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Research

From Beneath the Skin to the Airway Wall: Understanding the Pathological Role of Adipose Tissue in Comorbid Asthma-Obesity

This 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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Asthma and allergies in a cohort of adolescents conceived with ART

Research question: Are asthma and allergies more common in adolescents conceived with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) compared with adolescents conceived without?

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Azithromycin inhibits mucin secretion, mucous metaplasia, airway inflammation, and airways hyperresponsiveness in mice exposed to house dust mite extract

Excessive production, secretion, and retention of abnormal mucus is a pathological feature of many obstructive airways diseases including asthma. Azithromycin is an antibiotic that also possesses immunomodulatory and mucoregulatory activities, which may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of azithromycin in asthma.

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Development of a Symptom-Based Tool for Screening of Children at High Risk of Preschool Asthma

Despite 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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The intersect of genetics, environment, and microbiota in asthma-perspectives and challenges

In 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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Elucidation of pathways driving asthma pathogenesis: Development of a systems-level analytic strategy

Whereas asthma was rare in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the marked increase in its incidence and prevalence since the 1960s points to substantial gene Ă—...

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Chronic cat allergen exposure induces a Th2 cell-dependent IgG4 response related to low sensitization

This study evaluated the relationship between cat allergen–specific biomarkers in adults with cat allergy with and without cat ownership.

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Antibacterial antibody responses associated with the development of asthma in house dust mite-sensitised and non-sensitised children

We aimed to measure the antibody development to 2 bacteria in a birth cohort at high risk of allergic disease, and to assess which responses are asthma-linked.

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Bronchial brushings for investigating airway inflammation and remodelling

Asthma is the commonest medical cause for hospital admission for children in Australia, affects more than 300 million people worldwide, and is incurable...

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Interaction between adaptive and innate immune pathways in the pathogenesis of atopic asthma: Operation of a lung/bone marrow axis

Atopic asthma is the most common form of asthma, particularly during childhood, and in many cases it persists into adult life.