Barriers and opportunities of fast-growing biobased material use in buildings

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires immediate and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A significant contributor to anthropogenic global GHG emissions is the production of building materials. Biobased materials offer the potential to reduce such emissions and could be deployed in the short term. Timber construction has received the main attention from policy and industry. However, the implementation of timber construction at the global scale is constrained by the availability of sustainably managed forest supplies. A viable alternative is fast-growing plants and the use of agricultural waste products. These can be deployed faster and are better aligned to local supplies of biomass and demands from the building sector. Fast-growing materials are generally able to achieve net-cooling impacts much faster due to their short rotation periods. The GHG emissions due to the production of biogenic building material can be compensated by regrowth of the new (replacement) plant and, overall, this will absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. A range of biogenic materials can be promoted and used as insulation materials and structural materials. Policy relevance Materials play an important part of the transition to a low carbon society, especially as many existing construction materials have large amounts of ‘embodied carbon’ in their manufacture. Given the need to rapidly reduce GHG emissions, public policies can promote a rapid transition to low carbon biogenic materials. The use of fast-growing biogenic materials for use in construction products can create carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative products. The use of biogenic materials in construction materials delivers larger GHG savings than their use in other sectors (e.g. biofuels). The use of these materials can be scaled up quickly due to their short rotation period. An integrated policy approach is needed that provides synergy between the energy, industry, housing and agriculture sectors to encourage the use of biobased materials.ISSN:2632-665

Barriers and opportunities of fast-growing biobased material use in buildings

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires immediate and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A significant contributor to anthropogenic global GHG emissions is the production of building materials. Biobased materials offer the potential to reduce such emissions and could be deployed in the short term. Timber construction has received the main attention from policy and industry. However, the implementation of timber construction at the global scale is constrained by the availability of sustainably managed forest supplies. A viable alternative is fast-growing plants and the use of agricultural waste products. These can be deployed faster and are better aligned to local supplies of biomass and demands from the building sector. Fast-growing materials are generally able to achieve net-cooling impacts much faster due to their short rotation periods. The GHG emissions due to the production of biogenic building material can be compensated by regrowth of the new (replacement) plant and, overall, this will absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. A range of biogenic materials can be promoted and used as insulation materials and structural materials

Acceptance and user experiences of a wearable device for the management of hospitalized patients in COVID-19–designated wards in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: action learning project

Background: Wearable devices have been used extensively both inside and outside of the hospital setting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in some contexts, there was an increased need to remotely monitor pulse and saturated oxygen for patients due to the lack of staff and bedside monitors. Objective: A prototype of a remote monitoring system using wearable pulse oximeter devices was implemented at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August to December 2021. The aim of this work was to support the ongoing implementation of the remote monitoring system. Methods: We used an action learning approach with rapid pragmatic methods, including informal discussions and observations as well as a feedback survey form designed based on the technology acceptance model to assess the use and acceptability of the system. Based on these results, we facilitated a meeting using user-centered design principles to explore user needs and ideas about its development in more detail. Results: In total, 21 users filled in the feedback form. The mean technology acceptance model scores ranged from 3.5 (for perceived ease of use) to 4.4 (for attitude) with behavioral intention (3.8) and perceived usefulness (4.2) scoring in between. Those working as nurses scored higher on perceived usefulness, attitude, and behavioral intention than did physicians. Based on informal discussions, we realized there was a mismatch between how we (ie, the research team) and the ward teams perceived the use and wider purpose of the technology. Conclusions: Designing and implementing the devices to be more nurse-centric from their introduction could have helped to increase their efficiency and use during the complex pandemic period

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. METHODS: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. FINDINGS: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. INTERPRETATION: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Climate-effective use of straw in the EU bioeconomy—comparing avoided and delayed emissions in the agricultural, energy and construction sectors

