Spatial and temporal variations in airborne Ambrosia pollen in Europe

The European Commission Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action FA1203 "SMARTER" aims to make recommendations for the sustainable management of Ambrosia across Europe and for monitoring its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The goal of the present study is to provide a baseline for spatial and temporal variations in airborne Ambrosia pollen in Europe that can be used for the management and evaluation of this noxious plant. The study covers the full range of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. distribution over Europe (39°N-60°N; 2°W-45°E). Airborne Ambrosia pollen data for the principal flowering period of Ambrosia (August-September) recorded during a 10-year period (2004-2013) were obtained from 242 monitoring sites. The mean sum of daily average airborne Ambrosia pollen and the number of days that Ambrosia pollen was recorded in the air were analysed. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated regardless of the number of years included in the study period, while trends are based on those time series with 8 or more years of data. Trends were considered significant at p < 0.05. There were few significant trends in the magnitude and frequency of atmospheric Ambrosia pollen (only 8% for the mean sum of daily average Ambrosia pollen concentrations and 14% for the mean number of days Ambrosia pollen were recorded in the air). The direction of any trends varied locally and reflected changes in sources of the pollen, either in size or in distance from the monitoring station. Pollen monitoring is important for providing an early warning of the expansion of this invasive and noxious plant.

Geographic and temporal variations in pollen exposure across Europe

BACKGROUND

The EC-funded EuroPrevall project examined the prevalence of food allergy across Europe. A well-established factor in the occurrence of food allergy is primary sensitization to pollen.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse geographic and temporal variations in pollen exposure, allowing the investigation of how these variations influence the prevalence and incidence of food allergies across Europe.

METHODS

Airborne pollen data for two decades (1990-2009) were obtained from 13 monitoring sites located as close as possible to the EuroPrevall survey centres. Start dates, intensity and duration of Betulaceae, Oleaceae, Poaceae and Asteraceae pollen seasons were examined. Mean, slope of the regression, probability level (P) and dominant taxa (%) were calculated. Trends were considered significant at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

On a European scale, Betulaceae, in particular Betula, is the most dominant pollen exposure, two folds higher than to Poaceae, and greater than five folds higher than to Oleaceae and Asteraceae. Only in Reykjavik, Madrid and Derby was Poaceae the dominant pollen, as was Oleaceae in Thessaloniki. Weed pollen (Asteraceae) was never dominant, exposure accounted for >10% of total pollen exposure only in Siauliai (Artemisia) and Legnano (Ambrosia). Consistent trends towards changing intensity or duration of exposure were not observed, possibly with the exception of (not significant) decreased exposure to Artemisia and increased exposure to Ambrosia.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first comprehensive study quantifying exposure to the major allergenic pollen families Betulaceae, Oleaceae, Poaceae and Asteraceae across Europe. These data can now be used for studies into patterns of sensitization and allergy to pollen and foods.

The novel protease inhibitor SRD441 ointment is not effective in the treatment of adult subjects with atopic dermatitis: results of a randomized, vehicle-controlled study

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that excessive protease activity in the skin is an important factor in the development of atopic dermatitis. SRD44 is a topically formulated novel protease inhibitor that selectively inhibits Staphylococcal-derived aureolysin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

METHODS

This was a double-blind, vehicle-controlled randomized trial conducted in thirteen hospital dermatology outpatient clinics in Germany (9), Bulgaria (3) and Finland (1). Ninety-three out of 103 screened adult subjects with confirmed atopic dermatitis affecting ≤ 20% of body surface area, with an IGA score of 2 or 3 at randomization were randomized following a washout period to either SRD441 ointment or matching vehicle twice daily for 28 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the clearance of Atopic dermatitis (AD score of 0 or 1 IGA) at Day 21. Secondary endpoints included measures of SCORing Atopic Dermatitis, pruritus self-assessment, rescue medication use and occurrence of new exacerbations. A range of safety and tolerance endpoints were included.

RESULTS

There were no significant treatment differences in IGA success rates at Day 21 (SRD441 ointment, 11.1%; vehicle ointment, 12.5%; P = 1.000). Evaluation of secondary efficacy variables revealed no clinical or important statistical differences between treatment groups. Eighteen subjects (19.4%) discontinued the study drug because of an AE (seven subjects [15.6%] in the SRD441 group and 11 subjects [22.9%] in the vehicle group). Twenty-seven subjects (60.0%) in the SRD441 group and 34 subjects (70.8%) in the vehicle group reported an adverse event (AE).

CONCLUSIONS

SRD441 ointment did not demonstrate efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis raising questions on the effectiveness of MMPs as a target for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. NCT00882245.

Clinical tetrad of arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis, and mucocutaneous lesions (HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthropathy, Reiter syndrome): report of a case

A 21-year-old male patient with the clinical tetrad of arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis, and mucocutaneous lesions, commonly known as Reiter syndrome was presented. He was hospitalized in poor condition, with fever, bilateral conjunctivitis, swollen and painful knee and tarsal joints, low back pain, Achilles tendonitis, dactilitis, keratoderma blenorrhagica, purulent urethritis, circinate balanitis, and oral erosive lesions. Radiography and Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) showed sacroileitis, spondilosis thoracalis, and arthritis of the feet. The laboratory studies revealed anemia, neutrophilic leukocytosis, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hypoalbuminemia, negative rheumatoid factor, pyuria, proteinuria, and the presence of HLA-B27. The microbiological examinations of samples from pustular lesions, throat, eyes, urethra, stool, and blood were sterile. Urethral smear was positive for Chlamydia trachomatis (PCR). The histopathological picture of skin lesions was consistent with pustular psoriasis. Systemic treatment with antibiotics, corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs produced clinical improvement. This clinical syndrome requires comprehensive evaluation and multidisciplinary management.

Tissue Microarray Analysis of Cyclin D1 Gene Amplification and Gain in Colorectal Carcinomas

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common neoplastic diseases and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Elevated beta-catenin levels in colorectal cancer result in the binding of beta-catenin to LEF-1 and increased transcriptional activation of the CCND1 gene. Overexpression of cyclin D1 is observed in one third of colorectal tumors. CCND1 amplification is the main cause of protein overexpression in numerous human carcinomas. In colorectal cancer, however, no CCND1 amplification has been reported so far. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of CCND1 amplifications and gains in a large number of colorectal carcinomas, arranged in a tissue microarray, in order to assess their role in colorectal cancer development. The copy number changes, detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization, were predominantly gains (7.6%) and only rarely amplifications (2.5%). In colorectal cancer, the CCND1 copy number increase was neither associated with the tumor phenotype (stage and grade) nor with the tumor localization (colon, rectum or sigmoid colon). In conclusion, even in a small number of colorectal tumors, CCND1 gene amplification is a possible mechanism for the increase in cyclin D1 oncoprotein.