Comparative analysis of pollen counts of Corylus, Alnus and Betula in Szczecin, Warsaw and Lublin (2000-2001).

The aim of the study was to compare the airborne concentrations of allergenic pollen produced by three early flowering tree taxa (Corylus, Alnus, Betula) in the cities of Warsaw (central Poland), Lublin (eastern Poland) and Szczecin (western Poland) during the years 2000-2001. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method. Pollen seasons were defined as the periods in which 95% of the total catch occurred. The highest concentration and annual pollen count of Corylus was measured in Lublin in both seasons, while the highest annual pollen counts of Alnus and Betula were noted in Warsaw, where the annual pollen count of Betula in 2001 was four times higher than in 2000 and equalled 5,376 grains in m3 per 24 h. Significant differences in the pollen count of the examined taxa were observed between two seasons: the pollen count of Corylus was higher in 2000 than in 2001, while for Alnus and Betula the opposite was the case. The longest pollen seasons were observed at low annual pollen counts for the pollen of Corylus. Results of the study reveal significant differences between the seasons and the cities. The differences concern the dates of the appearance of pollen grains in the air, the duration of the presence of sporomorphs and the maximum concentrations in particular seasons. The pollen counts of alder, birch and hazel trees are determined by the weather, diversity of local flora and specific rhythm of pollination of particular taxa.

[Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (Scc-Ag): diagnostic utility in squamous cell carcinoma antigen of the head and neck with metastasis to lymph nodes]. / Antygen raka plaskonablonkowego (Scc-Ag): diagnostyczna uzytecznosc w przypadkach nowotworów zlosliwych glowy i szyi z przerzutami do wezlów chlonnych.

Aim of the work was estimation of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) concentrations in serum and qualification its diagnostic value in patients with malignant neoplasm of head and neck in dependence from presence of metastasis to lymphatic glands. The study comprised the group of 146 persons (108 with head and neck malignant neoplasm, 38 of persons determined group supervisory). At 35 ill one ascertained metastasis to lymph nodes. In presented work sensitivity of SCC in initial investigation was (52.8%), specificity (97.4%), positive predicting value (PV+ = 94.2%) and negative predicting value (PV- = 64.0%). We observed not characteristic statistical dependence of concentrations SCC from presence of metastasis to lymph nodes. There was characteristic correlation between concentration of SCC and presence of metastasis to regional lymphatic glands using of correlation R-Spearman.

[Allergology in internet]. / Alergologia w internecie.

The authors present all-Polish Internet Allergy Service www.allergen.info.pl working since February 1998. The system of mailing current allergenic pollen data to individual patients is presented. The results of Internet questionnaire filled by 4500 users of GlaxoWellcome Pollen Count Internet Service in 1998 are discussed. The authors also present possibility of cooperation for clinicians with the usage of IRC and picture and voice transmission.

[Evaluation of the efficiency and safety of the loratadine with pseudoephedrine combination drug in treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis]. / Ocena skutecznosci i bezpieczenstwa preparatu zlozonego loratadyny z pseudoefedryna w leczeniu sezonowego alergicznego zapalenia blony sluzowej nosa.

The aim of the study was to assess efficacy and safety of 5 mg loratadine/120 mg pseudoephedrine combination drug in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. 30 patients allergic to grass pollen were treated with the new drug (Clarinase) twice a day in 15-day study during grass pollen seasonal. Nasal an non-nasal symptoms were evaluated for efficacy. Loratadine/pseudoephedrine combination effected a significant decrease in total symptoms score as well as individual evaluated symptoms score: nasal stuffiness, itching and discharge, sneezing, eye itching, tearing and redness of the eyes. The treatments was well tolerated. No serious side effects were noticed. The incidence of mild sedation, dry mouth, insomnia and nervousness was only 3 to 7 percent. 5 mg loratadine plus 120 mg pseudoephedrine was safe and effective in relieving the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Empty site forms of the SRP54 and SR alpha GTPases mediate targeting of ribosome-nascent chain complexes to the endoplasmic reticulum.

The SRP54 and SR alpha subunits of the signal recognition particle (SRP) and the SRP receptor (SR) undergo a tightly coupled GTPase cycle that mediates the signal sequence-dependent attachment of ribosomes to the Sec61 complex. Here, we show that SRP54 and SR alpha are in the empty site conformation prior to contact between the SRP-ribosome complex and the membrane-bound SR. Cooperative binding of GTP to SRP54 and SR alpha stabilizes the SRP-SR complex and initiates signal sequence transfer from SRP54 to Sec61 alpha. The GTP-bound conformations of SR alpha and SRP54 perform distinct roles, with SR alpha performing a predominant role in complex stabilization. Hydrolysis by both SRP54 and SR alpha is a prerequisite for dissociation of the SRP-SR complex.

