Allergen-specific immunotherapy provides immediate, long-term and preventive clinical effects in children and adults: the effects of immunotherapy can be categorised by level of benefit -the centenary of allergen specific subcutaneous immunotherapy

Allergen Specific Immunotherapy (SIT) for respiratory allergic diseases is able to significantly improve symptoms as well as reduce the need for symptomatic medication, but SIT also has the capacity for long-term clinical effects and plays a protective role against the development of further allergies and symptoms. The treatment acts on basic immunological mechanisms, and has the potential to change the pathological allergic immune response. In this paper we discuss some of the most important achievements in the documentation of the benefits of immunotherapy, over the last 2 decades, which have marked a period of extensive research on the clinical effects and immunological background of the mechanisms involved. The outcome of immunotherapy is described as different levels of benefit from early reduction in symptoms over progressive clinical effects during treatment to long-term effects after discontinuation of the treatment and prevention of asthma. The efficacy of SIT increases the longer it is continued and immunological changes lead to potential long-term benefits. SIT alone and not the symptomatic treatment nor other avoidance measures has so far been documented as the therapy with long-term or preventive potential. The allergic condition is driven by a subset of T-helper lymphocytes (Th2), which are characterised by the production of cytokines like IL-4, and IL-5. Immunological changes following SIT lead to potential curative effects. One mechanism whereby immunotherapy suppresses the allergic response is through increased production of IgG4 antibodies. Induction of specific IgG4 is able to influence the allergic response in different ways and is related to immunological effector mechanisms, also responsible for the reduced late phase hyperreactivity and ongoing allergic inflammation. SIT is the only treatment which interferes with the basic pathophysiological mechanisms of the allergic disease, thereby creating the potential for changes in the long-term prognosis of respiratory allergy. SIT should not only be recognised as first-line therapeutic treatment for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis but also as secondary preventive treatment for respiratory allergic diseases

Classification of Used Wood in European Solid Biofuel Standard: Fuel Specification and Classes (EN 14961-1)

The work of the BioNormII on Fuel specification and classes (Task IV) has very valuable in upgrading of EN 14961 to European standard. Testing of the draft versions of EN 14961 in companies and collecting feedback from associations has provided useful information from practise in setting threshold values for property tables in Part 1 of EN 14961 and proposal for classification of product standards. The Task IV has also made a comprehensive study of current classification of used wood (waste wood) including implementation of European legislations and standards. The study included also analysis of different used wood sortiments and their composition especially con­ taminants. It is necessary to define the impact of possible contaminants on the energy utilisation of used wood. This is helpful for categorisation, as well as for identification and characterisation of the contaminants. From an environ­ mental point of view, the risks of used wood combustion are air pollution from flue gases or leaching of hazardous substances from ash after disposal. Operation failure, normally appearing as boiler deposit formation or corrosion, is a technical issue that also needs to be considered. Mechanically, problems in fuel conveyors may occur due to glass, fittings, and various fastening systems that are attached to �used wood� products. Another important aspect to be ac­ counted for is issues related to occupational health. All these aspects were surveyed during the study. The project also made a proposal for overall categorisation of chemically treated industrial wood residues and used wood. In this clas­ sification used wood is divided in 4 categories A, B, C and D. Categories A and B are classified under EN 14961-1� Solid biofuel standard and class C under EN 15359�Solid recovered fuel. Fuels falling into category C should be in­ cinerated according Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC). Class D wood is treated by wood preservatives and is hazardous waste