Basophil activation test using recombinant allergens: highly specific diagnostic method complementing routine tests in wasp venom allergy.

Background: Skin testing can expose allergic subjects to potential systemic reactions, sensitization against unrelated proteins, and increased risk of future sting reactions. Therefore the continuous improvement of in vitro diagnostic methods is desirable. Recombinant allergens have been shown to improve the sensitivity of specific IgE (sIgE) detection in vitro whilst no data is available regarding their application and reliability in basophil activation test (BAT).

Local and systemic effects of cat allergen nasal provocation.

Background: Cat allergen is widely distributed in homes and schools; allergic sensitization is common.

Objective: To develop a model of cat allergen nasal challenge to establish dose-response and time-course characteristics and investigate local and systemic biomarkers of allergic inflammation.

Methods: Nineteen cat-allergic individuals underwent titrated nasal challenge, range 0.

Influence of seasonal exposure to grass pollen on local and peripheral blood IgE repertoires in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Background: Previous studies of immunoglobulin gene sequences in patients with allergic diseases using low-throughput Sanger sequencing have limited the analytic depth for characterization of IgE repertoires.

Objectives: We used a high-throughput, next-generation sequencing approach to characterize immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene (IGH) repertoires in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) with the aim of better understanding the underlying disease mechanisms.

Methods: IGH sequences in matched peripheral blood and nasal biopsy specimens from nonallergic healthy control subjects (n = 3) and patients with grass pollen-related AR taken in season (n = 3) or out of season (n = 4) were amplified and pyrosequenced on the 454 GS FLX+ System.

Rat-specific IgG and IgG₄ antibodies associated with inhibition of IgE-allergen complex binding in laboratory animal workers.

Objectives: The relationship between exposure to rodent allergens and laboratory animal allergy is complex; at highest allergen exposures there is an attenuation of sensitisation and symptoms which are associated with increased levels of rat-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgG4 antibodies. We set out to examine whether the increased levels of rat-specific IgG and IgG4 antibodies that we have previously observed at high allergen exposure in our cohort of laboratory animal workers play a functional role through blockage of the binding of IgE-allergen complex binding to CD23 receptors on B cells.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of laboratory animal workers (n=776) in six UK pharmaceutical companies were surveyed.

Recommendations for the standardization of clinical outcomes used in allergen immunotherapy trials for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: an EAACI Position Paper.

Background: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been thoroughly documented in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It is the only immune-modifying and causal treatment available for patients suffering from IgE-mediated diseases such as allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic asthma and insect sting allergy. However, there is a high degree of clinical and methodological heterogeneity among the endpoints in clinical studies on AIT, for both subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy (SCIT and SLIT).

Sublingual immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization position paper 2013 update.

We have prepared this document, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2013 Update", according to the evidence-based criteria, revising and updating chapters of the originally published paper, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2009", available at http://www.waojournal.org.

Dropouts in sublingual allergen immunotherapy trials - a systematic review.

Participant dropouts can reduce the power of allergen immunotherapy clinical trials. Evaluation of the dropout rate and reasons for dropout are important not only in the planning of clinical studies but are also relevant for adherence to immunotherapy in daily clinical practice. A systematic review was carried out in order to establish the overall dropout rate among published double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials of sublingual immunotherapy for respiratory allergic diseases.

Magnitude of efficacy measurements in grass allergy immunotherapy trials is highly dependent on pollen exposure.

Background: The objective was to evaluate the association between grass pollen exposure, allergy symptoms and impact on measured treatment effect after grass sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet treatment.

Methods: The association between grass pollen counts and total combined rhinoconjunctivitis symptom and medication score (TCS) was based on a post hoc analysis of data collected over six trials and seven grass pollen seasons across North America and Europe, including 2363 subjects treated with grass SLIT-tablet or placebo. Daily pollen counts were obtained from centralized pollen databases.

Online plagiarism training falls short in biology classrooms.

Online plagiarism tutorials are increasingly popular in higher education, as faculty and staff try to curb the plagiarism epidemic. Yet no research has validated the efficacy of such tools in minimizing plagiarism in the sciences. Our study compared three plagiarism-avoidance training regimens (i.

Specific immunotherapy modifies allergen-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses in an epitope-dependent manner.

Background: Understanding the mechanisms by which the immune system induces and controls allergic inflammation at the T-cell epitope level is critical for the design of new allergy vaccine strategies.