A transformation towards a bioeconomy is needed to reduce the environmental impacts and resource requirements of different industries. However, considering the finiteness of land and biomass, such a transition requires strategizing resource and land allocation towards activities that yield maximum environmental benefit. This paper aims to develop a resource-based comparative indicator between economic sectors to enable optimal use of biobased resources. A new methodology is proposed to analyze the climate effectiveness of using straw in the agricultural, energy and construction sectors. For this purpose, avoided and delayed emissions are analyzed for different use cases of straw and then compared. Considering only avoided emissions, the use of straw as a feedstock for bioelectricity has the highest climate effectiveness (930 kg CO2 eq./tstraw). Considering only temporal carbon storage, straw-based insulation in buildings has the highest climate effectiveness (881 kg CO2 eq./tstraw). Combining avoided and delayed emissions, the use of straw-based insulation has the highest climate effectiveness (1344 kg CO2 eq./tstraw). Today EU-Policies incentives the use of straw in the agricultural sector and the energy sector, neglecting the benefit from its use in the construction sector. The results can support policymakers' trans-sectoral incentives, where agriculture by-products are diverted towards the use of biomass that most boost economic activities and trigger maximum environmental benefit, given the local circumstances.ISSN:1748-9326ISSN:1748-931

Plexus 2023: Identity

Editor's NotePLEXUS is a student-organized journal of the arts and humanities that showcases creative work by medical students, physicians, faculty, and others in the UC Irvine medical community. Through the universal language of art, the journal aspires to connect those who seek to heal and be healed.We hope that PLEXUS will always serve as a creative and welcoming space in which we can all reflect and express our various emotional journeys in medicine and in life. Medicine, especially in recent years, may feel like a solitary endeavor. Now, more than ever, we hope PLEXUS provides solace and community to all who contribute to and view its pages.Identity is the fact of being or knowing what and who we are – an intrinsic property of ourselves and our world that can be challenged, taken for granted, and ultimately shaped by how we choose to live. This year's 24th edition of PLEXUS, Identity, focuses on the experiences and reflections that make us who are. We are moved by forces and convictions that define our individual identities, our motivations in healthcare, and our society. Let us celebrate the triumphs and mourn the losses that carry us to the present and remember the hopes and ambitions we have for the future.We are incredibly grateful to our amazing community for their support in sustaining PLEXUS. We would like to give special thanks to our faculty advisors Drs. Juliet McMullin, Tan Nguyen, and Frank Meyskens. As well as the Endowed Program in Medical Humanities & Arts and the Department of Family Medicine. This journal would not have been possible without their continuous support and guidance.We hope you enjoy PLEXUS 2023: Identity.Kenneth Schmitt (MS4), Celina Yang (GR1), Ashley Hope (MS4)Editors in Chief(Front cover) Tower, Clifford Danza, MS1(Background image) Salt of the Earth. Ashley Hope, MS

Acceptance and User Experiences of a Wearable Device for the Management of Hospitalized Patients in COVID-19–Designated Wards in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Action Learning Project

BackgroundWearable devices have been used extensively both inside and outside of the hospital setting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in some contexts, there was an increased need to remotely monitor pulse and saturated oxygen for patients due to the lack of staff and bedside monitors. ObjectiveA prototype of a remote monitoring system using wearable pulse oximeter devices was implemented at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August to December 2021. The aim of this work was to support the ongoing implementation of the remote monitoring system. MethodsWe used an action learning approach with rapid pragmatic methods, including informal discussions and observations as well as a feedback survey form designed based on the technology acceptance model to assess the use and acceptability of the system. Based on these results, we facilitated a meeting using user-centered design principles to explore user needs and ideas about its development in more detail. ResultsIn total, 21 users filled in the feedback form. The mean technology acceptance model scores ranged from 3.5 (for perceived ease of use) to 4.4 (for attitude) with behavioral intention (3.8) and perceived usefulness (4.2) scoring in between. Those working as nurses scored higher on perceived usefulness, attitude, and behavioral intention than did physicians. Based on informal discussions, we realized there was a mismatch between how we (ie, the research team) and the ward teams perceived the use and wider purpose of the technology. ConclusionsDesigning and implementing the devices to be more nurse-centric from their introduction could have helped to increase their efficiency and use during the complex pandemic period

Evaluation of the Xpert MTB Host Response assay for the triage of patients with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study in Viet Nam, India, the Philippines, Uganda, and South Africa

