Allergy and Immunology Commons^™

Rnai-Mediated Control Of Aflatoxins In Peanut: Method To Analyze Mycotoxin Production And Transgene Expression In The Peanut/Aspergillus Pathosystem, Renee S. Arias, Phat M. Dang, Victor S. Sobolev

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the food crops in the world are contaminated with aflatoxins. That represents 100 million tons of food being destroyed or diverted to non-human consumption each year. Aflatoxins are powerful carcinogens normally accumulated by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus in cereals, nuts, root crops and other agricultural products. Silencing of five aflatoxin-synthesis genes by RNA interference (RNAi) in peanut plants was used to control aflatoxin accumulation following inoculation with A. flavus. Previously, no method existed to analyze the effectiveness of RNAi in individual peanut transgenic events, …

Myd88 In Lung Resident Cells Governs Airway Inflammatory And Pulmonary Function Responses To Organic Dust Treatment., Jill A. Poole, Todd A. Wyatt, Debra J. Romberger, Elizabeth Staab, Samantha Simet, Stephen J. Reynolds, Joseph H. Sisson, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Inhalation of organic dusts within agriculture environments contributes to the development and/or severity of airway diseases, including asthma and chronic bronchitis. MyD88 KO (knockout) mice are nearly completely protected against the inflammatory and bronchoconstriction effects induced by acute organic dust extract (ODE) treatments. However, the contribution of MyD88 in lung epithelial cell responses remains unclear. In the present study, we first addressed whether ODE-induced changes in epithelial cell responses were MyD88-dependent by quantitating ciliary beat frequency and cell migration following wounding by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing. We demonstrate that the normative ciliary beat slowing response to ODE is delayed in …

Cfap54 Is Required For Proper Ciliary Motility And Assembly Of The Central Pair Apparatus In Mice., Casey W. Mckenzie, Branch Craige, Tiffany V. Kroeger, Rozzy Finn, Todd A. Wyatt, Joseph H. Sisson, Jacqueline A. Pavlik, University Of Massachusetts Medical School, Gregory M. Hendricks, George B. Witman, Lance Lee

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Motile cilia and flagella play critical roles in fluid clearance and cell motility, and dysfunction commonly results in the pediatric syndrome primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). CFAP221, also known as PCDP1, is required for ciliary and flagellar function in mice and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, where it localizes to the C1d projection of the central microtubule apparatus and functions in a complex that regulates flagellar motility in a calcium-dependent manner. We demonstrate that the genes encoding the mouse homologues of the other C. reinhardtii C1d complex members are primarily expressed in motile ciliated tissues, suggesting a conserved function in mammalian motile cilia. The …

Meteorological Conditions, Climate Change, New Emerging Factors, And Asthma And Related Allergic Disorders. A Statement Of The World Allergy Organization., Gennaro D'Amato, Stephen T. Holgate, Ruby Pawankar, Dennis K. Ledford, Lorenzo Cecchi, Mona Al-Ahmad, Fatma Al-Enezi, Saleh Al-Muhsen, Ignacio Ansotegui, Carlos E. Baena-Cagnani, David J. Baker, Hasan Bayram, Karl Christian Bergmann, Louis-Philippe Boulet, Jeroen T M Buters, Maria D'Amato, Sofia Dorsano, Jeroen Douwes, Sarah Elise Finlay, Donata Garrasi, Maximiliano Gómez, Tari Haahtela, Rabih Halwani, Youssouf Hassani, Basam Mahboub, Guy Marks, Paola Michelozzi, Marcello Montagni, Carlos Nunes, Jay Jae-Won Oh, Todor A. Popov, Jay M. Portnoy, Erminia Ridolo, Nelson Rosário, Menachem Rottem, Mario Sánchez-Borges, Elopy Sibanda, Juan José Sienra-Monge, Carolina Vitale, Isabella Annesi-Maesano

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The prevalence of allergic airway diseases such as asthma and rhinitis has increased dramatically to epidemic proportions worldwide. Besides air pollution from industry derived emissions and motor vehicles, the rising trend can only be explained by gross changes in the environments where we live. The world economy has been transformed over the last 25 years with developing countries being at the core of these changes. Around the planet, in both developed and developing countries, environments are undergoing profound changes. Many of these changes are considered to have negative effects on respiratory health and to enhance the frequency and severity of …

