Compassionate Use of Tocilizumab for Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

Background: Preliminary data from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia patients indicate that a cytokine storm may increase morbidity and mortality. Tocilizumab (anti-IL-6R) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of cytokine storm associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Here we examined compassionate use of tocilizumab in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Characterization and standardization of allergen extracts.

This paper summarizes the development of the extraction and characterization of allergens responsible for the induction of immunoglobulin (lg) E-induced allergies from the beginning of the 20th century, including the nomenclature of allergens. The majority of papers characterizing allergens and allergen extracts state that the lack of standardization of allergen extracts is the reason for the paper, and so it has been for more than 100 years. A natural part of that process might be the isolation of an allergen molecule and this starts the speculation of 'what makes that allergen an allergen?' To achieve the perfect standardization is a desirable end that is still awaited.

Cultivation and counter cultivation: does religiosity shape the relationship between television viewing and estimates of crime prevalence and assessment of victimization likelihood?

Religiosity may change the direction of the effect of TV viewing on assessment of the likelihood of personal victimization and estimates concerning crime prevalence. A content analysis of a representative sample of TV programming (56 hours of prime-time shows) was done to identify the most common crimes on television, followed by a survey of a representative sample of the adult public in a large urban district (778 respondents) who were asked to estimate the prevalence of these crimes and to assess the likelihood of themselves being victimized. People who defined themselves as non-religious increased their estimates of prevalence for crimes often depicted on TV, as they reported more time watching TV (ordinary cultivation effect), whereas estimates regarding the prevalence of crime and assessment of victimization likelihood among religious respondents were lower with reports of more time devoted to television viewing (counter-cultivation effect).

Willingness to pay for allergy-vaccination among Danish patients with respiratory allergy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to elicit willingness to pay (WTP) for allergen-specific subcutaneous injection immunotherapy (SCIT) in a cohort of respondents suffering from allergic-rhinoconjunctivitis (a-RC)/asthma, and to investigate how patients self-select to SCIT according to need.

Methods: A random sample of the general population was screened for a-RC/asthma and asked if they were willing to consider SCIT. They were asked to state their WTP for SCIT by way of a discrete choice question (DC-q), an open-ended WTP question (o-WTP-q), and questions relating to their sociodemographic background and the severity of their a-RC/asthma.

Determination of adsorbed protein concentration in aluminum hydroxide suspensions by near-infrared transmittance spectroscopy.

Analysis of aluminum hydroxide based vaccines is difficult after antigen adsorption. Adsorbed protein is often assessed by measuring residual unadsorbed protein for quality control. A new method for the direct determination of adsorbed protein concentration in suspension using near-infrared (NIR) transmittance spectroscopy is proposed here.

Widespread natural variation in murine natural killer T-cell number and function.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells comprise a novel T-lymphocyte subset that can influence a wide variety of immune responses through their ability to secrete large amounts of a variety of cytokines. Although variation in NKT-cell number and function has been extensively studied in autoimmune disease-prone mice, in which it has been linked to disease susceptibility, relatively little is known of the natural variation of NKT-cell number and function among normal inbred mouse strains. Here, we demonstrate strain-dependent variation in the susceptibility of C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice to NKT-mediated airway hyperreactivity, which correlated with significant increases in serum interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 elicited by the synthetic glycosphingolipid alpha-galactosylceramide.

Quality of life in rhinoconjunctivitis assessed with generic and disease-specific questionnaires.

Background: Illness as perceived by the allergic patient with asthma and/or rhinoconjunctivitis (RC) can be assessed by measurements of their health-related quality of life (HRQL). For this purpose the RC Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) has gained general acceptance; however, as most allergic patients experience symptoms from multiple organs, disease-specific HRQL measures may be deficient. This study compares a generic and a disease-specific HRQL instrument in grass and/or mite-allergic patients.

Determination of moisture content of lyophilized allergen vaccines by NIR spectroscopy.