BackgroundNon-sputum-based triage tests for tuberculosis are a priority for ending tuberculosis. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the late-prototype Xpert MTB Host Response (Xpert HR) blood-based assay.MethodsWe conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study among outpatients with presumed tuberculosis in outpatient clinics in Viet Nam, India, the Philippines, Uganda, and South Africa. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older and reported cough lasting at least 2 weeks. We excluded those receiving tuberculosis treatment in the preceding 12 months and those who were unwilling to consent. Xpert HR was performed on capillary or venous blood. Reference standard testing included sputum Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and mycobacterial culture. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to identify the optimal cutoff value for the Xpert HR to achieve the target sensitivity of 90% or more while maximising specificity, then calculated diagnostic accuracy using this cutoff value. This study was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04923958.FindingsBetween July 13, 2021, and Aug 15, 2022, 2046 adults with at least 2 weeks of cough were identified, of whom 1499 adults (686 [45·8%] females and 813 [54·2%] males) had valid Xpert HR and reference standard results. 329 (21·9%) had microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis. Xpert HR had an area under the ROC curve of 0·89 (95% CI 0·86-0·91). The optimal cutoff value was less than or equal to -1·25, giving a sensitivity of 90·3% (95% CI 86·5-93·3; 297 of 329) and a specificity of 62·6% (95% CI 59·7-65·3; 732 of 1170). Sensitivity was similar across countries, by sex, and by subgroups, although specificity was lower in people living with HIV (45·1%, 95% CI 37·8-52·6) than in those not living with HIV (65·9%, 62·8-68·8; difference of 20·8%, 95% CI 13·0-28·6; p<0·0001). Xpert HR had high negative predictive value (95·8%, 95% CI 94·1-97·1), but positive predictive value was only 40·1% (95% CI 36·8-44·1). Using the Xpert HR as a triage test would have reduced confirmatory sputum testing by 57·3% (95% CI 54·2-60·4).InterpretationXpert HR did not meet WHO minimum specificity targets for a non-sputum-based triage test for pulmonary tuberculosis. Despite promise as a rule-out test that could reduce confirmatory sputum testing, further cost-effectiveness modelling and data on acceptability and usability are needed to inform policy recommendations.FundingNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the US National Institutes of Health.TranslationsFor the Vietnamese and Tagalog translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section

Proceedings of the Canadian society of allergy and clinical immunology annual scientific meeting 2015