Objective: We sought to characterize allergen-specific T-cell responses linked with allergy or peripheral tolerance and to determine how CD4(+) T-cell responses to individual allergen-derived epitopes change over allergen-specific immunotherapy.

Methods: Timothy grass pollen (TGP) allergy was used as a model for studying grass pollen allergies.

Sustained unresponsiveness to peanut in subjects who have completed peanut oral immunotherapy.

Background: Although peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been conclusively shown to cause desensitization, it is currently unknown whether clinical protection persists after stopping therapy.

Objective: Our primary objective was to determine whether peanut OIT can induce sustained unresponsiveness after withdrawal of OIT.

Methods: We conducted a pilot clinical trial of peanut OIT at 2 US centers.

Clinical relevance is associated with allergen-specific wheal size in skin prick testing.

Background: Within a large prospective study, the Global Asthma and Allergy European Network (GA(2) LEN) has collected skin prick test (SPT) data throughout Europe to make recommendations for SPT in clinical settings.

Objective: To improve clinical interpretation of SPT results for inhalant allergens by providing quantitative decision points.

Methods: The GA(2) LEN SPT study with 3068 valid data sets was used to investigate the relationship between SPT results and patient-reported clinical relevance for each of the 18 inhalant allergens as well as SPT wheal size and physician-diagnosed allergy (rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy).

Allergen immunotherapy and tolerance.

Successful allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is associated with a marked decrease in symptoms on allergen exposure, a reduced requirement for 'rescue' anti-allergic drugs and improvement in patients' quality of life. These benefits persist for at least several years following discontinuation of immunotherapy - the hallmark of clinical and immunological tolerance. AIT has been shown to modulate both innate and adaptive immunological responses.

Peptide-induced immune regulation by a promiscuous and immunodominant CD4T-cell epitope of Timothy grass pollen: a role of Cbl-b and Itch in regulation.

Background: T-cell targeted peptide epitope tolerogens from grass pollen allergens may be useful in treating seasonal allergic rhinitis, but there is urgent need for optimisation of approaches from improved understanding of mechanism.

Objective: We sought to identify human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR1-restricted epitopes from the Timothy grass pollen allergen, Phleum pratense, and characterise T-cell immune regulation following intranasal administration of a single, immunodominant epitope.

Methods: T-cell epitopes within P pratense were identified using HLA-DR1 transgenic mice and tetramer-guided epitope mapping (TGEM) in HLA-DR1-positive individuals with grass allergy.

Docetaxel and dasatinib or placebo in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (READY): a randomised, double-blind phase 3 trial.

Background: Src kinase-mediated interactions between prostate cancer cells and osteoclasts might promote bone metastasis. Dasatinib inhibits tyrosine kinases, including Src kinases. Data suggests that dasatinib kinase inhibition leads to antitumour activity, affects osteoclasts, and has synergy with docetaxel, a first-line chemotherapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Allergen immunotherapy for house dust mite: clinical efficacy and immunological mechanisms in allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Introduction: There is an increasing prevalence of atopic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma with house dust mite (HDM) being the common allergen that is highly associated with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Allergen avoidance and pharmacotherapy are part of treatment but it has proved difficult to change the course of HDM-related allergic diseases. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been in use for the past century and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of allergic respiratory disease.

Beta₂-agonists for exercise-induced asthma.

Background: It is well known that physical exercise can trigger asthma symptoms and can induce bronchial obstruction in people without clinical asthma. International guidelines on asthma management recommend the use of beta2-agonists at any stage of the disease. At present, however, no consensus has been reached about the efficacy and safety of beta2-agonists in the pretreatment of exercise-induced asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Orthotic (helmet) therapy in the treatment of plagiocephaly.

Object: The goal of this study was to review the current literature on orthotic (helmet) therapy use in the treatment of deformational plagiocephaly.

Methods: PubMed was used to search English articles using the medical subject headings "deformational plagiocephaly" and "orthosis," and "deformational plagiocephaly" and "helmet."

Results: Forty-two articles were found.

Perceived benefits and barriers to a career in pediatric neurosurgery: a survey of neurosurgical residents.

Object: Research suggests that there may be a growing disparity between the supply of and demand for both pediatric specialists and neurosurgeons. Whether pediatric neurosurgeons are facing such a disparity is disputable, but interest in pediatric neurosurgery (PNS) has waxed and waned as evidenced by the number of applicants for PNS fellowships. The authors undertook a survey to analyze current neurosurgical residents' perceptions of both benefits and deterrents to a pediatric neurosurgical career.