Anomalies and Late-Onset Bacterial Infections in Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Australia and New ZealandCompromised neonatal intensive care unit neonates are at risk of acquiring late-onset infections (late-onset sepsis [LOS]). Neonates born with congenital anomalies could have an additional LOS risk.
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Improving the detection of congenital syphilis: reviewing test utility and adherence to recommendationsWestern Australia (WA) has experienced a resurgence of congenital syphilis. Appropriate microbiology testing of the neonate is recommended to confirm infection, including syphilis immunoglobulin M (IgM), rapid plasma reagin (RPR) paired with a maternal sample, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on placenta and nasal swabs.
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Perinatal Women’s Perspectives of, and Engagement in, Digital Emotional Well-Being Training: Mixed Methods StudyPsychological distress in the early postpartum period can have long-lasting deleterious effects on a mother's well-being and negatively affect her infant's development. Intervention approaches based in contemplative practices such as mindfulness and loving-kindness and compassion are intended to alleviate distress and cultivate well-being and can be delivered effectively as digital mental health interventions.
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Time-out for well-being: A mixed methods evaluation of attitudes and likelihood to engage in different types of online emotional well-being programmes in the perinatal periodPositive maternal mental health during the perinatal period contributes to general well-being and positive emotional bonds with the child, encouraging an optimal developmental trajectory. Online interventions to enhance maternal well-being and develop coping skills, such as meditation-based interventions, can be a low-cost way to improve mother and child outcomes.
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Study Protocol for a Stepped-Wedge Cluster (Nested) Randomized Controlled Trial of Antenatal Colostrum Expression (ACE) Instruction in First-Time Mothers: The ACE StudyAlthough many mothers initiate breastfeeding, supplementation with human-milk substitutes (formula) during the birth hospitalization is common and has been associated with early breastfeeding cessation. Colostrum hand expressed in the last few weeks before birth, known as antenatal colostrum expression (ACE), can be used instead of human-milk substitutes. However, evidence is lacking on the efficacy of ACE on breastfeeding outcomes and in non-diabetic mothers.
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Neonatal high frequency ventilation: Current trends and future directionsHigh frequency ventilation (HFV) in neonates has been in use for over forty years. Some early HFV ventilators are no longer available, but high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and jet ventilators (HFJV) continue to be commonly employed. Advanced HFOV models available outside of the United States are much quieter and easier to use, and are available as options on many conventional ventilators, providing important improvements such as tidal volume measurement and targeting.