Table of contents A1 Role of fibrocytes in allergic rhinitis Marie-Ève Côté, Marie-Ève Boulay, Sophie Plante, Jamila Chakir, Louis-Philippe Boulet A2 Patterns of aeroallergens sensitization in Northern Alberta Hanan Ahmed, Maria-Beatriz Ospina, Kyriaki Sideri, Harissios Vliagoftis A3 Addressing acceptable risk for adolescents with Food-Induced Anaphylaxis (FIA) Sara F. Johnson, Roberta L. Woodgate A4 Outcomes of matched related and unrelated bone marrow transplantation after reduced-toxicity conditioning for children suffering from Chronic Granulomatous Disease Guilhem Cros, Pierre Teira, Sonia Cellot, Henrique Bittencourt, Helene Decaluwe, Marie France Vachon, Michel Duval, Elie Haddad A5 Outcomes of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) prior to and after initiation of newborn screening for SCID in Ontario Vy H.D. Kim, Anne Pham-Huy, Eyal Grunebaum A6 Detection of regulatory B cells in the airways of subjects with asthma John-Paul Oliveria, Stephanie Phan, Mark W. Tenn, Damian Tworek, Steven G. Smith, Adrian J. Baatjes, Caitlin D. Obminski, Caroline E. Munoz, Tara X. Scime, Roma Sehmi, Gail M Gauvreau A7 Characterization of IgE-expressing B cells in the airways and peripheral blood of allergic asthmatic subjects John-Paul Oliveria, Stephanie Phan, Mark W. Tenn, Brittany M Salter, Steven G Smith, Caitlin D Obminski, Caroline E Munoz, Abbey Schlatman, Tara X Scime, Rick Watson, Roma Sehmi, Gail M Gauvreau A8 Pregnancy: could it be a risk factor for primary immunodeficient patients Roya Sherkat, Razieh Khoshnevisan, Saba Sheikhbahaei A9 Clinical experience with Octagam: a Canadian retrospective chart review Stephen Betschel, Richard Warrington, Robert Schellenberg A10 Kounis syndrome secondary to contrast media with inferior ST elevations and bilateral ischemic stroke Michael N Fein, Jean-Philippe Pelletier A11 Honey bee venom immunotherapy ineffective in bumble bee-induced anaphylaxis: case report and review of literature Manstein Kan, Robert Schellenberg A12 Delayed immune reconstitution occurring after multiple immune complications of hematological stem cell transplantation for a leaky SCID Roxane Labrosse, Guilhem Cros, Pierre Teira, Henrique Bittencourt, Helene Decaluwe, Michel Duval, Elie Haddad A13 Comparison of Three Case Reports of Acquired Angioedema: presentation, management and outcome Raymond Mak, James Loh, Amin Kanani A14 Sitagliptin-associated angioedema not related to concurrent use of ARB or ACE inhibitor Dominik A. Nowak, Paul K. Keith A15 Sneddon-Wilkinson subcorneal pustular dermatosis associated with an IgA monoclonal gammopathy Daniel Pannozzo, Dominik A. Nowak, Hermenio C. Lima A16 Omalizumab can be effective in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis Diana Pham, Hoang Pham, Gonzalo G. Alvarez, Istvan T. Bencze, Krishna B. Sharma, Mark Smith, Shawn Aaron, Jennifer Block, Tara Keays, Judith Leech, David Schneidermen, Jodi Cameron, Jennifer Forgie, Alicia Ring, John W. O’Quinn, Stephanie Santucci, William H. Yang A17 Efficacious use of omalizumab in the treatment of cystic fibrosis Diana Pham, Hoang Pham, Ena Gaudet, Shawn Aaron, Stephanie Santucci, William H. Yang A18 HAE with normal C1-INH with inconsistent response to C1 esterase inhibitor infusion but reliably responsive to icatibant Hoang Pham, Stephanie Santucci, William H. Yang A19 Anaphylaxis reaction to lactase enzyme Mathew R. Voisin, Rozita Borici-Mazi A20 Risk of solid tumor malignancies in patients with primary immune deficiency Kateryna Vostretsova, Donald F. Stark A21 Is it time to adopt the chromogenic assay for measuring C1 esterase inhibitor function in patients with HAE Type 2? Elizabeth Yeboah, Paul K. Keith A22 Emergency department visits for anaphylaxis and allergic reactions Michelle Martin-Rhee, Cheryl Gula, Clare Cheng, Geoff Paltser A23 START: Susceptibility To food Allergies in a Registry of Twins Alizée Dery, Ann Clarke, Kari Nadeau, Laurie Harada, Kimberley Weatherall, Celia Greenwood, Denise Daley, Yuka Asai, Moshe Ben-Shoshan A24 Qualifying the diagnostic approach employed by allergists when managing patients with self-diagnosed non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) Lee Horgan, Teresa Pun A25 Retrospective analysis on the agreement between skin