Allergy & Immunology 
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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory.
110987 records returned
An Empirical Investigation on System and Statement Level Parallelism Strategies for Accelerating Scatter Search Using Handel-C and Impulse-C
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Scatter Search is an effective and established population-based metaheuristic that has been used to solve a variety of hard optimization problems. However, the time required to find high-quality solutions can become prohibitive as problem sizes grow. In this paper, we present a hardware implementation of Scatter Search on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Our objective is to improve the run time of Scatter Search by exploiting the potentially massive performance benefits that are available through the native parallelism in hardware. When implementing Scatter Search we employ two different high-level languages (HLLs):...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
New Bandwidth Selection for Kernel Quantile EstimatorsEmail this article to a colleague.
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We propose a cross-validation method suitable for smoothing of kernel quantile estimators. In particular, our proposed method selects the bandwidth parameter, which is known to play a crucial role in kernel smoothing, based on unbiased estimation of a mean integrated squared error curve of which the minimising value determines an optimal bandwidth. This method is shown to lead to asymptotically optimal bandwidth choice and we also provide some general theory on the performance of optimal, data-based methods of bandwidth choice. The numerical performances of the proposed methods are compared in simulations, and the new band...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Acid-Base Disorders in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Pathophysiological ReviewEmail this article to a colleague.
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The authors describe the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to development of acidosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its deleterious effects on outcome and mortality rate. Renal compensatory adjustments consequent to acidosis are also described in detail with emphasis on differences between acute and chronic respiratory acidosis. Mixed acid-base disturbances due to comorbidity and side effects of some drugs in these patients are also examined, and practical considerations for a correct diagnosis are provided. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Optimised In2S3 Thin Films Deposited by Spray PyrolysisEmail this article to a colleague.
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Indium sulphide has been extensively investigated as a component for different kind of photovoltaic devices (organic-inorganic hybrid devices, all inorganic, dye sensitized cells). In this paper, we have optimised the growth conditions of indium sulphide thin films by means of a low cost, versatile deposition technique, like spray pyrolysis. The quality of the deposited films has been characterised by micro-Raman, vis-UV spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Substrate deposition temperature and different postdeposition annealing conditions have been investigated in order to obtain information about the quality of the ...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Molecular Mechanism of Macrophage Activation by Red Ginseng Acidic Polysaccharide from Korean Red GinsengEmail this article to a colleague.
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In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism of molecular activation of RGAP in macrophages. RGAP treatment strongly induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells without altering morphological changes, although the activity was not strong compared to LPS-induced dendritic-like morphology in RAW264.7 cells. RGAP-induced NO production was accompanied with enhanced mRNA levels of iNOS and increases in nuclear transcription factors such as NF-κB, AP-1, STAT-1, ATF-2, and CREB. According to pharmacological evaluation with specific enzyme inhibitors, Western blot analysis of intracellular signaling proteins and inhibitory p...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Dyspnea Caused by Atlantoaxial Subluxation in a Patient with Rheumatoid ArthritisEmail this article to a colleague.
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We report a patient with rheumatoid arthritis whose chief complaint was dyspnea on arrival to the emergency department (ED). After further investigation, spinal cord compression caused by atlantoaxial subluxation was diagnosed. This is an uncommon but important case that ED physicians should be aware of. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Ruthenium Sensitizers and Their Applications in Dye-Sensitized Solar CellsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. The DSSCs-based ruthenium complexes as sensitizers show high efficiency and excellent stability, implying potential practical applications. This review focuses on recent advances in design and preparation of efficient ruthenium sensitizers and their applications in DSSCs, including thiocyanate ruthenium sensitizers and thiocyanate-free ruthenium sensitizers. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
W-Stability of Multistable Nonlinear Discrete-Time SystemsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Motivated by the importance and application of discrete dynamical systems, this paper presents a new Lyapunov characterization which is an extension of conventional Lyapunov characterization for multistable discrete-time nonlinear systems. Based on a new type stability notion of W-stability introduced by D. Efimov, the estimates of solution and the Lyapunov stability theorem and converse theorem are proposed for multi-stable discrete-time nonlinear systems. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Effect of Etching Time on Optical and Thermal Properties of p-Type Porous Silicon Prepared by Electrical Anodisation MethodEmail this article to a colleague.
