bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring polynyas with Ocean Acoustic Tomography: a
feasibility study in Terra Nova Bay
Authors: DE MARINIS ENRICO , PICCO PAOLA , MELONI ROBERTO
Published: March 2003

This study looks at the feasibility of using Ocean Acoustic Tomography for long-term monitoring
of polynyas using both observations in Terra Nova Bay polynya (Ross Sea) and simulations with a range
dependent, multi-layered adiabatic normal mode acoustic propagation model. The summer sound speed
profile is characterized by surface values of around 1450 m s−1, a minimum of 1441 m s−1 around 50 m depth
and a linear increase with a 0.016 s−1 slope. Thus, the sound propagation is apparently ducted in the near
surface layer and is refracted upward below it. During winter, due to water cooling and mixing processes, the
subsurface minimum disappears, the surface sound speed is about 1440 m s−1 and no near surface layer
ducted propagation occurs. Because of the specificity of the Terra Nova Bay seasonal sound speed profile
and to cope with both deep and shelf water applicability, the feasibility study of acoustic inversion was
undertaken using normal mode Match Field Tomography instead of the more classical travel-time inversion.
The results from simulations demonstrate that ocean acoustic tomography is able to reproduce quite well the
vertical sound speed profile, in particular the temporal evolution of summer stratification and winter mixing
processes, thus providing information on the upper layer, where direct measurements are not possible.
Dynamics of bacterioplankton activities after a summer
phytoplankton bloom period in Terra Nova Bay
Authors: MONTICELLI LUIS S. , LA FERLA ROSABRUNA , MAIMONE GIOVANNA
Published: March 2003

A late summer study of marine bacteria activities, and the interrelationships with the microbial
loop and the microbial food chain was carried out from 22 January to 10 February 2000 in a coastal area of
Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea). The objective was to investigate the transition from the end of a phytoplanktonic
bloom to the start of winter. Intense bacterial activities, comparable to those of temperate marine
environments, were observed. The carbon potentially mobilized from proteinaceous matter was
quantitatively the most important source of carbon for the bacterioplankton. The leucine aminopeptidase
activity was higher in January samples and decreased towards 10 February whereas an opposite trend was
observed for alkaline phosphatase and ï¿½-glucosidase activities. The bacterial production was supported by
c. 0.2% of the amounts of dissolved organic carbon mobilised by hydrolytic activities and by 7% of
inorganic phosphate mobilised by alkaline phosphatase activity. A sharp reduction in the bacterial biomass,
possibly due to zooplankton grazing or viral lysis, was observed for the first time in Terra Nova Bay.
Persistent organic pollutants in some species of a Ross Sea
pelagic trophic web
Authors: CORSOLINI SIMONETTA , ADEMOLLO NICOLETTA , ROMEO TERESA , OLMASTRONI SILVIA , FOCARDI SILVANO
Published: March 2003

Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) stomach contents, krill (Euphausia superba and
E. crystallorophias) and silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum) from the Ross Sea were analysed to
determine several persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In discussing the data, the prey-predator linkage
between these species was taken into account. Sampling was carried out during the 1995/96 and 1999/00
Italian Antarctic Expeditions. Fifty four polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and p,p’-DDE and hexachlorobenzene
(HCB) were quantified in stomach contents of penguins nesting at Edmonson Point (Victoria Land) and in
whole specimens of silverfish and krill from the Ross Sea. Xenobiotic concentrations in organisms were low
compared to data reported for many marine species of lower latitudes and ranged from 0.22 ng g−1 wet wt
p,p’-DDE in krill to 161 ng g−1 wet wt PCBs in silverfish. Fingerprints and class of isomer patterns showed a
predominance of low chlorinated PCBs, mainly in pelagic organisms. Average input of these POPs through
the diet was also evaluated. Concentrations of the most toxic non-ortho PCBs, IUPAC nos 77 (3,3′,4,4′), 126
(3,3′,4,4′,5) and 169 (3,3′,4,4′,5,5′), were 1.63 pg g−1, 7.31 pg g−1 and 0.23 pg g−1 wet wt, respectively, in
stomach content samples. Stomach contents had 0.037 pg g−1 wet wt TEQ (Toxic Equivalents) of which
penta-CB126 accounted for most of the toxicity.
The vertical flux of particulate matter in the polynya of Terra Nova
Bay. Part I. Chemical constituents
Authors: ACCORNERO A. , MANNO C. , ARRIGO K.R. , MARTINI A. , TUCCI S.
Published: March 2003

