Hypersensitivity to Pollen of Olea Europea in Patients with Pollen Allergy in Zadar Country, Croatia

Preosjetljivost na pelud masline važan je uzrok peludnih alergija u mediteranskim zemljama. Cilj ovoga rada bio je utvrditi učestalost preosjetljivosti na pelud masline među bolesnicima s peludnom alergijom u Zadru i Zadarskoj županiji. Dobivene rezultate usporedili smo s ranijim ispitivanjem preosjetljivosti na pelud masline u Dalmaciji. Ukupno je obrađen 671 ispitanik s preosjetljivosti na peludne alergene. Od toga broja 61 % ispitanika bilo je muškog spola, a 39 % je bilo ženskog spola. Od ukupno ispitanih 53.5 % činila su djeca u dobi od 4 do 14 godina, a preostalih 46.5 % bili su odrasli u dobi od 15 do 59 godina života. Svim ispitanicima uzeta je detaljna obiteljska i osobna anamneza, napravljen klinički pregled te učinjeno kožno prick-testiranje i enzimatsko-imunološki UniCAP-test za određivanje specifi čnih IgE-protutijela. Statistička obrada podataka učinjena je χ2-testom. Preosjetljivost na pelud masline dokazana je u 8.8 % bolesnika s peludnom alergijom. Najveći broj bolesnika s preosjetljivosti na pelud masline boluje od alergijskog rinitisa, 58 % bolesnika. Postoji statistički značajna razlika u broju bolesnika između dvije ispitivane sredine, gradske i seoske. Samo 3 % bolesnika stanovnici su otoka. Preosjetljivost na pelud masline u našem ispitivanju najniža je u odnosu na ispitivanja provedena u drugim mediteranskim zemljama. Najčešće se očituje kliničkom slikom alergijskog rinitisa, a statistički je značajno češća u gradskoj sredini. Usporedba preosjetljivosti na pelud masline tijekom dvaju ispitivanih razdoblja u našoj zemlji nije pokazala porast broja bolesnika s preosjetljivosti na pelud masline.Olive pollen is one of the most common respiratory allergens in the Mediterranean countries. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of hypersensitivity to the pollen of Olea europea in pollen allergic patients in the County of Zadar. The study included 671 patients with pollen allergy; 61 % were male and 39 % female. 53.5 % were children aged from 4 to 14 years and 46.5 % adolescents and adults from 15 to 59 years. We took their case history, clinically examined them, and tested using the skin prick test and enzymo-immunologic UniCAP test for specifi c IgE antibodies. For statistical analysis we used the chi-square test. Hypersensitivity to Olea europea pollen was confi rmed in 8.8 % patients with pollen allergy. Among them, the most prevalent symptom was rhinitis (58 %). Most hypersensitive patients were urban residents. Only 3 % patients lived on an island. Judging by available data, our fi ndings show the lowest hypersensitivity to olive pollen in the Mediterranean. A comparison with our two earlier studies did not show any fl uctuation in this kind of hypersensitivity

SMOS land validation activities at the Valencia Anchor Station

This paper presents an overview of the extensive and intensive activity carried out at the Valencia Anchor Station(VAS) site to contribute to SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) land products validation. Special attention isdedicated to the various radiometry experiments hosted at the VAS that were performed at different spatial scales, fromthe plot scale to the regional scale (up to 50 km), using ground-based measurements airborne-based observations andSMOS products