Allan William Cripps: a mucosal immunologist and mentor from beginning to end.

Allan Cripps was internationally recognized in the field of mucosal immunology, in particular the relationship between respiratory diseases and mucosal immunization strategies. Allan's career spanned scientific and applied research, commercialization, health education, and evolved into leadership roles in public-health and academic administration. Allan published over 400 papers and mentored over 40 research higher degree candidates.

Risk factors associated with acute respiratory illnesses in athletes: a systematic review by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on 'acute respiratory illness in the athlete'.

Objective: To review risk factors associated with acute respiratory illness (ARill) in athletes, including non-infectious ARill and suspected or confirmed acute respiratory infections (ARinf).

Design: Systematic review.

Data Sources: Electronic databases: PubMed-Medline, EbscoHost and Web of Science.

Incidence of acute respiratory illnesses in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on 'acute respiratory illness in the athlete'.

Objective: To determine the incidence of acute respiratory illness (ARill) in athletes and by method of diagnosis, anatomical classification, ages, levels of performance and seasons.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Electronic databases: PubMed-Medline, EbscoHost and Web of Science.

Dietary Intake and Gastrointestinal Integrity in Runners Undertaking High-Intensity Exercise in the Heat.

Gastrointestinal disturbances are one of the most common issues for endurance athletes during training and competition in the heat. The relationship between typical dietary intake or nutritional interventions and perturbations in or maintenance of gut integrity is unclear. Twelve well-trained male endurance athletes (peak oxygen consumption = 61.

Embedding an economist in regional and rural health services to add value and reduce waste by improving local-level decision-making: protocol for the 'embedded Economist' program and evaluation.

Background: Systematic approaches to the inclusion of economic evaluation in national healthcare decision-making are usual. It is less common for economic evaluation to be routinely undertaken at the 'local-level' (e.g.

Can exercise affect immune function to increase susceptibility to infection?

Multiple studies in humans and animals have demonstrated the profound impact that exercise can have on the immune system. There is a general consensus that regular bouts of short-lasting (i.e.

Developing a multi-component immune model for evaluating the risk of respiratory illness in athletes.

Clinical and laboratory identification of the underlying risk of respiratory illness in athletes has proved problematic. The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical data, combined with immune responses to standardised exercise protocols and genetic cytokine polymorphism status, could identify the risk of respiratory illness (symptoms) in a cohort of highly-trained athletes. Male endurance athletes (n=16; VO2max 66.

Respiratory inflammation and infections in high-performance athletes.

Upper respiratory illness is the most common reason for non-injury-related presentation to a sports medicine clinic, accounting for 35-65% of illness presentations. Recurrent or persistent respiratory illness can have a negative impact on health and performance of athletes undertaking high levels of strenuous exercise. The cause of upper respiratory symptoms (URS) in athletes can be uncertain but the majority of cases are related to common respiratory viruses, viral reactivation, allergic responses to aeroallergens and exercise-related trauma to the integrity of respiratory epithelial membranes.

Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting TNF-α Responses in Relation to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Dysregulation of the inflammatory responses has been suggested to contribute to the events leading to sudden infant deaths. Our objectives were (1) to analyze a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with high levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) responses, TNF G-308A, in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants, SIDS and control parents, and ethnic groups with different incidences of SIDS; (2) the effects of two risk factors for SIDS, cigarette smoke and virus infection, on TNF-α responses; and (3) to assess effects of genotype, cigarette smoke, and gender on TNF-α responses to bacterial toxins identified in SIDS infants. TNF G-308A genotypes were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction for SIDS infants from Australia, Germany, and Hungary; parents of SIDS infants and their controls; and populations with high (Aboriginal Australian), medium (Caucasian), and low (Bangladeshi) SIDS incidences.

Virus Infections and Sudden Death in Infancy: The Role of Interferon-γ.

Respiratory infections have been implicated in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a major response to virus infection, we examined (1) the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), IFNG T + 874A, in SIDS infants, their parents, and ethnic groups with different incidences of SIDS; (2) model systems with a monocytic cell line (THP-1) and human peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) for effects of levels of IFN-γ on inflammatory responses to bacterial antigens identified in SIDS; (3) interactions between genetic and environmental factors on IFN-γ responses. IFNG T + 874A genotypes were determined for SIDS infants from three countries; families who had a SIDS death; populations with high (Indigenous Australian), medium (Caucasian), and low (Bangladeshi) SIDS incidences.

Position statement. Part one: Immune function and exercise.

An ever-growing volume of peer-reviewed publications speaks to the recent and rapid growth in both scope and understanding of exercise immunology. Indeed, more than 95% of all peer-reviewed publications in exercise immunology (currently >2, 200 publications using search terms "exercise" and "immune") have been published since the formation of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology (ISEI) in 1989 (ISI Web of Knowledge). We recognise the epidemiological distinction between the generic term "physical activity" and the specific category of "exercise", which implies activity for a specific purpose such as improvement of physical condition or competition.

Developmental profiles of mucosal immunity in pre-school children.

This study investigated the effect of attending pre-school on mucosal immunity. Children 3.5 to 5 years of age who attended pre-school were observed for a 10 month period.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms and risk for upper respiratory symptoms in highly-trained athletes.