Downward fluxes of particulate matter were investigated in the polynya of Terra Nova Bay
(western Ross Sea) from February 1995 to December 1997. Biogenic silica made up the bulk of the sinking
matter, reaching a maximum of 85% of the total flux in both the shallow and deep traps. Organic carbon
accounted for 2.1 to 23.5% of the sample mass in the shallow trap and 2.8 to 7.2% in the deep trap. Biogenic
silica and organic carbon peaks occurred in February–March over the three years and were always coupled
in the top trap. Carbonate fluxes showed an uneven temporal trend, were low near the seafloor and
contributed up to 69.8% of the material collected by the shallow trap. Vertical fluxes in the polynya showed
large seasonal and interannual variability. Differences in primary productivity, ice cover dynamics and
current energies accounted for the interannual changes in the flux of materials to the subsurface trap.
Advection from sites a few hundred kilometres apart was the most likely reason for the decoupling between
shallow and deep fluxes after October 1996. The seasonal pattern of downward fluxes was essentially linked
to the seasonal cycle of primary production and spring–summer variations largely resulted from the
composition of the phytoplankton assemblage in the overlying water column. The export of phototrophically
produced materials to depth was low in late spring–early summer, at the time when Phaeocystis and small
flagellates were the predominant autotrophs and the microbial food web prevailed over herbivorous feeding.
Enhanced fluxes were linked to the predominance of large diatoms above the trap, in late summer. Temporal
dynamics in this polynya were delayed by approximately one month as compared to the southernmost Ross
Sea polynya, but showed the same temporal pattern: the time lag between production and accumulation of
biogenic materials in the upper water column was a few weeks, while the delay in export from the surface
layer relative to the maximum accumulation of biomass was approximately one month.
Sediment characteristics at selected sites of the Ross Sea
continental shelf: does the sedimentary record reflect water
column fluxes?
Authors: FRIGNANI M. , GIGLIO F. , ACCORNERO A. , LANGONE L. , RAVAIOLI M.
Published: March 2003

Flux data from moored sediment trap experiments and mass accumulation rates in sediments were
obtained for three sites in the Ross Sea which are currently studied for the formation and transit of High
Salinity Shelf Water and Ice Shelf Water. These two data sets were compared to obtain inferences on the
coupling between water column processes and sedimentary records. The depth distribution of physical
features and concentrations of organic carbon and biogenic silica in box cores and gravity cores were
studied. Mass accumulation rates, established on the basis of two conventional 14C dates for each core, range
between 7.64 and 19.46 g m−2 yr−1. Although these are productive areas, downward fluxes measured by
sediment traps are low: 7.5–25.6, 2.4–17.9 and 0.5–0.9 g m−2 yr−1 for particles, biogenic silica and organic
carbon, respectively. The concentrations of biogenic components in surficial sediments are correspondingly
low. Simple mass balances were calculated assuming the conservative behaviour of the lithic fraction of
sinking materials and sediment. Lateral advection of suspended particles is needed to balance the fluxes at
the three sites. Furthermore, the model suggests that the preservation of biogenic components is lower than
at other sites of the Ross Sea, probably due to the low accumulation rates that imply a high residence time of
biogenic materials at the sediment-water interface.
Fronts and upper ocean thermal variability south of New Zealand
Authors: BUDILLON G. , RINTOUL S.R.
Published: March 2003

The structure and variability of Southern Ocean fronts south of New Zealand are described based
on fifteen summer expendable bathythermograph (XBT) sections obtained between 1994 and 2001. The
temperature variability north of 60°S is dominated by meanders and meridional shifts of the Sub-Antarctic
Front (SAF), which often bifurcates to form northern and southern branches. The northern branch follows
the southern edge of the Campbell Plateau, while the southern branch is found over the abyssal plain of the
south-west Pacific Basin. The northern and southern branches of the SAF can be separated by as much as
900 km. Intense eddies or meanders of the SAF displace isotherms by as much as 5 degrees of latitude from
their positions when such features are absent. The Polar Front (PF) position is more stable in time, although
cold-core features associated with eddies or meanders of the front are occasionally observed between the
southern SAF and the PF. The position of the southern ACC front is extremely stable, consistently overlying
the 3000 m isobath on the northern flank of the Pacific-Antarctic/south-east Indian Ridge.
Surface current measurements in Terra Nova Bay by HF radar
Authors: FLOCCO D. , FALCO P. , WADHAMS P. , SPEZIE G.
Published: March 2003

During summer (2 December 1999–23 January 2000) an Ocean Surface Current Radar (OSCR-II)
was used to provide surface current measurements within the Terra Nova Bay polynya, one of the most
important coastal polynyas of the Ross Sea. This represents an important step towards a continuous
monitoring of the area. Useful information is now available as a basis for future work in this field, although
the two radar sites, necessary to calculate the total current vector, did not work together throughout the
whole period of the experiment as one of the units was damaged. The results demonstrate the feasibility of
this kind of measurement and suggest that very important dynamical characteristics of the polynya could be
deduced from long term deployment of such a system.
Is thermobaricity a major factor in Southern Ocean ventilation?
Authors: MCPHEE MILES G.
Published: March 2003

The Weddell Polynya, a large expanse of water that originated over Maud Rise (a bathymetric
protrusion centred near 64°30′S, 3°E) and remained open during winter in the late 1970s, may have
manifested a mode of deep ocean convection where despite large heat loss at the surface, sustained heat
transport from below prevents lasting ice formation. In a different dominant mode (the present one), sea ice
forms early in the winter and subsequently provides a thermal barrier that quickly quells incipient deep
convection, thus preventing wholesale destruction of the ice cover. A possible mechanism for overcoming
the thermal barrier is thermobaricity, the pressure dependence of the thermal expansion factor for seawater.
An idealized, two-layer version of actual temperature and salinity profiles from the Weddell illustrates that
thermobaric mixing can persist for extended periods in an ice-covered ocean, provided realistic melt rates
(controlled by salt exchange at the ice/ocean interface) are specified. This furnishes a possible explanation
for transient winter polynyas sometime observed in the ice-covered Southern Ocean. Thermobaricity may
provide a trigger for widespread convection with possible climate impact.
Plumbing the depths - the waters of the Ross Sea
Authors: JACOBS STANLEY S.
Published: March 2003

