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Will Systems Biology Transform Clinical Decision Support?
Published in Paul Cerrato, John Halamka, Reinventing Clinical Decision Support, 2020
Clustering is also providing insights into the multidimensional nature of asthma and allergy. To appreciate the significance of this evidence, one first has to understand atopy, which is the tendency to develop immunologic reactions to common allergens. Currently, this propensity is determined by a person’s prolonged immune response, as measured by immunoglobin E (IgE) antibody. Allergists typically arrive at a diagnosis of atopy by either measuring IgE levels in the blood or through skin prick tests to food and inhalant allergens. To date, a positive IgE antibody response is considered the strongest risk factor for predicting the eventual onset of asthma. However, since many individuals with elevated IgE levels never develop asthma, one has to question whether this marker needs to be reevaluated.
Microbiology of Metalworking Fluids
Published in Jerry P. Byers, Metalworking Fluids, Third Edition, 2018
Allergies develop when the body’s immune system reacts to a molecule is recognizes as foreign. An allergen is any molecule that induces the body’s release of histamine, characteristic of an allergic reaction. In contrast to toxins, any given allergen is likely to affe ct only a small percentage of exposed individuals. The severity of the response is more affected by an individual’s sensitivity than to dose. Exposed to a particular allergen, some people may suffer minor irritation (consider mild hay fever or rashes). Particularly sensitive people may suffer anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a general, potentially lethal whole-body condition resulting from the body’s rapid release of antibodies and histamine.
Human physiology, hazards and health risks
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2016
David J. Baker, Naima Bradley, Alec Dobney, Virginia Murray, Jill R. Meara, John O’Hagan, Neil P. McColl, Caryn L. Cox
An allergen is a substance that triggers an allergic response in atopic individuals (persons who are liable to asthma, eczema, hay fever and urticaria). Amongst the common allergens are house dust mites, pollens, foods such as peanuts, egg protein, moulds, spores, dog dander (scales from hair or fur of dogs) and cat dander (combination of scales from skin and saliva). All allergens have one common feature – they are all proteins. As peanut oil does not contain any protein, individuals who are allergic to peanuts are unlikely to react to peanut oil. The best known non-protein allergen is the antibiotic penicillin.
Microbiology in Water-Miscible Metalworking Fluids
Published in Tribology Transactions, 2020
Frederick J. Passman, Peter Küenzi
Asthma is conventionally defined as a type I allergic airway disease mediated by T-helper cells and immunoglobulin E (152) and occurs with sufficient exposure to airborne irritants. These irritants, known as antigens or allergens, trigger an immunoglobulin E-mediated release of molecules that cause diverse symptoms ranging from sneezing to chronic inflammation (153). Viruses are the predominant cause for asthma and other respiratory illnesses (154), and it was suggested that disruption of the commensal microflora might lead to immune dysfunction (155). There are no indications that airborne microorganisms from MWFs have a specific function in these diseases. It is more likely that chemical components of MWFs are responsible for occupational asthma (156, 157).
Correlation between mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation and length of perfluorinated compounds
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 2018
Histamine is an important mediator leading to immediate-type hypersensitivity and allergic inflammation by recruiting major effectors to the area of allergen exposure (Jutel, Blaser, and Akdis 2006). Histamine and β-hexosaminidase are markers for the degree of mast cell degranulation (Fukuishi et al. 2014). Crosslinking of FcεRI on mast cells induces intracellular events, such as increase of intracellular Ca and activation of transcription factors (Filho et al. 2016). Ca mobilization is an essential and sufficient stimulus to induce mast cell degranulation (Law et al. 2011). Our findings demonstrated elevated levels of histamine, β-hexosaminidase, and intracellular Ca for mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation. In the present study, exposure to PFDA and PFUnA increased all three levels, but exposure of PFHpA and PFNA did not markedly affect these concentrations in IgE-stimulated mast cells. Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines from mast cells is also involved in allergic inflammation and immediate-type hypersensitivity (Amin 2012). In IgE-stimulated mast cells, treatment with PFDA and PFUnA enhanced the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. In contrast, there was no significant change following administration of PFHpA and PFNA. NF-κB is a transcription factor regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines on mast cells (Turner et al. 2014). Evidence thus indicates that PFDA and PFUnA produced mast cell-derived allergic inflammation via activation of NF-κB and downstream elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines in IgE-stimulated mast cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the number of carbon atoms in PFC was a factor in consequent mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation.