bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seasonal allergic symptoms and their relation to pollen exposure in south‐east France
Authors: CHARPIN D. , HUGHES B. , MALLEA M. , SUTRA J‐P. , BALANSARD G. , VERVLOET D. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIn order to evaluate the relationship between pollen exposure and prevalence of allergic respiratory symptoms, we performed a cross‐sectional epidemiological study in 2 areas with contrasted exposure to cypress and grass pollens. The study population consisted of 5427 subjects 18 to 65‐years‐old representative of the general population. All answered an abridged version of the 1978 ATS questionnaire and a sample had a skin test evaluation including grass and cypress pollens. Prevalence of hay fever symptoms was equal to 31.5% and 14.1%, respectively, in exposed and less exposed community (P < 0.001). Prevalence of hay fever symptoms together with a positive skin test to pollen was also significantly higher in the exposed (13.6%) vs less exposed community (5.5%, P<0.001). In contrast, overall prevalence of asthma was equal to 4.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence of asthma with positive skin tests was also not statistically significant, equal to 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively. Thus, high exposure to pollen is a risk factor for developing hay fever but not asthma.
Trypsin‐like protease of mites: purification and characterization of trypsin‐like protease from mite faecal extract Dermatophagoides farinae. Relationship between trypsin‐like protease and Der f III
Authors: ANDO T. , HOMMA R. , INO Y. , ITO G. , MIYAHARA A. , YANAGIHARA T. , KIMURA H. , IKEDA S. , YAMAKAWA H. , IWAKI M. , OKUMURA Y. , SUKO M. , HAIDA M. , OKUDAIRA H. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryA serine protease from mite faecal extract, Dermatophagoides farinae, was purified using DEAE‐Sephacel anion exchange chromatography and Supcrdex 75 pg gel chromato‐graphy. The molecular weight of this protease was 34 kD on SDS‐PAGE under reducing conditions. The optimal pH and temperature of the protease were 8‐0 and 47 C, respectively. In addition, this protease cleaved arginyl or lysyl residue containing substrates selectively and was only inhibited by aprotinin, PUT‐175, tind soy bean trypsin inhibitor and not by chymostatin, E‐64 and iodoacetic acid. These results show that our purified serine protease belongs to the trypsin‐type. Purified trypsin‐like protease was shown to be allergenic by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Antigeni‐city of trypsin‐like protease was completely different from those of Der f I and Der f II. Both, 20 N‐terminal amino acid sequence and amino acid compositions of the purified protease were very similar to those of Der f III. Good similarities were found between trypsin‐like protease and Der f III concerning physicochemical properties such as molecular weight on SDS‐PAGE and ammonium sulphate solubility. Summarizing the above data, it can be concluded that a trypsin‐like protease from mite faecal extract is actually the Der f III allergen and that it may be involved in the digestive process of the mite as it was found not in mite body but in mite faeces.
Ciliated cell damage in the bronchial epithelium of asthmatics and non‐asthmatics
Authors: MONTEFORT S. , DJUKANOVIĆ R. , HOLGATE S. T. , ROCHE W. R. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryThe importance of bronchial epithelial shedding in the pathogenesis of asthma has been highlighted by many investigators as a potential mechanism for bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It has been suggested that this disruption is the result of cytotoxic injury leading to shedding of damaged cells. To investigate whether damaged ciliated epithelial cells can be detected within the bronchial mucosa. we used tannic acid which only permeates disrupted cellular membranes, as a marker of cell damage. Bronchial biopsies from seven asthmatic and six normal subjects, were processed in tannic acid prior to preparation and sectioning for electronmicroscopic examination. Ciliated epithelial cells staining darkly with tannic acid were seen to comprise a similar proportion of the intact portion of bronchial epithelium in both normals and asthmatics (medians 31% vs 40%). We suggest that ciliated epithelial cells are not shed from the bronchial mucosa immediately after damage and that mechanisms other than granulocyte‐mediated cytotoxicity may account for epithelial disruption in asthma, possibly involving the selective damage or reduced expression of intraepilhelial intercellular adhesion molecules.
Mite allergen content in mattress dust of Dermatophagoides‐allergic asthmatics/rhinitics and matched controls
Authors: PAULI G. , QUOIX E. , HEDELIN G. , BESSOT J. C. , OTT M. , DIETEMANN A. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIt has been suggested that the mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D.farinae are important indoor environmental factors facilitating both the sensitization of atopic subjects and asthmatic attacks of house dust‐sensitive patients. Contradictory results have been reported about the current exposure to mites or their allergens among patients and control groups of atopic or non‐atopic subjects. In order to determine whether there is a difference in mite exposure levels between D. pteronyssinus‐sensitized asthmatics and/or rhinitis and control subjects we considered a case‐control study of 70 patients with asthma and/or rhinitis and positive skin test reactions to D. pteronyssinus and twice as many control subjects who were matched as to age and sex. The first control subject for each patient was an immediate neighbour of the patient and the second was a patient arbitrarily chosen among hospitalized patients. Mite allergen exposure was measured in mattress dust collected under standardized conditions, by measuring Der p I +Derf I content and by performing a semiquantitative guanine determination (Acarex‐testR). The content of Der p I and Der f I was very high both in the homes of patients and those of healthy individuals: 69% of the total samples contained more than 10 μg Der p I + Der f I/g of dust. There was no significant difference between cases and controls with respect to Der p I, Der f I, Der p I + Der f I content and AcarexR class distributions. The calculated odds‐ratios associated with the Acarex testR and the mite allergens did not differ significantly from the level 1.0. Our findings show that in a Rhine valley city such as Strasbourg with a high mite allergen load there is no difference in mite exposure between D. pteronyssinus‐sensitized patients and controls who can be considered not to differ from the general population with respect to atopy.
Elimination diet and intestinal permeability in atopic eczema: a preliminary study
Authors: CAFFARELLI C. , CAVAGNI G. , MENZIES I. S. , BERTOLINI P. , ATHERTON D. J. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryWe measured small intestinal permeability to lactutose and rhamnose in 18 healthy children and in 15 children with atopic eczema, before and after a 14‐day elimination diet. The children with atopic eczema had higher initial urinary lactulose/rhamnose ratios than the controls. After dietary restriction, there was no overall change in permeability. Dietary therapy did however result in a large reduction in permeability in three of the nine children whose skin disease was improved, but a statistically significant decrease in permeability was not observed in the diet‐responsive group as a whole. Larger studies would be required to confirm that dietary restrictions can reduce intestinal permeability in some children with atopic eczema.
Improvement of food‐sensitive atopic dermatitis accompanied by reduced lymphocyte responses to food antigen following natural measles virus infection
Authors: KONDO N. , FUKUTOMI O. , OZAWA T. , AGATA H. , KAMEYAMA T. , KUWABARA N. , SHINODA S. , ORII T. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryFive patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who were sensitive to hen's egg were observed before and after natural measles virus infection. Within 4 weeks of natural measles virus infection, the eczematous lesions clearly improved in four of the five patients in whom neither offending foods were eliminated, nor anti‐allergic drugs, systemic steroids and steroid ointment administered. This was accompanied by reduced proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to ovalbumin (OA). Another patient showed a transient improvement of AD symptoms, from severe to mild, and thereafter returned to severe accompanied by increased proliferative responses of PBMCs to OA. Radioallergosorbent test (RAST) scores for hen's egg in all five patients did not change in each level in each patient, except the transiently decreased RAST scores for hen's egg in one patient, after the infection. Thus, in patients with AD who are sensitive to food, the improvement of AD symptoms that appeared within 4 weeks of natural measles virus infection was related to reduced proliferative responses of PBMCs to the food antigen following the infection.