[Rhinomanometry: a method of objective study of nasal patency]. / Rynomanometria--metoda obiektywnego badania droznosci nosa.

Rhinomanometry is the most applied method of evaluation of nasal patency in the world. In the study the authors present application of rhinomanometry in the diagnosis of the nose disease. On own material the authors introduce the technique of rhinomanometry and interpretation of its results.

[Cell response in the nasal mucosa in patients with hay fever during plant pollen season]. / Odpowiedzi komórkowe blony slzowej nosa u chorych z pylkowica w okresie pylenia roslin.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether different reactions of the nasal mucosa can be a result of a natural provocation with allergen. During the pollen season of anemorphilous plants the nasal mucosa may trigger the following reactions allergic inflammation or non-specific secretion.

[The role of aeroallergens monitoring in the allergological practice]. / Rola monitorowania stezenia alergenów w praktyce alergologicznej.

A physician wanting to help his hay fever patient efficiently needs to know the causative agent in detail. High qualitative and quantitative variability in certain years creates the necessity of constant pollen count monitoring. Information on current trends is helpful to doctors in their diagnostic and prophylactic procedures as well as in efficient treatment planning.

[The prophylaxis of allergic rhinitis]. / Profilaktyka alergicznego zapalenia blony sluzowej nosa.

Authors present their own experience with prophylactic procedures applied in allergic rhinitis.

[Perennial specific immunotherapy in pollen allergy]. / Caloroczna immunoterapia swoista pylkowicy.

Authors present perennial immunotherapy procedure that they developed with sublingal Perosall T 13 and Novo-Helisen Depot. The results of two-year observation of 70 patients undergoing above mentioned therapy.

[The influence of antihistamine agents on reaction time]. / Wplyw leków przeciwhistaminowych na czas reakcji.

Authors carried out the study of reaction time on auditory stimulus in a group of 200 patients taking a single dose of: Clemastin, Phenazolinum, Zyrtec, Astemizol, Claritin, Disophrol and placebo. The results indicate the prolongation of reaction time after the administration of either first or second generation antihistaminics.

[Use of long-acting drainage (sino-ject) in treatment of chronic maxillary sinusitis]. / Zastosowanie dlugotrwalego drenazu (sino-ject) w leczeniu przewleklych zapalen zatok szczekowych.

The authors present the results of treatment of chronic maxillary sinusitis with punctures and with permanent drainage (sino-ject). The use of permanent drainage shortened the time of treatment and increased percentage of very good results of treatment. Presented method of permanent drainage of maxillary sinus avoid many punctures of sinus. The drainage of sinus allow for each day rinsing of sinus with physiological saline and with drugs (mucolitic, antibiotic) and also for bacteriological examination of sinus secretion. As in classical puncture of maxillary sinus the permanent drainage play a diagnostic and therapeutic roles. The permanent drainage of maxillary sinus allow for inflow of oxygen into sinus and protect from anaerobic infection. The fact that puncture needle is pushed to a depth of only 1 cm greatly reduces the risk of injuring neighbouring structures. This method enables puncture of maxillary sinus with minimum trauma and hardly any pain.

The alpha subunit of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae oligosaccharyltransferase complex is essential for vegetative growth of yeast and is homologous to mammalian ribophorin I.

Oligosaccharyltransferase mediates the transfer of a preassembled high mannose oligosaccharide from a lipid-linked oligosaccharide donor to consensus glycosylation acceptor sites in newly synthesized proteins in the lumen of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae oligosaccharyltransferase is an oligomeric complex composed of six nonidentical subunits (alpha-zeta), two of which are glycoproteins (alpha and beta). The beta and delta subunits of the oligosaccharyltransferase are encoded by the WBP1 and SWP1 genes. Here we describe the functional characterization of the OST1 gene that encodes the alpha subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase. Protein sequence analysis revealed a significant sequence identity between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ost1 protein and ribophorin I, a previously identified subunit of the mammalian oligosaccharyltransferase. A disruption of the OST1 locus was not tolerated in haploid yeast showing that expression of the Ost1 protein is essential for vegetative growth of yeast. An analysis of a series of conditional ost1 mutants demonstrated that defects in the Ost1 protein cause pleiotropic underglycosylation of soluble and membrane-bound glycoproteins at both the permissive and restrictive growth temperatures. Microsomal membranes isolated from ost1 mutant yeast showed marked reductions in the in vitro transfer of high mannose oligosaccharide from exogenous lipid-linked oligosaccharide to a glycosylation site acceptor tripeptide. Microsomal membranes isolated from the ost1 mutants contained elevated amounts of the Kar2 stress-response protein.