Moisture content is an important parameter for lyophilized vaccines. Currently, Karl Fischer titration is widely used for moisture determination in routine analysis. However, this method is time-consuming, sample destructive and requires environment polluting reagents, as well as the results rely on the random samplings.

Determination of aluminium content in aluminium hydroxide formulation by FT-NIR transmittance spectroscopy.

A method for determining the aluminium content of an aluminium hydroxide suspension using near infrared (NIR) transmittance spectroscopy has been developed. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used as reference method. The factors influencing the NIR analysis, such as different sample containers (transmission cell and cuvette), sedimentation in the suspension, day-to-day variation and batch-to-batch variation have been studied before constructing a calibration model.

Particle size determination in aluminum hydroxide suspensions using near-infrared transmittance spectroscopy.

A new method for particle size determination in polystyrene and aluminum hydroxide suspensions using near-infrared transmittance spectroscopy is described. Mono-dispersed polystyrene particle size standards were used to establish the calibration model. The particle sizes used in the study are similar to the wavelength range of 700-1300 nm, where light scattering is wavelength dependent.

Different mechanisms of Campath-1H-mediated depletion for CD4 and CD8 T cells in peripheral blood.

It is assumed that complement and noncomplement-mediated mechanisms are similarly responsible for Campath-1H-mediated killing of all T-cell subtypes in vivo. However, the differing surface expression of CD52 on T-cell subtypes suggests that may not be the case. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent and mechanism of Campath-1H-mediated elimination of different T-cell subtypes in peripheral blood.

CD52 ligation induces CD4 and CD8 down modulation in vivo and in vitro.

To successfully induce donor-specific tolerance after immune depletion, it is essential to understand the residual and recovering immune system in the context of the depleting agent because the properties of such a recovering immune system differ based on the depleting agent used. In this study, we investigate the phenotypic and functional characteristics of T cells exposed to Campath-1H in vivo and in vitro. Recovering T cells demonstrated down modulated surface CD4 and CD8 (by flow cytometry) for up to 45 days after Campath-1H administration.

Recombinant allergens/allergen standardization.

Recombinant allergens are genetically engineered isoforms representing allergen molecules from allergen extracts. Immunologic responses of allergic patients toward allergen extracts define the major allergens. For the average allergic patient, the diagnostic sensitivity and treatment efficacy correlate with the concentration of major allergen.

Messages of professional empowerment from the land of Oz.

In the movie adaptation of Baum's book, Dorothy's whole adventure was a dream. But the movie told only a part of the original story. In the print version, Oz was a real place to which Dorothy eventually relocated after 3 more visits; Dorothy moved to Oz permanently in the sixth book (of 13 books) and became a princess.

Molecular basis of allergic cross-reactivity between group 1 major allergens from birch and apple.

Patients allergic to birch pollen often also react with fruits and vegetables, such as apple. The major cause of cross-reactivity between birch and apple is biochemical and immunological similarity between the major allergens, Bet v 1 and Mal d 1, as demonstrated by serological and cellular immunoassays. In addition, birch pollen-specific therapeutic allergy vaccination has been shown to improve allergic symptoms caused by oral ingestion of apple.

Modified T-cell activation pattern during specific immunotherapy (SIT) in cat-allergic patients.

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyse early effects of specific immunotherapy (SIT) on immune functions in cat-allergic patients.

Methods: Immunological responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eight cat-allergic patients were analysed before and after SIT in comparison with 11 nonallergic controls. Cells were stimulated in vitro with either bacterial superantigen, mitogen, or cat allergen.

Immunotherapy in children with allergic asthma: effect on bronchial hyperreactivity and pharmacotherapy.

Background: Immunotherapy has been shown to reduce allergen sensitivity to allergens such as cat and dust mite. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cat or dust mite immunotherapy on bronchial hyperreactivity and the need for inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma, cat or dust mite allergy, and hay fever.

Subjects: Twenty-nine children, 7 to 16 years old, completed the 3-year study.