Changes in the concentration of pollen over an 11-year period in a Polish urban environment

Recent studies suggest that climate change can influence plant reproductive systems and have an impact on the increase in allergenic pollen in atmospheric air; highly allergenic pollen may intensify the allergic response in people. The aim of our study was to evaluate the seasonal dynamic concentration of the most allergenic pollen taxa, i.e., the following trees: Alnus, Corylus, Betula, and herbaceous plants: grasses (Poaceae), Artemisia, and Ambrosia, in the long-term period of 2003–2013 in the city of Lodz, Poland. Weekly airborne pollen concentrations were evaluated with a volumetric Lansoni pollen trap. The beginning and the end of the season were calculated by the 98% method. The birch (Betula) pollen was at the highest level and accounted for 79%, followed by alder (Alnus) – 19%, and hazel (Corylus) – 2%. Among the herbaceous taxa, grasses (Poaceae) pollen dominated – 79%, followed by mugwort (Artemisia) – 18%, and ragweed (Ambrosia) – 3%. Our findings indicate a lack of qualitative and quantitative change in the pollen produced over the 11-year period

Increased apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with perennial allergic asthma/rhinitis: relation to serum markers of apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: The goal of our study was to examine spontaneous and stimulated apoptosis of peripheral blood MNC from allergic patients, sensitized to Der p I antigen as compared to cells from non-atopic subjects. Furthermore we aimed to investigate which populations of mononuclear cells (lymphocytes, monocytes) undergo the apoptosis and to determine relations between apoptosis and serum levels of sFas/APO-1, ICE/caspase-1 or TNF-alpha. METHODS: The study included 17 patients with perennial, allergic asthma and/or allergic rhinitis [6 male and 11 female; mean age 29,5 years; (range 15-49)]. Apoptosis was assessed by fluorescence technique and confirmed by flow-cytometric method and DNA ladder. Serum levels of sFas, ICE/caspase-1 or TNF-alpha were determined by immunoassays (ELISA). RESULTS: Apoptotic index of unfractionated mononuclear cells (MNC) and lymphocytes (but not monocytes) were significantly higher in allergic patients as compared to non-allergic subjects after 48 and 72 hours of culture (p<0.05). Incubation of cells with ConA (10 microg/ml) resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of apoptotic cells in all populations once the apoptotic index for MNC and lymphocytes (but not monocytes) was again significantly higher in allergic as compared to non-allergic subjects after 24, 48 and 72 hour of culture. In allergic patients, mean serum sFas level, was significantly lower then in non-allergic group (mean value 624.8 pg/ml +/- 25.67 versus 802.0 pg/ml +/- 31.91; p = 0.003) and in both groups sFas level correlated inversely with apoptosis of MNC. The mean ICE/caspase-1 concentration was significantly higher in sera of allergic patients as compared to non-allergic group (mean value 27.71 pg/ml +/- 3.79 vs 23.54 pg/ml respectively; p<0.01). ICE/caspase-1 levels in allergic patients correlated with apoptotic index of mononuclear cells (r = 0.57; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An increased spontaneous and mitogen-induced apoptosis of MNC from peripheral blood of atopic patients as well as different serum levels of sFas and ICE/caspase-1 correlating with apoptosis, suggest different regulation of apoptotic process in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with allergic asthma and/or rhinitis

Periostin in exhaled breath condensate and in serum of asthmatic patients : relationship to upper and lower airway disease

PURPOSE: Periostin is considered a biomarker for eosinophilic airway inflammation and have been associated with NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (NERD) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this study, we aimed to evaluate periostin in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in serum of patients with various asthma phenotypes. METHODS: The study included 40 asthmatic patients (22 with NERD) and 17 healthy controls. All the procedures (questionnaire, spirometry, FeNO, nasal swabs, EBC collecting, and blood sampling) were performed on the same day. Periostin concentrations were measured using an ELISA kit. RESULTS: Periostin was detected in EBC from 37 of 40 asthmatics and in 16 from 17 of controls. The concentration of periostin in EBC did not differ between the study groups and was not associated with NERD or asthma severity. However, the EBC periostin was significantly higher in asthmatics with CRS as compared to those without (3.1 vs 2 ng/mL, P=0.046). Patients with positive bacterial culture from nasal swabs had higher EBC periostin concentrations than those without (3.2 vs 2.1 ng/mL; P=0.046). The mean serum periostin level was higher in asthmatics with a 1-year history of exacerbation than in those without (3.2 vs 2.3 ng/mL, P=0.045). Asthmatics with skin manifestation of NSAIDs hypersensitivity had higher serum periostin levels as compared to those without (3.5 vs 2.3 ng/mL; P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: EBC periostin levels seem to reflect intensity of upper airway disease in asthmatics, while serum levels of periostin are associated with asthma activity (exacerbations or FeNO) or NERD subphenotypes

The statement of the Polish Society of Allergology experts on the treatment of difficult-to-treat asthma