The first oceanographic measurements in the Ross Sea were made by its discoverer James Clark Ross,
from the Erebus, on 18 January 1841. Since that time its continental shelf, seasonally ice free in most
years, has proved a magnet to explorers and scientists, if not to fishermen and tourists. Nevertheless, our
knowledge of this environment is rapidly being outpaced by our ignorance of its variability. For example,
the Ross Sea contains two of the largest, most persistent polynyas on the Antarctic coastline, but its sea ice
extent has increased over recent decades while its salinity has steadily declined. Are regional winds now
stronger, the ocean circulation faster, and the ice thinner now than at the time of the IGY? Are its winter
polynyas characterized more by upwelling driven by offshore winds, or downwelling due to brine release
when sea ice is formed? How are polynya surface layers stabilized and iron-enriched, reportedly
enhancing summer productivity, if the ice cover is blown away before it can melt in situ?
Sensitization to allergens of house‐dust mite in adults with atopic dermatitis in a cold temperate region
Authors: Holm L , Öhman S , Van Hage‐hamsten M , Scheynius A
Published: March 2003

Background: An IgE‐mediated contact reaction to airborne allergens has been suggested as one important pathogenetic mechanism in atopic dermatitis (AD). The house‐dust mite (HDM) might be a common allergen involved. In Scandinavia, sensitization to HDM has been rare, probably because of the cold, dry climate. However, recent studies indicate high levels of domestic mites and HDM allergen in 15–20% of homes in central and northern Sweden.

Methods: To evaluate the importance of the HDM in patients with AD in the Stockholm region, we screened 81 adult Stockholm residents with AD, for the prevalence and degree of sensitization to the HDM, according to specific IgE (RAST), skin prick test (SPT), and atopy patch test (APT). We also assessed the HDM exposure in their homes and correlated the results with clinical history, severity of the dermatitis, and type of residence during childhood and today.

Results: The sensitization rate to HDM was high (56% according to RAST, 24% according to SPT, and 47% according to APT), and 20% of the patients were exposed to HDM allergens in their beds. Mite exposure seemed to aggravate the dermatitis in highly sensitized patients.

Conclusions: The results indicate that we have to take the HDM into account when discussing aggravating factors in adult patients with AD in the Stockholm region.
Lipid and protein metabolism in asthma. Effects of diet and corticosteroid therapy
Authors: Picado C , Deulofeu R , Casals E , Lleonart R , Agustí M , Quintó L , Mullol J
Published: March 2003

Background: Because little is known about the effects of asthma and asthma therapy on lipid and protein metabolism, we have investigated the characteristics of diet and plasma/serum levels of fat and protein in a group of asthma patients with various degrees of severity.

Methods: A case‐control study was carried out on 118 asthma patients recruited from an outpatient clinic and 121 healthy subjects. Asthma severity was characterized in four groups according to clinical symptoms, lung‐function tests, and therapy. Normal dietary intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. Serum protein, albumin, and fatty acids were determined by standard methods.

Results: The dietary energy intake of the asthmatics was significantly lower than that of the controls. However, no differences in the body mass index were found between asthma patients and healthy subjects. There were no differences in serum/plasma levels in any of the measured biochemical parameters between healthy subjects and asthmatics. Plasma levels of protein and albumin were significantly lower in severely corticosteroid‐dependent patients. There was a significant negative correlation between plasma protein (r=0.36, P<0.05) and plasma albumin levels (r=0.43, P<0.01) and the daily dose of oral corticosteroids. We did not find any differences in plasma levels of cholesterol, HDL‐cholesterol, LDL‐cholesterol, and fatty acids between cortico‐dependent patients and those not receiving this therapy. No correlation was found between any biochemical parameters and the daily dose of inhaled corticosteroids.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that asthma induces a decrease in energy intake that does not result in a decreased body weight. Inhaled corticosteroids do not exert any metabolic effect, whereas severe asthma with regular oral corticosteroid therapy is associated with reduced plasma protein and albumin levels.
Increasing prevalence of allergic rhinitis symptoms in an adult Danish population
Authors: Linneberg A. , Jørgensen T. , Nielsen N.H. , Madsen F. , Frølund L. , Dirksen A.
Published: March 2003

There is evidence that the prevalence of respiratory allergy is increasing. This is mainly based on studies in children and young adults. The aim of the study was to compare the prevalences of self‐reported symptoms of respiratory allergy among Danish adults in two surveys 8 years apart. Identical questionnaires were mailed to two random general population samples in 1989 and 1997. The response rates were 86.1% (n=3603) and 86.4% (n=817), respectively. The sampling frame and sampling method were identical in both surveys. The changes in the prevalences of symptoms were expressed by sex‐ and age‐adjusted odds ratios comparing 1997 to 1989. We found a significant increase in the prevalence of seasonal rhinitis symptoms (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.4–1.9), rhinitis symptoms on exposure to pollen (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.4–1.9), rhinitis symptoms on exposure to furry animals (odds ratio 1.6, 95% CI 1.3–2.0), rhinitis symptoms on exposure to house dust (OR=1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.6), and breathlessness on exposure to pollen (OR=1.5, 95% CI 1.0–2.0). The observed increases were independent of sex and age. The questionnaire was validated in relation to allergen skin test reactivity in a subgroup of the responders to the 1989 survey. When the estimated associations between symptoms and skin test reactivity were considered, the results suggested an increase in allergy to pollen and animal dander. In conclusion, we found evidence of increased prevalence of allergic rhinitis symptoms associated with skin test reactivity.
Post‐marketing surveillance study on the safety of sublingual immunotherapy in pediatric patients
Authors: Di Rienzo V. , Pagani A. , Parmiani S. , Passalacqua G. , Canonica G.W.
Published: March 2003