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The porous silicon (PSi) layers were formed on p-type silicon (Si) wafer. The six samples were anodised electrically with 30 mA/cm2 fixed current density for different etching times. The structural, optical, and thermal properties of porous silicon on silicon substrates were investigated by photoluminescence (PL), photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), and UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. The thickness and porosity of the layers were measured using the gravimetric method. The band gap of the samples was measured through the photoluminescence (PL) peak and absorption spectra, then they were compared. It shows that band gap v...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
A Unified Method of Analysis for Queues with Markovian ArrivalsEmail this article to a colleague.
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We deal with finite-buffer queueing systems fed by a Markovian point
process. This class includes the queues of type M/G/1/N, MX/G/1/N, PH/G/1/N,
MMPP/G/1/N, MAP/G/1/N, and BMAP/G/1/N and is commonly used in the performance evaluation of network traffic buffering processes. Typically, such queueing
systems are studied in the stationary regime using matrix-analytic methods connected with M/G/1-type Markov processes. Herein, another method for finding
transient and stationary characteristics of these queues is presented. The approach
is based on finding a closed-form formula for the Laplace transform of the time-dependent pe...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Occult Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma Presenting as a Frontal Bone Metastasis: A Case ReportEmail this article to a colleague.
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This is a rare case of metastatic follicular carcinoma of thyroid in a patient with no history of thyroid problem. A frontal bone mass was examined microscopically and showed the pattern of metastatic follicular carcinoma. Thyroid ultrasonography then revealed a nodule in left lobe. Total thyroidectomy was done for the patient and microscopic examination confirmed the diagnosis. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Long-Term Outcomes of a Major Outbreak of Chikungunya in a Hamlet in Sri Lanka, in 2007: A Longitudinal Cohort StudyEmail this article to a colleague.
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Chikungunya outbreaks occurred in the central province, Sri Lanka in 2006. This community-based study reports the epidemiology and the natural history of the infection from an affected village. Of the 199 families and 1001 individuals in the village, 159 (80%) and 513 (51%) were affected, respectively, comprising 237 (46%) males with peak incidence at 40–50 years. The acute illness caused polyarthritis in 233 (46%), and of them 230 (98%) progressed to chronic arthritic disability (CAD). Of the CAD patients, 102 (44%) had recovered in 141 days (range 30–210 days) from the disability stat...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Lipid-Laden Alveolar Macrophages and pH Monitoring in Gastroesophageal Reflux-Related Respiratory SymptomsEmail this article to a colleague.
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This study was conducted to prove a correlation between the detection of alimentary pulmonary fat phagocytosis and an increasing amount of proximal gastroesophageal reflux. It was assumed that proximal gastroesophageal reflux better correlates with aspiration than distal GER. Patients from 6 months to 16 years with unexplained recurrent wheezy bronchitis and bronchial hyperreactivity, or recurrent pneumonia with chronic cough underwent 24-hour double-channel pH monitoring and bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Aspiration of gastric content was determined by counting lipid laden alveolar macrophages from BAL sp...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Single-Crystal MgO Hollow Nanospheres Formed in RF Impulse Discharge PlasmasEmail this article to a colleague.
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Spherical MgO nanoparticles with a hollow inside, that is, MgO hollow nanospheres, were created in Ar/O2 plasma produced by radio frequency (RF) impulse discharge using a Mg rod electrode. The hollow nanospheres were found on the SiO2 plates placed near the powered Mg electrode. The electron refraction pattern showed that each nanosphere was made of a single crystal of MgO. Since the shape was spherical, these nanoparticles seemed to be created during the levitation in the plasma without touching any walls. The formation mechanism with a quasiliquid cooling model was also discussed. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Zuonin B Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation via Downregulation of the ERK1/2 and JNK Pathways in RAW264.7 MacrophagesEmail this article to a colleague.
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In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effects of Zuonin B are attributable to the suppression of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators via blockage of NF-κB and AP-1 activation. Based on these findings, we propose that Zuonin B is potentially an effective functional chemical candidate for the prevention of inflammatory diseases. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
On Stochastic Finite-Time Control of Discrete-Time Fuzzy Systems with Packet DropoutEmail this article to a colleague.
