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Neonatal immune function and inflammatory illnesses in later life: lessons to be learnt from the developing world?With the emergence of allergic and autoimmune diseases in populations that have started to transit to a western lifestyle, there has been an increasing...
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House dust mite allergens in asthma and allergyIgE antibodies in house dust mite (HDM) allergy follow a predictable pattern. Half are directed against two dominant allergens and the remainder largely against
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Early immunological influences on asthma development: opportunities for early interventionEarly immunological influences on asthma development: opportunities for early intervention
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Investigations into the role of ST2 in acute asthma in childrenThis study investigated the potential role of ST2 in children with acute asthma.
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The intersect of genetics, environment, and microbiota in asthma-perspectives and challengesIn asthma, a significant portion of the interaction between genetics and environment occurs through microbiota. The proposed mechanisms behind this interaction are complex and at times contradictory. This review covers recent developments in our understanding of this interaction: the "microbial hypothesis" and the "farm effect"; the role of endotoxin and genetic variation in pattern recognition systems; the interaction with allergen exposure; the additional involvement of host gut and airway microbiota; the role of viral respiratory infections in interaction with the 17q21 and CDHR3 genetic loci; and the importance of in utero and early-life timing of exposures.
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Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are associated with severity of wheezing illnesses and asthma exacerbations in childrenThese findings suggest that genetic variants at the VDR locus may play a role in acute wheeze/asthma severity in children
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Airway and parenchyma transcriptomics in a house dust mite model of experimental asthmaLung transcriptomics studies in asthma have provided valuable information in the whole lung context, however, deciphering the individual contributions of the airway and parenchyma in disease pathogenesis may expedite the development of novel targeted treatment strategies. In this study, we performed transcriptomics on the airway and parenchyma using a house dust mite (HDM)-induced model of experimental asthma that replicates key features of the human disease.
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From Beneath the Skin to the Airway Wall: Understanding the Pathological Role of Adipose Tissue in Comorbid Asthma-ObesityThis article provides a contemporary report on the role of adipose tissue in respiratory dysfunction. Adipose tissue is distributed throughout the body, accumulating beneath the skin (subcutaneous), around organs (visceral), and importantly in the context of respiratory disease, has recently been shown to accumulate within the airway wall: "airway-associated adipose tissue." Excessive adipose tissue deposition compromises respiratory function and increases the severity of diseases such as asthma.
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Development of a Symptom-Based Tool for Screening of Children at High Risk of Preschool AsthmaDespite advances in asthma therapeutics, the burden remains highest in preschool children; therefore, it is critical to identify primary care tools that distinguish preschool children at high risk for burdensome disease for further evaluation.
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Decoding Susceptibility to Respiratory Viral Infections and Asthma Inception in ChildrenHuman Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Rhinovirus are the most frequent cause of respiratory tract infections in infants and children and are major triggers of acute viral bronchiolitis, wheezing and asthma exacerbations.