Adjuvants for immunotherapy.

Purpose Of Review: This article gives an overview about the current state of preclinical and clinical studies using different kinds of adjuvants and their effect on allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT).

Recent Findings: Recently, vectors such as liposomes and microspheres and adjuvants such as Toll-like-receptor agonists [e.g.

Antioxidant and molecular chaperone defences during estivation and arousal in the South American apple snail Pomacea canaliculata.

The invasive Pomacea canaliculata estivates during periods of drought and should cope with harmful effects of reoxygenation during arousal. We studied thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, SOD and catalase, CAT) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (uric acid and reduced glutathione), and heat shock protein expression (Hsc70, Hsp70 and Hsp90) in (1) active control snails, (2) snails after 45 days of estivation, and (3) aroused snails 20 min and (4) 24 h after water exposure, in midgut gland, kidney and foot. Both kidney and foot (but not the midgut gland) showed a TBARS increase during estivation and a decrease after arousal.

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA): achievements in 10 years and future needs.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma represent global health problems for all age groups. Asthma and rhinitis frequently coexist in the same subjects. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) was initiated during a World Health Organization workshop in 1999 (published in 2001).

Effects of a PEG additive on the biomolecular interactions of self-assembled dendron nanostructures.

The ability of self-assembling multivalent DNA-binding dendrons to interact with biological targets is modified by co-assembly with two novel low-molecular-weight cholesterol-functionalised PEG units, one based on triethylene glycol (Chol-PEG-3) and one on an octaethylene glycol (Chol-PEG-8). The addition of either PEG lipid affected the co-assembled nanostructure surface charge and size in different ways depending on the structure of the self-assembling DNA-binding dendron. Co-assembly with Chol-PEG-8 enhanced DNA binding, while Chol-PEG-3 inhibited it.

Functional nanogels for biomedical applications.

This review addresses current and future perspectives of nanogel technology for nanomedicine. The synthetic methodologies and material properties of nanogels prepared by chemical meanings are discussed in detail, and examples that illustrate the different methodologies are presented. Applications in the fields of drug and gene delivery, smart imaging modalities, responsive materials, and multivalency as a therapeutic approach highlight the enormous potential of the functional nanogels as novel polymeric platforms for biomedicine.

Glycine-terminated dendritic amphiphiles for nonviral gene delivery.

Development of nonviral vectors for the successful application of gene therapy through siRNA/DNA transfection of cells is still a great challenge in current research. (1, 2) In the present study, we have developed multivalent polyglycerol dendron based amphiphiles with well-defined molecular structures that express controlled glycine arrays on their surfaces. The structure-activity relationships with respect to the siRNA complexation, toxicity, and transfection profiles were studied with synthesized amphiphilic polycations.

Environmental and economic analysis of application of water hyacinth for eutrophic water treatment coupled with biogas production.

The proliferation of water hyacinth is currently controlled by removing it from a water body and disposing it by landfill in China. Using water hyacinth to remove nutrients from water bodies and to produce biogas is another technically feasible option for the control of water hyacinth, but its environmental and economic performances are not well understood. This study collected data from an experimental biogas plant to develop a lifecycle analysis and a cost benefit analysis for the control of water hyacinth proliferation in a eutrophic lake in China.

Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy for allergic disease: examining efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of current and novel formulations.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is a unique therapy for allergic disease because it provides symptomatic relief while modifying the allergic disease by targeting the underlying immunological mechanism. Its efficacy and safety have been established in the treatment of asthma, allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis and stinging insect hypersensitivity in numerous controlled clinical trials. This review evaluates a spectrum of clinical factors, ranging from efficacy to cost-effectiveness, which should be considered in evaluating SCIT.

Optimisation of grass pollen nasal allergen challenge for assessment of clinical and immunological outcomes.

Nasal allergen challenge can be used to assess the clinical and immunological aspects of rhinitis due to inhalant allergens. We aimed to develop a reproducible technique for grass pollen nasal allergen challenge and to study biomarkers within nasal secretions. 20 Grass pollen allergic individuals underwent nasal challenges with purified Timothy grass allergen.

Facilitated molecular typing of Shigella isolates using ERIC-PCR.

To evaluate the performance of enterobacterial repetitive intergenic sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) typing versus the current standard for the typing of Shigella pulsed gel electrophoresis (PFGE), we typed 116 Shigella isolates from a village in an endemic setting over a 20-month period using both methods. PFGE identified 37 pulse types and had a discrimination index of 0.925 (95% confidence interval = 0.

Perspectives on allergen-specific immunotherapy in childhood: an EAACI position statement.

This article is the result of consensus reached by a working group of clinical experts in paediatric allergology as well as representatives from an ethical committee and the European Medicine Agency (EMA). The manuscript covers clinical, scientific, regulatory and ethical perspectives on allergen-specific immunotherapy in childhood. Unmet needs are identified.

Human papillomavirus infection in men who have sex with men in Lima, Peru.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) is the primary risk factor for anal cancer. Of 105 Peruvian MSM examined, 77.1% were infected with HPV; of these 79.

Temporal differences in blood meal detection from the midguts of Triatoma infestans.

We used genus/species specific PCRs to determine the temporal persistence of host DNA in Triatoma infestans experimentally fed on blood from six common vertebrate species: humans, domestic dogs, guinea pigs, chickens, mice, and pigs. Twenty third or fourth instar nymphs per animal group were allowed to feed to engorgement, followed by fasting-maintenance in the insectary. At 7, 14, 21, or 28 days post-feeding, the midgut contents from five triatomines per group were tested with the respective PCR assay.