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This paper is concerned with the stochastic finite-time stability and stochastic finite-time boundedness problems for one family of fuzzy discrete-time systems over networks with packet dropout, parametric uncertainties, and time-varying norm-bounded disturbance. Firstly, we present the dynamic model description studied, in which the discrete-time fuzzy T-S systems with packet loss can be described by one class of fuzzy Markovian jump systems. Then, the concepts of stochastic finite-time stability and stochastic finite-time boundedness and problem formulation are given. Based on Lyapunov function approach, sufficient condi...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Statistical Analysis of Ratio of Random Variables and Its Application in Performance Analysis of Multihop Wireless TransmissionsEmail this article to a colleague.
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The distributions of random variables are of interest in many areas of science. In this paper, the probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) of ratio of products of two random variables and random variable are derived. Random variables are described with Rayleigh, Nakagami-m, Weibull, and α-μ distributions. An application of obtained results in performance analysis of multihop wireless communication systems in different transmission environments described in detail. The proposed mathematical analysis is also complemented by various graphically presented numerical results....
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Ethnopharmacokinetic- and Activity-Guided Isolation of a New Antidepressive Compound from Fructus Aurantii Found in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Chaihu-Shugan-San: A New Approach and Its ApplicationEmail this article to a colleague.
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Conclusion. MH, a compound whose antidepressive effect is similar to FA and CSS, was isolated for the first time from FA via targeting its corresponding unknown chromatographic peak, and its antidepressive effect was compared with FA or CSS. These findings highlight the potential for drug R&D and pharmacological research of ∼100,000 TCMs. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Unusual Presentation of Rare Case of Papillary Adenofibroma of Cervix in a Young WomanEmail this article to a colleague.
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We report the case of a large polypoidal mass per vagina occupying the whole pelvis in a young woman. Preoperative biopsy showed benign epithelial and mullerian mesenchymal components suggestive of mullerian adenofibroma. Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy was done. The diagnosis of papillary adenofibroma of cervix was made. The total surgery assured complete excision and permitted adequate sampling to exclude malignancy. (Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology)
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Multifunctional CD4+T cells in patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasisEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryLeishmaniasis is a group of important parasitic diseases affecting millions worldwide. To understand more clearly the quality of T helper type 1 (Th1) response stimulated after Leishmania infection, we applied a multiparametric flow cytometry protocol to evaluate multifunctional T cells induced by crude antigen extracts obtained from promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis (LbAg) and Leishmania amazonensis (LaAg) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healed cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. Although no significant difference was detected in the percentage of total interferon (IFN)‐γ‐producing CD4+T cells ...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: A. B. B. MacedoJ. C. Sánchez‐ArcilaA. O. SchubachS. C. F. MendonçaA. Marins‐Dos‐SantosM. de Fatima MadeiraT. GaginiM. I. F. PimentelP. M. De Luca Source Type: research
Impaired phagocytosis among patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus: implication for a role of highly active anti‐retroviral therapyEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryIn patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, neutrophil and monocyte functions, including phagocytosis, are impaired. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes of phagocytic function and respiratory burst occurring over the course of patients infected by the HIV‐1 virus. Treatment‐naive patients (group B), patients receiving highly active anti‐retroviral treatment (HAART) (group C) and patients in which HAART has failed (group D) were studied and compared with healthy volunteers (group A). Phagocytosis and oxidative burst were evaluated using commercially available kits. Results cl...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: C. MichailidisG. GiannopoulosV. VigklisK. ArmenisA. TsakrisP. Gargalianos Source Type: research
Enhanced levels of CCL19 in patients with advanced acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)Email this article to a colleague.
