Possible alternative strategies to implement basophil activation testing in multicentric studies.

The Basophil Activation Test (BAT) enables flow cytometry characterization of basophil reactivity against specific allergenic molecules. The focus now revolves around democratizing this tool, but, as blood sample stability could be challenging, after having developed a simplified approach, herein, we aimed to characterize two strategies for implementing BAT in multicentric studies: store and ship blood before or after sample processing. Fresh heparin- and EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood samples followed both BAT workflows: "collect, store, process & analyze" or "collect, process, store & analyze".

Streamlining basophil activation testing to enable assay miniaturization and automation of sample preparation.

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated the capabilities of the basophil activation test (BAT) but various parameters such as a lack of standardization and a time consuming and labor intensive workflow continue to hinder the field to fully leverage the capabilities of this technique. When pediatric patients have to be considered, an additional limitation is related to blood volume consumption.

Objectives: This work aimed at developing and characterizing a simplified and standardized whole-blood based BAT prototype procedure and at further assessing the feasibility of automating and miniaturizing the developed assay into a 96 well plate format.

Pru p 7 sensitization is a predominant cause of severe, cypress pollen-associated peach allergy.

Background: Peach is a common elicitor of food allergic reactions. Peach-induced immediate reactions may occur as benign pollen-food syndromes, usually due to birch pollen-related PR-10 cross-reactivity in temperate climates, and as potentially severe primary food allergies, predominantly related to nsLTP Pru p 3 in Mediterranean regions. The newly described peach allergen Pru p 7 has gained recent attention as a potential peach allergy severity marker.

Tomosyn functions as a PKCδ-regulated fusion clamp in mast cell degranulation.

Soluble -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) family proteins mediate membrane fusion critical for vesicular transport and cellular secretion. Mast cells rely on SNARE-mediated membrane fusion for degranulation stimulated by crosslinking of immunoglobulin E (IgE) bound to the Fcε receptor (FcεRI). We investigated the mechanisms downstream of receptor activation that control degranulation.

Potential of milk fatty acid composition to predict diet composition and authenticate feeding systems and altitude origin of European bulk milk.

The aims of this work were to elucidate the potential of using milk fatty acid (FA) concentration to predict cow diet composition and altitude of bulk milk collected in 10 different European countries and to authenticate cow-feeding systems and altitude of the production area using a data set of 1,248 bulk cow milk samples and associated farm records. The predictions based on FA for cow diet composition were excellent for the proportions of fresh herbage [coefficient of determination (R2)=0.81], good for hay, total herbage-derived forages, and total preserved forages (R2>0.