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Association between pertussis vaccination in infancy and childhood asthma: A population-based record linkage cohort studyAsthma is among the commonest noncommunicable diseases of childhood and often occurs with other atopic comorbidities. A previous case-control study found evidence that compared to children who received acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines in early infancy, children who received one or more doses of whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine had lower risk of developing IgE-mediated food allergy. We hypothesized that wP vaccination in early infancy might protect against atopic asthma in childhood.
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Identifying the asthma research priorities of people with asthma, their carers and other stakeholdersPeople living with asthma, their carers, clinicians and policymakers are the end-users of research and need research that address their individual healthcare needs. We aimed to understand the research priorities of end-users of asthma research.
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Maternal diet modulates the infant microbiome and intestinal Flt3L necessary for dendritic cell development and immunity to respiratory infectionPoor maternal diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for severe lower respiratory infections in the offspring, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that in mice a maternal low-fiber diet led to enhanced LRI severity in infants because of delayed plasmacytoid dendritic cell recruitment and perturbation of regulatory T cell expansion in the lungs.
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Quantifying airway remodelling for research or clinical purposes: How should we normalize for airway size?Citation: Donovan GM, Wang KCW, Elliot JG, James AL, Noble PB. Quantifying airway remodelling for research or clinical purposes: How should we
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A health inequality analysis of childhood asthma prevalence in urban AustraliaLong-standing health inequalities in Australian society that were exposed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic were described as "fault lines" in a recent call to action by a consortium of philanthropic organizations. With asthma a major contributor to childhood disease burden, studies of its spatial epidemiology can provide valuable insights into the emergence of health inequalities early in life.
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The National Paediatric Applied Research Translation Initiative (N-PARTI): using implementation science to improve primary care for Australian children with asthma, type 1 diabetesGeneral practice-based care for Australian children is facing low levels of clinical guideline adherence particularly in three key areas: asthma, type 1 diabetes and antibiotic use. We offer an implementation science-informed position paper, providing a broad overview of how we aim to address this issue.
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The effects of e-cigarette use on asthma severity in adult BALB/c miceElectronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often perceived to be a less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Potentially due to this perception, they are used by people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, who otherwise would not smoke. Despite this, there are few studies exploring the health effects of e-cigarette use on pre-existing asthma.
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Who gets asthma, and why?Citation: Evans DJ, D Sly PD, Foster P, Donovan C. Who gets asthma, and why? Med J Aust. 2025;223(S10):S19-S23. Keywords: Asthma; Lung diseases;
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Stiffness Mediated-Mechanosensation of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells on Linear Stiffness Gradient HydrogelsIn obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein amount and composition of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) is often remodelled, likely altering tissue stiffness. The underlying mechanism of how human ASM cell (hASMC) mechanosenses the aberrant microenvironment is not well understood.
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Effect of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy versus usual care on infant development, temperament, sensory function and autism signsAsthma during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes. It is also linked to increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in the offspring. We aimed to assess whether fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy improves child developmental and behavioural outcomes compared to usual care. The Breathing for Life Trial was a randomised controlled trial that compared FENO-based asthma management during pregnancy to usual care.