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Changes to the Gut Microbiome in Young Children Showing Early Behavioral Signs of AutismThe human gut microbiome has increasingly been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a neurological developmental disorder, characterized by impairments to social interaction.
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Pre-and Postnatal Vitamin D Status and Allergy Outcomes in Early ChildhoodThe dramatic increase in the prevalence of allergic disease in recent decades reflects environmental and behavioural changes that have altered patterns of early immune development. The very early onset of allergic diseases points to the specific vulnerability of the developing immune system to environmental changes and the development of primary intervention strategies is crucial to address this unparalleled burden.
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A role for early oral exposure to house dust mite allergens through breast milk in IgE-mediated food allergy susceptibilityThis study highlights an unpredicted potential risk factor for the development of food allergy, that is, D pteronyssinus allergens in breast milk
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Longitudinal egg-specific regulatory T- and B-cell development: Insights from primary prevention clinical trials examining the timing of egg introductionEgg allergy affects almost 1 in 10 Australian infants. Early egg introduction has been associated with a reduced risk in developing egg allergy; however, the immune mechanisms underlying this protection remain unclear.
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Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effect of folic acid supplementation beyond the first trimester on maternal plasma unmetabolised folic acid in late gestationTaking folic acid containing supplements prior to and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects. Neural tube defects occur prior to 28 days postconception, after which, there is no proven benefit of continuing to take folic acid. However, many women continue to take folic acid containing supplements throughout the pregnancy.
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The challenges of developing and optimising an assay to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D in salivaWe have developed an LC-MS/MS assay that accurately measures saliva 25(OH)D3 levels, which correlated with serum levels

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Infant study shines new light on eczema preventionA study led by The Kids Research Institute Australia has suggested vitamin D supplementation in babies is no match for sunlight when it comes to preventing eczema.
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25-hydroxyvitamin D status of pregnant women is associated with the use of antenatal vitamin supplements and ambient ultraviolet radiationVitamin D deficiency in a predominantly white Caucasian cohort of pregnant women is less prevalent than has been reported in other studies
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Effects of maternal dietary egg intake during early lactation on human milk ovalbumin concentration: A randomized controlled trialIncreased maternal egg ingestion is associated with increased breastmilk ovalbumin, and markers of immune tolerance in infants
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Ontogeny of toll-like and NOD-like receptor-mediated innate immune responses in Papua New Guinean infantsStudies addressing the ontogeny of the innate immune system in early life have reported mainly on Toll-like receptor (TLR) responses in infants living in...