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SummaryBased on the ability to recruit lymphocytes and dendritic cells to lymphoid tissue and to promote inflammation, we hypothesized a role for dysregulated CCL19 and CCL21 levels in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients with advanced immunodeficiency, and in particular in those with accompanying Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. The hypothesis was explored by studies in HIV‐infected patients with and without MAC infection, as well as in vitro, examining the ability of proteins from MAC to promote CCL19 and CCL21 responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) during highly active ant...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: J. K. DamåsO. ØktedalenT. UelandL. LandrøJ. BarstadF. MüllerS. S. FrølandT. H. FloP. Aukrust Source Type: research
Complete deficiency of the sixth complement component (C6Q0), susceptibility to Neisseria meningitidis infections and analysis of the frequencies of C6Q0 gene defects in South AfricansEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryComplete complement component 6 deficiency (C6Q0) is a co‐dominant genetic disease presenting as increased susceptibility to invasive Neisseria meningitidis infections. Affected individuals have two affected alleles which can be homozygous or compound heterozygous for the particular gene defects they carry. This disorder has been diagnosed relatively frequently in Western Cape South Africans. Affected patients are prescribed penicillin prophylaxis. In 2004 we commenced a clinical follow‐up study of 46 patients. Of these, 43 had family age‐matched C6 sufficient controls. Participants were classified as either (...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: A. OrrenE. P. OwenH. E. HendersonL. van der MerweF. LeisegangC. StassenP. C. Potter Source Type: research
Early exposure of interferon‐γ inhibits signal transducer and activator of transcription‐6 signalling and nuclear factor κB activation in a short‐term monocyte‐derived dendritic cell culture promoting ‘FAST’ regulatory dendritic cellsEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryInterferon (IFN)‐γ is a cytokine with immunomodulatory properties, which has been shown previously to enhance the generation of tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC) when administered early ex vivo in 7‐day monocyte‐derived DC culture. To generate tolerogenic DC rapidly within 48 h, human monocytes were cultured for 24 h with interleukin (IL)‐4 and granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) in the presence (IFN‐γ‐DC) or absence of IFN‐γ (500 U/ml) (UT‐DC). DC were matured for 24 h with TNF‐α and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). DC phenotype, signal transducer and activator of tr...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: D. Rojas‐CanalesR. KrishnanC. F. JessupP. T. Coates Source Type: research
Synthetic peptides containing ITIM‐like sequences of IREM‐1 (CD300F) differentially regulate MyD88 and TRIF‐mediated TLR signalling through activation of SHP and/or PI3KEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryThe immune receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (IREM‐1/CD300F) has been shown to inhibit various inflammatory processes in myeloid cells, such as macrophages and mast cells. IREM‐1 exerts its inhibitory effect through its intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based inhibition motifs (ITIMs). In order to generate immunomodulatory molecules that can regulate the inflammatory activation of macrophages, decapeptides representing each of the five ITIM‐like sequences in the cytoplasmic tail of IREM‐1 were synthesized in conjugation with human immunodeficiency virus‐transactivator of transcription (HIV‐TAT4...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: S‐M. LeeK. SukW‐H. Lee Source Type: research
Thin‐layer chromatography immunostaining in detecting anti‐phospholipid antibodies in seronegative anti‐phospholipid syndromeEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryIn clinical practice it is possible to find patients with clinical signs suggestive of anti‐phospholipid syndrome (APS) who are persistently negative for the routinely used anti‐phospholipid antibodies (aPL). Therefore, the term proposed for these cases was seronegative APS (SN‐APS). We investigated the clinical usefulness of thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) immunostaining in detecting serum aPL in patients presenting clinical features of SN‐APS. Sera from 36 patients with SN‐APS, 19 patients with APS, 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 20 anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐positive subjec...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: F. ContiC. AlessandriM. SoriceA. CapozziA. LongoT. GarofaloR. MisasiD. BompaneG. R. V. HughesM. A. KhamashtaG. Valesini Source Type: research
Enterocytes: active cells in tolerance to food and microbial antigens in the gutEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummaryEnterocytes used to be studied particularly in terms of digestion protagonists. However, as the immune functions of the intestinal tract were better understood, it became clear that enterocytes are not mere bystanders concerning the induction of immune tolerance to dietary peptides and gut microbiota. In fact, enterocytes are involved actively in shaping the intestinal immune environment, designed for maintaining a non‐belligerent state. This tolerant milieu of the gut immune system is achieved by keeping a balance between suppression and stimulation of the inflammatory responses. Our review presents the current s...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: N. MironV. Cristea Source Type: research
Immunology in clinic review series; focus on autoinflammatory diseases: update on monogenic autoinflammatory diseases: the role of interleukin (IL)‐1 and an emerging role for cytokines beyond IL‐1Email this article to a colleague.