Physiological and immunological factors contributing to risk for upper respiratory symptoms (URS) in athletic populations remain under investigation. Single nucleotide changes (polymorphisms) in cytokine genes and alterations in associated gene expression may influence risk for URS in some athletes. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of cytokine gene polymorphisms in athletes with or without a history of frequent URS.

Relationship between C-reactive protein concentration and cytokine responses to exercise in healthy and illness-prone runners.

Differences in the immune and inflammatory response to exercise between healthy and illness-prone athletes may be one explanation why some athletes experience a greater incidence of upper respiratory symptoms than others. The aim of this study was to compare the C-reactive protein (CRP) response to acute exercise between healthy and illness-prone trained distance runners. Runners were classified as healthy (< or =2 episodes of upper respiratory symptoms per year; n = 10) or illness-prone (> or =4 episodes per year; n = 8) and completed three treadmill running protocols.

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of upper respiratory symptoms in elite athletes.

Objective: To characterize the etiology of upper respiratory symptoms in elite athletes presenting to a sports physician for treatment.

Design: Prospective clinical and laboratory investigations.

Setting: Sports medicine clinic.

Cytokine responses to treadmill running in healthy and illness-prone athletes.

Purpose: To characterize differences in cytokine responses to exercise of different intensities and durations between healthy and illness-prone runners.

Methods: Trained distance runners were classified as healthy (no more than two episodes of upper-respiratory symptoms per year; N = 10) or illness-prone (four or more episodes per year; N = 8) and completed three treadmill tests: SHORT (30 min, 65% VO2max), LONG (60 min, 65% VO2max), and INTENSE (6 x 3 min, 90% VO2max). Blood samples were collected pre-, post-, 1 h, 10 h, and 24 h after exercise, and interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-1ra concentrations were determined.

IL6 G-174C associated with sudden infant death syndrome in a Caucasian Australian cohort.

The aims of this study were to analyze IL6 G-174C in relation to high interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations found in some sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants, and to assess the effects of IL6 G-174C, smoking status, and gender on IL-6 responses. SIDS infants, parents of SIDS infants, and populations with high (Aboriginal Australian), medium (Caucasian) or low (Bangladeshi) SIDS incidences were genotyped. Leukocytes were stimulated in vitro with endotoxin and IL-6 responses were assessed in relation to IL6 G-174C genotype, smoking status, and gender.

Cytokine responses and sudden infant death syndrome: genetic, developmental, and environmental risk factors.

Despite the success of the campaigns to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), it still remains the major cause of postneonatal mortality. The incidence of SIDS is higher among ethnic groups in which there are also high incidences of serious infectious diseases. The risk factors for SIDS parallel those for susceptibility to infection, and recent data have provided evidence to support the mathematical model of the common bacterial toxin hypothesis.

Influence of training loads on patterns of illness in elite distance runners.

Objective: To investigate relationships between training mileage and intensity, and the type, incidence, severity, and duration of respiratory illness in distance runners, and the impact of illness on submaximal and maximal running performance.

Design: A longitudinal observational study of distance runners with serial monitoring of training loads and clinical patterns of illness.

Setting: A 4-month winter training period in the Southern Hemisphere.

Variation of salivary immunoglobulins in exercising and sedentary populations.

Purpose: This study examined the nature of the variability in salivary immunoglobulin and albumin concentrations within an individual, between individuals, and between populations with differing levels of habitual physical activity.

Methods: Fourteen elite swimmers, and 21 active and 18 sedentary individuals provided 12 saliva samples over a 30-d period. Group classifications were based on interviews, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity records.

The missing links in exercise effects on mucosal immunity.

This review highlights research limitations within the existing exercise immunology literature and summarises unanswered questions to assist researchers and clinicians interested in exploring relationships between exercise, training and mucosal immunity. The primary limitations of the existing literature include: inadequate descriptions of training stimuli, age, gender and physical activity of subjects; failing to account for the influence of these factors and the underlying fitness and health status of subjects; methodological differences in assessments of mucosal immunity; limited understanding of the sources of biological variability in mucosal immunity; limited clinical and laboratory diagnosis of respiratory illness; and neglect of psychological, environmental, nutritional and pharmacological influences. Despite a considerable volume of research on mucosal immunity the unanswered research questions include: whether athletes are really more prone to illness; whether illness impacts on athletic performance; identifying subject or training characteristics that influence the mucosal immune responses to exercise; defining how exercise influences the acute mucosal immune response; assessing whether moderate exercise can enhance mucosal immune status; defining more clearly the treatment and management strategies for the athlete suffering recurrent illness, overtraining or long-term fatigue; and the effectiveness of dietary and therapeutic interventions.

Interleukin 1-beta responses to bacterial toxins and sudden infant death syndrome.

We tested the hypothesis that significantly higher IL-1beta responses to toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST) noted for parents of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants might be due in part to genetic factors such as the IL-1beta (C-511T) and IL-1RN (T+2018C) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). The first objective was to assess the distribution of these polymorphisms among SIDS infants, parents of SIDS infants and controls, and two ethnic groups: Aboriginal Australians who have a high incidence of SIDS; and Bangladeshis who in Britain have a low incidence of SIDS compared with Europeans. The second objective was to assess IL-1beta responses to endotoxin and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST) from leukocytes of smokers and non-smokers in relation to these polymorphisms.