#Can Biohackers Succeed At Making'Real Vegan Cheese'?'A group of Oakland California-based biohackers believe they can create real vegan cheese.
Rising temperatures bring more smog more asthma and longer allergy seasons. If your kid doesn t use an inhaler consider yourself a lucky parent said Mccarthy
#EU membership may have led to allergy increase in rural Polandpoland's entry into the EU may have had the surprising consequence of increasing allergies in rural villages according to a new study.
Surveys show that the prevalence of atopy a predisposition towards allergic reactions jumped from seven per cent to 20 per cent in villages in southwest Poland between 2003 and 2012.
Exposure to farm animals especially at a young age is thought to protect against developing allergies. The findings add to evidence that westernized lifestyles increase the risk of allergic diseases.
Previous research has suggested that farm dwellers especially children who grow up on farms have lower rates of hay fever
and atopy than people living in towns. Study author Professor Paul Cullinan from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London said:
Asthma hay fever and other allergic diseases are becoming more common in many countries and there's growing evidence that they're linked to modern clean lifestyles.
We found that rapid changes in farming practices after Poland joined the EU were accompanied by a sharp increase in allergies over a very short period of time.
It's likely that similar changes are occurring in other places in Europe and we can expect that elsewhere in the world we may see major increases in allergies asthma
and hay fever over the coming decades as countries become more westernized and less rural. Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University and Imperial College London conducted surveys in villages and a small town in southwest Poland in 2003 one year before Poland joined the EU
and 2012 to study the prevalence of asthma hay fever and atopy which is diagnosed with a skin prick test.
In 2003 7. 3 per cent of villagers tested positive for atopy compared with 20 per cent of townspeople.
In 2012 the prevalence of atopy in villages had risen to 19.6 per cent. hay fever also rose from 3. 0 per cent to 7. 7 per cent
but the prevalence of asthma did not change significantly. In towns there were no changes in the prevalence of allergies.
Twenty-four per cent of village dwellers had regular or occasional contact with cows in 2003 but this fell to four per cent in 2012.
Thirty-three per cent had contact with pigs in 2003 but only 14 per cent in 2012.
The study appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Imperial College London.
#Legislation to provide allergy medication in schools crucial to save livesan act recently signed by President Obama will make it easier to provide epinephrine to children with severe food allergies in schools even without a prescription.
since up to 6 percent of children in the United states are diagnosed now with a food allergy.
Allergic reactions to food and other potential life threatening allergic reactions can be fatal unless epinephrine is injected into the child immediately.
if your child has a severe allergy. The number of children treated for anaphylactic shock at Nationwide Children's Emergency Department has been on the rise
Previous testing confirmed he was allergic to dairy egg peanuts and tree nuts but Liam drank soy milk for months before his anaphylactic reaction.
or more students with a food allergy and about 25 percent of life-threatening food allergy reactions reported at schools occurred in children with no prior history of food allergies.
Epinephrine in schools should not replace your family's own individualized allergy treatment plan that you make with your allergist
or for those with known food allergies who for whatever reason do not have self-injectable epinephrine immediately available.
When a child has a severe allergic reaction seconds are crucial because timely administration of epinephrine is the single most important way to save lives
#Link between allergies, increased risk of blood cancers in womena team of scientists looking into the interplay of the immune system and cancer have found a link between a history of airborne allergies--in particular to plants grass and trees
To the best of our knowledge ours is the first study to suggest important gender differences in the association between allergies
Increasing evidence indicates that dysregulation of the immune system such as you find in allergic and autoimmune disorders can affect survival of cells in developing tumors.
History of asthma and allergies was taken also including allergies to plants grasses or trees; mold or dust;
A history of allergies to airborne antigens was associated with a higher risk of hematologic malignancies.
The most statistically significant association was seen with allergies to plants grass and trees. Further the study looked at associations between the different subtypes of allergies
and hematologic malignancies and found that a history of allergies to plants grass and trees was associated significantly with mature B-cell neoplasms one of four major categories of lymphoma.
There was also an increased risk of plasma-cell neoplasms for participants who reported a history of allergies to cats dogs or other animals.
Plasma-cell neoplasms are conditions both cancerous and noncancerous in which the body makes too many plasma cells.
It is tempting to speculate that the additional effect of allergy may reach statistical significance in women because of their lower baseline risk for the development of hematologic malignancies compared to men the authors wrote.
and self-reported health status. Types of allergy medication participants used were controlled not for. It's tough to eliminate allergy treatment as a confounder
because just about everyone with allergies is on some medication. But none of the allergy medications are known to cause cancer Shadman said.
The authors cite the study's strengths as its large population size the comprehensive baseline data regarding cancer risk
and medical conditions its prospective design and its use of the SEER registry an award-winning cancer registry program based at Fred Hutch.
Meanwhile the authors acknowledge the study's limitations namely the reliance on self-reporting of allergies the limitation of soliciting answers about current allergies only and particularly the limited number of hematologic cancers for each subset of allergy types.
#You can have a food allergy, and eat it toohave food allergies? If you answered yes you know the best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction is to totally avoid the offending food.
But according to a presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) you may no longer have to avoid the food entirely.
Different parts of food may have said different allergenicity presenter Sami Bahna MD allergist and ACAAI past president.
For example someone with an egg allergy may be able to tolerate egg yolk but not the whites.
And someone with a fruit allergy may be allergic to the seeds but not the pulp.
In his presentation Dr. Bahna noted not only can certain parts of food be safe to eat for some food allergy sufferers
but there are some substitutes that can be eaten as well. Just because someone is allergic to cow's milk doesn't mean they are allergic to milk from all other animals said Dr. Bahna.
Some sufferers might have to avoid several foods which can be difficult and cause malnutrition.
Some food sensitivities may also predict other food allergies. Different types of fruits and fish can often have substantial cross-reactivity meaning there may be several types that need to be avoided.
But it's more unlikely that someone allergic to shrimp is also allergic to squid.
While many food allergic individuals find they can eat certain parts of food or substitutes this isn't a one size fits all approach said Dr. Bahna.
Allergy manifests in everyone differently. If you have a food allergy evaluation by a board-certified allergist can identify the exact foods that you should avoid
and the substitute foods that you can safely eat. Allergy skin testing or blood testing are good screening procedures for food allergy.
Allergists often confirm the suspected foods by performing oral food challenges. During this test patients are fed tiny amounts of the suspected allergy-causing food in increasing doses under strict supervision by an allergist.
Although there is no cure for food allergies at present some sufferers may outgrow their allergy over time.
Milk allergy is commonly outgrown in childhood while a peanut or shellfish allergy usually lasts for many years or for a lifetime.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Oral allergy syndrome, high blood pressure medications can create lethal cocktailoral allergy syndrome sufferers that take high blood pressure medications may experience extreme facial swelling
and difficulty breathing the next time they bite into a juicy apple. When patients with oral allergy syndrome take angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for hypertension
and congestive heart failure they are increased at an risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis according to new research.
The case studies being presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma
and Immunology (ACAAI) found use of ACE inhibitors can cause what is known as a priming effect in oral allergy syndrome sufferers.
When a sufferer's allergies are primed and they come in contact with a particular allergen they experience a more severe than normal reaction said allergist Denisa Ferastraoaru MD ACAAI member
and lead study author. Symptoms can include extreme facial swelling (angioedema) and difficulty breathing which can lead to death in some cases.
Hay fever sufferers that experience an itchy mouth or scratchy throat after eating certain raw fruits
or vegetables and some tree nuts may have oral allergy syndrome. It is also known as pollen-food syndrome
since it is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw produce. Sufferers can often mistake oral allergy syndrome symptoms for food allergy said allergist David Rosenstreich MD ACAAI fellow and study author.
But it isn't a food allergy and often patients can eat that food when it is cooked.
For example an individual may have a reaction to a raw apple but not to apples baked in a pie.
and switched from ACE inhibitors to ANGIOTENSIN II receptor blocker (ARB) therapy no further oral allergy symptoms occurred.
Not everyone with a pollen allergy will experience oral allergy syndrome when eating raw produce and tree nuts.
While oral allergy symptoms are typically mild including mouth and throat discomfort swelling and itching it is important sufferers discuss these symptoms with their allergist
The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Is it an allergy? Patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) and other food sensitivities showed clinical laboratory
and histological characteristics suggesting they may be suffering from a non-Ige-mediated food allergy according to the article Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity as an Allergic Condition:
and other relevant medical literature focusing on NCWS patients who may suffer from non-Ige-mediated wheat allergy.
Food allergies are divided typically into two areas: Ige mediated or non-Ige mediated. In Ige mediated food allergies people develop symptoms almost immediately after eating
and when blood and skin tests are carried out there is a positive marker. Non-Ige mediated food allergies including celiac disease primarily affect the GI mucosa (the innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract)
and have delayed a onset of symptoms which can make it difficult to diagnosis. Dr. Carroccio and his colleagues reviewed data on 276 patients diagnosed with NCWS using a double-blind placebo-controlled wheat challenge.
The data indicating a possible wheat allergy diagnosis and other data in the literature were examined.
The authors hypothesize that patients with NCWS may be suffering from non-Ige mediated food allergy.
and the basophil activation assay in food allergy as well as the histology findings in the food allergy diagnosis said Dr. Carroccio.