prick test and serum food specific IgE antibody in adults with suspected food allergy Ling Ling, Maria B. Ospina, Kyriaki Sideri, Harissios Vliagoftis A26 Staple food hypersensitivity from infancy to adolescence: a report from the BAMSE cohort Jennifer L.P. Protudjer, Mirja Vetander, Marianne van Hage, Ola Olén, Magnus Wickman, Anna Bergström A27 Evaluating the impact of supervised epinephrine autoinjector administration during food challenges on perceived parent confidence Timothy Teoh, Christopher Mill, Tiffany Wong, Ingrid Baerg, Angela Alexander, Kyla J. Hildebrand, John Dean, Boris Kuzeljevic, Edmond S. Chan A28 Local immunoglobulin production to Aspergillus fumigatus cystic fibrosis Jonathan Argeny, Mia Gona-Hoepler, Petra Fucik, Edith Nachbaur, Saskia Gruber, Reto Crameri, Andreas Glaser, Zsolt Szépfalusi, Claudio Rhyner, Thomas Eiwegger A29 Extract consumption with skin prick test (SPT) devices Greg. Plunkett, Brad Mire A30 Evaluation of our cases with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug reactions Mehtap Yazicioglu, Ceren Can, Gokce Ciplak A31 Reasons for referral and final diagnoses in a tertiary care pediatric allergy clinic Victoria E. Cook, Kyla J. Hildebrand, Elodie Portales-Casamar, Christopher Mill, Edmond S. Chan A32 Internist referral practices for inpatients with self-reported penicillin allergies at a tertiary care teaching hospital Michael N Fein, Emil P Nashi A33 Assessing the risk of reactions in children with a negative oral challenge after a subsequent use of amoxicillin Sofianne Gabrielli, Christopher Mill, Marie-Noel Primeau, Christine Lejtenyi, Elena Netchiporouk, Alizee Dery, Greg Shand, Moshe Ben-Shoshan A34 Validity of self-reported penicillin allergies Erica Hoe, Joel Liem A35 Effectiveness of allergy-test directed elimination diets in eosinophilic esophagitis Jason K. Ko, David J.T. Huang, Jorge A. Mazza A36 Allergy testing and dietary management in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE): A retrospective review of a tertiary Canadian centre’s experience Mary McHenry, Anthony Otley,Wade Watson A37 Visualizing the impact of atopic and allergic skin disease Dominik A. Nowak, John N. Kraft A38 Cystic fibrosis with and without nasal polyposis in pediatric patients: a cross-sectional comparative study Mihaela Paina, Ahmed A. Darwish Hassan, Delia Heroux, Lynn Crawford, Gail Gauvreau, Judah Denburg, Linda Pedder, Paul K. Keith A39 Evaluation of macrolide antibiotic hypersensitivity: the role of oral challenges in children Bahar Torabi, Marie-Noel Primeau, Christine Lejtenyi, Elaine Medoff, Jennifer Mill, Moshe Ben-Shoshan A40 Venom allergy testing: is a graded approach necessary? Jaclyn A. Quirt, Xia Wen, Jonathan Kim, Angel Jimenez Herrero, Harold L. Kim A41 The role of oral challenges in evaluating cephalosporin hypersensitivity reactions in children Magdalena J. Grzyb, Marie-Noël Primeau, Christine Lejtenyi, Elaine Medoff, Jennifer Mill, Moshe Ben-Shoshan A42 Breastfeeding and infant wheeze, atopy and atopic dermatitis: findings from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development Study Meghan B. Azad, Zihang Lu, Allan B. Becker, Padmaja Subbarao, Piushkumar J. Mandhane, Stuart E. Turvey, Malcolm R. Sears, the CHILD Study Investigators A43 IL33 DNA methylation in bronchial epithelial cells is associated to asthma Anne-Marie Boucher-Lafleur, Valérie Gagné-Ouellet, Éric Jacques, Sophie Plante, Jamila Chakir, Catherine Laprise A44 NRF2 mediates the antioxidant response to organic dust-induced oxidative stress in bronchial epithelial cells Michael Chen, Toby McGovern, Mikael Adner, James G. Martin A45 The effects of perinatal distress, immune biomarkers and mother-infant interaction quality on childhood atopic dermatitis (rash) at 18 months Nela Cosic, Henry Ntanda, Gerald Giesbrecht, Anita Kozyrskyj, Nicole Letourneau A46 Examining the immunological mechanisms associated with cow’s milk allergy Bassel Dawod, Jean Marshall A47 Tryptase levels in children presenting with anaphylaxis to the Montréal Children’s Hospital Sarah De Schryver, Michelle Halbrich, Ann Clarke, Sebastian La Vieille, Harley Eisman, Reza Alizadehfar, Lawrence Joseph, Judy Morris, Moshe Ben-Shoshan A48 Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in