Tumour necrosis factor‐α and leukotriene E4 production in wheezy infants
Authors: BALFOUR‐LYNN I. M. , VALMAN H. B. , WELLINGS R. , WEBSTER A. D. B. , TAYLOR G. W. , SILVERMAN M. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIt is not clear why certain infants wheeze during viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) but it is possible that they have a tendency to mount an exaggerated inflammatory response leading to production of mediators that induce airway narrowing. We studied nasal tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNFα) and urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4) production during infection and after recovery in 31 wheezy infants (median age 6.2 months). Urinary LTE4 production was not altered during wheezy episodes or URTIs. However, the concentration of TNFα in nasal lining fluid (NLF) was significantly increased during acute episodes of wheeze compared to recovery (median [interquartile range] of 293 [42‐1753] vs 0 [0‐203] pg/ml NLF). TNFα was detectable more often and in higher concentration when wheezing was due to respiratory syncylitil virus. TNFα was also present in 7/30 asymptomatic wheezy infants who had recovered from infection (> 100 pg/ml NLF) and in 4/7 non‐wheezy siblings during URTIs (> 200 pg/ml NLF). This suggests that upregulation of TNFα production is not the only factor that makes some infants wheeze.
Cefotiam‐induced IgE‐mediated occupational contact anaphylaxis of nurses; case reports, RAST analysis, and a review of the literature
Authors: TADOKORO K. , NIIMI N. , OHTOSHI T. , NAKAJIMA K. , TAKAFUJI S. , ONODERA K. , SUZUKI S. , MURANAKA M. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryCefotiam (CTM) is one of the most popular cephem antibiotics in Japan. Recently we experienced two cases of nurses with CTM‐induced contact anaphylaxis. When they were preparing drip infusions of antibiotics or working around other nurses doing so, they suddenly fell into shock with other symptoms such as flushing, urtiearia, abdominal distress, vomiting, dyspnoea and or loss of consciousness. The symptoms never occurred after they avoided exposure to CTM. Passive cutaneous or open patch tests were positive for CTM. Histamine release was induced by CTM from washed leucocytes. RAST analysis using CTM‐human serum albumin‐coupled dises showed high % RAST count, suggesting that these reactions were mediated by IgE antibodies. A RAST inhibition test suggested that the methyl‐thiotetrazol side‐chain was the main antigenic determinant. Both patients had hand dermatitis that had appeared preceding the episodes of anaphylaxis. Although the dermatitis had been resistant to treatments, it also disappeared after they avoided exposure to CTM, It seemed likely that it was also induced or exacerbated by CTM and facilitated the penetration of CTM to cause anaphylaxis. The literature is also reviewed.
Passive smoking amongst asthmatic children. Questionnaire or objective assessment?
Authors: CLARK S. J. , WARNER J. O. , DEAN T. P. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryAn increasing number of studies have implicated passive smoking as a definite threat to non‐smokers' health. Self‐reports of smoking status may not always be reliable, particularly in situations where the smoker feels under pressure to give up smoking. In this study questionnaire and salivary cotinine, an objective measure of nicotine exposure, were studied in asthmatic and age‐matched control children. We have consequently developed a sensitive assay for cotinine using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantitate environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in a group of 5‐ to 7‐year‐old asthmatic and control children. We chose to use mixed unstimulated saliva collected by absorption into dental rolls in the mouth for 5 min. Our modified extraction procedure was highly reproducible with a >90% retrieval rate of cotinine from spiked saliva. The parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire on atmospheric pollutants to obtain an estimate of declared ETS exposure in the home. Results showed that 31% of the asthmatic patients were exposed to ETS, according to the parents, but by HPLC 69% had been so exposed (n=19). From the control group the figures were 40% and 50% of patients, respectively. Therefore, an objective assessment is essential as ETS is more ubiquitous than is apparent from the questionnaire alone. Finally, in this small number of individuals our objective assessment demonstrates that ETS exposure is more prevalent in asthmatic children (69%) than age‐matched controls (51%).