Background: Immunotherapy (IT) is the only causal treatment for allergic subjects recognized to be effective and to offer long‐lasting efficacy. The noninjective routes, aimed at improving the safety of the treatment, have been validated as effective in adults, but documentation of their safety in children is still poor. The aim of the present survey study was to assess the safety of sublingual immunotherapy in pediatric patients, by evaluating a large population.

Methods: A total of 268 children (aged 2–15 years), receiving sublingual IT for respiratory allergy, were followed‐up over a period ranging from 3 months to 7 years (mean 34 months). The side‐effects possibly due to the treatment were recorded on a proper diary card; self‐assessment of the clinical outcome was also evaluated.

Results: About 96000 doses of extract were globally administered. Local side‐effects were of no clinical relevance. Eight side‐effects were reported (3% of patients; 0.083 per 1000 doses). Seven systemic side‐effects (abdominal pain, conjunctival itching, and rhinitis) were mild and required no treatment. One case of urticaria was well controlled with oral antihistamines. No life‐threatening event occurred. The clinical outcome was judged excellent or good by 80% of the patients.

Conclusions: The sublingual IT herein investigated appeared to be well tolerated and safe in pediatric patients. The risk/benefit ratio was therefore favorable.
The effect of intranasal and inhaled corticosteroids in healthy volunteers on the number of circulating lymphocytes and lymphocyte subsets
Authors: Fokkens WJ , Braat JP , Van De Merwe JP , Hooijkaas H , Overbeek SE
Published: March 2003

Background:There has been an increasing interest in the potential systemic effects of inhaled corticosteroids.

Methods:The effect of locally inhaled corticosteroids in the nose and lung on blood lymphocytes was measured in two studies. In the first study, budesonide (BUD) (200 and 800 μg), fluticasone propionate (FP) (200 and 800 μg), and placebo were administered in the nose, and BUD (1600 μg) and FP (1500 μg) were inhaled into the lungs in a blinded, randomized fashion by 12 healthy volunteers. Blood samples were taken before and 4 h after the administration of the drug, and total lymphocyte count and different subpopulations were determined. In the second study, 15 healthy volunteers were randomized to BUD (1600 μg), FP (1600 μg), or placebo inhaled into the lungs. Blood samples were taken before and 4, 8, 24, 48, and 148 h (=7 days) after inhalation of the medication.

Results:Neither the nasal applications nor the inhalation of FP (1500 μg/1600 μg) showed significant differences in total lymphocyte count or different subpopulations between baseline and 4 h after the administration. In both studies, a significant reduction was found in the total lymphocyte count, B cells, T cells, and the CD4+ and the CD8+ fractions 4 h after application of BUD 1600 μg.

Conclusions:Nasal application of BUD or FP in doses up to 800 μg do not induce lymphopenia. BUD 1600 μg inhalation in the lung reduces lymphocytes and their subfractions. Further studies have to be done to determine whether the results obtained in this study in healthy volunteers will also be found in patients with diseased mucosa and whether there is any correlation with adverse effects such as growth inhibition or osteoporosis.
Inflammation markers and cytokines in breast milk of atopic and nonatopic women
Authors: Rudloff S , Niehues T , Rutsch M , Kunz C , Schroten H
Published: March 2003

Background: Breast milk is thought to contain its own complex immune system. Whether or not this is altered in allergic individuals is not yet known.

Methods: By ELISA techniques, inflammatory markers (MIP‐1α, sICAM‐1) and TH1 (interferon‐gamma [IFN‐γ]), as well as TH2 cytokines (interleukin [IL]‐4, IL‐10), were investigated in serum and milk samples from nonallergic (n=23) lactating women and those with respiratory allergies (n=19) during the first week postpartum.

Results: IFN‐γ was not detected in either serum or milk. IL‐10 was more often found to be above the detection limit in both milk and serum samples from allergic mothers. IL‐4 was detected in almost all serum samples with a wide variation. In milk, IL‐4 was found in about 20% of the samples. MIP‐1α was not detected in the serum but was detected in the milk of 23% of the nonatopic and 53% of the allergic mothers. Soluble ICAM‐1 was present in all samples. Surprisingly, serum levels of sICAM‐1 in allergic mothers (271±97 ng/ml) were significantly lower (P<0.001) than in nonatopic subjects (375±86 ng/ml). Concentrations of sICAM‐1 in milk were similar in both groups.

