Peanut allergy:effect of environmental peanut exposure in children with filaggrin loss-of-function mutations

BackgroundFilaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function mutations lead to an impaired skin barrier associated with peanut allergy. Household peanut consumption is associated with peanut allergy, and peanut allergen in household dust correlates with household peanut consumption.ObjectiveWe sought to determine whether environmental peanut exposure increases the odds of peanut allergy and whether FLG mutations modulate these odds.MethodsExposure to peanut antigen in dust within the first year of life was measured in a population-based birth cohort. Peanut sensitization and peanut allergy (defined by using oral food challenges or component-resolved diagnostics [CRD]) were assessed at 8 and 11 years. Genotyping was performed for 6 FLG mutations.ResultsAfter adjustment for infantile atopic dermatitis and preceding egg skin prick test (SPT) sensitization, we found a strong and significant interaction between natural log (ln [loge]) peanut dust levels and FLG mutations on peanut sensitization and peanut allergy. Among children with FLG mutations, for each ln unit increase in the house dust peanut protein level, there was a more than 6-fold increased odds of peanut SPT sensitization, CRD sensitization, or both in children at ages 8 years, 11 years, or both and a greater than 3-fold increased odds of peanut allergy compared with odds seen in children with wild-type FLG. There was no significant effect of exposure in children without FLG mutations. In children carrying an FLG mutation, the threshold level for peanut SPT sensitization was 0.92 μg of peanut protein per gram (95% CI, 0.70-1.22 μg/g), that for CRD sensitization was 1.03 μg/g (95% CI, 0.90-1.82 μg/g), and that for peanut allergy was 1.17 μg/g (95% CI, 0.01-163.83 μg/g).ConclusionEarly-life environmental peanut exposure is associated with an increased risk of peanut sensitization and allergy in children who carry an FLG mutation. These data support the hypothesis that peanut allergy develops through transcutaneous sensitization in children with an impaired skin barrier

CONSUMPTION OF REDUCED-FAT PEANUT BUTTER IN ADDITION TO THE CONSUMPTION OF REGULAR PEANUT BUTTER

A set of factors has been identified to affect consumption of reduced-fat peanut butter in addition to regular peanut butter. We found that consumption of reduced-fat peanut butter, which is an imperfect substitute for regular peanut butter, may expand total demand for peanut butter. Interestingly, for those who usually buy the same brand of peanut butter, their consumption of reduced-fat peanut butter is more likely in addition to consumption of regular peanut butter, implying promotion of a specific brand of reduced-fat peanut butter tend to increase total demand for the same brand of peanut butter.reduced-fat peanut butter, regular peanut butter, Consumer/Household Economics,

The effects of intrauterine infusion of peanut oil on endometrial health, salivary cortisol and interovulatory period in mares

Intrauterine infusion of peanut oil at Day 10 post-ovulation has been reported to prolong dioestrus in mares. However, the effects of peanut oil treatment on the endometrium and whether the technique is painful have not been assessed. The objectives of this study were, (i) to determine the effect of intrauterine infusion of peanut oil on endometrial health, (ii) to determine whether use of intrauterine peanut oil is painful and (iii) to confirm that peanut oil causes prolonged dioestrus. Six mares aged 3–12 years old were used in a cross-over design with each mare administered both 1 ml of intrauterine peanut oil and a sham treatment on different oestrous cycles. The effect of intrauterine infusion of 1 ml peanut oil or sham treatment were measured using interovulatory period, uterine fluid accumulation as determined by transrectal ultrasonography, serum progesterone levels, endometrial Kenney biopsy scores and histological features, endometrial eosinophil numbers and salivary cortisol measurements. The individual mare response to intrauterine infusion of peanut oil was variable. Peanut oil infusion did not statistically prolong the luteal phase, nor elevate salivary cortisol levels but did cause superficial erosion of the endometrial surface epithelium in all mares and significantly increased eosinophil numbers in the endometrium (P = 0.0068). The Kenney grade for biopsies from 2/6 mares worsened transiently following infusion. In conclusion, intra-uterine peanut oil does not statistically increase the duration of the luteal phase but results in an inflammatory response and increase in endometrial eosinophil numbers suggesting treatment may be associated with a hypersensitivity-type reaction. Those contemplating using peanut oil to suppress oestrus should also be aware of the legislative and regulatory implications

Discovery of a Boxy Peanut Shaped Bulge in the Near Infrared

We report on the discovery of a boxy/peanut shaped bulge in the highly inclined barred Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC~7582. The peanut shape is clearly evident in near infrared $JHK$ images but obscured by extinction from dust in visible $BVR$ images. This suggests that near infrared imaging surveys will discover a larger number of boxy/peanut morphologies than visible surveys, particularly in galaxies with heavy extinction such as NGC~7582. The bulge in NGC~7582 exhibits strong boxiness compared to other boxy/peanut shaped bulges. If the starburst was mediated by the bar, then it is likely that the bar formed in less than a few bar rotation periods or a few $\times 10^8$ years ago. If the bar also caused the peanut, then the peanut would have formed quickly; on a timescale of a few bar rotation periods.Comment: AAS Latex and Postcript Figures, accepted for publication in Ap

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE FAIR ACT ON U.S. PEANUT PRODUCERS