The importance of appropriate challenges in diagnosing food sensitivity
Authors: KAPLAN M. S. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryTwo patients with clinically significant immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated reactions to cow's milk which occur only under special circumstances are described. Although double‐blind, placebo‐controlled food challenges or open food challenges are generally very helpful, certain patients who react only under special circumstances might be missed when these office tests are used. The two reported incidences occurred in older children who seemed to outgrow their cow‐milk allergy but still had clinically significant allergic reactions under certain circumstances.
Disproportionate fetal growth and raised IgE concentration in adult life
Authors: GODFREY K. M. , BARKER D. J. P. , OSMOND C. 
Published: April 2006

Summary. A follow‐up study was carried out to determine whether either impaired or disproportionate fetal growth are associated with a raised total serum IgE concentration in men and women aged 50 years. The serum IgE concentration was measured in 146 men and 134 women born in Preston (Lancashire, UK) between 1935 and 1943, whose size at birth had been measured in detail.Sixty‐two subjects were found to have an IgE concentration above 80 IU/ml. Compared with subjects with a normal IgE on average they had a 0.30 inch larger head circumference at birth (P ‐0.004) and weighed 5.6 ounces more at birth (P= 0.04). People with a raised and with a normal IgE were of similar crown‐heel length at birth, indicating that in utero those with a raised IgE had had disproportionate growth of the head in relation to the trunk and limbs. The prevalence of a raised IgE rose from 14% in subjects whose head circumference at birth was 13 inches or less to 37% in those whose head circumference was more than 14 inches. This association was independent of gestational age at birth and of the mother's pelvic size and parity. It was also independent of adult physique, social class and smoking, and was similar in men and women. In multiple logistic regression analyses odds ratios of a raised IgE rose progressively to more than 4 as head circumference at birth increased from 13 inches or less to more than 14 inches.One possibility is that these associations reflect the long‐term effects of sustaining fetal brain growth at the expense of the trunk, in particular the thymus. This may be a consequence of fetal under‐nutrition in late gestation.
Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), histamine and tryptase in peripheral blood before and during inhalation challenge with toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in sensitized subjects
Authors: MAPP C. E. , PLEBANI M. , FAGGIAN D. , MAESTRELLI P. , SAETTA M. , CALCAGNI P. , BORGHESAN F. , FABBRI L. M. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryTo determine whether the measurement of specific markers of inflammatory cells in peripheral blood might be used to detect the inflammatory activity in the airways in asthma induced by toluene diisocyanate (TDI). we measured the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), histamine and tryplase in peripheral blood before and during inhalation challenge with TDI or methacholine in two groups of subjects who exhibited or did not exhibit an asthmatic reaction after exposure to toluene diisocyanate in the laboratory. When the subjects developed a late asthmatic reaction after exposure to TDI, the\ showed an increase in their ECP serum levels. By contrast, there were no signilicam changes in serum ECP levels after exposure to TDI in the control group or after methacholine challenge in either group. Tryptase levels in serum were not detectable before or during inhalation challenge with TDI or methacholinc. There was no significant increase in plasma histamine levels during inhalation challenge with TDJ or methacholine. These results suggest that eosinophils arc ‘activated’ in subjects who develop a late asthmatic reaction after exposure to TDI and that the measurement of ECP levels in peripheral blood may be a useful marker to monitor airway inflammation.
