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- Lopata, AL, et al.
(author)
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Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of bird-specific IgG antibodies
- 2004
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In: International archives of allergy and immunology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1018-2438 .- 1423-0097. ; 134:2, s. 173-178
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- <i>Background: </i>Exposure to organic dust produced by birds often gives rise to an immune response, e.g. IgG antibodies, but intense exposure can lead to high concentrations of IgG antibodies and the development of allergic alveolitis, often known as ‘bird fancier’s lung’. The aim of this study was to establish the distribution of bird-specific IgG antibodies in exposed and nonexposed individuals and compare a nonquantitative and quantitative method in evaluating raised levels of IgG antibodies. <i>Methods: </i>Sera were collected in Sweden and South Africa and levels of IgG antibodies specific to pigeon, budgerigar and parrot antigens were quantified using the UniCAP system. Results were compared to the precipitation in gel assay. The IgG antibody values of symptomatic patients without precipitating antibodies (non-PP group; n = 51) and patients with precipitating antibodies (PP group; n = 34) were analyzed and compared to nonexposed asymptomatic blood donors (BD group; n = 73) and environmentally exposed pigeon breeders (n = 11). <i>Results: </i>The IgG antibody response of the analyzed groups in Sweden and South Africa did not vary significantly from each other. IgG antibody responses were the strongest to pigeon antigens with clear increased IgG antibody levels in the PP group [geometric mean (GM) 603 mg/l] compared to the non-PP (GM 6.9 mg/l) and BD group (GM 5.0 mg/l). Threshold values, calculated as the GM value from the BD group plus 3 standard deviations (99% confidence interval), were 9.8, 10.8 and 10.0 mg/l for pigeons, budgerigars and parrots, respectively. Comparison of the two methods resulted in a good concordance with a level of agreement of 94.1% (kappa statistic = 0.83). <i>Conclusions: </i>The UniCAP system for the detection of bird-specific IgG antibodies is a highly reproducible, generally available, quantitative method for routine diagnostic testing and monitoring of exposed subjects with a very high level of agreement to the precipitating gel assay.
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| 5. |
- Cho, E, et al.
(author)
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Dairy foods, calcium, and colorectal cancer : A pooled analysis of 10 cohort studies
- 2004
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In: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - Harvard Univ, Sch Med, Channing Lab, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Brigham & Womens Hosp, Dept Med, Channing Lab, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Harvard Univ, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Nutr, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Harvard Univ, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Epidemiol, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Harvard Univ, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Biostat, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Loma Linda Univ, Ctr Hlth Res, Sch Med, Loma Linda, CA USA. Maastricht Univ, Dept Epidemiol, Maastricht, Netherlands. Harvard Ctr Canc Prevent, Boston, MA USA. Univ Minnesota, Sch Publ Hlth, Div Epidemiol, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA. SUNY Buffalo, Dept Social & Prevent Med, Buffalo, NY USA. TNO, Nutr & Food Res Inst, Dept Epidemiol, Zeist, Netherlands. Univ Toronto, Fac Med, Dept Publ Hlth Sci, Toronto, ON, Canada. Natl Publ Hlth Inst, Dept Epidemiol & Hlth Promot, Helsinki, Finland. Fred Hutchinson Canc Res Ctr, Canc Prevent Res Program, Seattle, WA USA. Albert Einstein Coll Med, Dept Epidemiol & Populat Hlth, Bronx, NY 10467 USA. Natl Inst Environm Hlth Sci, Epidemiol Branch, Res Triangle Pk, NC USA. NYU, Dept Obstet Gynecol, Sch Med, New York, NY USA. Natl Inst Environm Med, Div Nutr Epidemiol, Stockholm, Sweden. NYU, Sch Med, Nelson Inst Environm Med & Kaplan Canc Ctr, New York, NY USA. : OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC. - 0027-8874 .- 1460-2105. ; 96:13, s. 1015-1022
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. Studies in animals have suggested that calcium may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. However, results from epidemiologic studies of intake of calcium or dairy foods and colorectal cancer risk have been inconclusive. Methods: We pooled the primary data from 10 cohort studies in five countries that assessed usual dietary intake by using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline. For most studies, follow-up was extended beyond that in the original publication. The studies included 534 536 individuals, among whom 4992 incident cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed between 6 and 16 years of follow-up. Pooled multivariable relative risks for categories of milk intake and quintiles of calcium intake and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: Milk intake was related to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Compared with the lowest category of intake (<70 g/day), relative risks of colorectal cancer for increasing categories (70-174, 175-249, and greater than or equal to250 g/day) of milk intake were 0.94 (95% CI = 0.86 to 1.02), 0.88 (95% CI = 0.81 to 0.96), and 0.85 (95% CI = 0.78 to 0.94), respectively (P-trend<.001). Calcium intake was also inversely related to the risk of colorectal cancer. The relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake was 0.86 (95% CI = 0.78 to 0.95; P-trend = .02) for dietary calcium and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.69 to 0.88; P-trend<.001) for total calcium (combining dietary and supplemental sources). These results were consistent across studies and sex. The inverse association for milk was limited to cancers of the distal colon (P-trend<.001) and rectum (P-trend = .02). Conclusion: Higher consumption of milk and calcium is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
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