This study analyzed the potential economic impacts of the FAIR Act under GATT and NAFTA on the U.S. peanut industry. Results indicate that the economic impacts of the new program combined with the trade agreements are profound on the peanut industry in both short and long terms. Changes of the peanut program could decrease peanut producers' farm income substantially, eliminate government financial costs related to excessive quotas, and transfer peanut growers' program benefits back to peanut consumers. Increasing imports of foreign peanuts due to free/reduced trade barrier agreements would transfer peanut producers' program benefits to domestic peanut importers and foreign exporters who sell peanuts to the U.S. Note: Tables 3 and 4 not included in machine readable file--contact authors for copies.economic impacts, FAIR Act, peanuts, quota, support price, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Recent advances in understanding and preventing peanut and tree nut hypersensitivity.

Peanut allergy, the most persistent and deadly of the food allergies, has become more prevalent worldwide in recent decades. Numerous explanations have been offered for the rise in peanut allergy, which has been more pronounced in Western, industrialized nations. In infants who are at increased risk of peanut allergy, new evidence indicates that early introduction of peanuts can help prevent allergy development. This counterintuitive finding directly contradicts the previously established practice of peanut avoidance for high-risk infants but is supported by clinical and basic science evidence. Here, we review the literature contributing to our evolving understanding of nut allergy, emphasizing the translation of this work to clinical practice

PRICE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR PEANUT MEAL

Peanut meal is cross-hedged with soybean meal using peanut meal cash prices and soybean meal futures prices. Hedge rations are obtained for short- vs. long-term data sets. Evaluation indicates positive gains for cross-hedged poultry/peanut producers, and that soybean meal futures can be used as a cross-hedging vehicle for peanut meal.Demand and Price Analysis, Marketing,

DEGREE OF COMPETITION IN THE U.S. PEANUT BUTTER INDUSTRY: A DYNAMIC ERROR CORRECTION APPROACH

Reforms in the U.S. peanut program entail a reduction in support price of peanuts. The degree to which price reduction is passed on to final consumers of peanut butter is directly related to the degree of competition in the peanut butter market. To assess the impact of changes in the peanut program on final consumers, it is necessary to know the degree of competition in the peanut butter industry. A dynamic error correction model (ECM) developed by Steen and Salvanes is estimated using nonlinear-three-stage-least-squares procedure to measure the degree of competition. Results indicate that the market is characterized by perfect competition in the short-run. The hypothesis of perfect competition is rejected in the long-run, although the long-run solution is close to a perfectly competitive behavior. This result has important implications for the peanut butter industry. Reductions in the support price of peanut may not be fully passed on to peanut butter consumer, but the consumers' welfare gain will certainly be much higher than what it would have been if the market was collusive in structure.Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

U.S. Peanut Markets Adjust to Policy Reform

With the recent (2002) elimination of the longstanding "marketing quota" system that supported domestic peanut prices at well above world levels, the U.S. peanut sector is in the initial stages of adjusting to a more uncertain, market-oriented environment. At the aggregate level, some early indications are that the adjustment process for U.S. peanut farmers has been difficult, resulting in deep losses of revenue and a rapid exit from peanut production by some producers. In 2003, the value of U.S. peanut production was down 30 percent and prices fell by nearly 25 percent compared with 2001. U.S. peanut planted acreage is at its lowest since 1915, and planted acreage has declined sharply in several important peanut producing States-55 percent in Virginia and nearly 40 percent in Texas since 2001. Peanut production is concentrated geographically, with a relatively small subset of counties in just 7 States accounting for the bulk of output. As a result, changes to the peanut program have potentially important economic implications not just for the individual farm households that produce peanuts, but perhaps for some rural communities as well. At the same time, it appears that adjustment difficulties for many current (and historical) producers may be mitigated by a number of factors, including: (1) an already diversified farm enterprise structure, with peanut (harvested) acreage accounting for an average of only 20 percent of peanut farmers' overall cropland, and a substantial share-72 percent of total household income already coming from off farm sources; (2) lower production costs for some producers stemming from policy-induced reductions in factor or input costs (e.g. land rental rates, seed prices); and (3) government revenue support and asset-loss compensation for current and historical peanut producers. It appears that one of the main difficulties faced by U.S. peanut producers following the elimination of the marketing quota system has been the loss of price stability, and a lack of price transparency and price discovery mechanisms under the new peanut program. Sources of price information and risk management tools -such as futures markets - are not available to peanut producers. Marketing alternatives may also be limited by a concentrated market structure at the buyer/processor level. Beyond detailing the more aggregate-level indicators of market adjustment, examining the adjustment experience and strategies of peanut producers at the household/farm enterprise level represents an opportunity to identify policy and market factors that facilitated or hindered adjustment, and to inform producers and policy-makers contemplating reform in other commodity programs. In particular, other U.S. commodities that are geographically concentrated or have a similar program history of production/import controls (tobacco, sugar, dairy) could draw lessons from the experience of peanut producers. Variations by region, demographic and household financial characteristics, and other factors such as institutional setting "market structure, trading/price discovery institutions, macroeconomic context or market orientation of the economy" are relevant to the analysis of policy reform both in the United States and other countries.peanuts, policy, adjustment, marketing quotas, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,