A critical assessment of allergen component-based in vitro diagnosis in cherry allergy across Europe

BACKGROUND: Food allergy to cherry occurs throughout Europe, typically with restricted oral reactions in the central and northern parts but with frequent systemic reactions in the Mediterranean region. Previous studies have demonstrated insufficient sensitivity of commercially available cherry extract reagents in the diagnosis of cherry allergy. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic performance of specific IgE tests based on recombinant cherry allergens in comparison with an extract-based assay and to skin prick test (SPT). A secondary objective was to analyse the frequency of systemic reactions in cherry-allergic subjects across Europe, including the largest population of LTP-sensitized subjects from central Europe studied to date. METHODS: A total of 186 subjects from central Europe and Spain were studied. Serum IgE was analysed with ImmunoCAP tests carrying rPru av 1, 3 and 4, combined and separately, and cherry extract. RESULTS: Among the central European cherry allergics, the mix of rPru av 1, 3 and 4 had a sensitivity of 95%, compared with 65% for cherry extract, and the IgE binding capacity of the recombinant mix was considerably higher. The sensitivity of the two tests was more comparable in the Spanish population, 95% and 86%, respectively. The recombinant allergen ImmunoCAP equalled SPT in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Consistent with previous reports, major geographic differences in sensitization pattern and prevalence of systemic reactions were found. A significantly higher rate of systemic reactions was found in Spanish patients sensitized to Pru av 3 whereas German patients sensitized to LTP only had oral allergy syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The recombinant cherry allergen ImmunoCAP is a highly sensitive diagnostic tool, clearly superior to any diagnostic method based on cherry extract. Three cherry allergens are sufficient for detecting sensitization in 95% of cherry-allergic subjects. Systemic reactions are common in LTP-sensitized individuals but seem to require at least one additional causative factor.     

Patterns of asbestosis in New Jersey.

Hospital discharge data from New Jersey were used to identify cases of asbestosis for the 8 years 1979-1986. Multiple admissions were deleted so that each individual was counted once at the time of his/her first hospitalization with an asbestosis diagnosis. White males had the highest age-adjusted average annual discharge rate of 19.3 cases/100,000 population, followed by black males (12.3 cases/100,000) and white females (1.2 cases/100,000). The discharge rate was positively associated with age in each race/sex category. The relationship between rates for black males and white males depended on age: under 65 years, the rates were almost equal, and at 65 years and older, the white rates were nearly twice the black rates. There were two areas of the state where the rates were highest: the north-central and southwest regions. These two areas represent manufacturing and shipbuilding applications of asbestos, respectively. During the years 1979-1986, the annual percentage increase in asbestosis rates was 20% for white males, 17% for black males, and 8% for white females. Continued surveillance will reveal when the rates for asbestosis stop increasing.     

肛肠肌电图对盆底疾病的诊断价值(附360例报告)

对3组患者均检查耻骨直肠肌,肛门内,外括约肌共1098块肉,共检测67880个运动单位电位。结果表明:便秘组肌电异常占82.2％(226/275),肿瘤术后组异常率为66.7％(14/24),脊髓病变组肌电异常率为98.4％(60/61),亦初步探讨肌电图对盆底疾病的诊断价值。     

肾结核90例临床分析

目的 探讨肾结核的临床特征及有效治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析90例肾结核患者的临床资料。结果 近年来肾结核病例仍较多见，早期诊断困难，单纯药物治疗可治愈者约16％，手术切除仍是主要治疗方法。结论 不典型肾结核的发病率仍较高。尿常规、B超、静脉肾盂造影为主要诊断方法，诊断性治疗仍是确诊的重要依据。     

Cartilage destruction in small joints by rheumatoid arthritis: assessment of fat-suppressed three-dimensional gradient-echo MR pulse sequences in vitro

Purpose. To assess the accuracy of different MR sequences for the detection of articular cartilage abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis. Design and patients. Ten metacarpophalangeal joints and 10 metatarsophalangeal joints (specimens from arthritis patients undergoing ablative joint surgery) were examined with a fat-suppressed (FS) 3D FLASH, a FS 3D FISP, a FS 2D fast spin-echo T2-weighted, and a 2D FS spin-echo T1-weighted sequence. Each cartilage lesion and each cortical lesion was graded from 0 to 4 (modified Outerbridge staging system). Subsequently, the results of each sequence were compared with the macroscopic findings and statistically tested against each other. Results. The study shows that 3D gradient-echo sequences with fat suppression were best for imaging and grading of cartilage lesions in arthritis of the small joints of the hands and feet. Using 3D techniques, all grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4 lesions of cartilage or cortical bone were detected. Conclusion. FS 3D gradient-echo techniques were best for the detection and grading of hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone lesions in rheumatoid arthritis. MRI has a great potential as an objective method of evaluating cartilage damage and bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis.     

日本血吸虫成虫31/32KD抗原的纯化及其免疫化学特性

本文采用超凝胶柱层析法分离纯化日本血吸虫成虫31/32KD抗原。分离的抗原经银染色及免疫印迹法分析证明已达免疫纯及生化纯级。该抗原PAS染色呈阴性,经过碘酸钠处理后不失去活性,在琼脂糖凝胶电泳中趋向阳极。鉴于血吸虫成虫31/32KD组分是一种主要血清学抗原,它的分离纯化为改进和标化血吸虫病的诊断提供了条件。     

腰椎间盘膨出CT诊断标准的探讨

在经椎间盘中心平面的ＣＴ扫描图像上，对下腰段８２个正常椎间盘（男４９个，女３３个）及相应平面后方之硬胶囊、椎管的矢径、横径和面积进行了测量，并用指数形式来表示前、后二者间各项指标的比例关系。通过与４０个（男２７个、女１３个）膨出椎间盘的比较分析，发现硬膜囊面积／椎间盘面积、硬膜囊矢径／椎间盘矢径及椎管矢径／椎间盘矢径等三个指数在椎间盘膨出的诊断中最有价值。     

踝/肱指数对下肢动脉硬化性闭塞症缺血程度的评价

目的：利用检测下肢动脉硬化性闭塞症患的踝/肱指数对其下肢缺血程度进行评估。方法：采用以色列Flo-link 500T血管多普勒诊断仪对我院50例确诊为下肢动脉硬化性闭塞症患进行了分组踝/肱指数的检测。结果：踝/肱指数在0．5—0．9之间，常提示下肢动脉或近端有单水平阻塞；踝/肱指数在0．45以下常提示患下肢缺血程度严重，为坏疽前期静息痛表现；踝/肱指数在0．30以下多伴有缺血性溃癌或坏死。结论：踝/肱指数的检测可以反映下肢缺血程度，指导临床选择治疗方法，判断愈后及疗效，其无创性、可重复性、价格低康，更易被患接受。     

磁共振水成像的临床应用及其进展

磁共振水成像是近年来磁共振成像研究的重大进展之一。具有无创，无辐射的特点，它利用重T2加权成像使含水器官显影，应用于胰胆管，泌尿系，椎管，涎管，内耳迷路，输卵管等含水器官的显示，具有良好的应用前景。