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OTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESAllergy, Host Responses, Cancer, Type 1 diabetes and viruses, Metabolic diseases.SummaryThe disease‐based discovery of the molecular basis for autoinflammatory diseases has led not only to a rapidly growing number of clinically and genetically identifiable disorders, but has unmantled key inflammatory pathways such as the potent role of the alarm cytokine interleukin (IL)‐1 in human disease. Following its initial failures in the treatment of sepsis and the moderate success in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, IL‐1 blocking therapies had a renai...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: R. Goldbach‐Mansky Source Type: research
Immunology in clinic review series; focus on autoinflammatory diseases: role of inflammasomes in autoinflammatory syndromesEmail this article to a colleague.
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OTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESAllergy, Host Responses, Cancer, Type 1 diabetes and viruses, Metabolic diseases.SummaryAutoinflammatory syndromes are disorders characterized by the hyperactivation of the innate immune system in the absence of microbial infection or autoantibody production. Some autoinflammatory syndromes are associated with recurrent episodes of fever and systemic inflammation that are caused by dysregulated activation of inflammasomes, molecular platforms responsible for the activation of caspase‐1 and the production of interleukin (IL)‐1β. In this review we will...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: V. U. OzkuredeL. Franchi Source Type: research
Immunology in clinic review series; focus on autoinflammatory diseases: inflammasomes: mechanisms of activationEmail this article to a colleague.
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OTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESAllergy, Host Responses, Cancer, Type 1 diabetes and viruses, Metabolic diseases.SummaryInitiation of a successful immune response requires a working set of sensors that detect any noxious agent within the cellular microenvironment and molecular platforms that process this signal to trigger an appropriate effector response. Pattern recognition receptors can engage different signalling cascades that lead to proinflammatory gene expression. At the same time, transcription‐independent events such as activation of proteases and/or phagocytosis are also init...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: A. K. MankanA. KubarenkoV. Hornung Source Type: research
Murine lupus strains differentially model unique facets of human lupus serologyEmail this article to a colleague.
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SummarySystemic lupus erythematosus is a polygenic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of antinuclear autoantibodies that lead to subsequent end organ damage. Previous array‐based studies in patients with SLE have shown that high IgG anti‐nuclear autoantibody reactivity was associated with severe renal lupus whereas IgM polyreactivity was associated with less severe disease. To ascertain how different murine lupus strains recapitulate these different autoantibody profiles seen in patients, serum from NZB/NZW F1, MRL/lpr, NZM2410 and BXSB strains were compared using a comprehensive array–based screen. T...
Source: Clinical and Experimental Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Li LiSatyavani NukalaYong DuJie HanKui LiuJack HutchesonSimanta PathakQuanzhen LiChandra Mohan Source Type: research
Detailed Analysis of Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells in Women with Repeated IVF FailureEmail this article to a colleague.
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ConclusionsPeripheral blood NK cell activity is significantly higher in women with RIF than in fertile controls. Future trials of immune therapy in women undergoing IVF should target those with high NK activity. (Source: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Gavin SacksYang YangElizabeth GowenSusan SmithLouise FayMichael Chapman Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Genetic variations in loci relevant to natural killer cell function are affected by ethnicity but are generally not correlated with susceptibility to HIV‐1Email this article to a colleague.
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Polymorphisms in cell surface receptors of natural killer cells and their ligands on target cells can affect susceptibility to viral infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐1. We found that the carriage of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐G minus 14‐bp polymorphism, LILRB1 single nucleotide polymorphism rs1061680, and activating and inhibitory killer immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIRs) were different when data were compared between Caucasian, African Americans and Asian populations. However, carriage was similar when HIV‐1 patients were compared with control donors, with the exception of the Afr...
Source: Tissue Antigens - February 2, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: M. Z. K. A. AghafarC. WittA. KamarulzamanR. IsmailM. M. LedermanB. RodriguezD. SenitzerS. LeeP. Price Source Type: research
Some Allergic Inflammation May Be Due To Exposure To Common Environmental BacteriaEmail this article to a colleague.