Bacterially-Based Immune Challenges And Trauma Elicit Terminal Investment In Male Aedes Aegypti, Molly K. Schumacher

Theses and Dissertations

Investment in life history traits such as immune function and reproduction is constrained by finite available resources. A cost-of-immunity trade-off may occur in response to infection when resources are diverted away from reproductive effort and into an immune response. Alternatively, an infected individual may enhance reproductive effort to maximize terminal reproductive success in response to the survival threat inherent to infection (terminal investment). We measured male Aedes aegypti reproductive behavior following inoculations with: living bacteria; killed bacteria as an immune elicitor; and a sham control. Mating competitiveness relative to naïve males was also determined through a binary mate choice experiment …

Exercise Improves Host Response To Influenza Viral Infection In Obese And Non-Obese Mice Through Different Mechanisms., Kristi J. Warren, Molly M. Olson, Nicholas J. Thompson, Mackenzie L. Cahill, Todd A. Wyatt, Kyoungjin J. Yoon, Christina M. Loiacono, Marian L. Kohut

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Obesity has been associated with greater severity of influenza virus infection and impaired host defense. Exercise may confer health benefits even when weight loss is not achieved, but it has not been determined if regular exercise improves immune defense against influenza A virus (IAV) in the obese condition. In this study, diet-induced obese mice and lean control mice exercised for eight weeks followed by influenza viral infection. Exercise reduced disease severity in both obese and non-obese mice, but the mechanisms differed. Exercise reversed the obesity-associated delay in bronchoalveolar-lavage (BAL) cell infiltration, restored BAL cytokine and chemokine production, and increased ciliary …

Environmental And Food Allergens Reactivity And Its Association With Total Ige, Age And Gender In Karachi, Pakistan, Noreen Abbas, Ahmed Raheem, Farooq Ghani

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the frequency of food and environmental allergens reactivity and its association in with age, gender and total IgE levels
Material and Methods: The study population consisted of 88 individuals including children and adults (male: 47 and female: 41). The study was conducted in the clinical laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital from May 2009 till May 2010. Sera of patients positive for total IgE were tested for allergen specific IgE levels by Immulite 2000, 3gAllergyTM. We divided allergens into two panels, namely food and environmental.
Results: …

Use Of Immunotherapy In The Treatment Of Peanut Allergies In The Pediatric Population, Bethany Rauscher

Senior Honors Theses

Peanut allergies are a serious issue that must be monitored and treated effectively to avoid severe adverse effects and death. In the last decade, their incidence has increased significantly, due to indeterminate factors. Because people typically do not outgrow peanut allergies and the effects of exposure can be life-threatening, it is important that a cure or management method is developed and refined. Recent research regarding treatment for peanut allergies has focused on the use of immunotherapy, a process aimed at desensitizing children's immune systems so that they do not reject foods that contain peanuts. Some studies utilizing immunotherapy have provided …

Gait Mechanics In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease., Jennifer M. Yentes, Kendra Schmid, Daniel Blanke, Debra J. Romberger, Stephen I. Rennard, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by the frequent association of disease outside the lung. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of biomechanical gait abnormalities in COPD patients compared to healthy controls while well rested and without rest.

METHODS: Patients with COPD (N = 17) and aged-matched, healthy controls (N = 21) walked at their self-selected pace down a 10-meter walkway while biomechanical gait variables were collected. A one-minute rest was given between each of the five collected trials to prevent tiredness (REST condition). Patients with COPD then walked at a self-selected pace on …

Tcr Alpha Lcr And Non-Lcr Cis-Elements Contributing To Tissue Specific Expression Of The Tcr Alpha Gene In Thymic And Peripheral T Cells, Martina Kucerova-Levisohn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Orchestrated expression of multiple genes residing in the complex TCRα/δ/Dad1 locus requires tight control from multiple cis-acting elements. The TCRα locus control region (LCR), is positioned between TCRα and Dad1 gene, and has been implicated in the differential expression of both genes. In this study, we focus our work on the hypersensitive site (HS)1 prime (HS1'), located 3' of the classical Eα enhancer, within the TCRα LCR. We investigated its non- redundant role in TCRα expression in thymic and peripheral T cells as assayed by in vivo and in vitro studies. Furthermore, formation of HS1' in both lymphoid and …