Conclusions: The concentrations of proinflammatory markers and cytokines in breast milk did not differ significantly between allergic and nonatopic mothers. In some individuals, high levels of MIP‐1α, IL‐10, and sICAM‐1 could be found. However, the significance of these components for the breast‐fed infant is still unclear.
Assessment of serum myeloperoxidase in children with bronchial asthma
Authors: Tauber E , Herouy Y , Urbanek R , Urbanek R , Goetz M , Hagel E
Published: March 2003

Background: The role of neutrophils and myeloperoxidase (MPO) – assumed to be a marker of neutrophil activation – in bronchial asthma is still unclear, and the literature is controversial.

Methods: To investigate the participation of neutrophils and their products in childhood asthma, we assessed neutrophil counts and serum MPO in 175 children with bronchial asthma. Ninety of them were asymptomatic, and 85 of them were symptomatic within the last 2 weeks before examination. Bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract (LRTI) was present in 34 and viral infection in 49 patients. As controls, 45 patients with cystic fibrosis, 23 patients with bacterial LRTI, and 87 healthy children were recruited.

Results: Median neutrophil counts (3135 cells/μl) and serum MPO levels (352 μg/l) were not different in children with bronchial asthma from healthy controls (2220 cells/μl and 401 μg/l, respectively), whereas in patients with cystic fibrosis and bacterial LRTI, neutrophil counts and MPO levels were increased. Asthmatic children with bacterial infection had significantly higher serum MPO and neutrophil counts then asthmatic children with viral infection or without infection. In addition, a significant correlation was found between serum MPO and neutrophil counts and C‐reactive protein (CRP), and between neutrophil counts and CRP, but no relationship was detected for serum MPO and disease activity or lung function.

Conclusions: Our data indicate that serum MPO – a marker of neutrophil activation – does not contribute to the assessment of the inflammatory process in childhood asthma. In addition, measurement of serum MPO appears not to be useful in assessing the participation of the neutrophil in asthmatic children. However, assessment of MPO may be useful to distinguish between bacterial and viral infection.

Abbreviations. BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage; CF: cystic fibrosis; CRP: C‐reactive protein; ECP: eosinophil cationic protein; EPX: eosinophil protein X; LRTI: lower respiratory tract infection; MPO: myeloperoxidase.
Prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in relation to long‐term exposure to gaseous air pollutants
Authors: Ramadour M. , Burel C. , Lanteaume A. , Vervloet D. , Charpin D. , Dutau H. , Charpin D. , Brisse F. , Vervloet D.
Published: March 2003

The relationship between long‐term exposure to air pollutants, especially with regard to photochemical air pollutants, and asthma prevalence in developed countries is controversial. The objective of this cross‐sectional survey was to compare mean levels of the main gaseous air pollutants and prevalence rates of rhinitis, asthma, and asthmatic symptoms. It included 2445 children from the 8th and 9th school grades who had been living for at least 3 years in an area where some communities undergo the heaviest photochemical exposure in France. Data on rhinitis, asthmatic symptoms, and asthma prevalence were gathered with the ISAAC paper and video questionnaires. The relation between level of air pollutants and asthma was assessed first by comparison of crude prevalence rates (chi‐square test), and then by simple regression analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. No consistent association between mean SO2 and NO2 levels, and prevalence of rhinitis, asthma, or asthmatic symptoms could be demonstrated. In contrast, there were statistically significant associations between prevalence of asthmatic symptoms and mean ozone (O3) concentration. The interpretation of such findings is not straightforward, as these symptoms can be interpreted either as respiratory irritation due to exposure to nonspecific airway stimuli or as a true asthmatic state. Additional studies are required to clarify this important issue. In conclusion, this large cross‐sectional epidemiologic survey performed in an area of high photochemical air pollution did demonstrate statistically significant associations between the prevalence of asthmatic symptoms and mean O3 concentration.
Clinical and pathologic methods to assess the long‐term safety of nasal corticosteroids
Authors: Laliberté F. , Bousquet J. , Laliberté M. F. , Lécart S. , Klossec J. M. , Mounedji N. ,   French Triamcinolone Acetonide Study Group
Published: March 2003

Background: The main objective of this long‐term prospective local safety study was to evaluate endoscopic and histologic changes in nasal epithelium after 6‐month treatment with triamcinolone acetonide (TAA). We describe here a method to measure quantitatively epithelium thickness. Results were compared with those seen with the use of cetirizine (an antihistamine) and another oral intranasal corticosteroid, beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP).

Methods: Patients were examined by an ENT specialist who first performed an endoscopic evaluation of the nasal cavities, assessing any morphologic abnormalities and the aspect of the mucosa. Biopsies were taken from the inferior turbinate before and after 24 weeks of treatment. Biopsies were immediately fixed in cold acetone (−20°C) and embedded in glycolmethacrylate; sections of 2 µm were cut on an ultramicrotome. Morphometric evaluations were done in a blinded fashion by computerized image analysis to measure an epithelial area over a minimum length of 50 µm. The thickness was ascertained by the ratio of area to length.

Results:

For all three treatment groups, the nasal epithelium thickness decreased slightly from pretreatment to the end of treatment.

No statistically significant differences between the three treatment groups were found in epithelium thickness.

Macroscopically, nasal tissues in all treated groups were normal.

