Tetramer-Guided Epitope Mapping: A Rapid Approach to Identify HLA-Restricted T-Cell Epitopes from Composite Allergens.

Tetramer-guided epitope mapping (TGEM) is a technique in immunology that permits the rapid identification of allergenic epitopes through peptide screening procedures utilizing human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) class II tetramers as staining reagents for detection. The identification of allergenic epitopes is a prerequisite for the accurate characterization of allergen-specific CD4 T cells without in vitro stimulation. Additionally, these MHC-II/peptide complexes that interact with T-cell receptors (TCR) of pathogenic CD4 T cells are compatible with a different number of assays like Intracelullar Cytokine Staining (ICS), and Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) making it a robust technology to study the functionality of allergen-specific CD4 T cells.

Chronic cat allergen exposure induces a TH2 cell-dependent IgG4 response related to low sensitization.

Background: In human subjects, allergen tolerance has been observed after high-dose allergen exposure or after completed allergen immunotherapy, which is related to the accumulation of anti-inflammatory IgG4. However, the specific T-cell response that leads to IgG4 induction during chronic allergen exposure remains poorly understood.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the relationship between cat allergen-specific T-cell frequency, cat allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 titers, and clinical status in adults with cat allergy with and without cat ownership and the cellular mechanism by which IgG4 is produced.

Stain Removal Assessment of Two Manual Toothbrushes with an Interproximal Tooth Stain Index.

Objective: To assess a newly developed index to measure interproximal stain and evaluate the stain removal efficacy of two commercially available manual toothbrushes.

Methods: This was a randomized, examiner-blind, parallel-group, two-treatment clinical trial of two weeks' duration. Subjects qualified for the study if they had an average Modified Lobene Stain Index of ≥ 1.

Jug r 2-reactive CD4(+) T cells have a dominant immune role in walnut allergy.

Background: Allergic reactions to walnut can be life-threatening. Although IgE epitopes of walnut have been studied, CD4(+) T cell-specific epitopes for walnut remain uncharacterized. In particular, the relationship of both phenotype and frequency of walnut-specific T cells to the disease have not been examined.

Antigingivitis efficacy of a stabilized stannous fluoride/sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice in subjects previously nonresponsive to a triclosan/copolymer dentifrice.

Antimicrobial agents, such as stannous fluoride and triclosan, have been incorporated into dentifrice formulations and shown to be effective in the prevention and reduction of gingivitis. However, not all subjects respond to treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the antigingivitis efficacy of a 0.

The comparative efficacy of stabilized stannous fluoride/sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice and sodium fluoride/triclosan/copolymer dentifrice for the control of gingivitis: a 6-month randomized clinical study.

Background: Antimicrobial agents such as stannous fluoride and triclosan have been incorporated into dentifrice formulations and have been shown to be effective in reducing gingivitis. The objective of this study was to compare the anti-gingivitis efficacy of a 0.454% stannous fluoride/sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice to a positive control triclosan/copolymer dentifrice.

Dose response efficacy of sodium fluoride dentifrice at 9 and 21 months with supervised brushing.

Purpose: To assess whether a fluoride dose response could be detected with a relatively small sample size in a short duration using a novel randomized, double-blind study design.

Methods: Subjects (N = 644, with approximately 215 per group) with a mean age of 10.4 years old (9-12 years old) used a placebo dentifrice, an 1100 ppm F dentifrice or a 2800 ppm F dentifrice for the first 9 months of the study.

Dental caries in school-age children residing in five Guatemalan communities.

Objective: The caries epidemiology within the country of Guatemala is poorly understood. This work reports the cross-sectional prevalence of caries in the permanent teeth of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years in five different communities within Guatemala, and relates the caries experience to the fluoride levels in the communal drinking water in each of these cities.

Methodology: These cities were selected because they represent geographically distinct regions of Guatemala, where there is no fluoridation of public drinking water.

Effect of three concentrations of sodium fluoride dentifrices on clinical caries.

Purpose: To assess whether the anti-caries effectiveness of three concentrations of fluoride dentifrice (placebo, 500 ppm F- and 1450 ppm F-) could be differentiated with small sample sizes in short time frames.

Materials And Methods: A controlled fluoride (F) dose-response study was conducted in concurrence with a supervised school oral hygiene regimen to assess whether dentifrices with increasing fluoride levels could be differentiated with small sample sizes in short time frames. The study was a randomized, double-blind study conducted for a period of 21 months.

The effect of shared genetic and environmental factors on periodontal disease parameters in untreated adult siblings in Guatemala.

Background: Increasing evidence supports the role of genetic factors in susceptibility to infectious diseases, including chronic periodontitis. The role of genetic factors in phenotypic expression can be estimated from the degree of resemblance between relatives, as compared with that of unrelated members of a population. Heritability is an estimate of the proportion of total phenotypic variation of a quantitative trait, which is attributable to genetic factors, and is based on the variance within versus between family members.