Skin Prick Automated Test device offers more reliable allergy test results compared to a manual skin prick test

BACKGROUND

The skin prick test (SPT) is the gold standard for identifying allergic sensitization in individuals suspected of inhalant allergy. A novel device, SPAT or Skin Prick Automated Test, that enables more standardized allergy testing has been developed. Previous research has shown reduced intra-subject variability of histamine wheals by SPAT.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate within-test agreement (% of patients with consistent test results) to detect sensitization to common inhalant allergens when a SPT is executed automated by SPAT or by manual SPT (SPMT) procedure.

METHODS

The 110 volunteers prospectively enrolled underwent both SPAT and SPMT with 3 pricks of house dust mite, timothy grass and birch, 2 pricks of histamine and 1 prick of glycerol. The proportion of consistent (3x positive â€" 3 x negative) and inconsistent (2x positive/negative â€" 1x positive/negative) test results were analysed.

RESULTS

The proportion of inconsistent test results was significantly lower in the SPAT compared to the SPMT group. The delta histamine to control pricks was significantly higher in SPAT compared to SPMT group. Coefficient of variation was lower in SPAT compared to SPMT for house dust mite, timothy grass, birch pollen. Visual analogue scale for discomfort was significantly lower in SPAT compared to SPMT group.

CONCLUSION

SPAT showed a 34% reduction in the number of inconsistent test results compared to manual SPT with common inhalant allergens. Patient experience is significantly improved when an allergy test is performed by SPAT compared to a manual SPT.

Overview of the negative ion based neutral beam injectors for ITER

The ITER baseline foresees 2 Heating Neutral Beams (HNB's) based on 1 MeV 40 A D(-) negative ion accelerators, each capable of delivering 16.7 MW of deuterium atoms to the DT plasma, with an optional 3rd HNB injector foreseen as a possible upgrade. In addition, a dedicated diagnostic neutral beam will be injecting ≈22 A of H(0) at 100 keV as the probe beam for charge exchange recombination spectroscopy. The integration of the injectors into the ITER plant is nearly finished necessitating only refinements. A large number of components have passed the final design stage, manufacturing has started, and the essential test beds-for the prototype route chosen-will soon be ready to start.

Final design of the beam source for the MITICA injector

The megavolt ITER injector and concept advancement experiment is the prototype and the test bed of the ITER heating and current drive neutral beam injectors, currently in the final design phase, in view of the installation in Padova Research on Injector Megavolt Accelerated facility in Padova, Italy. The beam source is the key component of the system, as its goal is the generation of the 1 MeV accelerated beam of deuterium or hydrogen negative ions. This paper presents the highlights of the latest developments for the finalization of the MITICA beam source design, together with a description of the most recent analyses and R&D activities carried out in support of the design.

Chromosome 17 loss-of-heterozygosity studies in benign and malignant tumors in neurofibromatosis type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant condition characterized by benign tumor (neurofibroma) growth and increased risk of malignancy. Dermal neurofibromas, arising from superficial nerves, are primarily of cosmetic significance, whereas plexiform neurofibromas, typically larger and associated with deeply placed nerves, extend into contiguous tissues and may cause serious functional impairment. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) seem to arise from plexiform neurofibromas. The NF1 gene, on chromosome segment 17q11.2, encodes a protein that has tumor suppressor function. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for NF1 has been reported in some neurofibromas and NF1 malignancies, but plexiform tumors have been poorly represented. Also, the studies did not always employ the same markers, preventing simple comparison of the frequency and extent of LOH among different tumor types. Our chromosome 17 LOH analysis in a cohort of three tumor types was positive for NF1 allele loss in 2/15 (13%) dermal neurofibromas, 4/10 (40%) plexiform neurofibromas, and 3/5 (60%) MPNSTs. Although the region of loss varied, the p arm (including TP53) was lost only in malignant tumors. The losses in the plexiform tumors all included sequences distal to NF1. No subtle TP53 mutations were found in any tumors. This study also reports the identification of both NF1 "hits" in plexiform tumors, further supporting the tumor suppressor role of the NF1 gene in this tumor type.

Elastin region deletions in Williams syndrome

Williams syndrome (WS) is considered a contiguous gene syndrome, with most patients having a 1.5-Mb deletion of chromosome 7q11.23 containing the elastin gene and flanking genes. Studies of the frequency, extent, and origin of these deletions are ongoing in many labs to discover ultimately the molecular and pathogenetic basis for WS. An analysis of 9 sporadic WS families with typical phenotypes was performed by genotyping polymorphisms in the region. This study revealed deletions in all 9 patients, with one showing a novel deletion extending much further centromeric than any other WS deletions yet reported.

Origin of octameric creatine kinases

Mitochondrial creatine kinase (MiCK) occurs primarily as an octameric form localized in the mitochondrial intermembrane compartment in vertebrate tissues and echinoderm spermatozoa (both deuterostome groups). The octameric quaternary structure is thought to play important functional and enzyme targeting roles. We have found that the spermatozoa of the protostome polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus contain three distinct isoenzymes of creatine kinase (CK) termed CK1, CK2 and CK3. CK3 appears to be present only in the sperm head/midpiece complex where mitochondria are restricted and has a subunit relative molecular mass (Mr) of 43.4 kDa. Gel permeation chromatography using Superdex 200HR showed that CK3 has a native Mr of 344.9 kDa indicating that this enzyme exists as an octamer. Electron micrographs of negatively stained CK3 preparations show structures which are virtually identical to those that have been seen for octameric vertebrate MiCK. The above observations show that CK3 from C. variopedatus displays great similarities to MiCKs from vertebrates and echinoderms. Octamerization of CK is not an advanced feature. The evolution of octameric subunit association is ancient and occurred prior to the divergence of protostomes and deuterostomes.