Conclusions: These results clearly indicate that long‐term treatment with TAA has no atrophic effect on nasal mucosa.
IgE binding to almond proteins in two CAP‐FEIA‐negative patients with allergic symptoms to almond as comparedto three CAP‐FEIA‐false‐positive subjects
Authors: Pasini G. , Simonato B. , Giannattasio M. , Gemignani C. , Curioni A.
Published: March 2003

Background: Allergy to almonds has been frequently reported, but data on the identification of the almond allergens, as well as on the reliability of the methods for in vitro detection of specific IgE for these allergens, are scant. This study aimed to identify the almond allergens and to evaluate the reliability of the CAP‐FEIA as the standard system for detection of almond‐specific IgE with clinical significance.

Methods: Immunoblotting performed with an almond‐protein extract was carried out on the sera of five patients who had previously been tested by the CAP‐FEIA system; two of these patients had tested negative with the CAP‐FEIA system but suffered life‐threatening laryngeal edema after eating almonds, whereas the other three subjects, who had tested positive with CAP‐FEIA, did not present any symptoms subsequent to almond ingestion.

Results: The sera of the two symptomatic CAP‐FEIA‐negative patients had IgE that bound only to a 37‐kDa protein in immunoblotting. On the contrary, the sera of the three asymptomatic subjects all showed IgE binding to two almond proteins of 62 and 50 kDa, corresponding to the glycosylated components of the extract.

Conclusions: The results here presented suggest that, at least for the examined subjects, the positivity to almond, as measured with a standard laboratory method, is due to the presence of the 62/50‐kDa glycoproteins with little or no immunologic significance, and not to the binding to the 37‐kDa polypeptide, which appears to be a true almond allergen.
Do intranasal corticosteroids affect childhood growth?
Authors: Allen D. B.
Published: March 2003

Topical intranasal corticosteroids (INS) are the most effective treatment for allergic rhinitis and are being increasingly prescribed to children. Due to the potent inhibition of childhood growth seen with oral corticosteroids, it is important to examine whether INS could have similar effects. The evidence available suggests that some INS, such as beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), may slow growth when used regularly for prolonged periods. However, newer INS such as fluticasone propionate (FP) and mometasone furoate, which have substantially reduced bioavailability via gastrointestinal absorption, are unlikely to do so. Well‐designed prospective studies are needed to distinguish those INS with reduced or absent effects on growth. In practice, choosing an INS which optimises the ratio of therapeutic effect to systemic bioavailability will probably reduce the risk of growth suppression to a negligible level.
Clinical advantages of dual activity in allergic rhinitis
Authors: Horak F.
Published: March 2003

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis include sneezing; itching of the eyes, nose, and throat; nasal obstruction; and rhinorrhoea; they may be seasonal or perennial, depending on the causative allergen. The major symptom of perennial allergic rhinitis is nasal obstruction. Sneezing and rhinorrhoea are often present, but are less troublesome than in seasonal allergic rhinitis. Symptom relief is a priority in allergic rhinitis because patients have a severely impaired quality of life. The nasal vascular system is complex. Histamine acts on postcapillary venules during both the immediate and late phase of reactivity and causes plasma extravasation. Other inflammatory mediators can also induce this reaction. Thus, histamine antagonists that also have some additional antiallergic properties have advantages in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Mizolastine is a second‐generation antihistamine that has been shown, in experimental studies, to possess 5‐lipoxygenase inhibitory properties in addition to its H1‐receptor antagonistic activity. In the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, mizolastine 10 mg/day has been shown to be effective in reducing nasal and ocular symptoms. It has been shown to be significantly more effective than placebo with a greater percentage of responders. Another study has shown that symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in mizolastine‐treated patients were reduced more significantly than in cetirizine‐treated patients on the second and third days of treatment. In perennial allergic rhinitis, mizolastine significantly improved symptoms of nasal obstruction compared with placebo and also significantly reduced nasal membrane colour, nasal secretions, and mucosal swelling as shown by rhinoscopy. These effects were maintained over a 5‐month treatment period. Mizolastine has also been shown to be at least as effective as loratadine, and in one trial even superior in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.
Purification and characterization of Pla a 1, a major allergen from Platanus acerifolia pollen
Authors: Asturias J. A. , Ibarrola I. , Bartolomé B. , Ojeda I. , Malet A. , Martínez A.
Published: March 2003

Background: Plane trees, as Platanus acerifolia, are an important source of airborne allergens in cities of the United States and Western Europe. Little is known about the relevant allergens of this pollen. The aim of this study was to identify relevant allergens from P. acerifolia pollen and purify and characterize a major allergen of 18 kDa.

Methods: 
P. acerifolia pollen extract was fractionated using ion exchange, gel filtration, and reverse‐phase chromatography. Analyzes were carried out by EAST, SDS‐PAGE, isoelectric focusing, immunoblotting and amino‐acid sequencing.

Results: An 18‐kDa protein from the P. acerifolia pollen extract, which we named Pla a 1, was purified. This nonglycosylated protein had an isoelectric point value higher than 9.3 and was recognized by up to 92% of monosensitized Platanus allergic patients and 83% of polyzensitized patients. Sequencing of its N‐terminal yielded an amino acid sequence which showed no homology to the known proteins in the databases. Other relevant allergens detected in monosensitized patients were proteins of 43 and 52 kDa, with immunoglobulin (Ig)E‐binding prevalences of 83 and 42%, respectively. Profilin was an important allergen in polyzensitized patients.