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Could some cases of asthma actually be caused by an allergic reaction to a common environmental bacteria? New research findings published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that this idea may not be as far-fetched as it seems. In a research report appearing in the February 2012 print issue, researchers show a link between common environmental bacteria and airway inflammation... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 1, 2012 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Respiratory / Asthma Source Type: news
Lungs Infected With Plague Bacteria Also Become Playgrounds For Other MicrobesEmail this article to a colleague.
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Among medical mysteries baffling many infectious disease experts is exactly how the deadly pneumonic plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, goes undetected in the first few day of lung infection, often until it's too late for medical treatment. New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine has opened a door to the answer. Researchers led by William E. Goldman, PhD, professor and chair of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hilland a leading authority on Y... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - February 1, 2012 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Respiratory / Asthma Source Type: news
fexofenadine, Allegra, Allegra Allergy, Allegra Hives, Children's AllegraEmail this article to a colleague.
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Title: fexofenadine, Allegra, Allegra Allergy, Allegra Hives, Children's AllegraCategory: MedicationsCreated: 12/31/1997Last Editorial Review: 2/1/2012 (Source: MedicineNet Allergies General)
Source: MedicineNet Allergies General - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: news
CorrectionEmail this article to a colleague.
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With regard to the February 2011 article entitled “The burden of adult asthma in the United States: Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey” (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127:363-9.e3), several numbers need to be corrected. First, the initial sentence of the Results section, both in the abstract and in the body of the article, should read “Of 44,795 adults, 1,935 reported an encounter for asthma.” Second, in , the Proportion rows for all headings other than “Adult MEPS total” are incorrect as given. A corrected version of the Table appears below: (Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Correction Source Type: research
CD27 expression on allergen-specific T cells: A new surrogate for successful allergen-specific immunotherapy?Email this article to a colleague.
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To date, allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is the only causal treatment for allergic diseases. The principle of ASIT is to administer gradually increasing doses of allergen, either as allergen extracts or as recombinant allergen. The aim is to reprogram the allergen-specific immune response from a TH2-driven IgE-dominated response toward a tolerant state. By inducing immune tolerance to an allergen, diseases such as allergic rhinitis might even be prevented in progressing toward a severe chronic disorder, such as asthma. Although the concept of specific immunotherapy is more than 100 years old, our knowledge about the...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Stefanie Gilles, Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Bacterial identification and analytic challenges in clinical microbiome studiesEmail this article to a colleague.
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The importance of the human microbiome is rapidly emerging. Our bodies host complex communities of microbes with much greater genetic diversity than our own genome. This complexity is variable across subjects, and there is still much to learn about the processes that drive the establishment and maintenance of these communities. More importantly, these communities fundamentally affect the normal function of our bodies and thus are critical to understand as modifiers of human processes, including disease. (Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: J. Kirk Harris, Brandie D. Wagner Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
AddendumEmail this article to a colleague.
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With regard to the August 2011 article entitled “Tiotropium is noninferior to salmeterol in maintaining improved lung function in B16-Arg/Arg patients with asthma” (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;128:315-22), a full list of the investigators and other important participants who contributed to the study has been added to the article’s Supplemental Materials section on the Journal’s Web site (www.jacionline.org). (Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Addendum Source Type: research
The Editors’ ChoiceEmail this article to a colleague.
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Allergic rhinitis or hay fever is a common disease caused by environmental allergens, such as pollens and animal dander, in allergic persons. Characteristic symptoms include runny nose, nasal itching, sneezing, and congestion. Antihistamines that block the first of 4 different receptors, molecules that mediate the effects of histamine released during allergies, are available over the counter and by prescription. These antihistamines are effective in treating allergic rhinitis–associated itching, runny nose, and sneezing but are not very effective against nasal congestion, often the most bothersome symptom. A number of de...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Donald Y.M. Leung, Stanley J. Szefler, Associate Editors of the JACI Tags: The Editors' choice Source Type: research
Advances in mechanisms of asthma, allergy, and immunology in 2011Email this article to a colleague.
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2011 was marked by rapid progress in the identification of basic mechanisms of allergic disease and the translation of these mechanisms into human cell systems. Studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology this year provided new insights into the molecular determinants of allergenicity, as well as the environmental, cellular, and genetic factors involved in sensitization to allergens. Several articles focused on mechanisms of allergen immunotherapy and the development of novel strategies to achieve tolerance to allergens. Additional studies identified substantial contributions from TH17-type cells an...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Joshua A. Boyce, Bruce Bochner, Fred D. Finkelman, Marc E. Rothenberg Tags: Advances in allergy, asthma, and immunology series 2012 Source Type: research
New approaches to personalized medicine for asthma: Where are we?Email this article to a colleague.
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Access to an electronic medical record is essential for personalized medicine. Currently, only 40% of US physicians have such access, but this is rapidly changing. It is expected that 100,000 Americans will have their whole genome sequenced in 2012. The cost of such sequencing is rapidly dropping, and is estimated to be $1000 by 2013. These technological advances will make interpretation of whole genome sequence data a major clinical challenge for the foreseeable future. At present, a relatively small number of genes have been identified to determine drug treatment response phenotypes for asthma. It is anticipated that thi...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Scott T. Weiss Tags: Asthma: Current status and future directions Source Type: research
Mendelian traits causing susceptibility to mucocutaneous fungal infections in human subjectsEmail this article to a colleague.
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(Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Continuing Medical Education examination Source Type: research
Mendelian traits causing susceptibility to mucocutaneous fungal infections in human subjectsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Mucocutaneous candidiasis and dermatophyte infections occur either in isolation or alongside other symptoms in patients with various primary immunodeficiency diseases with diverse genetic defects, which result in impaired IL-17 immunity, IL-22 immunity, or both. In patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, disease-associated polymorphisms in DECTIN1 act on the level of fungal recognition, whereas mutations in caspase recruitment domain–containing protein 9 (CARD9) disturb the subsequent spleen tyrosine kinase 2–CARD9/BCL10/MALT1–driven signaling cascade, impairing nuclear factor κB–mediated maturation of an...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Karin R. Engelhardt, Bodo Grimbacher Tags: Mechanisms of allergic diseases Source Type: research
Fungi and allergic lower respiratory tract diseasesEmail this article to a colleague.
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(Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Continuing Medical Education examination Source Type: research
Fungi and allergic lower respiratory tract diseasesEmail this article to a colleague.
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Asthma is a common disorder that in 2009 afflicted 8.2% of adults and children, 24.6 million persons, in the United States. In patients with moderate and severe persistent asthma, there is significantly increased morbidity, use of health care support, and health care costs. Epidemiologic studies in the United States and Europe have associated mold sensitivity, particularly to Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum, with the development, persistence, and severity of asthma. In addition, sensitivity to Aspergillus fumigatus has been associated with severe persistent asthma in adults. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergi...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Alan P. Knutsen, Robert K. Bush, Jeffrey G. Demain, David W. Denning, Anupma Dixit, Abbie Fairs, Paul A. Greenberger, Barbara Kariuki, Hirohito Kita, Viswanath P. Kurup, Richard B. Moss, Robert M. Niven, Catherine H. Pashley, Raymond G. Slavin, Hari M. Vi Tags: Clinical reviews in allergy and immunology Source Type: research
A Special Thank-You to Our ReviewersEmail this article to a colleague.
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Rob C. Aalberse∗ Jun Abe (Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
News Beyond Our PagesEmail this article to a colleague.
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Previous research on reslizumab, an anti–IL-5 mAb, in asthmatic patients did not provide a clear clinical benefit; however, improvements were noted in small studies in subgroups of patients with eosinophilic asthma. Castro et al (Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011;184:1125-32) investigated reslizumab's effectiveness in 106 patients with uncontrolled asthma with eosinophilia exclusively. The primary outcome (asthma control questionnaire) was not significantly improved. However, the authors found that airway function improved and sputum and blood eosinophilia decreased in the reslizumab-treated group. Moreover, they reported a...
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Marc E. Rothenberg, Jean Bousquet Tags: News beyond our pages Source Type: research
CME Activities CalendarEmail this article to a colleague.
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▪ Online Teaching Slide Presentations (Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology)
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - February 1, 2012 Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Reader services Source Type: research