The main objective of asthma treatment is to control symptoms of the disease; however, despite the availability of guidelines and many groups of medications, the degree of control of this condition is insufficient. In difficult-to-treat asthma, the optimal control cannot be achieved due to reasons independent of the disease. Factors worsening asthma control include: inadequate treatment plan (low therapy adherence and compliance), inappropriate inhalation technique, insufficient symptom control using the available classes of medications, incomplete response to treatment (non-responders, steroid-resistance), incorrect diagnosis of asthma or comorbidities, and environmental factors. In order to achieve the optimal asthma control, it is recommended to: take therapeutic decisions with the patient, assess the probability of non-compliance, perform detailed diagnostics and initiate treatment of concomitant diseases, carry out differential diagnosis of conditions mimicking asthma, educate the patient as to the inhalation technique and check it, eliminate unfavourable environmental factors, and modify current treatment. New treatment options for patients with asthma include: ultra-long-acting beta2-agonists, long-acting muscarine receptor antagonists (LAMA), monoclonal antibodies, and non-pharmacological interventions. The only LAMA approved for treatment of asthma is tiotropium bromide. The analyses performed demonstrated a high efficacy of tiotropium in terms of improved lung function parameters and prolonged time to the first asthma exacerbation. It is recommended as an add-on therapy at asthma treatment steps 4 and 5 according to GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) 2014. The optimal asthma control is important from the medical as well as the economical point of view.The main objective of asthma treatment is to control symptoms of the disease; however, despite the availability of guidelines and many groups of medications, the degree of control of this condition is insufficient. In difficult-to-treat asthma, the optimal control cannot be achieved due to reasons independent of the disease. Factors worsening asthma control include: inadequate treatment plan (low therapy adherence and compliance), inappropriate inhalation technique, insufficient symptom control using the available classes of medications, incomplete response to treatment (non-responders, steroid-resistance), incorrect diagnosis of asthma or comorbidities, and environmental factors. In order to achieve the optimal asthma control, it is recommended to: take therapeutic decisions with the patient, assess the probability of non-compliance, perform detailed diagnostics and initiate treatment of concomitant diseases, carry out differential diagnosis of conditions mimicking asthma, educate the patient as to the inhalation technique and check it, eliminate unfavourable environmental factors, and modify current treatment. New treatment options for patients with asthma include: ultra-long-acting beta2-agonists, long-acting muscarine receptor antagonists (LAMA), monoclonal antibodies, and non-pharmacological interventions. The only LAMA approved for treatment of asthma is tiotropium bromide. The analyses performed demonstrated a high efficacy of tiotropium in terms of improved lung function parameters and prolonged time to the first asthma exacerbation. It is recommended as an add-on therapy at asthma treatment steps 4 and 5 according to GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) 2014. The optimal asthma control is important from the medical as well as the economical point of view

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha polymorphism as one of the complex inherited factors in pemphigus.

The aim of our study was to analyse a significance of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha promoter gene polymorphisms in relation to the HLA-DR locus in genetic predisposition to pemphigus. TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms in position -238 and -308 were identified using a modified polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 53 patients with pemphigus (38 with pemphigus vulgaris, 15 with pemphigus foliaceus) and 87 healthy controls. The HLA-DRB1 locus was typed using the polymerase chain reaction SSO method in all the patients and 152 population controls. Carriers of the TNF-alpha polymorphic -308 A allele were found to be more frequent in the pemphigus foliaceus group in comparison with the control group (odds ratio (OR) = 8.12; p = 0.0005). A significant association between HLA-DRB1*04 (OR = 3.86; pcor = 0.0001) and DRB1*14 (OR = 8.4; pcor = 0.0001) and pemphigus vulgaris was found. In this group of patients a decreased frequency of HLA-DRB1*07 (OR = 0.08; pcor = 0.006) was also identified. We have shown for the first time a positive association of TNF-alpha polymorphism in position -308 with pemphigus foliaceus

Measuring diffuse neutrino fluxes with IceCube

In this paper the sensitivity of a future kilometer-sized neutrino detector to detect and measure the diffuse flux of high energy neutrinos is evaluated. Event rates in established detection channels, such as muon events from charged current muon neutrino interactions or cascade events from electron neutrino and tau neutrino interactions, are calculated using a detailed Monte Carlo simulation. Neutrino fluxes as expected from prompt charm decay in the atmosphere or from astrophysical sources such as Active Galactic Nuclei are modeled assuming power laws. The ability to measure the normalization and slope of these spectra is then analyzed. It is found that the cascade channel generally has a high sensitivity for the detection and characterization of the diffuse flux, when compared to what is expected for the upgoing- and downgoing-muon channels. A flux at the level of the Waxman-Bahcall upper bound should be detectable in all channels separately while a combination of the information of the different channels will allow detection of a flux more than one order of magnitude lower. Neutrinos from the prompt decay of charmed mesons in the atmosphere should be detectable in future measurements for all but the lowest predictions.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure