If you were an allergy researcher ...

[YouKnowWho]

Over a period of years, why do some people have very large SPT's yet negative RASTs to an allergen?

Our allergist explained that a large factor is that those with a high IgE are always going to have a much higher skin reaction than those who have normal IgE.  Add in that many of those with large wheals often have underlying skin issues such as eczema so even if it is not exhibited outwardly, they may be suffering without knowing. 

I think that is how he best explained it when we were trying to figure out DS2's issues (who has no known eczema, but a very high total IgE and twitchy skin out the ying yang).

[YouKnowWho]

I know this has come up over the years but wondering if there is a relation to pushing back solids to 6mo as opposed to the old when they come home from the hospital or a few weeks after in relation to the skyrocketing number in allergies.

I know technically it is supposed to be better for the guts to wait.  But I also wonder as they go back on forth on introduction of allergens are we actually bringing on allergies by doing so.

[LinksEtc]

Thanks for the info Boo & YKW.

[LinksEtc]

"Food Allergy Researchers Can Learn from "Negative" Results"
http://www.asthmaallergieschildren.com/2013/10/31/food-allergy-researchers-can-learn-from-negative-results/

Couldn't we reach our ultimate goals faster if we formally shared the negative results of solidly executed experiments that yielded less than desirable findings?

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Tweeted by @bobfinn

"Off the Record": Bad for Scientists, Bad for Science"
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2014/06/12/off-the-record-bad-for-scientists-bad-for-science/

I don't know why Dr. X and Dr. Y remain unwilling to criticize the study publicly. They likely have very good reasons.

But I would argue that whatever those reasons are, they're trumped by the estimated 2 million people worldwide who are afflicted with MS and who deserve rapid scientific progress.

[twinturbo]

Just for kicks and more one of the mission goals for DH attending the pan-Asia conference in "China" (short handing for readership sake) is to look at what the researchers and allergists in this Asia-Europe-USA get together are focusing on wrt FA. Specifically, he's supposed to ask some of the local researchers and allergists in Taiwan, where he has home territory advantage, what they think about FAHF-2, if they are planning to implement it, and why/why not. I'd like to hear some of their perspective and critique.

Tse Wen Chang will be in attendance. For anyone going, who? He was one of the founders of Tanox, who developed the anti-IgE competitor to Xolair. I think he's continued with anti-IgE there.

[spoiler]The main focus of our group is to develop humanized antibody-based and immunogen-based therapeutics, which target key molecules involved in IgE-mediated allergic pathway. We are also developing new technology platforms for improved antibody engineering. One such program is to develop humanized antibody against CεmX domain in human membrane-bound IgE, for the purpose of controlling IgE-expressing B lymphocytes. CεmX, discovered by our group, is a 52 a.a. domain with a unique sequence. Anti-CεmX, if successfully developed, may be used in combination with an anti-IgE antibody, such as omalizumab (trade name Xolair), which is also derived from Dr. Chang's invention and which is approved for allergic asthma.

Dr. Chang is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica. He cofounded Tanox in Houston, Texas in 1986, shortly after he was recruited by Baylor College of Medicine. In 1987, he invented the anti-IgE therapy, which led to the development of omalizumab (Xolair). Xolair is used worldwide for severe allergic asthma and shown to be effective for severe chronic urticaria. In 1990, Dr. Chang discovered a discrete domain of 52 amino acid residues, referred to as CemX, located between CH4 and the C-terminal membrane anchor peptide of human mIgE. Favorable results have been obtained from Phase II trials of an anti-CemX antibody.

[/spoiler]

[CMdeux]

I would, too!!

[twinturbo]

Question for FAS mod team: DH is considering live blogging. We aren't after revenue for it or anything, would it be ok to link to his live blog of event? We'd definitely take requests for specific plenaries or speakers. Some of the papers presented are at the accepted stage but pre-publication.

It's in two weeks. http://www.apcaaci2013.org/InvitedSpeakers.html You can see speaker profiles, plenaries and schedule links to left. Not sure which papers are going to be presented.

We could even call it the FAS live blog and somehow direct traffic here.

[starlight]

So, here is (maybe a bad) idea ...

What would happen if docs started giving their patients "pop quizzes" at the annual ped and/or allergist/pulmo appt?

Show me your Epi's.

Show me your albuterol.

Show me your action plans.

Demonstrate how to use these.

What should you do in this situation?

My allergist actually does that. And scolded me for not holding my pretend epi to my leg for the 10 seconds.

[AdminCM]

Question for FAS mod team: DH is considering live blogging. We aren't after revenue for it or anything, would it be ok to link to his live blog of event? We'd definitely take requests for specific plenaries or speakers. Some of the papers presented are at the accepted stage but pre-publication.

It's in two weeks. http://www.apcaaci2013.org/InvitedSpeakers.html You can see speaker profiles, plenaries and schedule links to left. Not sure which papers are going to be presented.

We could even call it the FAS live blog and somehow direct traffic here.

Live blog?  Or Twitter?

Either way, I think that I'd be okay with that as long as Rebekah and the Committee Members think it's a good idea.

We could definitely use it, either way, on both our FB page and our Twitter feed. 

Thank you very much, TT.   

[twinturbo]

The easiest way is DH emails me write ups which I will re-post here under the APCAACI 2013 thread I created previously-which I will clean up a bit and edit to take requests for sessions and plenaries. Once posted please feel free to Tweet any of it under the FAS banner. Easiest, most sure way to keep content here and drive traffic to it.

[CMdeux]

EXCELLENT. 

[LinksEtc]

"A Vision and Plan for Food Allergy Research"
http://www.foodallergy.org/research/strategic-plan

In November 2013, FARE published "A Vision and Plan for Food Allergy Research," a comprehensive strategic plan that sets forth FARE's strategy for building a deep scientific understanding of the disease and accelerating the development of safe, practical therapies that would shield individuals with food allergies from life-threatening reactions.

http://www.foodallergy.org/document.doc?id=250

[LinksEtc]

Maybe you should work fecal transplants into conversations more often?   <-- this is me, being helpful and supportive. 

LOL every time I read that  .

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"You'll never believe what doctors are using to fight gut infections: Fecal transplants"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/youll-never-believe-what-doctors-are-using-to-fight-gut-infections-fecal-transplants/2014/01/06/24f36388-724a-11e3-9389-09ef9944065e_story.html?tid=pm_pop

"There were physicians that used a variety of concoctions that had fecal matter in it, although in those days they had to drink it," Oliva-Hemker said, referring to the medicinal "yellow soup" mentioned in an ancient Chinese text.

Currently, for any indications other than C. diff infection, doctors who want to perform the procedure need to apply for an investigational new drug research permit.

[LinksEtc]

Is sesame allergy in the USA more heavily concentrated in certain minority communities (racial, ethnic, religious)?

[PurpleCat]

So, here is (maybe a bad) idea ...

What would happen if docs started giving their patients "pop quizzes" at the annual ped and/or allergist/pulmo appt?

Show me your Epi's.

Show me your albuterol.

Show me your action plans.

Demonstrate how to use these.

What should you do in this situation?

My allergist actually does that. And scolded me for not holding my pretend epi to my leg for the 10 seconds.

DD's allergist does this to her each and every time she has an office visit, even if it's only one week apart.  When DD was a toddler, she'd do it to me and have DD help her "give Mommy a test"!