Identifying Cases Of Undiagnosed, Clinically Significant Copd In Primary Care: Qualitative Insight From Patients In The Target Population, Nancy K. Leidy, Katherine Kim, Elizabeth D. Bacci, Barbara P. Yawn, David M. Mannino, Byron M. Thomashow, R. Graham Barr, Stephen I. Rennard, Julia F. Houfek, Meilan K. Han, Catherine A. Meldrum, Barry J. Make, Russ P. Bowler, Anna W. Steenrod, Lindsey T. Murray, John W. Walsh, Fernando Martinez, High-Risk-Copd Screening Study Group

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Many cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are diagnosed only after significant loss of lung function or during exacerbations.

AIMS: This study is part of a multi-method approach to develop a new screening instrument for identifying undiagnosed, clinically significant COPD in primary care.

METHODS: Subjects with varied histories of COPD diagnosis, risk factors and history of exacerbations were recruited through five US clinics (four pulmonary, one primary care). Phase I: Eight focus groups and six telephone interviews were conducted to elicit descriptions of risk factors for COPD, recent or historical acute respiratory events, and symptoms to inform the …

Design Of A Multi-Center Immunophenotyping Analysis Of Peripheral Blood, Sputum And Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid In The Subpopulations And Intermediate Outcome Measures In Copd Study (Spiromics), Christine M. Freeman, Sean Crudgington, Valerie R. Stolberg, Jeanette P. Brown, Joanne Sonstein, Neil E. Alexis, Claire M. Doerschuk, Patricia V. Basta, Elizabeth E. Carretta, David J. Couper, Annette T. Hastie, Robert J. Kaner, Wanda K. O'Neal, Robert Paine, Stephen I. Rennard, Daichi Shimbo, Prescott G. Woodruff, Michelle Zeidler, Jeffrey L. Curtis

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) is a multi-center longitudinal, observational study to identify novel phenotypes and biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a subset of 300 subjects enrolled at six clinical centers, we are performing flow cytometric analyses of leukocytes from induced sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peripheral blood. To minimize several sources of variability, we use a "just-in-time" design that permits immediate staining without pre-fixation of samples, followed by centralized analysis on a single instrument.

METHODS: The Immunophenotyping Core prepares 12-color antibody panels, which are shipped to the six Clinical Centers shortly before …

The Effect Of Statins On Blood Gene Expression In Copd, Ma'en Obeidat, Nick Fishbane, Yunlong Nie, Virginia Chen, Zsuzsanna Hollander, Scottj Tebbutt, Yohan Bossé, Raymond T. Ng, Bruce E. Miller, Bruce Mcmanus, Stephen I. Rennard, Peter D. Paré, Don D. Sin

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: COPD is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Statins are lipid lowering agents with documented cardiovascular benefits. Observational studies have shown that statins may have a beneficial role in COPD. The impact of statins on blood gene expression from COPD patients is largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE: Identify blood gene signature associated with statin use in COPD patients, and the pathways underpinning this signature that could explain any potential benefits in COPD.

METHODS: Whole blood gene expression was measured on 168 statin users and 451 non-users from the ECLIPSE study using the Affymetrix Human Gene 1.1 ST microarray chips. …

Identifying A Gene Expression Signature Of Frequent Copd Exacerbations In Peripheral Blood Using Network Methods, Jarrett D. Morrow, Weiliang Qiu, Divya Chhabra, Stephen I. Rennard, Paula Belloni, Anton Belousov, Sreekumar G. Pillai, Craig P. Hersh

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by acute deterioration in symptoms, may be due to bacterial or viral infections, environmental exposures, or unknown factors. Exacerbation frequency may be a stable trait in COPD patients, which could imply genetic susceptibility. Observing the genes, networks, and pathways that are up- and down-regulated in COPD patients with differing susceptibility to exacerbations will help to elucidate the molecular signature and pathogenesis of COPD exacerbations.