#Bee sting allergy could be a defense response gone haywirefor most people a bee sting causes temporary pain
and discomfort but for those with a bee venom allergy the consequences can be devastating:
New findings by Stanford university School of medicine scientists may provide an evolutionary explanation for severe allergic reactions. In a paper to be published online Oct 24 in Immunity the researchers show that mice injected with a small dose of bee venom were later resistant to a potentially lethal dose of the same venom.
The study is the first experimental evidence that the same immune response involved in allergies may have evolved to serve a protective role against toxins.
In allergic reactions a type of antibody called Ige binds to the surface of mast cells and prompts them to initiate an adaptive immune response
The functions of Ige and mast cells are known mostly in the context of allergies said Thomas Marichal DVM Phd a postdoctoral scholar
and that allergies are an extreme and maladaptive example of this type of defense. This idea known as the toxin hypothesis of allergy was proposed first by Margie Profet in 1991
but was ignored largely by immunologists until recently. To find out whether adaptive immune responses could help mice resist bee venom Marichal
Moreover they did not develop the anaphylactic reactions characteristic of severe allergies. To determine whether Ige antibodies were required for this protection the team tested mice with three types of mutations:
which in some cases escalate into maladaptive allergic reactions. We experience allergies in a much cleaner world where we don't have the same threats of venomous creatures
and potentially toxic food that existed for much of our evolutionary history said Galli. And so we're left with this residual type of reactivity that seems completely mysterious and pointless and harmful.
This is the first evidence that we know of indicating that Ige-associated'allergic-type'immune responses can actually reduce the toxicity of naturally occurring venoms.
For some time now the impact of environmental stressors during pregnancy on allergy risk among newborn children is a main research topic at Leipzig Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ.
From the results that were published recently in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology one thing is certain:
or if their function is impaired the self-regulatory function of the immune system will be reduced possibly resulting in allergies.
and their children's risk of developing allergies on the other the scientists from Leipzig examined microrna-223 microrna-155 and regulatory T cells--not only in the blood samples of pregnant women (36 weeks pregnant
whether or not these micrornas link exposure to smoke regulatory T cells and the risk of developing allergies.
Finally it could be shown that low regulatory T-cell numbers in umbilical cord blood was an indication that children exposed to tobacco smoke were more likely to develop an allergy before the age of three compared to those children with normal values for mir-223 and Treg cells.
New treatment for common allergiesresearchers have tested successfully treatments for people with allergies to grasses and to dust mites.
There are two treatments one for grass allergy which is commonly known as hay fever and the other for dust mite allergy.
They are expected to be helpful for the millions of people who as a reaction to grass pollen
It is estimated that together these allergens are responsible for more than 50%of allergic respiratory disease. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the population in North america and Europe is sensitive to pollen from different grass species. One in four people is sensitized to house dust mites more than any other common allergen
The 280 patients in the phase two clinical trial for the grass allergy treatment recorded their allergy symptoms
while exposed to grass pollen in a controlled environment both before treatment and at the end of the hay fever season.
During the clinical trial for the dust mite treatment 172 patients who received four doses of the treatment over 12 weeks had improved significantly allergy symptoms a year after the start of treatment compared to patients who received a placebo.
This result is an important validation of the approach we are taking to treat allergic diseases said Mark Larch who led the design of the treatments.
Positive results first with a cat allergy therapy and now with house dust mite and grass allergy treatments suggest that this approach may be used for many common allergies.
Hay fever is a seasonal response to many different grass pollens which are heaviest in the spring and fall.
(More than a hundred compounds still await testing in Ray's lab.)The research was supported partially by the National institutes of health's National Institute of Allergy
The Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases part of the National institutes of health under Contract No.
but it can also mean suffering from seasonal allergies seasonal allergies. Ragweed pollen and lingering mold can create double the symptoms for some allergy sufferers.
The daunting task of yard work can be favorable for allergy sufferers if they know how to reduce allergens in the areas surrounding the home said allergist Richard Weber MD president of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
Many people think you can only control the environment inside the home but there are also precautions you can take to help eliminate allergens outside as well.
While completely avoiding pollen and mold is an impossible feat the following tips from ACAAI allergists allergists can help you breathe a little easier.
if you have pollen allergies. Pollen counts are the highest during this time making early morning and evening hours more suitable.
and shirts to prevent skin irritation while keeping allergy-causing stinging insects away. Choose Wisely--The worst allergy offenders might be in your own yard.
If you are considering adding new trees grasses and plants into your landscape be sure they aren't the worst offenders.
While everyone's allergies are different these are typically safe:#¢#¢Trees: Apple Dogwood Pear Plum Begonia flower#¢Plants and Flowers:
Taking allergy medication long before you head into the great outdoors can help suppress allergy symptoms.
For those with severe seasonal allergies an allergist may prescribe immunotherapy also known as allergy shots which provide great relief.
The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
The study published today in Nature was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases (NIAID) a component of the National institutes of health and other organizations.