Conclusions: The most relevant allergens from the P. acerifolia pollen have been determined. A major allergen, specific of this pollen, and named Pla a 1, has been purified and characterized.
Benzydamine: an alternative nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug in patients with nimesulide‐induced urticaria
Authors: Nettis E. , Di Paola R. , Napoli G. , Ferrannini A. , Tursi A.
Published: March 2003

Background: Cutaneous adverse reactions to nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in particular urticaria/angiedema syndrome, represent a frequent problem in clinical practice. To date laboratory tests for the diagnosis of these adverse reactions are not available. A patient with an adverse drug reaction to NSAIDs needs an alternative drug to assume if necessary. Nimesulide is a highly prescribed nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) world‐wide. It is also described as one of the most tolerated NSAID. In this paper we present data on the tolerability of benzydamine in nimesulide‐sensitive patients.

Patients and methods: One hundred and thirty‐seven patients with nimesulide‐induced urticaria were submitted to a single‐blind, placebo‐controlled peroral challenge with increasing doses of benzydamine.

Results: One hundred and thirty‐four out of 137 (98%) patients tolerated benzydamine without adverse effects, only three (2%) experienced immediate systemic urticaria (1 at the first dose and 2 at the second dose).

Conclusion: Benzydamine is a well tolerated drug in patients with nimesulide‐induced urticaria and it may represent a valid alternative NSAID in nimesulide‐sensitive patients.
Can the standard gamble and rating scale be used to measure quality of life in rhinoconjunctivitis? Comparison with the RQLQ and SF‐36
Authors: Juniper E. F. , Thompson A. K. , Roberts J. N.
Published: March 2003

Background: With interest in health economics growing, it is important to know whether utilities may be used to measure health‐related quality of life in patients with rhinoconjunctivitis. The objective was to compare the validity and measurement properties of disease‐specific versions of the standard gamble and rating scale with those of the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and the Short‐Form 36 (SF‐36).

Methods: One hundred adults with symptomatic rhinoconjunctivitis participated in a 5 week observational study, completing the standard gamble, rating scale, RQLQ and SF‐36 at baseline and after 1 and 5 weeks. Symptom diaries were completed for 1 week before each follow‐up visit.

Results: Reliability was highest for the RQLQ (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97), followed by the rating scale (0.75), the SF‐36 physical (0.75), the SF‐36 mental (0.74) and the standard gamble (0.12). The responsiveness index was highest for the RQLQ (0.76), followed by the rating scale (0.56) and the SF‐36 mental (0.28). Both cross‐sectional and longitudinal validity were strongest for the RQLQ and the rating scale.

Conclusions Both the rating scale and the RQLQ have strong evaluative and discriminative properties. The SF‐36 has acceptable discriminative properties but its evaluative properties are poor. All measurement properties for the standard gamble are inadequate. Poor correlation between the standard gamble and the rating scale indicates that utilities cannot be derived from rating scale data.
Medical Indoor Environment Counselor (MIEC): role in compliance with advice on mite allergen avoidance and on mite allergen exposure
Authors: De Blay F. , Fourgaut G. , Hedelin G. , Vervloet D. , Michel F.‐B. , Godard P. , Charpin D. , Pauli G. ,   the Scientific Committee of the MIEC study
Published: March 2003

Background: In order to improve patient compliance in allergen avoidance, a new occupational activity was created: Medical Indoor Environment Counselor (MIEC). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an MIEC on compliance with advice for mite allergen reduction in patients sensitized and exposed to mite allergens, and on mite allergen levels.

Methods: The study included 378 patients from four centers (Marseilles, Montpellier, Paris, Strasbourg) in a randomized prospective study. Patients in group A received advice from doctors only, and those in group B from doctors and MIEC. Mite allergen levels were measured on mattresses, mattress bases, and floors. Compliance and mite allergen levels were assessed 5 months later.

Results: Compliance for changing the mattress bases, removing or treating the carpets, washing duvets, pillows and stuffed animals were significantly higher in group B than in group A. A significant decrease in mite allergen was obtained for group B in mattress bases (83.8–22.9 µg/g) and in carpets (15.8–6.3 µg/g), but not in group A.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the home visit by the MIEC 1) increased the compliance to mite reduction methods advised; 2) induced a significant difference in mite reduction levels on mattress bases and on carpets; 3) avoided nonestablished avoidance advice.
Probiotics and food‐allergic diseases
Authors: Paganelli R. , Ciuffreda S. , Verna N. , Cavallucci E. , Paolini F. , Ramondo S. , Di Gioacchino M.
Published: March 2003

The definition of probiotics is always evolving, since it includes natural live micro‐organisms, cellular subfractions, as well as genetically engineered derivatives or proteins. The scope of probiotic administration is beneficial change of the intestinal microflora, and improvement of non immune or immune resistance in the intestinal tract. Very few controlled human studies have been reported, but many in vitro and experimental animal studies point to their safety and potentially useful applications. We shall review the published reports and discuss mainly the prospective uses in the field of allergic diseases, with reference to the implication of the natural (innate) immune system as regulator of the development of abnormal responses to ingested food antigens.
Allergens in celery and zucchini
Authors: Vieths S. , Lüttkopf D. , Reindl J. , Anliker M. D. , Wüthrich B. , Ballmer‐Weber B, K.
Published: March 2003