METHODS: Gene expression array and plasma biomarker data were obtained using whole-blood samples from subjects enrolled in the Treatment of Emphysema With a Gamma-Selective Retinoid Agonist (TESRA) …

Oral Immunotherapy In Ige-Mediated Cow’S Milk Protein Allergy, Jody Bauer

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Cow’s milk allergy prevalence in children has been increasing significantly over the last several decades. The diagnosis of a cow’s milk allergy (CMA) can occur through several methods such as signs and symptoms, double blind oral food challenge, skin prick testing, IgE and IgG4 serum levels. Currently, there are no treatments beyond strict allergen avoidance. The patient’s quality of life is impacted with the fear of inadvertent exposure resulting in allergic reactions that may be life threatening. Recent studies have explored desensitization to CM using oral immunotherapy (OIT), subcutaneous immunotherapy, and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Research has found that desensitization will …

Understanding The Hygiene Hypothesis And Its Mechanisms, Yaakov Tropper

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The hygiene hypothesis provides an explanation for the sharp increase in atopy over the past several decades by proposing that it is inversely related to the lack of infectious diseases in our society. Although atopy, as well as other hypersensitivity reactions, do have a genetic basis; studies clearly show that environmental and socioeconomic factors play a large role in determining which people will develop allergies. Proposed mechanisms leading to this disorder include an imbalance in the Th1/Th2 complex in the immune system, and a deficiency in Regulatory T cells which controls excessive T cell activity.

Allergen Immunotherapy For Allergic Asthma: Protocol For A Systematic Review., Sangeeta Dhami, Ulugbek Nurmatov, Ioana Agache, Susanne Lau, Antonella Muraro, Marek Jutel, Graham Roberts, Cezmi Akdis, Matteo Bonini, Moises Calderon, Thomas Casale, Ozlem Cavkaytar, Linda Cox, Pascal Demoly, Breda Flood, Eckard Hamelmann, Kenji Izuhara, Ömer Kalayci, Jörg Kleine-Tebbe, Antonio Nieto, Nikolaos Papadopoulos, Oliver Pfaar, Lanny Rosenwasser, Dermot Ryan, Carsten Schmidt-Weber, Stan Szefler, Ulrich Wahn, Roy-Gerth Van Wijk, Jamie Wilkinson, Aziz Sheikh

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is in the process of developing the EAACI Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for Allergic Asthma. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT in the management of allergic asthma.

METHODS: We will undertake a systematic review, which will involve searching international biomedical databases for published, in progress and unpublished evidence. Studies will be independently screened against pre-defined eligibility criteria and critically appraised using established instruments. Data will be descriptively and, if possible and appropriate, quantitatively synthesised.

DISCUSSION: The findings from this review will be used …

Comparison Of Six Commercial Elisa Kits For Their Specificity And Sensitivity In Detecting Different Major Peanut Allergens, Shyamali Jayasena, Mieke Smits, Daniëlle Fiechter, Aard De Jong, Julie A. Nordlee, Joe Baumert, Steve L. Taylor, Raymond H. Pieters, Stef J. Koppelman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Six commercial peanut enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were assessed for their ability to recover peanut from the standard reference material 2387 peanut butter and also for their specificity in detecting four major peanut allergens, Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6. The percentage recovery of peanut from peanut butter differed across different kits as well as at different sample concentrations. The highest recovery was observed with the Romer and R-Biopharm kits, while four other kits were found to underestimate the protein content of the reference peanut butter samples. Five of the kits were most …

Acceptance And Uptake Of Influenza Vaccination By Health Care Workers, Leshonda Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Influenza is a preventable infectious disease, against which vaccination is the primary means of protection. Health care workers (HCW) are among the most vulnerable to the illness and are likely to be sources of infection transmission while caring for patients. Circumstantial evidence suggests higher rates of vaccination coverage by HCW will coincide with a lower incidence of influenza transmission, yet a gap remains in the literature regarding governing health agencies' (i.e., licensing boards, medical and nursing associations) influence on the influenza vaccination practices of their constituents. Moreover, discrepancies exist between governing health agencies' and the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's recommendations …