The above story is provided based on materials by NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. Note:
The virus has several highly unusual traits that paint a disquieting picture of a pathogen that may yet lead to a pandemic according to lead scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases.
#Ugly plants worse for allergy patientsas allergy season continues for Middle Tennessee and much of the nation a largely unknown adage rings true:
the uglier a flower or weed the more allergy-inducing its pollen tends to be.
Ragweed mugwort plantain and pigweed have more than just their unappealing appearance in common--they're some of the worst offenders to allergy sufferers said Robert Valet M d. assistant professor of Medicine and an allergist at Vanderbilt University Medical center's Asthma
Sinus and Allergy Program (ASAP) clinic. Ragweed can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains per plant throughout a pollen season according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Of those allergic to pollen-producing plants 75 percent are allergic to ragweed. The relationship between allergy-causing pollens and their flowers is something like a beauty pageant Valet said.
A general rule of thumb is that flowers that smell or look pretty attract insect pollenators so they are not generally important allergens
because their pollen is not airborne. However those that are very ugly or plain are meant to disperse pollen in the wind
which is the route most important for allergy. Valet says allergy season--divided into spring summer
and fall--runs from March to October and doesn't end until the first hard frost.
Of special note to allergy sufferers are Northern grasses including Timothy-grass ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass and Southern grasses including Bermuda grass and Johnson grass.
--which decreases the pollen in the air temporarily--but once allergy season is underway anything between a moderate
and very high pollen count will aggravate allergy sufferers Valet said. This season started later than last year's
Valet recommends that people with pollen allergies first try over-the-counter allergy medications before talking with their doctor about prescription medications and nose sprays.
For people with known pollen allergies everyday solutions can include taking an antihistamine before doing yard work
If these measures do not relieve the symptoms he suggests going to see an allergist to be tested for specific allergies
and treated accordingly with options including counseling about allergen avoidance medications and allergy shots. Story Source:
Funding for the project came from a five-year $3. 6 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases part of the National institutes of health.
The research was supported in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases part of the National institutes of health.
The above story is provided based on materials by NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. Note:
and allergies and providing the perfect balance of nutrients to help infants grow into strong and healthy toddlers.
#Dustless chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students with milk allergy, study findsmany of today's schools
and school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy Asthma
& Immunology the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) this choice in chalk may cause allergy
and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy. Casein a milk protein is used often in low-powder chalk.
When milk allergic children inhale chalk particles containing casein life-threatening asthma attacks and other respiratory issues can occur.
Chalks that are labeled as being anti-dust or dustless still release small particles into the air said Carlos H. Larramendi MD lead study author.
when the particles are inhaled by children with milk allergy coughing wheezing and shortness of breath can occur.
Milk allergy affects an estimated 300000 children in the United states according to the ACAAI. Although it has been believed the majority of children will outgrow milk allergy by age three recent studies contradict this theory showing school aged children are affected still.
However 80 percent of children with milk allergy will likely outgrow it by age 16.
Chalk isn't the only item in a school setting that can be troublesome to milk allergic students said James Sublett MD chair of the ACAAI Indoor Environment Committee.
Milk proteins can also be found in glue paper ink and in other children's lunches.
Parents with milk allergic children should ask to have seated their child in the back of the classroom where they are less likely to inhale chalk dust advises Sublett.
A plan for dealing with allergy and asthma emergencies should also be shared with teachers coaches and the school nurse.
The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
The research was supported by an IBB Hamill Innovations Grant the Robert A. Welch Foundation the National Science Foundation and the National institutes of health through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases.
The research at UNC was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. Future studies will investigate the mechanisms behind the vaccine's effectiveness Dr. Lemon said.
Families in Boston public housing developments for instance rank pest infestation pesticide use and pest allergies second only to crime as matters of concern.
The all-natural products the creation of which can take less than 5 days have no allergy concerns
which can cause allergic reactions in some humans. Asian needle ants also appear to be driving out native ant populations in forests--including native species that play important roles in ecosystem processes such as dispersing seeds.
large study findseating three or more weekly servings of fast food is linked to the severity of allergic asthma eczema
All the participants were involved in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)
Vitamin d deficiency is a risk factor for a number of illnesses including asthma and allergies in children.
It is also vital that investigators are aware of potential unexpected crossreactive allergic responses upon the consumption of plant products as we found in the non-transgenic peas.
Pet food safety was another area of concern particularly with pet foods that are formulated specifically to address food allergies in both cats and dogs continued Dr. Hellberg.
and fur could have a protective effect against asthma and allergies. Previous studies have suggested that exposure to a wider range of environments from a young age could be protective against asthma and allergies.
These findings have not been confirmed conclusively in urban settings. In this new study researchers investigated children from a city environment who had been exposed to animal skin by sleeping on the material shortly after birth.
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