The aim of this study was to confirm allergy to celery tuber and to zucchini, for the first time, by DBPCFC, and to identify the allergens recognized by IgE from DBPCFC‐positive patients. Therefore, raw vegetables were hidden in a broccoli drink, and a DBPCFC‐procedure was developed that consisted of a spit and swallow protocol, making sure that the procedure was safe for the patients and that reactions strictly localized to the oral cavity as well as systemic reactions could be reproduced by DBPCFC. The allergens in celery and zucchini extract were identified by immunoblot inhibition using allergen extracts, recombinant allergens and purified N‐glycans as inhibitors. Celery allergy was confirmed in 69% (22/32) of subjects with a positive case history. Four subjects with a history of allergic reactions to zucchini had a positive DBPCFC to this vegetable. During DBPCFC, systemic reactions were provoked in 50% (11/22) of the patients to celery, and in 3/4 of the zucchini‐allergic patients. The Bet v 1‐related major celery allergen was detected by IgE of 59% (13/22) of the patients. Cross‐reactive carbohydrate epitopes (CCD) bound IgE of 55% (12/22) of the celery‐allergic patients and in 2/4 of the subjects with zucchini allergy. Profilin was a food allergen in celery in 23% (5/22) and in zucchini in 2/4 of the cases. A zucchini‐specific allergen was detected by IgE from one patient. We conclude that ubiquitous cross‐reactive structures are important in allergy to both, celery and zucchini, and that a specific association to birch pollen allergy exists in allergy to celery (mediated by Api g 1), but not in zucchini allergy.
Advances in allergy management
Authors: Van Cauwenberge P.
Published: March 2003

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of allergy has moved to the molecular level, while study of epidemiology and genetics has revealed risks of developing allergies based on environmental and genetic profiles, and pharmacoeconomic data have enabled accurate measurement of the immense burden of allergic disease. These advances in allergy research have affected its management, particularly the search for new antiallergy therapies. New therapies should intervene in the systemic allergy inflammatory cascade and provide clinical efficacy that extends to multiple allergic disease states. In addition, these new therapies should present no additional safety issues, offer improvements over existing therapies, and have an impact on disease‐impaired quality of life. In vitro studies show that desloratadine, a new, once‐daily, nonsedating, selective histamine H1‐receptor antagonist, blocks the systemic allergy cascade at multiple points. Desloratadine 5 mg once daily relieves the symptoms of chronic idiopathic urticaria and of both seasonal (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis. In patients with concomitant asthma and SAR, asthma symptoms are relieved and β2‐agonist medication use is decreased by desloratadine. Unlike many other second‐generation histamine H1‐receptor antagonists, desloratadine provides the added benefit of efficacy against nasal obstruction in SAR. Desloratadine improves quality of life by decreasing the impact of allergic symptoms on sleep and on daily activities.
Genetics of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Gasser Thomas
Published: March 2003

A genetic contribution to the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is now well established, based on the demonstration of a familial aggregation of the disease as demonstrated by several case–control and twin studies, and on the description of large multigenerational families, in whom PD is inherited in a Mendelian fashion. In a few families with autosomal dominant inheritance and typical Lewy‐body pathology, a gene locus has been mapped to the long arm of chromosome 4, and mutations have been identified in the gene for α‐synuclein. A gene causing autosomal recessive parkinsonism of juvenile onset has been mapped to chromosome 6, and the causative gene has been identified and named Parkin. This form of parkinsonism differs pathologically from the sporadic disease, as no Lewy bodies are found in the substantia nigra. A third locus, again in families with dominant inheritance, typical Lewy‐body pathology and late onset, has been mapped to chromosome 2p13. At present, there is no evidence that any of these genes for familial Parkinsonian syndromes have a direct role in the etiology of the common sporadic form of PD. However, the elucidation of the molecular sequence of events leading to nigral degeneration in these inherited cases is likely to shed light on the molecular pathogenesis of this common neurodegenerative disorder.
Novel exon skipping mutation in the fibrillin‐1 gene: Two ‘hot spots’ for the neonatal Marfan syndrome
Authors: Booms Patrick , Cisler Jason , Mathews Kurt R. , Godfrey Maurice , Tiecke Frank , Kaufmann Ursula C. , Vetter Ulrich , Hagemeier Christian , Robinson Peter N.
Published: March 2003

The Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant heritable disorder of connective tissue that involves principally the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. The most severe end of the phenotypic spectrum, the neonatal Marfan syndrome (nMFS), is characterized by pronounced atrioventricular valve dysfunction, and death often occurs within the first year of life due to congestive heart failure. Mutations in the gene coding for fibrillin‐1, FBN1, are known to cause Marfan syndrome, and have been identified in almost all exons of FBN1. Here, we describe a novel mutation affecting the invariant +1 position of the splice donor site in intron 31, associated with skipping of exon 31, in a patient with nMFS. Published reports of nMFS are reviewed and a strict definition for nMFS is suggested. If this definition is used, all nMFS mutations reported to date lie in one of two hot spots, comprising mainly missense mutations in FBN1 exons 24–27 and mutations causing skipping of exon 31 or 32.