Allergens in dog extracts: Implication for diagnosis and treatment.

Background: Five to ten percent of the population in affluent countries are allergic to dog. Diagnosis and treatment is based on allergen extracts from natural sources where composition and concentration are poorly defined.

Objective: We aimed to quantify six dog allergens (Can f 1-6) in commercial skin prick test (SPT) solutions and to determine individual allergen profiles in dogs.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) induced hydroxyl radical formation in copper contaminated household drinking water: role of bicarbonate concentration.

We have previously shown that Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can trigger hydroxyl radical formation in copper contaminated household drinking water. We report here that the capacity of ascorbic acid to catalyze hydroxyl radical generation in the drinking water samples is strongly dependent on the bicarbonate concentration (buffer capacity and pH) of the samples. We found that at least 50 mg/l bicarbonate was required in the water samples to maintain the pH over 5.

Measurement of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) induced hydroxyl radical generation in household drinking water.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) induced hydroxyl radical formation was measured in household drinking water samples using the hydroxyl radical sensitive probe coumarin-3-carboxylic acid. Vitamin C, a reducing agent that is commonly used as a food additive, triggered a significant hydroxyl radical generating reaction when added to the tap-water samples tested. The capacity of ascorbic acid to trigger hydroxyl radical formation in the tap-water samples was dependent on the flushing time before the samples were taken indicating that the water in the copper piping had been contaminated by copper ions.