Objective The custom-homebuilding company, Cosmic Garden Co. Ltd., located in Okayama City, Japan was established in 1997 and uses specific natural ore powder （SNOP） in wall materials and surveys customers in order ...Objective The custom-homebuilding company, Cosmic Garden Co. Ltd., located in Okayama City, Japan was established in 1997 and uses specific natural ore powder （SNOP） in wall materials and surveys customers in order to improve allergic symptoms. Methods To investigate the biological effects of SNOP, patients with a pollen allergy were recruited to stay in a room surrounded by cloth containing SNOP （CCSNOP）, and their symptoms and various biological parameters were compared with those of individuals staying in a room surrounded by control non-woven cloth （NWC）. Each stay lasted 60 min. Before and immediately after the stay, a questionnaire regarding allergic symptoms, as well as POMS （Profile of Mood Status） and blood sampling, was performed. Post-stay minus pre-stay values were calculated and compared between CCSNOP and NWC groups. Results Results indicated that some symptoms, such as nasal obstruction and lacrimation, improved, and POMS evaluation showed that patients were calmer following a stay in CCSNOP. Relative eosinophils, non-specific Ig E, epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-I, and tumor necrosis factor-a increased following a stay in CCSNOP. Conclusion This ore powder improved allergic symptoms, and long-term monitoring involving 1 to 2 months may be necessary to fully explore the biological and physical effects of SNOP on allergic patients.展开更多
AIM： To investigate whether birch pollen allergy symptoms are linked with gut microbiota changes and whether probiotics have an effect on these. METHODS： Forty seven children with confirmed birch pollen allergy were...AIM： To investigate whether birch pollen allergy symptoms are linked with gut microbiota changes and whether probiotics have an effect on these. METHODS： Forty seven children with confirmed birch pollen allergy were randomized to receive either a probiotic combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus （L. acidophilus） NCFM^TM （ATCC 700396） and Bifidobacterium lactis （B. lactis） BI-04 （ATCC SD5219） or placebo in a double-blind manner for 4 mo, starting prior to onset of the birch pollen season. Symptoms were recorded in a diary. Blood samples were taken for analysis of cytokines and eosinophils. Fecal samples were analysed for microbiota components, calprotectin and IgA. Nasal swabs were taken for analysis of eosinophils.RESULTS： The pollen season induced a reduction in Bifldobacterium , Clostridium and Bacteroides which could not be prevented by the probiotic intervention. During the intervention, significantly higher numbers ofB. lactis 11.2 × 10^7 ± 4.2 ×10^7 vs 0.1 × 10^7 ± 0.1 × 10^7 bacteria/g feces （P 〈 0.0001） and L. acidophilus NCFMTM 3.5 × 10^6 ± 1.3 × 10^6 vs 0.2 × 10^6 ±0.1 × 10^6 bacteria/g feces （P 〈 0.0001） were observed in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group.During May, there was a tendency for fewer subjects, （76.2% vs 95.2%, P = 0.078） to report runny nose, while during June, fewer subjects, 11.1% vs 33.3%, reported nasal blocking in the probiotics group （P = 0.101）. Concomitantly, fewer subjects in the probiotic group had infiltration of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa compared to the placebo group, 57.1% vs 95% （P = 0.013）. Eye symptoms tended to be slightly more frequent in the probiotic group, 12.5 d [interquartile range （IQR） 6-18] vs 7.5 d （IQR 0-11.5） （P = 0.066） during May. Fecal IgA was increased in the placebo group during the pollen season; this increase was prevented by the probiotics （P = 0.028）. CONCLUSION： Birch pollen allergy was shown to be associated with changes in fecal microbiota composition. The specific combination of probiotics used was shown to prevent the pollen-induced infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa, and indicated a trend for reduced nasal symptoms.展开更多
This review analyzes the state and recent progress in the field of information support for pollen allergy sufferers.For decades,information available for the patients and allergologists consisted of pollen counts,whic...This review analyzes the state and recent progress in the field of information support for pollen allergy sufferers.For decades,information available for the patients and allergologists consisted of pollen counts,which are vital but insufficient.New technology paves the way to substantial increase in amount and diversity of the data.This paper reviews old and newly suggested methods to predict pollen and air pollutant concentrations in the air and proposes an allergy risk concept,which combines the pollen and pollution information and transforms it into a qualitative risk index.This new index is available in an app(Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK-air)that was developed in the frame of the European Union grant Impact of Air POLLution on sleep,Asthma and Rhinitis(a project of European Institute of Innovation and Technology-Health).On-going transformation of the pollen allergy information support is based on new technological solutions for pollen and air quality monitoring and predictions.The new information-technology and artificial-intelligence-based solutions help to convert this information into easy-to-use services for both medical practitioners and allergy sufferers.展开更多
基金the Kirameki Creation Fund from the Okayama Prefecture Industrial Promotion Foundation from January to September,2014
文摘Objective The custom-homebuilding company, Cosmic Garden Co. Ltd., located in Okayama City, Japan was established in 1997 and uses specific natural ore powder （SNOP） in wall materials and surveys customers in order to improve allergic symptoms. Methods To investigate the biological effects of SNOP, patients with a pollen allergy were recruited to stay in a room surrounded by cloth containing SNOP （CCSNOP）, and their symptoms and various biological parameters were compared with those of individuals staying in a room surrounded by control non-woven cloth （NWC）. Each stay lasted 60 min. Before and immediately after the stay, a questionnaire regarding allergic symptoms, as well as POMS （Profile of Mood Status） and blood sampling, was performed. Post-stay minus pre-stay values were calculated and compared between CCSNOP and NWC groups. Results Results indicated that some symptoms, such as nasal obstruction and lacrimation, improved, and POMS evaluation showed that patients were calmer following a stay in CCSNOP. Relative eosinophils, non-specific Ig E, epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-I, and tumor necrosis factor-a increased following a stay in CCSNOP. Conclusion This ore powder improved allergic symptoms, and long-term monitoring involving 1 to 2 months may be necessary to fully explore the biological and physical effects of SNOP on allergic patients.
文摘AIM： To investigate whether birch pollen allergy symptoms are linked with gut microbiota changes and whether probiotics have an effect on these. METHODS： Forty seven children with confirmed birch pollen allergy were randomized to receive either a probiotic combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus （L. acidophilus） NCFM^TM （ATCC 700396） and Bifidobacterium lactis （B. lactis） BI-04 （ATCC SD5219） or placebo in a double-blind manner for 4 mo, starting prior to onset of the birch pollen season. Symptoms were recorded in a diary. Blood samples were taken for analysis of cytokines and eosinophils. Fecal samples were analysed for microbiota components, calprotectin and IgA. Nasal swabs were taken for analysis of eosinophils.RESULTS： The pollen season induced a reduction in Bifldobacterium , Clostridium and Bacteroides which could not be prevented by the probiotic intervention. During the intervention, significantly higher numbers ofB. lactis 11.2 × 10^7 ± 4.2 ×10^7 vs 0.1 × 10^7 ± 0.1 × 10^7 bacteria/g feces （P 〈 0.0001） and L. acidophilus NCFMTM 3.5 × 10^6 ± 1.3 × 10^6 vs 0.2 × 10^6 ±0.1 × 10^6 bacteria/g feces （P 〈 0.0001） were observed in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group.During May, there was a tendency for fewer subjects, （76.2% vs 95.2%, P = 0.078） to report runny nose, while during June, fewer subjects, 11.1% vs 33.3%, reported nasal blocking in the probiotics group （P = 0.101）. Concomitantly, fewer subjects in the probiotic group had infiltration of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa compared to the placebo group, 57.1% vs 95% （P = 0.013）. Eye symptoms tended to be slightly more frequent in the probiotic group, 12.5 d [interquartile range （IQR） 6-18] vs 7.5 d （IQR 0-11.5） （P = 0.066） during May. Fecal IgA was increased in the placebo group during the pollen season; this increase was prevented by the probiotics （P = 0.028）. CONCLUSION： Birch pollen allergy was shown to be associated with changes in fecal microbiota composition. The specific combination of probiotics used was shown to prevent the pollen-induced infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa, and indicated a trend for reduced nasal symptoms.
文摘This review analyzes the state and recent progress in the field of information support for pollen allergy sufferers.For decades,information available for the patients and allergologists consisted of pollen counts,which are vital but insufficient.New technology paves the way to substantial increase in amount and diversity of the data.This paper reviews old and newly suggested methods to predict pollen and air pollutant concentrations in the air and proposes an allergy risk concept,which combines the pollen and pollution information and transforms it into a qualitative risk index.This new index is available in an app(Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK-air)that was developed in the frame of the European Union grant Impact of Air POLLution on sleep,Asthma and Rhinitis(a project of European Institute of Innovation and Technology-Health).On-going transformation of the pollen allergy information support is based on new technological solutions for pollen and air quality monitoring and predictions.The new information-technology and artificial-intelligence-based solutions help to convert this information into easy-to-use services for both medical practitioners and allergy sufferers.
