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Background: It is unknown whether skin biomarkers collected in infancy can predict the onset of atopic dermatitis (AD) and be used in future prevention trials to identify children at risk. Objectives: This study sought to examine whether skin biomarkers can predict AD during the first 2 years of life. Methods: This study enrolled 300 term and 150 preterm children at birth and followed for AD until the age of 2 years. Skin tape strips were collected at 0 to 3 days and 2 months of age and analyzed for selected immune and barrier biomarkers. Hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using Cox regression was calculated for the risk of AD. Results: The 2-year prevalence of AD was 34.6% (99 of 286) and 21.2% (25 of 118) among term and preterm children, respectively. Skin biomarkers collected at birth did not predict AD. Elevated thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine/C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 -levels collected at 2 months of age increased the overall risk of AD (HR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.36-3.26; P = .0008) and moderate-to-severe AD (HR: 4.97; 95% CI: 2.09-11.80; P = .0003). IL-8 and IL-18 predicted moderate-to-severe AD. Low filaggrin degradation product levels increased the risk of AD (HR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.32-3.15; P = .001). Elevated biomarker levels at 2 months predicted AD at other skin sites and many months after collection. Conclusions: This study showed that noninvasively collected skin biomarkers of barrier and immune pathways can precede the onset of AD.

Simple Summary Biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction are important tools and an urgent need in precision medicine for pancreatic cancer. In recent years, many experimental and clinical studies aimed at identifying new biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the review, we summarized current investigations on using novel protein markers, cell-free DNA, metabolome compounds, immune and stroma signatures and microbiome compositions as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Our comprehensive overview shows that although there are new promising biomarkers, CA 19-9 remains currently the only regularly used and validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer in clinical routine. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Simple Summary Biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction are important tools and an urgent need in precision medicine for pancreatic cancer. In recent years, many experimental and clinical studies aimed at identifying new biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the review, we summarized current investigations on using novel protein markers, cell-free DNA, metabolome compounds, immune and stroma signatures and microbiome compositions as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Our comprehensive overview shows that although there are new promising biomarkers, CA 19-9 remains currently the only regularly used and validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer in clinical routine. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Simple Summary Biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction are important tools and an urgent need in precision medicine for pancreatic cancer. In recent years, many experimental and clinical studies aimed at identifying new biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the review, we summarized current investigations on using novel protein markers, cell-free DNA, metabolome compounds, immune and stroma signatures and microbiome compositions as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Our comprehensive overview shows that although there are new promising biomarkers, CA 19-9 remains currently the only regularly used and validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer in clinical routine. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Simple Summary Biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction are important tools and an urgent need in precision medicine for pancreatic cancer. In recent years, many experimental and clinical studies aimed at identifying new biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the review, we summarized current investigations on using novel protein markers, cell-free DNA, metabolome compounds, immune and stroma signatures and microbiome compositions as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Our comprehensive overview shows that although there are new promising biomarkers, CA 19-9 remains currently the only regularly used and validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer in clinical routine. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Simple Summary Biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and prediction are important tools and an urgent need in precision medicine for pancreatic cancer. In recent years, many experimental and clinical studies aimed at identifying new biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the review, we summarized current investigations on using novel protein markers, cell-free DNA, metabolome compounds, immune and stroma signatures and microbiome compositions as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Our comprehensive overview shows that although there are new promising biomarkers, CA 19-9 remains currently the only regularly used and validated biomarker for pancreatic cancer in clinical routine. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Identifying immune biomarkers in healthy humans that indicate an increased susceptibility to upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) is necessary to develop improved diagnostic and treatment strategies. URTI is associated with substantial socio-economic and personal cost. Small to moderate reductions in the severity and duration of illness could lead to substantial reductions in these costs. This thesis investigated the relationship between the immune system and URTI in healthy individuals utilising exercise as a model of stress. Chapter 2 (Section 2.2) reviews the effects of exercise on the immune system and URTI, with a particular focus on the way in which exercise can be used to better understand the role of the salivary antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) lactoferrin and lysozyme in host defence. Determining mucosal immune status, that is the condition of the immune system at body surfaces interfacing with the external environment, is necessary to understand the role of the immune system in host defence. Exercise-related disturbances in the immune system may increase susceptibility to URTI, particularly when prolonged intense exercise is undertaken frequently. Th e link between exercise-induced disturbances in immunity and URTI risk suggests that exercise may be a useful model by which to study the relationship between immunity and illness in healthy individuals., Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith Health, Full Text

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith Health, Identifying immune biomarkers in healthy humans that indicate an increased susceptibility to upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) is necessary to develop improved diagnostic and treatment strategies. URTI is associated with substantial socio-economic and personal cost. Small to moderate reductions in the severity and duration of illness could lead to substantial reductions in these costs. This thesis investigated the relationship between the immune system and URTI in healthy individuals utilising exercise as a model of stress. Chapter 2 (Section 2.2) reviews the effects of exercise on the immune system and URTI, with a particular focus on the way in which exercise can be used to better understand the role of the salivary antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) lactoferrin and lysozyme in host defence. Determining mucosal immune status, that is the condition of the immune system at body surfaces interfacing with the external environment, is necessary to understand the role of the immune system in host defence. Exercise-related disturbances in the immune system may increase susceptibility to URTI, particularly when prolonged intense exercise is undertaken frequently. Th e link between exercise-induced disturbances in immunity and URTI risk suggests that exercise may be a useful model by which to study the relationship between immunity and illness in healthy individuals.