Lumican is an extracellular matrix protein modified as a proteoglycan in some tissues. The core protein with leucinerich repeats, characteristic of the leucine-rich-repeat superfamily, binds collagen fibrils and regulates its structure. In addition, we believe that lumican sequestered in the pericellular matrix interacts with cell surface proteins for specific cellular functions. Here we show that bacterial

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The data suggest that lumican binds FasL and facilitates induction of Fas. Poor signaling through Fas-FasL in lumican deficiency leads to impaired induction of inflammatory cytokines and corneal healing.

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To optimise maternal and infant health outcomes, Australian antenatal care providers and services need to incorporate both the recommendation and delivery of influenza vaccination into routine antenatal care.

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Self-reported health behaviours of FIFO workers differ from other employment types. FIFO workers are expected to increase in number over the next decade, as the mining and resources sector expands in Australia. Our findings suggest that health interventions, whether in the workplace or clinical settings, need to be informed by the demographic mix of the cohort of workers on entry as they are not a homogenous group, and targeted towards specific employment patterns (length of shifts and type of employment) to improve their current and future well-being.

IntroductionThe built environment is increasingly recognised as being associated with health outcomes. Relationships between the built environment and health differ among age groups, especially between children and adults, but also between younger, mid-age and older adults. Yet few address differences across life stage groups within a single population study. Moreover, existing research mostly focuses on physical activity behaviours, with few studying objective clinical and mental health outcomes. The Life Course Built Environment and Health (LCBEH) project explores the impact of the built environment on self-reported and objectively measured health outcomes in a random sample of people across the life course.Methods and analysisThis cross-sectional data linkage study involves 15 954 children (0–15 years), young adults (16–24 years), adults (25–64 years) and older adults (65+years) from the Perth metropolitan region who completed the Health and Wellbeing Surveillance System survey administered by the Department of Health of Western Australia from 2003 to 2009. Survey data were linked to Western Australia's (WA) Hospital Morbidity Database System (hospital admission) and Mental Health Information System (mental health system outpatient) data. Participants’ residential address was geocoded and features of their ‘neighbourhood’ were measured using Geographic Information Systems software. Associations between the built environment and self-reported and clinical health outcomes will be explored across varying geographic scales and life stages.Ethics and disseminationThe University of Western Australia's Human Research Ethics Committee and the Department of Health of Western Australia approved the study protocol (#2010/1). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at local, national and international conferences, thus contributing to the evidence base informing the design of healthy neighbourhoods for all residents.