Comparability of subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy outcomes in allergic rhinitis clinical trials.

Purpose Of Review: To conduct a qualitative comparison between the primary and secondary outcomes used in clinical trials of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for allergic rhinitis.

Recent Findings: Studies of SCIT and SLIT for allergic rhinitis published up to January 2012 were included in this systematic review. Different ways of defining primary and secondary outcome parameters in studies investigating specific immunotherapy are described.

High degree of Plasmodium vivax diversity in the Peruvian Amazon demonstrated by tandem repeat polymorphism analysis.

Molecular tools to distinguish strains of Plasmodium vivax are important for studying the epidemiology of malaria transmission. Two sets of markers-tandem repeat (TR) polymorphisms and MSP3α-were used to study Plasmodium vivax in patients in the Peruvian Amazon region of Iquitos. Of 110 patients, 90 distinct haplotypes were distinguished using 9 TR markers.

A weight-loss intervention program designed for Mexican-American women: cultural adaptations and results.

This study assessed the feasibility of a culturally-appropriate weight-loss intervention targeting obese Spanish-speaking Mexican women. This 12-month weight-loss program was based on behavioral interventions previously used successfully with English-speaking participants. Cultural adaptations included: female interventionists, minimal written materials, emphasis on group activities, focus on Mexican traditions and beliefs, and skill-building approach to food measurement.

Magnetic-field probing of an SU(4) Kondo resonance in a single-atom transistor.

Semiconductor devices have been scaled to the point that transport can be dominated by only a single dopant atom. As a result, in a Si fin-type field effect transistor Kondo physics can govern transport when one electron is bound to the single dopant. Orbital (valley) degrees of freedom, apart from the standard spin, strongly modify the Kondo effect in such systems.

Inhibiting rotavirus infection by membrane-impermeant thiol/disulfide exchange blockers and antibodies against protein disulfide isomerase.

Objectives: Determining the effect of membrane-impermeant thiol/disulfide exchange inhibitors on rhesus rotavirus infectivity in MA104 cells and investigating protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) as a potential target for these inhibitors.

Methods: Cells were treated with DTNB [5,5-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid)], bacitracin or anti-PDI antibodies and then infected with virus. Triple-layered particles (TLPs) were also pretreated with inhibitors before inoculation.

Mapping QTL, epistasis and genotype × environment interaction of antioxidant activity, chlorophyll content and head formation in domesticated lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants in human diets and their intake is associated with chronic disease prevention. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a common vegetable in diets worldwide, but its nutritional content is relatively low.

One hundred years of allergen immunotherapy European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology celebration: review of unanswered questions.

Allergen immunotherapy was introduced by Leonard Noon 100 years ago and is the only disease-modifying treatment for allergic individuals. Improved understanding of immunology has taught us a great deal about the underlying mechanisms involved in allergen immunotherapy; however, despite these developments, a number of important questions remain unanswered. Several of these questions relate to the practice of allergen immunotherapy in the clinic, such as: Is it possible to unify units of allergen potency? Which treatment schedules are best? Is allergen immunotherapy effective in all patient groups? Is there a dose-response relationship for efficacy and safety?, and Is there evidence for long-term effects following allergen immunotherapy? Others are related to new developments, such as new indications, or developments in the production of allergens.

Ligand-dependent corepressor (LCoR) recruitment by Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) regulates expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1A gene.

The widely expressed transcriptional coregulator, ligand-dependent corepressor (LCoR), initially characterized as a regulator of nuclear receptor-mediated transactivation, functions through recruitment of C-terminal binding proteins (CtBPs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) to its N-terminal and central domains, respectively. We performed a yeast two-hybrid screen for novel cofactors, and identified an interaction between the C-terminal domain of LCoR and the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6), a putative tumor suppressor in prostate cancer. Subsequent experiments revealed LCoR regulation of several KLF6 target genes notably p21(WAF1/CIP1) (CDKN1A) and to a lesser extent E-cadherin (CDH1), indicating that LCoR regulates gene transcription through multiple classes of transcription factors.

Multiple-allergen and single-allergen immunotherapy strategies in polysensitized patients: looking at the published evidence.

In allergen immunotherapy there is debate as to whether polysensitized patients are best treated with many allergens simultaneously (chosen according to the sensitization profile, a predominantly North American approach) or a single allergen (chosen according to the most clinically problematic allergy, a predominantly European approach). In patients seeking treatment for moderate-to-severe respiratory allergies, polysensitization is more prevalent (range, 50% to 80%) than monosensitization in both the United States and Europe. Safe, effective, single-allergen preparations will most likely have been tested in polysensitized patients.

[Interaction of rotavirus with protein disulfide isomerase in vitro and cell system].

Introduction: Rotavirus entry process involves a multi-step mechanism, the first of which is when the outermost viral proteins interact with four different integrins and Hsc70. Recently, rotavirus infection reportedly has been decreased after blocking cell surface protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). This suggested that this protein interacts with rotavirus during the entry process.

Multifunctional dendritic polymers in nanomedicine: opportunities and challenges.

Nanotechnology has resulted in materials that have greatly improved the effectiveness of drug delivery because of their ability to control matter on the nanoscale. Advanced forms of nanomedicine have been synthesized for better pharmacokinetics to obtain higher efficacy, less systemic toxicity, and better targeting. These criteria have long been the goal in nanomedicine, in particular, for systemic applications in oncological disorders.