Signal sequence recognition and targeting of ribosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum by the signal recognition particle do not require GTP.

The identification of GTP-binding sites in the 54-kDa subunit of the signal recognition particle (SRP) and in both the alpha and beta subunits of the SRP receptor has complicated the task of defining the step in the protein translocation reaction that is controlled by the GTP-binding site in the SRP. Ribonucleotide binding assays show that the purified SRP can bind GDP or GTP. However, crosslinking experiments show that SRP54 can recognize the signal sequence of a nascent polypeptide in the absence of GTP. Targeting of SRP-ribosome-nascent polypeptide complexes, formed in the absence of GTP, to microsomal membranes likewise proceeds normally. To separate the GTPase cycles of SRP54 and the alpha subunit of the SRP receptor (SR alpha), we employed an SR alpha mutant that displays a markedly reduced affinity for GTP. We observed that the dissociation of SRP54 from the signal sequence and the insertion of the nascent polypeptide into the translocation site could only occur when GTP binding to SR alpha was permitted. These data suggest that the GTP binding and hydrolysis cycles of both SRP54 and SR alpha are initiated upon formation of the SRP-SRP receptor complex.

[Concentration of pollen dust in the atmosphere of Poland]. / Stezenia pylku roslin w atmosferze Polski.

The main allergic disorders of the upper airways are the airborne pollens of various plants. In order to determine the concentration of plant pollens in the atmosphere of Poland in the years 1989-1991 studies were carried out determining pollen counts in 21 locations throughout Poland. Four main periods of pollination were observed: 1) early spring (trees, shrubs); 2) late spring (trees); 3) early summer (grass, hay); 4) summer and early autumn (combined plants). In northern Poland and the mountain regions beginning of pollination is 15-20 days later than in western Poland and is seen approximately 10-15 days later than in central Poland. The Polish pollen counts were compared with the data from Netherlands and Italy.

Protein translocation across the ER requires a functional GTP binding site in the alpha subunit of the signal recognition particle receptor.

The signal recognition particle (SRP)-mediated translocation of proteins across the RER is a GTP dependent process. Analysis of the primary amino acid sequence of one protein subunit of SRP (SRP54), as well as the alpha subunit of the SRP receptor (SR alpha), has indicated that these proteins contain predicted GTP binding sites. Several point mutations confined to the GTP binding consensus elements of SR alpha were constructed by site specific mutagenesis to define a role for the GTP binding site in SR alpha during protein translocation. The SR alpha mutants were analyzed using an in vitro system wherein SR alpha-deficient microsomal membranes were repopulated with SR alpha by in vitro translation of wild-type or mutant mRNA transcripts. SRP receptors containing SR alpha point mutants were analyzed for their ability to function in protein translocation and to form guanylyl-5'-imidodiphosphate (Gpp[NH]p) stabilized complexes with the SRP. Mutations in SR alpha produced SRP receptors that were either impaired or inactive in protein translocation. These SRP receptors were likewise unable to form Gpp(NH)p stabilized complexes with the SRP. One SR alpha point mutant, Thr 588 to Asn 588, required 50- to 100-fold higher concentrations of GTP relative to the wild-type SR alpha to function in protein translocation. This mutant has provided information on the reaction step in protein translocation that involves the GTP binding site in the alpha subunit of the SRP receptor.

Requirement of GTP hydrolysis for dissociation of the signal recognition particle from its receptor.

The signal recognition particle (SRP) directs signal sequence specific targeting of ribosomes to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Displacement of the SRP from the signal sequence of a nascent polypeptide is a guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-dependent reaction mediated by the membrane-bound SRP receptor. A nonhydrolyzable GTP analog can replace GTP in the signal sequence displacement reaction, but the SRP then fails to dissociate from the membrane. Complexes of the SRP with its receptor containing the nonhydrolyzable analog are incompetent for subsequent rounds of protein translocation. Thus, vectorial targeting of ribosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum is controlled by a GTP hydrolysis cycle that regulates the affinity between the SRP, signal sequences, and the SRP receptor.