Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only modality that can modify immune responses to allergen exposure, but therapeutic coverage is low. One strategy to improve AIT safety and efficacy is the use of new or improved adjuvants. This study investigates immune responses produced by microcrystalline tyrosine (MCT)–based vaccines as compared with conventional aluminum hydroxide (alum). Wild-type, immune-signaling–deficient, and TCR-transgenic mice were treated with different Ags (e.g., OVA and cat dander Fel d 1), plus MCT or alum as depot adjuvants. Specific Ab responses in serum were measured by ELISA, whereas cytokine secretion was measured both in culture supernatants by ELISA or by flow cytometry of spleen cells. Upon initiation of AIT in allergic mice, body temperature and further clinical signs were used as indicators for anaphylaxis. Overall, MCT and alum induced comparable B and T cell responses, which were independent of TLR signaling. Alum induced stronger IgE and IL-4 secretion than MCT. MCT and alum induced caspase-dependent IL-1β secretion in human monocytes in vitro, but inflammasome activation had no functional effect on inflammatory and Ab responses measured in vivo. In sensitized mice, AIT with MCT-adjuvanted allergens caused fewer anaphylactic reactions compared with alum-adjuvanted allergens. As depot adjuvants, MCT and alum are comparably effective in strength and mechanism of Ag-specific IgG induction and induction of T cell responses. The biocompatible and biodegradable MCT seems therefore a suitable alternative adjuvant to alum-based vaccines and AIT.
Over-the-counter antiaging formulations aim to prevent or minimize the signs of aging skin, and to maintain the benefits obtained from different cosmetic procedures. Even though a huge selection of such products is available on the market, evidence and good clinical practice of the data supporting their use are oftentimes lacking. In this systematic review, the authors reviewed scientific data available in the published literature on the most common ingredients used in antiaging cosmetics, with a particular focus on in vivo studies.
BACKGROUND: Children travelling are potentially exposed to a wide spectrum of illness, which includes mild self-limiting disease, but also severe illness requiring hospitalization. Risk factors for hospitalization need to be analysed to inform prevention-and treatment strategies for travel-related disease, to make travelling for children -from a medical perspective -more secure. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis on children with travel-related disease presenting at the Emergency Room of University of Zurich Children's Hospital between July 2007 and December 2012. The profile of children being hospitalized was compared to that of children treated as outpatients. RESULTS: 801 children (57.4% male) were included in the study. 83 children (10.4%) were treated as inpatients. Compared to outpatients, inpatients were significantly more likely to be male, to have travelled to Southern Asia, to have a diagnosis of Salmonella typhi or paratyphi(3.6 % vs. 0.1%, p < 0.0001), pyogenic abscess (3.6% vs. 0.1 %, p < 0.0001) or malaria (1.4 % vs. 0.2%, p = 0.0384). Neurologic diagnoses (such as seizure disorder: 3.6% vs. 0.4%, p < 0.0001) were diagnosed more often among inpatients. Furthermore, inpatients presented more often with non-specific findings such as dehydration (8.5% vs. 0.6%, p < 0.0001): No correlation with inpatient care was seen for VFR/immigrant travel. CONCLUSIONS: Children acquire a wide spectrum of travel-related illness. A careful, detailed travel history is important in children presenting in the Emergency Room with symptoms suggesting infectious disease. Originally published at: Leuthard, Deborah; Berger, Christoph; Staubli, Georg; Nadal, David; Schmid, Sabine; Hamer, David; Weber, Rainer; Schlagenhauf, Patricia (2015). Management of children with travel-related illness evaluated in a pediatric emergency room.
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