infancy and the development of food hypersensitivity from childhood to adolescence Laura Y. Feldman, Jesse D. Thacher, Inger Kull, Erik Melén, Göran Pershagen, Magnus Wickman, Jennifer L. P. Protudjer, Anna Bergström A49 Combined exposure to diesel exhaust and allergen enhances allergic inflammation in the bronchial submucosa of atopic subjects Ali Hosseini, Tillie L. Hackett, Jeremy Hirota, Kelly McNagny, Susan Wilson, Chris Carlsten A50 Comparison of skin-prick test measurements by an automated system against the manual method Saiful Huq, Rishma Chooniedass, Brenda Gerwing, Henry Huang, Diana Lefebvre, Allan Becker A51 The accurate identification and quantification of urinary biomarkers of asthma and COPD through the use of novel DIL- LC-MS/MS methods Mona M. Khamis, Hanan Awad, Kevin Allen, Darryl J. Adamko, Anas El-Aneed A52 Systemic immune pathways associated with the mechanism of Cat-Synthetic Peptide Immuno-Regulatory Epitopes, a novel immunotherapy, in whole blood of cat-allergic people Young Woong Kim, Daniel R. Gliddon, Casey P. Shannon, Amrit Singh, Pascal L. C. Hickey, Anne K. Ellis, Helen Neighbour, Mark Larche, Scott J. Tebbutt A53 Reducing the health disparities: online support for children with asthma and allergies from low-income families Erika Ladouceur, Miriam Stewart, Josh Evans, Jeff Masuda, Nicole Letourneau, Teresa To, Malcolm King A54 Epigenetic association of PSORS1C1 and asthma in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean asthma study Miriam Larouche, Liming Liang, Catherine Laprise A55 IL-33 induces cytokine and chemokine production in human mast cells Stephanie A. Legere, Ian D. Haidl, Jean-Francois Legaré, Jean S. Marshall A56 Reference ranges for lung clearance index from infancy to adolescence for Canadian population Zihang Lu, Malcolm Sears, Theo J. Moraes, Felix Ratjen, Per Gustafsson, Wendy Lou, Padmaja Subbarao A57 Kingston Allergy Birth Cohort: cohort profile and mother/child characteristics to age 2 Michelle L. North, Elizabeth Lee, Vanessa Omana, Jenny Thiele, Jeff Brook, Anne K. Ellis A58 Cow’s milk protein specific IgE, IgA and IgG4 as a predictor of outcome in oral immunotherapy Tanvir Rahman, Duncan Lejtenyi, Sarah De Schryver, Ryan Fiter, Ciriaco Piccirillo, Moshe Ben-Shoshan, Bruce Mazer A59 Age of peanut introduction and development of reactions and sensitization to peanut Elinor Simons, Allan B. Becker, Rishma Chooniedass, Kyla Hildebrand, Edmond S. Chan, Stuart Turvey, Padmaja Subbarao, Malcolm Sears A60 Multi-omic blood biomarker signatures of the late phase asthmatic response Amrit Singh, Casey P. Shannon, Young Woong Kim, Mari DeMarco, Kim-Anh Le Cao, Gail M. Gauvreau, J. Mark FitzGerald, Louis-Philippe Boulet, Paul M. O’Byrne, Scott J. Tebbutt A61 Early life gut microbial alterations in children diagnosed with asthma by three years of age Leah T. Stiemsma, Marie-Claire Arrieta, Jasmine Cheng, Pedro A. Dimitriu, Lisa Thorson, Sophie Yurist, Boris Kuzeljevic, Diana L. Lefebvre, Padmaja Subbarao, Piush Mandhane, Allan Becker, Malcolm R. Sears, Kelly M. McNagny, Tobias Kollmann, the CHILD Study Investigators, William W. Mohn, B. Brett Finlay, Stuart E. Turvey A62 The relationship between food sensitization and atopic dermatitis at age 1 year in a Canadian birth cohort Maxwell M. Tran, Diana L. Lefebvre, Chinthanie F. Ramasundarahettige, Allan B. Becker, Wei Hao Dai, Padmaja Subbarao, Piush J. Mandhane, Stuart E. Turvey, Malcolm R. Sears A63 Allergen inhalation enhances Toll-like receptor-induced thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor expression by hematopoietic progenitor cells in mild asthmatics Damian Tworek, Delia Heroux, Seamus N. O’Byrne, Paul M. O’Byrne, Judah A. Denburg A64 The Allergic Rhinitis Clinical Investigator Collaborative – replicated eosinophilia on repeated cumulative allergen challenges in nasal lavage samples Laura Walsh, Mena Soliman, Jenny Thiele, Lisa M. Steacy, Daniel E. Adams, Anne K. Ellis A65 The CHILD Study: optimizing subject retention in pediatric longitudinal cohort research Linda Warner, Mary Ann Mauro, Robby Mamonluk, Stuart E. Turvey A66 Differential expression of C3a and C5a in allergic asthma ChenXi Yang, Amrit Singh, Casey P. Shannon, Young Woong Kim, Ed M. Conway, Scott J. Tebbut