Immune reactivity to Der p I and Der p II in house dust mite sensitive patients attending paediatric and adult allergy clinics
Authors: O'BRIEN R. M. , THOMAS W. R. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryA comparison was made of immune responses to house dust mite allergens in symptomatic patients from paediatric and adult allergy clinics. IgE‐specific immune reactivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was examined by Western blotting and, for Der p I and Der p II. by radioimmune dot‐blot using purified allergens. Nineteen mite‐sensitive children (mean age 9 years) and 26 adults (mean age 31 years) were compared. Positive IgE responses by dot‐blot were found to Der p I and Der p II in 79% of children, whereas reactivity was only present in 23% and 19% respectively of adults, and densitometry indicated a weaker response. In children. Western blotting indicated that the majority of the serologic reactivity was directed to Der p II (17/19, 89%) or a 100 kDa fraction whereas in adults, reactivities were generally directed to other fractions with only 15/26 (58%) recognizing Der p II. Consistent with results of others, a fraction corresponding to Der p I was poorly detected on Western analysis despite positive dot‐blots. To determine whether the relative lack of IgE serological immune reactivity in adults was associated with a similar lack of cellular recognition, T‐cell proliferation studies were performed, also using purified allergens. Interestingly, these revealed that cellular responsiveness, without serological reactivity, was present in 29% of subjects to Der p I and 50% to Der p II. Proliferative responses were evident in all individuals with specific IgE.
A major continuous allergenic epitope of bovine β‐lactoglobulin recognized by human IgE binding
Authors: BALL G. , SHELTON M. J. , WALSH B. J. , HILL D. J. , HOSKING C. S. , HOWDEN M. E. H. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryHexapeptides of sequential overlapping sequences of β‐lactoglobulin (BLG) were used to probe scrum from children with immediate‐type cow milk allergy for IgE binding to continuous epilopes of BLG in an enhanced enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Six regions of IgE binding were identified on the BLG molecule and these were synthesized as dodecapeptides. Inhibition of IgE binding to whole BLG was used to confirm the BLG‐specific binding of IgE to each of the synthesized peptides. One of the peptides. peptide 4, showed inhibition in an IgE anti‐BLG radioimmunoassay to all 16 sera tested. The patterns of inhibition with the native BLG molecule and peptide 4 were significantly correlated (P =0.005). suggesting that this peptide contains a major continuous IgE binding epitope of BLG.
Mite antigen in house dust: relationship with different housing characteristics in the Netherlands
Authors: VAN STRIEN R. T. , VERHOEFF A. P. , BRUNEKREEF B. , VAN WIJNEN J. H. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryAs part of a case‐controlled study on the relationship between home dampness and respiratory symptoms of children, the concentration of the major allergen of Dermato‐phagoides pteronyssinus (Der p I) in floor dust and mattress dust in 516 dwellings in the Netherlands was measured. A checklist, completed by the investigators, was used to obtain information on home and occupant characteristics, which may have an impact on the Der p I concentration in house dust. The geometric mean mite antigen concentrations were 2370 ng Der p I/g floor dust for the living room, 2201 ng Der p I/g floor dust for the bedroom and 5075 ng Der p I/g mattress dust. In 86% of the houses the maximum concentration was higher than 2000 ng Der p I/g dust, that is regarded as representing a risk for genetically predisposed individuals for the development of specific IgE to house dust mite allergen. In 55% of the houses the maximum concentration exceeded 10000 ng Der p I/g dust, regarded as a risk factor for acute attacks of asthma for mite allergic patients. The Der p I concentrations in dust from carpeted floors were six to 14 times higher than in dust from floors with a smooth floor covering. Higher Der p I concentrations in floor dust were also significantly associated with increasing age of the dwelling and of the floor covering, with an increasing number of occupants, and with the absence of floor insulation. For mattress dust, the age of the mattress, the presence of an outer cavity wall and mechanical ventilation were important factors. Older mattresses had higher levels, and mattress dust from bedrooms with solid brick outer walls had higher levels than that from bedrooms with outer cavity walls. Mattresses in homes with continuous mechanical ventilation had almost twice lower levels than mattresses in homes with natural ventilation. There was a tendency towards higher Der p I concentrations in dust in homes with reported or observed signs of dampness. The Der p I concentrations in dust from carpeted bedroom floors and mattresses were positively associated with the average relative humidity in the bedroom over a period of 3–6 weeks in a subset of the homes where relative humidity was measured. Similar results were obtained using the concentrations of Der p I in ng/m2 instead of ng/g dust. The results obtained in this study are of importance for planning and evaluating allergen avoidance measures advised to mite allergic patients.